Stuck ball in a charged rifle

[TrapperPete]

official answer soak the breech for 20 minutes with the nipple out in water , then pull the ball essentially no risk

co2 discharger or air compressrer essentially no risk make sure it is in a safe direction it can still come out fast enough to go through dry wall

how ever your an adult and it has like been more than an hour , you can just lube the barrel good and pull the ball with little risk

or the if you are still where you can shoot , pull the nipple and get some powder in there and screw the nipple back in and fire a bit of risk

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I think have left some Ballistol (which ended up pooling in the breach) in the barrel of my .45 T/C Hawken percussion rifle. I loaded 30grs of powder and a patched .440 round ball to test the accuracy of that load at 25 yards. My ram rod is marked for that same load and it lined up so I know I did not forget anything. I believe the powder got saturated with the left over Ballistol so it will not ignite. I tried firing it 3 times (before firing I of course tried to reseat the ball but it still lined up with the 30gr mark on the rod which tells me it is not at all igniting) but only the primer pops and nothing else. So how can I get out the ball? Co2 discharger? Or try to add some dry powder behind the nipple which has worked for me in the past with an uncharged ball. Sorry for the long winded post but I wanted to include as much info as possible. Thank you.

This one shows an easy way to remove them ( for future reference ) :

 

[lou puleff]

I think have left some Ballistol (which ended up pooling in the breach) in the barrel of my .45 T/C Hawken percussion rifle. I loaded 30grs of powder and a patched .440 round ball to test the accuracy of that load at 25 yards. My ram rod is marked for that same load and it lined up so I know I did not forget anything. I believe the powder got saturated with the left over Ballistol so it will not ignite. I tried firing it 3 times (before firing I of course tried to reseat the ball but it still lined up with the 30gr mark on the rod which tells me it is not at all igniting) but only the primer pops and nothing else. So how can I get out the ball? Co2 discharger? Or try to add some dry powder behind the nipple which has worked for me in the past with an uncharged ball. Sorry for the long winded post but I wanted to include as much info as possible. Thank you.

Try the easy way first c02 then go for the other way if it wont come out

 

[Britsmoothy]

Please stop using oil .

If you go with pulling with a screw use a rod with a t bar handle. Stand on or wedge the handle and you yank on the rifle.
In fact every muzzleloader shooter should have a t bar rod in battery somewhere! Home made or otherwise.

 

[SamTex1949]

Things happen and now you gotta clear the load. consider one of these handy devices in you shooting box to help charge the nipple with some 4F powder .

 

[Britsmoothy]

Things happen and now you gotta clear the load. consider one of these handy devices in you shooting box to help charge the nipple with some 4F powder .

You said 4f!

 

[FishDFly]

Works better with 7F.

 

[J. Paul]

My go to for this for over 30 years was work some powder behind nipple then fire it out.
I was then told about the co2 ball discharge so I bought one. I have yet to successfully remove a ball from any of my muzzleloaders with it and every time have had to put powder in behind nipple for success. I have used it on others rifles successfully so I know it does work but apparently not on my patch and ball combination

 

[deandeib]

Based on all the excellent advice from the members, it seems that there have been a considerable number of dry ball situations among the populace

 

[Grenadier1758]

Either one has had an experience with a dry ball or stuck ball situation or we will. It only takes one such experience to create a lifetime of responses to the situation.

 

[Howard Pippin]

Tree man is spot on, remove nipple, dribble as much powder in ther as you can, replace the nipple and immediately fire the rifle. The next time before you shoot squirt some brake clean in the bore, but put a clean patch between the hammer and nipple, then you can squirt the brake clean, followed by a dry patch or two and not have to worry about the brake clean getting on the finish of the rifle. Then pop a couple of caps off and your ready to load.

