Plugged barrel

[luvtn]

I have a Traditions sidelock percussion ML that I have a patched jag stuck in it. My original ramrod made of wood/composite broke, so I got an aluminum universal replacement that doesn’t have the trumpet like feature of the original so it won’t screw back onto the jag! Grrr. Trying to get it operable for deer season(now). Can’t find a CO2 discharge kit locally. Any suggestions?
Luvtn

[Mac118]

Maybe solder a brass nut with proper threads onto a brass rod?

[jcren]

A long connecting nut and a piece of all thread ahould do it. Available at most hardware and farm stores here abouts.

[country gent]

If you have an air compressor a rubber tipped blow gun it may push it out, Keep it pointed in a safe direction since it may have some force to it. a grease zerk and grease gun remove hammer and nipple fond a zerk that fits and pump out with grease pressure. This works but is a real mess to glean up when done since the barrel is full of grease. Last and while this works be very careful in doing it. remove nipple and slowly work 5-6 grains of BP into barrel. install nipple and take outside cap and fire in a safe direction.
Last is to make a rod from brass tubing with a end that's close to bore and the threads for the jag with a T handle and try and thread onto the jag if threads are clear if there is an insert from the old rod or end on it threads wont be able to be used.

[dondiego]

Don 't you have another ramrod with the correct threads?

[luvtn]

Wow! Quick and good responses! Thanks a bunch. Already tried the BP and cap trick-no go. Now the grease gun sounds promising, cause I have one :). I have to go to town to take off the trash. I will stop by the CO-OP and explore the other suggestions! WooHoo!
luvtn

[luvtn]

Don 't you have another ramrod with the correct threads?

Sure do, but the rod is smaller with no “bell” to guide the threading, and it won’t reattach! The all thread is a bust for now since none correct size, nor any nuts correct size either. Next will try my dinky air compressor, then the grease gun.
Luvtn

[arcticap]

If there was some way to burn up the patch, the jag should come loose.

Why not keep trying to load and shoot some powder out of it until the patch burns up some?

Or drop in some lighter fluid along with a match, or a torch?

I once got a jag wedged into my barrel.
I bought some Slick50 lube or silicone spray to soak and lubricate the thick cleaning patch with, then wedged the rod handle into a crevice and
it finally pulled out using a lot of leverage.

There's also a special brass rod puller that looks like a cork remover but works like vise grips, made to pull out ramrods.
I have one but didn't bring it along at the time.
It's got padded leather jaws shaped to fit a round ramrod.

Dixie Gun Works sells a ramrod puller:--->>> https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/product/product_id/4587/category_id/334/product_name/RA0711+RAMROD+PULLER

[KCSO]

If you have a threaded ram rod that just won't center just wrap a little tape around it!

[frkelly74]

If you can drive the plug down the bore to the bottom and seat it, take out the nipple, put a few grains of black powder in through the hole and replace the nipple, cap and fire in a safe direction. It has worked for me but it might not work for you. If I were desperate I would try it.

[skeettx]

watching

[country gent]

Last ditch but for sure is to disassemble the rifle remove the breech plug and push thru. this requires a solid vise and wrench. Breech plugs can be very tight and then add in any corrosion over time in the threads and it can be a major undertaking. Several things that can help. plug nipple hole and soak with kroil for a few days heating with a hot air gun several times a day. the heat hilps pull the oil into the threads and break the time bond there. A heavy wrench padded and force. Pad the vise jaws also.

[luvtn]

If you have a threaded ram rod that just won't center just wrap a little tape around it!

This I will try!
luvtn

[luvtn]

If you can drive the plug down the bore to the bottom and seat it, take out the nipple, put a few grains of black powder in through the hole and replace the nipple, cap and fire in a safe direction. It has worked for me but it might not work for you. If I were desperate I would try it.
Tried with nothing positive happening. Maybe more than one issue? I also tried putting lye into the barrel then hot water, and soaking for several hours. Just got a new ramrod in the mail.
luvtn

[Walks]

Shop vac with small funnel duct taped to hose ?

