Can I take the nipple off and reload with powder to clear the ball?

C

CStoltz

Inactive
Just bought a 1858 New Army .44 from Cabellas. The manual recommended a load of 15. (Didnt know it was weight and not volume- which is 30)

I made 2 mistakes:

1) I didnt fire a cap to clean the chamber.
2) only loaded 15

After firing, the ball was stuck halfway through the cylinder. I cant tell if there is powder in the chamber. Did fire a number of caps to make sure.

Can I take the nipple off and reload with powder to clear the ball?
 
Yep - just dribble it in, until the chamber's completely filled and there's no air gap.

The cylinder can be removed, and the dirty deed done on a benchtop or similar E-Z access area, ILO in the cylinder frame.

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Remove the cylinder from the frame, take out the nipple and use a dowel or drill bit and tap the ball out. It is easier and faster than trying to shoot it out.
 
+1 on using a dowel or metal rod to tap the ball out from the rear.

I've done it occasionally with a section of aluminum cleaning rod - the soft aluminum reduces the chance of buggering the nipple threads.
 
fineredmist + 2;
Good call and try to push, rather than tap it out. They also make a scew jag ball puller for revolvers. Hope you can still take the nipples out.


Be Safe !!!
 
While shooting it out sounds really, really fun, I've got to go with the cats erring on the side of caution.

We are talking about explosives here.
Push/pull/extract the ball, and just load it right the next time.

One fifteen-cent lead ball ain't worth losin' your triggerfinger over.
 
2) only loaded 15

After firing, the ball was stuck halfway through the cylinder.
Click to expand...

:eek: WARNING!

If you fired 15 grains through it, I would imagine it would be stuck half way up the barrel, if stuck at all. Did you mean the barrel?

There must be no air space in a powder charge. If the ball is really stuck in the cylinder, you can put powder into the chamber after having removed the nipple, but the powder must take up all the available space. It's just safer to push the ball out as mentioned above if that is the case. If it is stuck in the barrel, don't even bother with powder; You'll ruin your gun. Just remove the cylinder and push the ball out from the muzzle end.

BTW, 25-30 grains is normal in a steel framed .44. The weight-volume of BP is close to the actual weight, not half as you seem to think. The Pietta (I assume yours is a Pietta?) literature is ridiculous in its maximum charge figure. If you can seat the ball at least flush with the face of the cylinder, you should be safe. Be careful with minimum charges, though, as you might end up with an air space which can bulge your cylinder and/or barrel, or blow them up entirely.
 
I have a friend that just bought a 1858 rem and had the same thing happen. We just unscrewed the nipple, dumped the powder and filled it back up and shot it out.
 
To the OP, I hope you have more sense than to fill the area behind the ball with powder and then fire it. I am sure the poster who suggested that meant if the ball were seated properly. Filling the entire void with a ball stuck half way up the barrel sounds like suicide.
 
To the OP, I hope you have more sense than to fill the area behind the ball with powder and then fire it. I am sure the poster who suggested that meant if the ball were seated properly. Filling the entire void with a ball stuck half way up the barrel sounds like suicide.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking he did mean stuck in the cylinder like he said, but I still don't see how that would happen with 15 grains of BP having been fired behind it. Otherwise, he wouldn't be asking about having to remove a nipple since the whole cylinder would have to be removed to do it and it would be obvious to just push the ball back out of the barrel. I'm so confused:confused: Maybe he'll come back and make a post #2 to clarify.
 
The incident in the first post, and repeated in post #8, lacks credibility as described. It's either been mischaracterized or is simply a device to get attention.

The practice of recharging a gun to remove a stuck ball should only be used with fixed breech muzzleloaders and MUST include reseating the ball on the charge before igniting it. It simply makes no sense with a revolver or a gun with a removable breech plug.
 
Yup you surely can ...it's my number one way of clearing a pufffsssttt round or empty of powder. Just remember one very important thing...with the loading lever re press the ball down on the powder each time you add powder thru the nipple hole. DON'T forget this!!!:cool:
 
+1 for Hawg, wood screw in the ball and pull it out. using metal against metal trough niple hole is not a pretty good idea if you get a spark...
 
I have used mine on my revolver several times. Works like a champ. Blows the
ball right out. You have to have the flintlock adapter and insert it in the nipple.
 
Can be done and has been done but I have to wonder. Are you sure about the 15 grains, its a light load but it should have worked. Makes me wonder if the powder ignited and is still in there. pull nipple and push the ball out. I'm old and want to get older so I err on the side of chicken little who will outlive us all.
 
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