Dry ball

[drago]

I had that happen last week at our State shoot, I am using the dry oiled patch and was talking and forgot to wipe first. It was very tight going down my .40 flintlock and I knew CO2 would'nt work. Pulled out my ball puller screw and went to it, just kept pulling lead out of the threads. It was a tapered screw and that may have been the problem combined with the small ball. I could tell the screw was  all the way threw the ball. I was told the only thing left to do was pull the breach when you get home and knock it out. Well I stayed late cleaning three guns and thinking. I took my .40 scraper and filed notches on both sides and went to work. I had to use channel locks on my range rod at times but eventually got to the breech. Then took a small drill bit and cleaned out the touch hole. I know this is'nt the approved way, but it kept me shooting, and the next day another .40 shooter had the same issue and we got him going again too. I figure when it comes time for a new liner I'll clean out any left over lead. Just wanted to pass this along in case it ever happens to someone else.

[bob in the woods]

Have I dry balled ?   Yes.  a couple times only, but the balls came out easily . I have never used the "dry patch" method , so don't have the wiping problem either.  That said, I have pulled balls for a bunch of other folks and have great luck with the sharp threaded pullers sold by Track of the Wolf.  First, I thread the puller into the ball.  Then I drip some water down the bore.  Let it sit a minute, then , smoothly pull the ball out.

[Scota4570]

I bought one of track's ball pullers for every caliber I have.  They work well with a steel T-handle rod. 

Although they look weird, a liner with a screwdriver slot is is a mighty handy thing to have.  With a rifle so equipped you can clear a dry-ball in the field with only a screw driver.  For my current build I am installing one. 

[smylee grouch]

Over the years I have dry balled many rifles, one of the reasons I like patent breech guns. You can always get enough null B or 4f through the vent with one of those. 

[Daryl]

If on the line, it seems easier to simply dribble some priming powder through the vent, then seat the ball down almost to the vent, and touch it off.
With a nipply gun, pull the nipple, dribble in some powder, 3F, 2F or 4F, tapping the bolster with the knob of the short starter, then reseat the nipple
and pow - ball downrange.

[bgf]

I bought one of track's ball pullers for every caliber I have.  They work well with a steel T-handle rod. 

Although they look weird, a liner with a screwdriver slot is is a mighty handy thing to have.  With a rifle so equipped you can clear a dry-ball in the field with only a screw driver.  For my current build I am installing one.

I have very good luck with the slotted liners on guns used in matches (offhand, chunk, and table)...coupled with the patent breech Smylee mentioned, i havent had to pull a ball in years...but i have dryballed one or two (or more)!  These liners must get a bad reputation from the days before they were coned internally.  About the only downside aside from cosmetic is that they are thinner in the slot and seem to wear faster, but they're cheap and quick to replace.

[smylee grouch]

Depending on the size and length of the bore you might be able to get enough Null B or 4f in the vent liner to pop the ball out or at least move it forward some so you could get more powder behind that ball on the second try. I think the design of Jim Chambers vents might allow more powder in for such an operation.

[Bob McBride]

Depending on the size and length of the bore you might be able to get enough Null B or 4f in the vent liner to pop the ball out or at least move it forward some so you could get more powder behind that ball on the second try. I think the design of Jim Chambers vents might allow more powder in for such an operation.

That’s what I do. The last time I did it I fit enough 0B in my vent liner cone to pop the ball out so slow I was aiming at a cinder block at 10 yards and it barely dinged it. Doesn’t take much.

[wolf]

I have done it. the first time was with my 62 jaeger. I went to the hardware store and bought a piece of steel rod. I welded a 10in or so T handle. then I welded a screw to the tip. the next time was the other day when I bought my new 40 cal. I was using a brass powder measure. I filled it to 40gr. of 3f poured it and loaded. pan powder flashed with no boom. I did this a bout 3 times, no boom? I was confused. I looked at the measure and it was still full of powder! a bug built a nest in the tip of the measure! back to the hardware store to buy a skinner rod,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

At station 1 of our trail there stands a spruce tree from which hands a T handled stainless rod threaded 8 x 32 tpi.  In a plastic box, screwed to the tree are TOW's ball pulling screws from .32 cal up to .75 cal. set in a hinged wooden holder.  Over the years it has been used dozens of times, and the pulled balls fill the plastic box.  Dry patches.. .Lord have mercy!!

[alacran]

I always have a CO2 discharger with me. Lost count of how many balls I've shot out for folks. The only time the CO2 discharger didn't work was when two balls were short started a quarter down a barrel.
 When I used to shoot crossticks  I used to use Teflon patching.
I loaded  it dry and had to beat the balls down with a hammer to get them started. There were a few occasions where my mouth got in the way of my shooting and I dry balled. No problem using the discharger to get them out.

[thecapgunkid]

Bob in The Woods..." First, I thread the puller into the ball.  Then I drip some water down the bore.  Let it sit a minute, then , smoothly pull the ball out. "...

Sometimes a simple post like that will make someone's day.  Here's the question;
Anybody Proficient enough to find a source ( maybe the military) that documents this as a practice?

[bob in the woods]

I should clarify my post.  When I pull a ball from one of my guns, it is usually because I want to switch from a ball to a shot load.  Since the gun is basically clean, it is a simple matter to run the screw into the ball and pull it out smoothly.
On the rare occasion that I have dry balled ...[ has only happened at a match ]  even though I use a wet patch, there is sometimes a hard bit of fouling just where the ball would usually be located over the powder. Dry balling puts the ball down past that . After threading the screw into the ball , a tiny bit of water helps to soften things enough to help with the extraction.  This is especially true when helping someone else out at the range, who may not be using a wet patch.
I'm not sure why that bit of fouling occurs sometimes.

[Daryl]

Point taken, but when pulling balls, we've not experienced that, Bob. At times though, it does take 2 to pull a patched ball.
As the screw is wound into the ball, the ball is expanded, becoming even tighter in the bore. Thus, dribbling in some powder
and firing the ball out, is the more common system used (by me)lol.

[smokinbuck]

Pulling a ball by yourself is sometimes difficult to do. Our club has a steel plate with a "U" shaped slot init attached to a post at one end of the range. Place the rod handle into the "U" and pull away. This also puts the muzzle pointed down range. A lot of ranges that I have shot at have the same or variations of this plate mounted on posts or on a rafter. Simple and safe.

[WadePatton]

Perhaps

Holdst Thy Tongue Whilst Loading

should be scratched onto our horns.

[Scota4570]

Anyone have a link to a CO2 discharger that uses regular CO2 cartridges (not threaded) and has a metal flint vent probe? 

[smokinbuck]

Try The Log CabinShop or Cain's Outdoors.

[hanshi]

I somehow ended up with a dry ball at the range not that long ago.  It took the help of two other guys to pull that prb out.  That sucker did not want to move.