I shoot both Flint and percussion, so I have some 4F powder. My friend who shoots with me, has loaded a round ball by itself several times, but he shoots percussion. He's fairly new to muzzleloaders and gets easily distracted. We have never failed to get the ball out by removing the nipple, putting in as much 4F As we can, replace the nipple, point it downrange, and out comes the ball. It works so good that I fixed him up a dispenser so he would have 4F available if I wasn't around. I believe the rifle is a CVA.
Squint

 

[helwan9]

I have been using CO2 dischargers for 25 years and never had a problem with them. Most ranges I shot competition had a good sized tank to safely remove a problem load. Cheap safe solution for caplocks. Flint a little more difficult. Just my experience.

George

 

[S.Kenton]

I shoot both Flint and percussion, so I have some 4F powder. My friend who shoots with me, has loaded a round ball by itself several times, but he shoots percussion. He's fairly new to muzzleloaders and gets easily distracted. We have never failed to get the ball out by removing the nipple, putting in as much 4F As we can, replace the nipple, point it downrange, and out comes the ball. It works so good that I fixed him up a dispenser so he would have 4F available if I wasn't around. I believe the rifle is a CVA.
Squint

As much as I and others have dry balled, you should market them dispensers!

 

[Eddie2002]

After my first dry ball I made a range rod out of 3/16 inch steel and welded a loop in it's end. Haven't needed to use it yet but plan to tie the loop off on a tree or whatever is handy with a little slack and just give it a goodly yank after setting the ball puller in properly. I have had to "prime" the drum on my cap lock with a little powder to pop out a dry ball once which is a lot easier than pulling it. The air tanks work great if the range has one but most ranges in my area are set up for center fire not front stuffers. As to pulling a ball over a charge, a little water will make it safe but still be careful and don't look down the barrel.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Eddie2002,

Do add a little bit of water from the muzzle to soften the fouling and patch. Pull first. A yank could pull the threaded puller out of the ball.

 

[rrebuck]

I typically unload my gun after hunting when I haven't shot it using a ball puller and have never had Any problems from that.

 

[wb78963]

I think have left some Ballistol (which ended up pooling in the breach) in the barrel of my .45 T/C Hawken percussion rifle. I loaded 30grs of powder and a patched .440 round ball to test the accuracy of that load at 25 yards. My ram rod is marked for that same load and it lined up so I know I did not forget anything. I believe the powder got saturated with the left over Ballistol so it will not ignite. I tried firing it 3 times (before firing I of course tried to reseat the ball but it still lined up with the 30gr mark on the rod which tells me it is not at all igniting) but only the primer pops and nothing else. So how can I get out the ball? Co2 discharger? Or try to add some dry powder behind the nipple which has worked for me in the past with an uncharged ball. Sorry for the long winded post but I wanted to include as much info as possible. Thank you.

All the responses given here are helpful but I would suggest after getting things cleared up to do this. After oiling to bore to protect it then store the rifle in the rack with the muzzle down on a piece of white paper towel and let the excess drain there. I always leave my rifles in that condition for at least a week.
Good luck
Bunk

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I typically unload my gun after hunting when I haven't shot it using a ball puller and have never had Any problems from that.

Yeah..With the fresh clean bore, pulling a ball is nice and friendly. But pulling a ball is a lot harder after the gun has been fired a couple times.

Our muzzleloading group uses a rod called a .50 calibre Machine Gun Field Rod...they are able to pull projectiles, with that thing, with no problems...I've tried to find one of those rods, but no such luck. I believe that they said they were buying them off of eBay...

 

[Flintlock]

Yeah..With the fresh clean bore, pulling a ball is nice and friendly. But pulling a ball is a lot harder after the gun has been fired a couple times.

Our muzzleloading group uses a rod called a .50 calibre Machine Gun Field Rod...they are able to pull projectiles, with that thing, with no problems...I've tried to find one of those rods, but no such luck. I believe that they said they were buying them off of eBay...

Then clean the barrel a bit before pulling the ball, also use a tad undersize ball so one can pull it easier.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Then clean the barrel a bit before pulling the ball, also use a tad undersize ball so one can pull it easier.

You do realize that once the ball is stuck in the barrel...all that preventative stuff kinda goes out the window pretty quickly.

The few times that I've actually dry-balled, I just seat the ball and shoot it out anyways...works best.