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Removal of stuck patch and hardware

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Joined
May 3, 2022
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Location
south Texas
Well after shooting yesterday and cleaning the bore, my cleaning patch remained in the bore. I retrieved the 50 yr old ramrod and a patch puller. The end of the ramrod came off and was lodged in the bore. I considered busting a cap to blow it all out but I was at home and the neighbors would throw a fit. So I pulled out the trusty compressor cranked it to 140 lbs pointed in a safe direction and it blew right out.
I put the old ramrod in the safe never again to be used for its intended use.
 
I have drilled & pinned the end caps on some of my ramrods to avoid that same problem. So far so good, but if I was removing a stuck ball etc, I would definitely use a "range rod" because the wood ones, regardless of what they are made of, can only take so much stress before they give out.(IMHO). I also have a compressor, and that is usually enough, of course you need to be where the compressor is,LOL! I have one of those hand held, CO2 type emergency blowers, that I have actually never used and a "ramrod" puller that i have used. The "puller has leather pads tha
ramrod 1.jpg
ramrod 2.jpg
t grip the ramrod, provides more leverage to pull it out when retrieving a stuck ball etc, but frankly I have found it works best with two people, one hold the rod& puller, one holding the rifle!
 
I have drilled & pinned the end caps on some of my ramrods to avoid that same problem. So far so good, but if I was removing a stuck ball etc, I would definitely use a "range rod" because the wood ones, regardless of what they are made of, can only take so much stress before they give out.(IMHO). I also have a compressor, and that is usually enough, of course you need to be where the compressor is,LOL! I have one of those hand held, CO2 type emergency blowers, that I have actually never used and a "ramrod" puller that i have used. The "puller has leather pads thaView attachment 140906View attachment 140907t grip the ramrod, provides more leverage to pull it out when retrieving a stuck ball etc, but frankly I have found it works best with two people, one hold the rod& puller, one holding the rifle!
Where did you get the ramrod puller. I’d like to put one in my emergency maintenance box. That way I’ll never need it. 😉
 
That has happened to me often enough, that I use a dedicated range rod for loading & cleaning… the ram rod gets used for loading while hunting.

For cleaning, or pulling anything out of the bore…Range Rod.
I agree. I was just too lazy to get the brass range rod. Wooden ramrod is now for show only. Lesson learned.
 
I have drilled & pinned the end caps on some of my ramrods to avoid that same problem. So far so good, but if I was removing a stuck ball etc, I would definitely use a "range rod" because the wood ones, regardless of what they are made of, can only take so much stress before they give out.(IMHO). I also have a compressor, and that is usually enough, of course you need to be where the compressor is,LOL! I have one of those hand held, CO2 type emergency blowers, that I have actually never used and a "ramrod" puller that i have used. The "puller has leather pads thaView attachment 140907t grip the ramrod, provides more leverage to pull it out when retrieving a stuck ball etc, but frankly I have found it works best with two people, one hold the rod& puller, one holding the rifle!

I'd love to find one of those metal tipped nozzles you have there.
The plastics coming with those kits today are junk.
Its almost impossible to get it over a touch hole & blow out the load.
Most of the time I trickle powder into the touch hole & shoot the load out.
 
I've always cleaned with dedicated steel rods and seldom ever put a cleaning patch on the wood one. If on the rare occasion a prb resists pulling out I work a little 4F in behind it and shoot it out.
 
I have witnessed a number of folks trying to use the CO2 blasters and have never seen anyone have any success. Do they actually work?
They work fairly well for cap guns.
The lousy plastic nozzles doesn't get a good seat for flint guns.
I have removed loads using it, but, it isn't easy.
 
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I have and use both at our range for whoever needs it, sometimes for me. It's easier for me to just pull it instead of using the co2 discharger.
 
I have witnessed a number of folks trying to use the CO2 blasters and have never seen anyone have any success. Do they actually work?
Yes, they do. I have the identical model shown in Snake's photo for my flintlocks, and another one designed for caplocks. I bought both of them decades ago when coaching 4-H.

I will add this thought though - I always used this method first. If other methods have already been tried in removing whatever object is stuck in the barrel - it might be too late.

For example:

If a hole has been made all the way through a patched ball when a screw type puller was attempted, I doubt the Co2 tool will work. If a ball was short-started with two patches (student was busy visiting while loading) and instead of using the discharger immediately the shooter decides to beat the charge all the way home with a roofing hammer (yes, he really did) no way was the discharger able to overcome such a wedged cylinder of lead.

There are other scenarios but you get the idea.

At one point I felt the need to slug the barrel of a .54 caliber rifle. Found a lead conical laying around the shop of an appropriate diameter. Pushed it all the way home with no patch or powder - just some lube. Placed a 5 qt. ice cream pail on the floor with a hand towel in the bottom, had the muzzle of the rifle an inch or so above the towel and used the Co2 discharger. Bullet ricocheted off the towel, one wall, the ceiling and a second wall before coming to rest.
 

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