using compressed air to blow out barrel

[Dan1953]

I am working on my kit this winter and that has generated a question.  I see that there is a CO2 cylinder that can be used to remove a stuck bullet. I also understand that some have used an air compressor (maybe??).  My question is - is there an adapter to these tools to fit onto the nipple opening?  thanks
Dan1953

[577SXS]

I use an air compressor and it pops the dry ball right out. Be sure and point barrel in a safe direction.

[Daryl]

My new Vevor twin cylinder air compressor fills my carbon fiber tanks to 4,500psi. I assume that might work to dislodge a stuck ball?
I was just kidding about "might work". The pressure released is totally controllable.
CO2 12 gram cylinders run 850psi at "room temp" which I think is generally thought of as 72F.
At higher temps, the pressure climbs. At lower temps, of course, the pressure declines.

[smylee grouch]

I have used an air compressor for years. I set my line pressure up to 120 for large cal long barrel guns

[White-tail]

"My question is - is there an adapter to these tools to fit onto the nipple opening? "  Well, yes and no.  The brass vent adapter pictured is one that came in a CO2 discharger kit I bought years ago.  Long story, but that discharger company must have sold out to another company who changed the thread size in their new dischargers.  I used a die to slightly alter the threads on my brass adapter to match the discharger threads.  The new discharger with my remodeled adapter work like a charm.  Round balls are blown out of the barrel with tremendous force--thanks to that little brass adapter.

[alacran]

I have three of those adapters, I keep one for my compressor one on my discharger and the other is a spare. Those gems are hard to find.
The dischargers are actually tire inflators and the adaptors are made for bicycle tube sized threads.

[smylee grouch]

IIRC I re-plumbed a ball discharged ( 5(16 x 24 ) and put an air line fitting on it for my compressor for perc. guns. Just an blower nozzle and faucet washer for flinters

[Steeltrap]

"My question is - is there an adapter to these tools to fit onto the nipple opening? "  Well, yes and no.  The brass vent adapter pictured is one that came in a CO2 discharger kit I bought years ago.  Long story, but that discharger company must have sold out to another company who changed the thread size in their new dischargers.  I used a die to slightly alter the threads on my brass adapter to match the discharger threads.  The new discharger with my remodeled adapter work like a charm.  Round balls are blown out of the barrel with tremendous force--thanks to that little brass adapter.

I've used my compressor for years. I remove the FH liner first. Again, as previously mentioned...point the muzzle in a safe direction.

As for that CO2 discharger, I'd find a piece of solid rubber, drill a hole so that long brass fits tight, and round the rubber top to fit into the FH when you remove the liner.

[Eric Krewson]

I just use the air gun with the rubber tip to blow out a projectile, it took 160psi to move the last patched ball that I blew out.

[smylee grouch]

The bigger and longer the bore the more volume and pressure you will probably need. 

[Daryl]

So are youse guys saying 4,500psi is overkill?

[Birddog6]

So are youse guys saying 4,500psi is overkill?

NO NO NO.....  too much is never too much   

I have done it like Eric did, just large rubber tip on a lil air hose Pfit  tool.

[Habu]

So are youse guys saying 4,500psi is overkill?

It would be rude to suggest it!  But. . . I have it from a reliable source that with a .50, ~3200psi will go through a fibreglass garage door and through the doorskin on a 2022 F-150.  Didn't break the window. 

[Steeltrap]

Third vote. Rubber tipped one just like Eric has and maybe 150-lb max. It will come flying out of there so safe direction is very key.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I made adaptors to fit the new and larger style CO2 ball discharger shown in green and black. The original CO2 ball discharger is shown on the right in all black. I made it from a tire Schrader fill valve and K&S brass tubing which was soldered together making it airtight. This new adaptor can be fitted to a air compressor coupling or air nozzle very easily.

[Daryl]

So are youse guys saying 4,500psi is overkill?

It would be rude to suggest it!  But. . . I have it from a reliable source that with a .50, ~3200psi will go through a fibreglass garage door and through the doorskin on a 2022 F-150.  Didn't break the window.

Thanks,  I kinda figured it might be a bit excessive. Might be a good 'hunting' scenario. Would save on powder. Not sure about the aiming though.
Oh - come to think of it, I have one of those in .50 calibre, the reason for the compressor.

[alacran]

The discharger can put out a big volume of CO2. There is a video on you tube showing that the output is 1000 psi. However, that may vary by manufacturer. That is the size of the cartridge is 12 grams, but they may not be filled up to capacity. I prefer to use the 16 -gram cartridges that can be screwed in.
My small compressor will push out a ball at 120 psi but it does not have the CFM to really shoot out the ball.
I have a .45 caliber barrel on which I was doing the Daryl method of crowning. After the first thumbing I shot the ball out with my CO2 discharger to inspect the patching. The ball hit the wall and bounced all over the place. It took me a while to find the patch. After that I shot the balls into a box full of rags. Once I got the patching to come out without any cuts, I figured the crowning was a done deal.
Verified it at the range with powder.

[45-110]

It would be rude to suggest it!  But. . . I have it from a reliable source that with a .50, ~3200psi will go through a fibreglass garage door and through the doorskin on a 2022 F-150.  Didn't break the window.
[/quote][/color]
We once blew a ball out in my dad's shop and it nearly went through the plywood wall! Be careful where its pointed.

[Daryl]

At room temp., all CO2 "canisters for air guns" run 850psi.  In even warmer temps, they certainly can get up to 1,000psi and possibly higher still.
At lower temps, the pressure is lower than 850psi. which is why they don't work well outside in freezing temps(winter for many of us).

[Dave B]

I used one of the discharger gizmos over this last thanks giving for the first time. My Brother inlaw picked up a traditions kentucky rifle that the owner didnt want any more but warned it was dryballed and had been left that way for years.  I put the thing together and it had a rubber tip on the adaptor having pulled the nipple just shoved the rubber gasket into the nipple hole in the drum and pop it right out. No issue what so ever luck they had never fired the gun so the bore was bright and clean. He has a good shooter now.

[smylee grouch]

I know of one instance where the small discharged didn't have enough umph to get a large ball out of a long barrel BUT far enough to get some 4f trickled in behind the ball to Finnish the job   

[Daryl]

We have always used 4F through the vent or through the nipple seat tapping with a short starter knob, on the barrel flats.

[Steeltrap]

I have a .54 Cal rifle, .50 Cal rifle and pistol, .45 Cal rifle and pistol.

Now, I can fairly easily remove the load via removing the FH liner and with 150-lb air compressor, remove the projectile. That works fine for all BUT the .45 Cal rifle. I don't know why.....but other than shooting it, the only way I can remove the PRB is using a ball puller.

[Bill in Md]

I prefer the path of least resistance (laziness) ....In the time that it takes me to drag out the hose, find the air head, and to build up the pressure in my old portable compressor I can pull 3 stuck balls with my ramrod ball puller.....

[whetrock]

I prefer the path of least resistance (laziness) ....In the time that it takes me to drag out the hose, find the air head, and to build up the pressure in my old portable compressor I can pull 3 stuck balls with my ramrod ball puller.....

Yeah, a ball puller is fine. That said, a lot of commercially made ball pulling screws are not made correctly, and so they don't work. They have to be made right.