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Utter disappointment !!

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pa woods roamer

40 Cal.
Joined
Apr 17, 2005
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I bought a T/C .56 cal. Smoothbore percussion off of Gun Broker. Guy said it was in unfired condition. Got the Gun Today and as always got a Flashlight and checked the Bore. Staring back at Me was a Ball and Patch!! Pulled the Nipple and Yep, It is loaded !!On the outside the Gun looks like it has never been shot and was thinking since they haven`t made these guns in Years and if I can get the ball out will the Barrel be ruined ?? I E-mailed the seller, it was a Gunshop in Rhode Island, about getting My money back, no answer yet. I just checked and it was as is, no return so I might be Screwed !!Beautiful wood on the Gun but dand, am I dissapointed !!
 
If the barrel wasn't already fouled when it was loaded you should be alright. If it was fouled, there may be rust in the breech area where the powder sat for years.
Only one way to know for sure. Pull the ball and check.

I have bought several used muzzleloaders that were loaded. All but one was OK.

Do NOT try to fire it! You never know what it might be loaded with! Smokeless? :shocked2:
 
I put some Oil in the Barrel and am letting it soak overnight. The Powder, it is Black, under the Nipple was so hard I had to take a small Drill Bit to get it loosened up. Wait and see, I guess?
 
Until you get the load out, it's hard to say what the condition of the barrel is.
It might be a rusted mess or still look brand new.
Most likely, it is somewhere in between those two extremes.

Even if it is badly rusted, there are ways of getting the rust out.

Assuming it has sit there in that condition, it may need more than a good tug on a ball remover or a blast of air pressure thru the nipple hole (without the nipple) but the old grease zirk fitting/grease gun method should be able to push the load out.
 
Don't get to torn up yet :v .Work on getting the ball/load out.You may be amazed to find the bore is OK.The grease gun trick works!!!!!
 
Doesn`t sound like I am getting a refund so, going to head over to My 6`2 strong young Boy and let Him give it a try !! And, have heard the Grease Gun thing works so, wait and see!!
 
I would contact Gun Broker with the issue. I'm not familiar with their policies but they may intervene specially as it's obvious the dealer misrepresented the piece. I wouldn't be surprised to find that it is against most shipper's policies to transport a loaded firearm and probably illegal too.
 
If any rust simply go to the store and get ya a jar of black strap molasses, mix 6 parts water & one part molasesses and fill to where the rust starts then let er sit for 3-4 days. Rust will clean up! Did on a totally no questions asked ruined ol army cylinder which now is pristine (though not quite as bright). In the bore/breech the shiny wont matter. Let us know....
 
Best of luck to the OP getting the load out. I had a used 50 Investarms that I bought. Very nice gun but it too had a load in it that had been in there for an obviously long time. The powder was so compacted and hard in there it was almost as hard to get out as the ball and dried up patch was. The grease trick did not work at all for me and I was using an electric grease pump! Piece by piece I got it out eventually and now have a nice gun! Good luck to you and let us know how it comes out. Greg :)
 
Just wondering why no one recommends navel jelly. When in Italy, my landlord had a handgun that had set in a plastic bag under a mattress since the war. This gun was also loaded. It was a ball of rust, covered it in navel jelly, after one hour got the mag out. Two hours later oiled and shot the firearm with that old ammo. It did have some holes were the rust had eaten through, but not in the barrel/chamber.
 
Before I get in trouble for bringing up a modern weapon, it was only to show the working of Navel Jelly. :idunno:
 
hawkeye2 said:
I would contact Gun Broker with the issue. I'm not familiar with their policies but they may intervene specially as it's obvious the dealer misrepresented the piece.

+1

You can't have a valid "contract" to buy the piece if you didn't have a "meeting of the minds" since the piece was misrepresented.

If the gun has issues you don't want to deal with, I'd push to return it and use Gun Broker as well as the BBB for the region the seller is in to apply pressure. If paid for by a credit card, I would block the payment and open an issue so the amount doesn't have to be paid to the CC company until resolved. You have options if the gun is not what you expected.

Good luck in either finding it useable or getting it returned and your money refunded.
 
I don't really see the big deal.
It's just a stuck ball in a smooth bore.
Yes, it was unfortunately misrepresented by the seller but many-many folks know nothing about Trad ML guns,, even "gun shops". A lot of us have come across this very situation with used guns.

I'd harass the seller a good bit and look for at least a partial return of money. Even if it was listed "as is" with no refund, it was still misrepresented.

But with that, it's not the end of the world and it's an easy enough fix. It's kind of hard to ruin a smooth bore because of a stuck ball.
 
Just because it was loaded, doesn't mean it was ever fired. More than likely it was but you never know and if it is in real good shape and you got a deal on it, I'd just pull the ball and move on. If you do get him to take it back there is the aggravation of sending it back, you will probably have to eat some of the shipping and still get another gun. In the shape it's in I don't see it being that bad after you get the ball out, but until you get the ball out, you/we really are just speculating.
 
i have done business wth gun broker if it says as is you are out of luck as to getting help from them, however I did get a response from the seller when I had the cc co. refund my charge. the were then very egar to talk a lower cost on it.
 
Got the Ball out after soaking overnight with Oil and,the Missus idea, Dawn Dish liquid !! Can`t brag enough about the Ball Pullers Track of the Wolf sell, they work !! Gonna watch the Steeler`s game and then go see if the barrel is ok.....
 
Good deal. I have never had to pull a ball before. Tried but I didn't have the right stuff. The puller on my rod looks like a wood screw. Anyway I have always been able to shoot it out with a pinch of powder. I know with your situation it was not a good or safe idea. I'd just try to get a partial refund for your aggravation.
 
Lead Slinger,Yes at least try to get the original price lowered from the seller.I have received a few never shot barrels from flea-bay that were a little crusty.I contacted the sellers for a refund or deep discount,they will wine, but usually will discount rather than refund if you want the barrel.As far as your barrel I think it will be fine.I just bought a loaded .58 Interarms at a auction.Pulled the load,luckily it was a sabo,and did not seem to have powder under it.A little crud under the sabo but cleaned up fine. Good luck.
 
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