Wedged Wad

[Billy_Reb]

Hello to everyone. First time poster at THR. I recently bought a Dixie Whitworth rifle and allowed my cleaning patch and jag to become wedged down in the breech-end of the barrel. :banghead: The breech plug on this muzzle-loader is not removable. Here is a list of what I have tried to do to remove patch and jag:

-- Tried shaking the piece upside down. Result: Patch and jag still stuck.

-- Tried flushing the barrel with Ballistol, then shook rifle upside down.
Result: Patch and jag still stuck.

-- Used a patch puller worm. Result: One prong broke off of the worm with
no removal of patch or jag.

-- Used a bronze brush to try and wrap the patch and jag around brush.
Result: Patch and jag still stuck.

-- Tried to use a ball puller to stab patch and pull upwards. Result: Same.

Suffice it to say, I am out of ideas. I would pour about 5 to 10 grains of black powder down the barrel and then snap off a cap or three in an attempt to blow the obstruction out of the barrel, but with the wad soaked with Ballistol, I am wondering if that would fail as well. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Any ideas?

 

[tom e gun]

is it a flinter or percussion?

 

[alsask]

Try using your air compressor to blow it out. Unscrew the nipple and blow through the hole.

 

[solvability]

Try using your air compressor to blow it out. Unscrew the nipple and blow through the hole.

+1 yes

 

[JohnKSa]

They make attachments that allow you to use a CO2 cartridge to blow out barrel obstructions.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=9299

Never use a bullet puller again. Safe-Fast-Silent – a C02 powered unit designed to conveniently and safely unload any muzzleloading gun. Saf-T-Unloader comes Co2 cartridge. Does not come with an adapter . Adapters are available as well as extra Co2 cartridges.​

 

[Billy_Reb]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have an air compressor, so I'll try that first. If that doesn't work, I'll invest in some CO2. The Whitworth I have is percussion lock.

 

[Busyhands94]

This kind of thing has happened to me before, just shove some powder behind that sucker and shoot it out. Don't let it sit too long before firing it though, the powder can get messed up because of the lube. Or you could even use Q-tips. Maybe flush the barrel with alcohol to help remove both the fouling and some of the ballistol. Just make sure it's high proof, otherwise you may leave some water behind.

~Levi

 

[Cowboy2]

+1 for the air compressor. Pull the nipple, run her up to 100psi, and let her rip.

 

[huntsman247]

Those all sound like good ideas; let us know end result of which procedure you use. Hopefully your jag and patch have created a good enough seal for the above options to work. Generally when stuck they do.

 

[Chawbaccer]

Use powder like Busyhands suggests, just a few grains will do it, maybe even just banging a couple caps will knock it loose.

 

[ontarget]

I have had this happen. Like others said, pull the nipple and insert a pinch of powder. Make sure the gun is pointed in a safe direction though because even a little powder will send the contents sailing. Only problem is the ballistol you already put in it will probably soak your powder. That being the case I would try compressed air first. The powder method would save the day at the range though.

 

[Busyhands94]

I once dry-balled my rifle, (ball but no powder) and fixed it at the range. I just got my pan primer I use with the percussion converter, it had Triple Seven in it. Then I unscrewed the vent and pumped it a couple times. I put the vent back in and it shot the ball out and it embedded itself in the dirt. It's actually pretty easy to do, and it only took a minute or two of range time.

~Levi

 

[Olmontanaboy]

Are you sure the breech plug is non-removeable? I've never heard of that before.

 

[Billy_Reb]

Sorry to have been missing for three days. Got the chance to use my air compressor, but no luck. I wasn't getting a tight air seal with the fittings I had on hand, so that didn't work in my favor. Then I poured a 15-grain black powder charge down the barrel and tried to set it off with a musket cap on the nipple. Result: I blew the powder out of the barrel without igniting the charge (true story). So, I unscrewed the nipple drum screw and packed as much FFFg powder in the drum as possible, then replaced the screw. Set off a musket cap and blew the patch and jag about three-quarters of the way up the barrel. I then took off the nipple and blew into the nipple drum as hard as I could, and out popped both jag and patch.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Glad to be a part of this forum!

 

[huntsman247]

Good to hear you will be back making more smoke!

 

[Legionnaire]

Good job! Thanks for telling "the rest of the story." Now get out there and burn some more powder!

 

[BCRider]

Glad you got it out. But I have a question for you.

You put powder down from the muzzle and then tried to use a cap to set it off. With the jag and patch stuck how did you think the powder on TOP of the obstruction would have helped? The reason the powder you put in on top of the jag just blew out is because some of the pressure from the cap leaked past the jag and patch and blew it out.

You finally put the powder in BEHIND the obstruction and had success which was the right way.

 

[Billy_Reb]

Excellent question, BCRider! Here is the answer: the patch and jag were pressed against the side of the barrel near the breech. I poked a hole through the patch with a needle by way of the nipple drum clean-out hole. So I thought I could get enough spark from the percussion cap to set off the charge, but that did not work. So I loaded the nipple drum with powder, and the rest is history.