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I was given an old 50 Cal Thompson Hawken from a friend that cam from an estate. The rifle is missing the rod and stock retaining pin. and not in very good shape but salvageable. The hammer won't set but I believe I can fix that. The problem is it has a stuck projectile in the gun. Removed the nipple and got most of the powder out but can't seam to get a ball puller into the whatever kind of bullet that is loaded. Tried one of those co2 air cartridges but it won't budge. Any suggestions as what do do next?
 
My favorite that always works is to pour a dap of oil or tranny fluid down the barrel and let soak overnight or as long as possible to kill the charge and lube the projectile, Spray a shot in the flashhole or nipple Then use a common grease gun with a pointed tip screwed on ( tip like a Plews 05-045) if you want to web search it. Auto parts or tractor parts stores should all carry them. With one person holding the tip against flash hole or nipple hole and the other pumping it will push the object out in minutes. You can stick a dowel down the barrel and watch your progress. Many guns will use most of a tube of grease and cleanup is kinda messy ( paper towels - rags- kerosone- or white "Coleman fuel" ). I've used this a half dozen times on used guns I bought or those people have brought me, really does work great.
 
You screw the correct thread size grease zerc (nipple) into where the current rifle nipple sits. Make absolutely sure that you have the exact same threads on the zerc as the rifle nipple has! Then use the grease gun. Once bullet pops out, remove the zerc, leaving the rifle nipple out and just an open hole, slowly run a cleaning patch down the barrel on a cleaning jag (you’ll need a gun cleaning kit) to push the grease back out. Then clean with something like wd-40 in the barrel until free of grease using cleaning patches. Order up a ramrod and wedge key from Track of the Wolf, or some other supplier.
Walk
 
You won't even need a threaded nipple, just a pointed needle nozzle like the (Plews 05-045) will work fine and will work on any muzzleloader flint or percussion.
 
Tried to get nipple out. Broke a nipple wrenches trying to get the old one out. will keep trying. soaking in Kroll oil now see what happens.
 
One I picked up from another forum. Stick barrel in freezer overnight then plunge it straight into boiling water and let it heat up. Try removing the nipple while barrel is still hot. Cheap and worth a try.
 
That was a year ago. Just was bored so looked at it again and now nipple is stuck also. Should have never put it back in.
 
One I picked up from another forum. Stick barrel in freezer overnight then plunge it straight into boiling water and let it heat up. Try removing the nipple while barrel is still hot. Cheap and worth a try.
Sounds good I will try that.
Thanks
 
That was a year ago. Just was bored so looked at it again and now nipple is stuck also. Should have never put it back in.
hint: Use an anti size grease on threaded screws exposed to powder fouling. Available at any auto parts store.
Or grease the threads before installing.
Bunk
 
Success! I found a grease fitting with the same thread as the Thompson Hawken barrel which was 1/4-28 and was able to pump it out with a grease gun. To my surprise it wasn't a bullet in there but was a patched jag on a end of a ram rod that had come apart.
Thanks Guys
 

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