Stuck ball, now with drill bit

[45man]

You can ring the barrel if the ball is not on any powder.
I make a ball puller out of brass. I drill and tap for a screw that fits a ramrod and drill the other end for a thin wood screw with the head cut off. Silver solder it in. Soft solder might work. Do not use the store bought pullers with the thick screw. It will enlarge the ball so much, something will give out as it makes everything tighter.

 

[Butler Ford]

Melting point of lead is around 320 deg......

621.5º F the 320ish is centigrade

 

[Britsmoothy]

You can ring the barrel if the ball is not on any powder.
I make a ball puller out of brass. I drill and tap for a screw that fits a ramrod and drill the other end for a thin wood screw with the head cut off. Silver solder it in. Soft solder might work. Do not use the store bought pullers with the thick screw. It will enlarge the ball so much, something will give out as it makes everything tighter.

Not on the blooper charges suggested.

 

[Tom511]

OP here.
Range is closed for another week. Weather's bad. Have eye surgery on retina scheduled for later this week (vitrectomy).
So won't be able to try some of these suggestions for at least a week. But really looking forward to getting this done.
This has been very enlightening on a number of levels, and it's great brainstorming with people who have so much knowledge and experience.

 

[Britsmoothy]

OP here.
Range is closed for another week. Weather's bad. Have eye surgery on retina scheduled for later this week (vitrectomy).
So won't be able to try some of these suggestions for at least a week. But really looking forward to getting this done.
This has been very enlightening on a number of levels, and it's great brainstorming with people who have so much knowledge and experience.

Best wishes with your surgery.

 

[sawyer04]

Just shoot the ball out. Ball on the powder or not. Why do folk get so complicated over a stuck ball. Get as much powder in there as you can and shoot it it out. If it doesn't work first time add more powder.
And stop gluing drill bits to wooden dowl

Seems to be a lot of suggestions like this and I have done such a thing. If you do, remember that ball and bit will come out of the barrel like an 88, so don't have anything in front of the barrel. If you intend on catching the ball and drill make sure it is heavy enough to stop a good blow.

 

[Acorn Mush]

Britsmoothy has the right idea to easily resolve your problem. I would only suggest you cut a strip of cardboard from a cereal box or paper towel roll, wide enough to extend just past the drill bit in the ball, and long enough to roll into a tube (2 layers thick) of slightly less than bore diameter. Slide the tube down the barrel to the ball. This will provide protection to the bore if the bit tilts. Hold the tube in place with a couple of thick, lubricated patches. The lube will facilitate a hasty exit for the ball, once it gets moving.

Twenty grains of powder will not generate enough pressure to damage your barrel, even with the ball not seated. I have cleared barrels in this way a number of times for folks here and there over the years without any damage whatsoever.

Wishing you success with your surgery and with your stuck ball difficulty. Please let us know how you are doing.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

My laser idea is looking pretty good right now...

 

[NorthFork]

Not trying to bust the OP's chops too much but..........

All this hand wringing and waiting is going to spell disaster for the bore. What is being done as a preventative measure to stave off corrosion in the bore? The firearm was fired before sticking the ball, right? Look I'm as much of a safety nut as the next man but pull the nipple, trickle 15 or 20 grs of fffg or ffffg into the barrel, point the darn thing in a safe direction and fire the ball out. 20 grs of powder will not ring the barrel even if there is a dead space there. Remember, the ball has a 'vent' in it.

 

[Woody Morgan]

wm

 

[Dude]

Hey, the suspense is killing us!!!

Just go out in the back yard and empty the dang thing into a tree stump. Or a box full of dirt or sand... point it at the ground... anything!!!

 

[Rudall]

What is being done as a preventative measure to stave off corrosion in the bore? The firearm was fired before sticking the ball, right?

Wrong. As stated by the OP in post 79.

 

[Rudall]

Just go out in the back yard and empty the dang thing into a tree stump. Or a box full of dirt or sand... point it at the ground... anything!!!

He may live on the 14th floor of an apartment building next to the police academy.

 

[NorthFork]

@Rudall

No, in post #79 he said -

• Dry ball, no powder and have not added any

He said nothing about not firing the firearm prior to the "dry ball" incident. As for where he lives, well go to the local range, a buddies house in the country, whatever. This is America, not the UK. Most places here, outside of large cities, either don't care or turn a blind eye to lawful discharge of firearms even if not at a 'proper' range.

 

[Rudall]

• Dry ball, no powder and have not added any

I would say that the state of the breech cannot be determined from this ambiguous comment, but he did say that his local range was shut for a week, so that's out.
Anyway, I was really just quibbling for the sake of it, in an attempt to add something even slightly less than deadly dull to this thread. It has been rather like drawing teeth.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Oh the

Since two key issues with shooting the ball out are the ball not being seated and keeping the drill from damaging the bore,drill out the original dowel, deep enough to sleeve the whole drill ( if it's not already) and keep it centered; charge the breech through the thimble; push the ball down to it; leave the rod sleeved over the rod; and just shoot the whole mess at once.
You will have taken care of two rights of passage at once; dry-balling and shooting your ramrod.

I have done both, but not at once!

 

[Elkeater]

Zerk and grease will not work if it is stuck well. Grease will ooze around it, big mess. Shoot it out.

 

[Don H]

Grease or powder, that is the question.

 

[azmntman]

POWDER TODAY BY 5:00PM

MAMA SAID SHOOT THAT OUT

 

[Bucky]

Hey, the suspense is killing us!!!

Just go out in the back yard and empty the dang thing into a tree stump. Or a box full of dirt or sand... point it at the ground... anything!!!

Yup, we all want to see this come to a successful conclusion.......but do you realize then it's over.......like the last episode of your favorite tv show? Lol Feel bad about the situation, but it sure has helped replace not been able to go to the local Legion during the pandemic.......