How do I do it? I have a Traditions .50 caliber muzzleloader with a 44 magnum sabot and 50 gr Pyrodex charge stuck in it. I have tried firing several caps and even fishing a wire into the flash hole to dislodge whatever is keeping spark from the powder. I am a complete novice when it come to anything black powder, so what do I do here?
Removing a Stuck Ball From Muzzleloader
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Malachi Leviticus Blue
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Inline? Side lock?
remove the breach plug on an inline and push out the load.
or in either case, one option is to remove the nipple, ensure its clear, pour or dig out some of the pyrodex and add some real BP for a duplex load to achieve ignition.
any chance your powder is wet from swabbing between shots? If so the pyrodex likely wont ever ignite.
remove the breach plug on an inline and push out the load.
or in either case, one option is to remove the nipple, ensure its clear, pour or dig out some of the pyrodex and add some real BP for a duplex load to achieve ignition.
any chance your powder is wet from swabbing between shots? If so the pyrodex likely wont ever ignite.
Gemmer
Member
If your gun is not an in-line,
I’d start by removing the nipple and trickling BLACK powder into the barrel. Replacing the nipple and firing the gun.
If that doesn’t work then a blast of compressed air may shoot the ball and charge out. There are CO2 devices sold that will also work.
Last resort is to use a screw type ball puller attached to your ramrod to pull out the ball.
Good luck
I’d start by removing the nipple and trickling BLACK powder into the barrel. Replacing the nipple and firing the gun.
If that doesn’t work then a blast of compressed air may shoot the ball and charge out. There are CO2 devices sold that will also work.
Last resort is to use a screw type ball puller attached to your ramrod to pull out the ball.
Good luck
arcticap
Member
I agree that we need to know if it's an inline or sidelock.
Also, is the 50 grains of Pyrodex loose powder or a pellet?
Do you know how to clean a nipple by using a pin, needle, thin wire from a small paper clip or a nipple pick?
Placing a few grains of any type of loose powder under the nipple usually always works.
Do you have any loose powder?
If not, a pellet could probably be crushed in a dish to make some loose powder.
It needs to be ground very fine.
If it's a sidelock, the cleanout screw can be removed and the loose powder can be placed under that instead of the nipple.
There's other steps that can be taken to try to ignite the powder.
Go slow before deciding to pull out the load unless it's an inline where you can simply remove the breech plug and push it out using the ramrod or a long wooden dowel.
Also, is the 50 grains of Pyrodex loose powder or a pellet?
Do you know how to clean a nipple by using a pin, needle, thin wire from a small paper clip or a nipple pick?
Placing a few grains of any type of loose powder under the nipple usually always works.
Do you have any loose powder?
If not, a pellet could probably be crushed in a dish to make some loose powder.
It needs to be ground very fine.
If it's a sidelock, the cleanout screw can be removed and the loose powder can be placed under that instead of the nipple.
There's other steps that can be taken to try to ignite the powder.
Go slow before deciding to pull out the load unless it's an inline where you can simply remove the breech plug and push it out using the ramrod or a long wooden dowel.
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It is a side lock. The Pyrodex is loose grain. The nipple is able to be removed, but the knelt part is stuck fast. The flash chamber or whatever run perpendicular to the bore, the screw is hard stuck, I actually started stripping the flat head on it so stopped. I will try a small amount of loose powder under the nipple to try to ignite what is in the barrel.
Ephraim Kibbey
Member
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...product_name/UA0304+.50+Caliber+Bullet+Puller
and a cleaning rod for it if your ramrod does not have a fitting for it.
and a cleaning rod for it if your ramrod does not have a fitting for it.
Trying to pull a saboted load will be a lesson in frustration. Best to get some powder in the breech area and try to shoot it out. Worse comes to worse, get a grease fitting that fits the threads of your gun and put a grease gun to it. It creates quite a mess to clean up, but the projectile will be pushed out of the bore.
arcticap
Member
Sam Fadala wrote about using 3F or Pyrodex P for every caliber.
It flows into the drum and flash channel of sidelocks better than Pyrodex RS which can help to prevent ignition problems.
It also helps to tilt the gun and point the drum toward the ground after loading the powder and before ramming, and then slap or bump the side
of the stock a few times with your hand, which allows gravity to help the powder flow into the drum and flash channel.
And then put the hammer on 1/2 cock before ramming and remove any spent cap from the nipple, so that the air escaping through the nipple hole
can help push the powder into the drum and flash channel.
It flows into the drum and flash channel of sidelocks better than Pyrodex RS which can help to prevent ignition problems.
It also helps to tilt the gun and point the drum toward the ground after loading the powder and before ramming, and then slap or bump the side
of the stock a few times with your hand, which allows gravity to help the powder flow into the drum and flash channel.
And then put the hammer on 1/2 cock before ramming and remove any spent cap from the nipple, so that the air escaping through the nipple hole
can help push the powder into the drum and flash channel.
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Ephraim Kibbey
Member
J-Bar
Member
Didja get it out?
Not yet. I got called into work and then came home to house work. Hopefully tomorrow, hopefully.
whughett
Member
I got distracted last week at the range and dry balled a TC Patriot pistol. Patched 440 round ball. Made a bullet puller from a corse thread dry wall screw and a 1/2 inch dowel. It wasn’t the first time either I seem to manage that every couple of years.
I squirted a liberal amount of Ballistol down the barrel, locked the gun barrel in a vice and was able to pull the ball with a little effort.
I squirted a liberal amount of Ballistol down the barrel, locked the gun barrel in a vice and was able to pull the ball with a little effort.
whughett
Member
Maybe it’s the one I found in my clubs back stop while digging lead out for casting bullets. 
I use a ball screw as well. I hitch a leather strap to the ramrod tie the two ends together, find an HD nail, bolt. or branch that is over my head hook the strap to, and pull the ball by pulling on the gun. I have found that if you store your black powder rifles muzzle down you have less of these problems. Oil does not collect in the breach where you don't want it. Ask me how I know? 
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