dry ball

[MuskratMike]

If you find yourself out in the woods or on a trail walk with a "dry ball" and no range rod you need to have one of these. There is never enough rod sticking out to get a good grip on the ramrod. Actually saw a person take out a set of pliers and wrap a patch around his rod to pull on it. Made me shiver just watching him ruin his nice wooden ramrod. Several people make one. This is the one I like because it is brass with leather on the "gripping jaws" and looks more period correct than the aluminium ones. Got this from Jas. Townsends and son.

[hanshi]

I always carry a ss range rod when out plinking or at the range even though I don't use them for loading all that often.  The reason is because I once tried to pull a dryball with a wood rod; I thought it was tapping into the ball but was actually twisting in two.  Metal rods work great for pulling ball and cleaning, but I usually just use the wood rod for loading as that's what I use in the bush.  If all the dry balls I've had were lined up in a row, they would encircle the Earth 2-1/2 times - based on the dia. of a .45 lead ball. 

[thecapgunkid]

Dennis G.; Sure, dribble priming powder through the touch hole then prime pan and fire downrange.
Dennis

If you are going to try this and the ball does not quite go out ( because you can't be certain of the powder load)  Then make sure you seat the ball on the next dribble load of powder.  Roger B is right, tho; get a CO2 discharger and keep it in your range box.

[MuskratMike]

All well and good IF you're at the range. Don't know anybody who carries a range rod out in the woods. I am just providing a solution when out in the woods, far from the shooting box and no range rod. Have a threaded and pinned collar on your ramrod to attach jag, worm or ball puller. Better than hiking back to the truck with a "tire iron" in your hand.

[leadslinger62]

This is one reason I liked the Patent Breech in my GPR ! There is a nice empty chamber, underneath the dry ball, that makes it easy to shove enough powder in to shoot out the Ball. I have a custom .45 that when I dry ball, the ball sets flush against the face of the Breech Plug thus making it almost impossible to get enough powder in to shoot the ball out. I have to use a ball puller to get it out....

[MuskratMike]

Now whats all the fuss with pulling a ball? I have pulled balls on my .58, my .54 and my .40 if you carefully put pressure on the screw make 3 or 4 turns and again I say gently pull on the ramrod or range rod putting constant pull and the ball slides out EACH and EVERY time. Now out here in the Pacific NW where we have no idea what humidity is, maybe it makes a difference. But if you are using pure lead round balls not lead from wheel weights or similar it just isn't hard to pull a ball. Take your time and genteel pressure is the word.
The "Muskrat" has spoken.

[Daryl]

We have a 'range rod', stainless, hanging in a split-trunk spruce tree at the start of our bush trail. Under the handled stainless rod
is a bullet box (yellow plastic) with collared ball screws and collared drills for starting a hole for the
screws for standard rifle's and smoothbores. The collars are standard bore diameters to get the drill and screw in the middle of the ball.
If someone dry-balls on the trail, they usually re-prime and fire the load out, dribbling 4F powder through the vent or into the nipple's flash
channel - tapping on the side of the barrel or breech helps vibrate the powder into the small area behind the ball. Then go-pow the ball out
 the muzzle.
Or., we can pull the ball right there, behind the shooting line, or or they can walk back to #1 station, use the tool Taylor provided and pull the ball themselves.

LOL- last time we shot the trail, I dry-balled twice within 10 targets of the starting line. A bit of powder into the breech and go-pow-tuck. The .36's ball makes little
noise when it is travelling at a hand-thrown speed & hitting a tree.

[MuskratMike]

Sooo.
What do you all do when you aren't at the range or have a rod hanging in a tree? Am I the only one who actually goes out into the woods with my firelock? I don't believe in carrying all my worldly possessions with me but I do have all I need to take care of most problems while out on my trek without having to walk back to the truck or worse drive home. As a retired Firefighter/EMT we had a saying at our daily drills: "practice like you play". If you have what you need on your person when the time actually comes that no one has a range rod or CO2 discharge tool you know you can fix the problem. Now if someone has a range rod (and I am one of them) or a CO2 discharge tool in their box (I am one of them) then by all means use them.

[Darkhorse]

I have dryballed a few times and each time I was able to work enough prime behind the ball to shoot it out. That's what I do.

[OldMtnMan]

I've had a couple of dry balls over the years. Always at the range when someone was talking to me. I was always able to get a small amount of powder in and shoot them out. I was amazed at how little powder it takes to shoot out. I would point the gun at the 25yd backboard and the ball would hit it with a loud smack.

[Daryl]

Sooo.
What do you all do when you aren't at the range or have a rod hanging in a tree? Am I the only one who actually goes out into the woods with my firelock? I don't believe in carrying all my worldly possessions with me but I do have all I need to take care of most problems while out on my trek without having to walk back to the truck or worse drive home. As a retired Firefighter/EMT we had a saying at our daily drills: "practice like you play". If you have what you need on your person when the time actually comes that no one has a range rod or CO2 discharge tool you know you can fix the problem. Now if someone has a range rod (and I am one of them) or a CO2 discharge tool in their box (I am one of them) then by all means use them.

guess you missed this, on the first page


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Re: dry ball
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2019, 05:30:49 PM »

  (1st page)

"We've pulled many with the rifle's rod, but it is easier with a steel rod, as Wade notes.
Easiest is to have a 'bushed' drill (bushing holds the drill in the middle of the bore) and drill a small hole first, like about 1/8". Then
run in the ball screw (TOTWolf sells them) you buy or make yourself, bushed would be better. Run the screw in, and pull the ball out - no biggie."



I will now add to that - when hunting bunnies - many shots in a day, or when hunting moose - 1 or 2 shots I have NEVER dry balled. Not that it cannot happen,
but when hunting, there have been no distractions when loading. powder, patch, ball.