Ball puller?

[grymster]

So I took my new .50 Hawken camping, week before last. I got three shots off, was just about sighted in and had loaded a fourth ball when we realized that my little nephew's dog had run off. Two or three hours later we found the dog and by then, I just stuck the gun in my truck with 60 grains of Pyrodex RS under a round ball. The next day I popped three caps on that thing and couldn't get the Pyrodex to light off. Now I have a loaded rifle that I really can' t clean.

I'm thinking I can either pull the nipple, try to scoop some of the powder out and replace it with real black FFF and hope that ignites the Pyrodex, or I can buy a ball puller.

Any thoughts, guidance, or advice on where to buy a good ball puller?

Thanks,

[harmoniums]

If the ball is soft lead, a drywall screw will bite into it.
So attach a drywall screw to a ram-rod or down or whatever and put it down the bore.
screw it into the ball and pull it out.

[Dutch3]

I also use a long drywall screw for pulling the occasional stuck ball from my revolver. It is inserted through a wooden cabinet knob to serve as a handle for pulling.

For a rifle, you would obviously need to extend it in some way.

[powderedtoastman]

I ended up purchasing what I call a "Monica". You can order them or I believe they still carry them at Sportsmans Warehouse. CO2 for the nipple, remove cap, and blow that powder and ball outta there. http://www.cabelas.com/patches-solve...artridge.shtml

I only purchased this because I shoot civil war style competition every month, and for when I get nothing out hunting and don't want to shoot my rifle off.

[Dutch3]

LOL @ "Monica"...

[Tom-ADC]

If you have an air compressor sometimes you can blow it out. The CO2 ones work great.

[FeuerFrei]

So I took my new .50 Hawken camping, week before last. I got three shots off, was just about sighted in and had loaded a fourth ball when we realized that my little nephew's dog had run off. Two or three hours later we found the dog and by then, I just stuck the gun in my truck with 60 grains of Pyrodex RS under a round ball. The next day I popped three caps on that thing and couldn't get the Pyrodex to light off. Now I have a loaded rifle that I really can' t clean.

I'm thinking I can either pull the nipple, try to scoop some of the powder out and replace it with real black FFF and hope that ignites the Pyrodex, or I can buy a ball puller.

Any thoughts, guidance, or advice on where to buy a good ball puller?

Thanks,

I assume it is a modern made Hawken?
Remove barrel from stock and remove the breach plug.
You can push everything out with your ram rod.

[CSACANNONEER]

Sounds like your nipple might be plugged. Anyway, I'd clear the nipple, pull it, not worry about trying to remove the Pyrodex, pour a few grains of Goex ffffg through the nipple hole, replace the nipple, cap it and try to fire it out. If that doesn't work, a ball puller and a kitty tail puller should easily do the trick. You should have had a ball puller before you ever tried to load your first round!!!!!! But, since you don't, you can order one from Midway, Track of the Wolf, Dixie Gun Works or a large variety of other online sources. "Monica" would also work.

[bruceflinch]

Nipples, ramrods, Monica, oooohh
C&R is exciting tonight!

[ROOS_HAPPENS]

A word of caution. If you do trickle a few grains of black powder into the nipple, in order to blow the load out, and if you don't succeed on the first try...make SURE that the ball hasn't moved up in the barrel, before trying again.
Use your ramrod to seat the ball on the powder again, if necessary.
A partially fired bullet stuck halfway up the barrel is an OBSTRUCTION & can blow up your barrel.
I use a screw type ball puller on a long, range ramrod. Depending on how tight the ball is, it may take vise grips & a hammer to pull it out, and there's always the possibility that the ramrod ferrule will pop loose first, while pulling, instead of the ball.
Fun, fun, fun.

[CSACANNONEER]

A word of caution. If you do trickle a few grains of black powder into the nipple, in order to blow the load out, and if you don't succeed on the first try...make SURE that the ball hasn't moved up in the barrel, before trying again.
Use your ramrod to seat the ball on the powder again, if necessary.
A partially fired bullet stuck halfway up the barrel is an OBSTRUCTION & can blow up your barrel.I use a screw type ball puller on a long, range ramrod. Depending on how tight the ball is, it may take vise grips & a hammer to pull it out, and there's always the possibility that the ramrod ferrule will pop loose first, while pulling, instead of the ball.
Fun, fun, fun.

Qouted to STRESS the wisdom of this. Please, reseat the ball before any attempt to "shoot" it out.

[grymster]

Sounds like your nipple might be plugged. Anyway, I'd clear the nipple, pull it, not worry about trying to remove the Pyrodex, pour a few grains of Goex ffffg through the nipple hole, replace the nipple, cap it and try to fire it out. If that doesn't work, a ball puller and a kitty tail puller should easily do the trick. You should have had a ball puller before you ever tried to load your first round!!!!!! But, since you don't, you can order one from Midway, Track of the Wolf, Dixie Gun Works or a large variety of other online sources. "Monica" would also work.

I didn't think of the nipple being plugged, I'll check that.

[wang949]

you can buy a screw-type ball puller that will attach to your ramrod like a jag or brush. Or there are CO2 "pullers" that really blow the ball out through the nipple. They work really well.

[grymster]

And I always thought ball pullers were for dumb people who load the ball before the powder! I like the idea of Monica blowing my bore clear though!

[kendog4570]

And I always thought ball pullers were for dumb people who load the ball before the powder!

Thank Goodness I have never done that....