[luvtn]

The new ramrod has two threaded ends(brass). One too small with a bell, the other just right without the bell. Grrr! The area where the nipple screws in is wet. So all that is now open to dry. My main problem is lack of tools, and a place to use them. In other words- no vice, very few wrenches beyond basic hammer, ratchet sets etc.(divorce). My accessory pack with the air compressor doesn’t have a trigger group. And it goes on and on. By the way, lye and aluminum don’t mix. I trashed the aluminum universal ramrod!
Luvtn

[Hickory]

Drive it as far into the barrel as possible with a rod that won't shatter or break.
Take out the nipple and trickle about 10-15 gr. of powder into the breech replace the nipple and shoot it out.
Worked for me when I got a cleaning jag stuck in my gun.

[oldracer]

Bicycle shops sell CO2 inflators used for off road cyclists and the better ones come with a fixture for both Presta valve stems (skinny) and American valve stems (larger) so try to get one with either both or Presta adapter. I'd suggest buying half a dozen extra CO2 cartridges just in case. You can also pull the nipple, pack powder in the drum or snail depending on what you have and then literally blow the stuff out. Might have to load several times but that works well too.
John

[Tom W.]

I had a friend who had that problem. He was part owner of a family garage, so he took the nipple out and stuck a blow gun in the hole. It blew the jag right out with considerable velocity.

[mooman76]

Kind of messy but if you can find a grease zert(sp) that fits your threads, pump it out with grease.

[Tasbay]

I have had this happen before and on other occasions had a patch and ball stuck because of dry balling. Every time it has cleared with some powder dribbled into the barrel through the nipple hole and then set off with a cap. Make sure you lay the rifle on its side and tap it so the powder hangs around the nipple and shoot it up.

[indian joe]

Drive it as far into the barrel as possible with a rod that won't shatter or break.
Take out the nipple and trickle about 10-15 gr. of powder into the breech replace the nipple and shoot it out.
Worked for me when I got a cleaning jag stuck in my gun.


this is the best suggestion I reckon

[Tackleberry41]

I bought a T/C recently that had something stuck in the barrel, shop thought it was a bullet. But no bullet puller could get a bite on it. Come to find out it was a cleaning jag busted off. I tried compressed air, ended up pumping it out with a grease gun, bought some nipples at autozone that threaded in. Did not think it was going to move, then suddenly it did, nasty mess to clean out but can shoot it again.

[country gent]

Most grease guns produce around 2000 psi in small increments. ( Look at the piston on one that does the pumping). Its a small amount of grease so filling the bore to the obstruction takes some pumping then it starts building pressure to where the obstruction starts moving. Grease will work better since it will not push thru the small gaps and airspaces as easy as gas from powders or Co2. It is a mess to clean up. A tight fitting patch and force will push most out the nipple hole then the work with solvent begin getting the residual out to a dry clean barrel. One plus is when your done getting all the grease out youll probably have the cleanest barrel you ever had LOL

[PowPow]

Excellent thread and advice! I hope the OP gets it out soon...

[luvtn]

Tried the powder-no ignition, wasted 5 caps. Will get an trigger accessory for the air compressor after work today.
luvtn

[sharps4590]

Probably your breech area is wet from the gunk you poured in it. Now you have a real mess. Get it dry and if you can't shoot that jag out.....well, I don't believe it. Put more powder behind it, seat it fully on the powder, cap it, shoot it and it will come out. I've done that so many times helping newbies it's laughable. If that or compressed air doesn't work a grease gun and an even bigger mess is what I see in your future.

[carbine]

I cleared three guns at a match yesterday with the air bottle. Easy Peasey

[arcticap]

One of the items that I bought to help prevent this type of event was an undersized .41 caliber jag.
It requires using a much larger home made cloth patch for swabbing instead of a smaller piece of patch.

What many experienced shooters recommend to help prevent a patched jag from getting stuck when it's being pulled out is to sand down a bore size jag to make it smaller.

Sometimes I will simply use a large patch loop attached to a black powder cleaning rod with an oversize piece of cloth, usually old T-shirt material.

[carbine]

PM sent

[luvtn]

No PM receieved. I bought an accessory kit for the air compressor last night. Will try today.
luvtn

[Texas by God]

I had worse- a 20gauge Tornado steel brush stuck in a 54 Renegade. It finally took a plumber's snake wrapped in duct tape to extract it. I would not wish that on anyone. Good luck with your project, Thomas

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[dondiego]

Never understood the need for a brush in a muzzle loader. Maybe a nylon brush.

[country gent]

Brushes are easier. buy a 3' length of .015 walled brass tubing that fits in bore, push in till it stops on breech pull out and the brush will be in the end of the brass tube.

[Texas by God]

Brushes are easier. buy a 3' length of .015 walled brass tubing that fits in bore, push in till it stops on breech pull out and the brush will be in the end of the brass tube.That will not work on a stainless steel woven tornado brush. I tried it. The wire will not fold over like bronze. I will never put a brush in one again, that's for sure!

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[Tackleberry41]

I have never bought any sort of muzzle loading specific cleaning gear, cant say ever use jags like many. When I do clean my muzzle loader I have several plastic bristle caliber specific brushes. Had a 50 BMG, those plastic brushes work fine in a muzzle loader and wont get stuck. Wrap a patch around a 45 cal brush and wont get stuck.

[country gent]

Using the air gun you really want an older one on the compressor. New blowguns are regulated to 18 psi pressure pretty much worthless for any thing a blow gun is used for. But they are safe. Older blow guns allow line pressure thru.

[luvtn]

Yeah, I got my air compressor set up and nothing happened. Yes it is still wet! Need to find a proper zerk now. Or should I just give up? I bet the barrel is rusted and pitted something awful by now?
gramps

[dagger dog]

I doubt you will find a zerk fitting that has the identical thread to match the rifle, so find one that starts in the hole and turn it as far as it will go with finger pressure only.

[mooman76]

At this point I would pull the nipple and squirt some oil in there. It will help retard rust until you can get that thing out.

[Boogieman]

percussion nipple threads on rifles are S.A.E. 1/4-28, or metric 6mm-.75 and 6mm-1.0. These are standard grease fitting sizes. Most auto parts stores will have them. A good lever action grease gun will put out 10,000 psi which is more than some black powder loads. I've used them to push stuck rams out of 3" hydraulic cylinders.

[Drm50]

When I was in business the little rural town I live in was ground zero for miles in deer hunting area.
It never failed to have guys with stuck bullets, brushes, jags and ram rods everyday. The problem
with brushes and jags was that they usually tried everything they could before bringing it in. The end
of the threads would be deformed and would be a PIA to connect to correct rod. A lot of time the tip
of ram rod would pull off with jag too. These are easy to shoot out by trickling powder into nipple
method. I have had a few that were oil soaked and used a 209 shotgun primer attachment instead
of cap. Firing 3 or 4 first will dry it out enough that powder will ignite. Sometimes it takes a few times to get it moving but have never failed to shoot out a jag. I made up a special set of tools for
Muzzel loader problems. Stainless 3/8" rod with 3 different popular threads for extracting jags & brushes. A brass 3/8" rod bored to hold a 1/8" drill bit as extension bit. A assortment of tips made
from stainless wood and self tapping screws. Also had end of stainless rod set up for T handle or
a sliding weight to use in slap hammer mode. My advice, if you don't have the correct means to
remove such problems, leave it alone till you do.

[45workhorse]

Grease zerk, once item is remove, point barrel in trash can, use compressed air to blow out grease. A few patches later, it will be clean! This is what WORKED for me.

[Tackleberry41]

Guess might depend on how long a jag has been jammed down in a barrel, most get em out pretty quick. One I ended up w, it had been in there for years. One of those elderly father died and family started getting rid of his guns. Its no lack of tools, compressed air did nothing. It did not seem like it was going to move with the grease gun, grease squeezing out around the nipple threads. But then it finally budged and came out real easy. TC just happens to be a commonly used size.

Then when I thought I would never get rid of it, lots of insulting offers, somebody offered a decent amount no arguing. Cant complain, paid $75, put the scope on another rifle and sold the ML for $200. One of those thought I wanted it things, but have other similar rifles that do not get shot, so why did I need another one.

[luvtn]

Thanks for all the info. I will try the powder and caps again, then on to grease. My lesson learned-no jags! So slow due to working extra, sleeping more!
gramps

[luvtn]

Ok, the barrel still damp. Put a zerk on(6 mm-1), and my grease gun had solidified grease in it! Took it to town to a mechanic I know, who got it out in 30 minutes of using grease, and unsavory words! Thanks to you all for all the good info and suggestions! I have been cleaning for close to an hour with probably another hour to go. Yep, this gun has never been cleaner :)
luvtn

[PowPow]

YAY! I'm glad you got this resolved. What will you do differently (if anything) going forward?

[rmark]

'What will you do differently (if anything) going forward? '

buy a breechloader? not that I'd recommend such an immoral act.

[country gent]

A blow drier played on the bare barrel will warm it enough to melt a lot of the grease out. Hold it over a trash can with a bag in it.

[luvtn]

Going forward-no jags! Be careful when loading “blanks” that the paper goes in last? ML season over today. Oh well! Next year?
luvtn

[dondiego]

Jags are all I have ever used in my over 50 years of muzzleloading. What are you going to use now?

[indian joe]

Jags are all I have ever used in my over 50 years of muzzleloading. What are you going to use now?

My thoughts too - been cleaning with patched jags for my 30 years - never had one stuck - proly wouldnt trust a wooden rod with a tight patch.

Cleaning blackpowder guns is so easy I am continually mystified what all the fuss is about

- use plenty water - if the patch is too tight use a thinner one

- I tear up old flannelette bedsheets for cleaning patches, gets me enough variation of thickness from the wear that can fit anything.

OP needs to learn the lesson here NOT blame patched jags

[mooman76]

Jags don't always fit right. They should not be a tight fir with a patch. Either go with a thinner patch or take your jag down some on a drill with emery cloth. It actually should go in some what loose. If the fit is too tight you are pushing all the crud you want to remove down to the breech. When slightly loos it will go over the fouling and when pulled back out, the cleaning patch will bunch up and pull the fouling out. Your rod tip should also be pinned to give it strength so it won't come off.

[luvtn]

Thanks guys, I am using my shotgun cleaning rods and mops to clean now. I have an wooden replacement rod for looks. Ha, ha, ha!
luvtn

[Forester79]

I have a 32 Cal. Cva that got a barrel replaced for free when the gunsmith I took it to tried to remove the breach plug to get a jag out.

[Buzzard II]

Country Gent is right. New air guns are regulated to low pressure. You need a direct air line from the compressor with full pressure. Maybe a tire valve with the core removed. Glad you got the barrel cleaned out!

[waksupi]

I have a Traditions sidelock percussion ML that I have a patched jag stuck in it. My original ramrod made of wood/composite broke, so I got an aluminum universal replacement that doesn’t have the trumpet like feature of the original so it won’t screw back onto the jag! Grrr. Trying to get it operable for deer season(now). Can’t find a CO2 discharge kit locally. Any suggestions?
Luvtn

Got a bicycle shop near by? They sell the CO2 dischargers, cheaper than a sporting goods shop. Get a couple ball inflator needles, cut them off past the vent holes in the tip.