Ball Puller

[GregLaROCHE]

A few weeks ago, I loaded my 1777 Charleville .69cal, with a standard normal load, so I could mark my new ramrod where a load should be. The patched ball starts with my thumb and can be pushed all the way down with the ramrod. I then give it a couple of taps with the weight of the ramrod.

I had bought a ball puller to have on hand if needed one day. It was impossible to get the ball out. The threads just kept stripping out of the lead. I finally gave up and shot it out. No big deal except I had to clean the whole Gun for that one shot.

Are there different types of pullers or maybe ones with larger threads? Maybe there is a special technique I don’t know about.

Thanks for all advice.

[Winger Ed.]

You got off easy.
I talked to a guy once who loaded a ball with no powder.
His screw puller didn't work either.

He ended up putting a grease zerk in the nipple hole and pumped it out with a grease gun.

[RU shooter]

I've made my own out of screws . Thing to remember is use a thin dia screw with deep threads similar to a coarse drywall or deck screw the fatter the screw like a tapered wood screw the more lead it displaces as you thread it in and that lead goes outward making the ball tighter in the barrel .thin and coarse is the way to go .

[6bg6ga]

You guys had me going with the title.

[Wayne Smith]

I think I got mine from Track of the Wolf and it essentially is a screw as described but attached already to the base for a ramrod. In their section of parts for making ramrods.

[toot]

some people make the mistake of using WHEEL WEIGHTS for there balls. they are common & cheap. what happens is that the ball puller going into the harder than soft lead will keep taking out chips of the hard ZINC and not thread into it. a common mistake! use soft lead! then you need a CO,2 DISCHARGER.

[rfd]

as already mentioned, the way to go with a ball screw is one that's small in diameter and deep in thread. i like to use a heavy brass rod for ball pulling and drill the rod handle with a hole to loop in a bit of 'chute cord to hook onto a tree limb whatever for pulling on.

the problem with all ball screws is that during their screwing, the lead & patching are both displaced into the rifling (or smoothbore walls) and acts as a brake for ball retrieval. a 3/32" or so drill bit on the end of a rod can be used to predrill a ball screw hole to minimize lead compression.

[gunauthor]

Ball puller, sounds painful.....

[rfd]

Ball puller, sounds painful.....

almost as bad as a ball worm or ball screw. :)

[waksupi]

I keep pullers in my shooting bag, but also keep one of the co2 dischargers in my kit. They can be found at bike shops as tire inflators much cheaper than the ones marketed to muzzleloaders, same thing. Get a few ball inflaters while there, cut the tip back about a quarter inch with a dremel, and dry ball away!

One of my late friends was terrible about dry balling, so I always kept that in my bag. One shoot, I started charging him a buck every time we needed to use it. Dry balling dropped dramatically, as he was a s cheap as I am!

[megasupermagnum]

I've always used the ball pullers with a brass collar from Track of the wolf. I must have pulled half a dozen balls in the last year. Only one time forgot the powder. One time dropped the rifle in the wet snow/water and decided to try and load it anyway. It probably would have worked too if I had just taken the time to blow the water out of the nipple. Once for a gun that's been left loaded for many years. The rest were intentional.

I haven't had a problem yet. I don't screw in so tight as to mangle the ball, I just screw in until I feel it getting tight. I would definitely recommend the TOTW pullers, they work well.

[GregLaROCHE]

From the comments, I think my problem was from the screw expanding the lead against the bore. I took a look at the one for sale at TROTW. It looks a lot closer to a drywall screw than mine.
Thanks to all for the info.

[Mr Peabody]

Get the CO2 discharger!

[country gent]

For marking the ramrod a powder charge and ball ( no patch) would have been fine and when done tipped upside down every thing would have fallen out. The screw type pullers should have a pilot hole drilled for the screw to start and enter. This saves alt of the expansion when running the screw in. A simple drill bit just long enough to go through ball. A centering ring of bore dia and the shank threaded to fit your rod. I would make the centering disk longer than the puller maybe a 1" long to help keep centered and straight. Another option might be a self tapping metal screw with the drill type point. You might need to thin the drill point down a little though.

My shop rod for pullers is brass around 8" longer than the ramrods with a t type handle. The extra length gives more to hold on to and the t handle aids screwing in the puller.

[GregLaROCHE]

Do the CO2 discharges work on flintlocks where you don’t have any threads ?

[poppy42]

Saw your post topic and thought you were talking about my mother-in-law. Sup she’s more of a breaker than a puller!:bigsmyl2:

[Wayne Smith]

BTW, the only way I could get a useful grip on my ramrod was to put the ramrod end in the vice and pull on the gun - ball slid right out.

[LAGS]

I drilled a cross hole about 3/16" diameter in one of me fiberglass range rods.
I just slip in a piece of 3/16 steel rod about 4" long and use it as a T Handle to thread the ball puller into the ball , and to act as a Grip to pull the ball out.
I often use a fiberglass rod that is drilled when I am hunting for that reason.
One other thing.
I always put a 3/32" cross pin in the tips of the cleaning rod ends , to lessen the chance of the ramrod tips pulling off when cleaning the rifle or pulling a stuck ball.
I do that on All my Ram Rods.

[rfd]

if yer gun's ramrod is ferruled at both ends you can drill a 1/8" to 3/16" or so hole through a jag and loop in thin 'chute cord or braided aircraft wire and use it to hook over something substantial (tree limb, car fixture, etc) for rod purchase whilst pulling the errant dry ball. don't take up any room and comes in handy when ya least expect it. i also keep a drilled handle brass range rod setup with a ball screw in the gun bag for just such not-so-fun occasions. i've helped many folks out with the use of such accoutrements.

[LAGS]

I forgot.
I also have two TC ramrods that have threaded ferruls in bother ends.
One is threaded to 10/32 and the wide end is threaded to 8/32.
I have 10/32 bullet pullers with brass collars.
I made a plastic T handle out of an old starter pull handle from a lawnmower handle with a 8/32 threaded stud attached to thread into the ram rod.
I have only used that set up a couple of times at the range , and keep it in my range bag.
The drilled ram rods and a small section of steel rod is easier to carry in the field in case something goes wrong and I need to pull a ball or conical.

[carbine]

one of my buddies made me up a drill bit on a brass rod. it minimizes the increase in diameter of the ball from the screw expansion

[toot]

Ball puller, sounds painful.....

I got my wife a MUSKET nipple wrench for XMAS and it wasn't big enough!!

[toot]

Do the CO2 discharges work on flintlocks where you don’t have any threads ?

yes they come with an adapter for them.

[dondiego]

Track of the Wolf sells threaded "T"' handles that thread right into the threads on the ends of most ram rods. They can come in real handy at times.

[waksupi]

Do the CO2 discharges work on flintlocks where you don’t have any threads ?

That's why I recommended getting ball inflaters, and cutting them back a quarter inch. You will see two small holes that will let air out, and you need to cut them off. Then the end can be put in the vent, and the ball ejected.

[KCSO]

I have a drill bit attachment along with the ball screw and I drill a pilot first, then use the screw as if you just use a screw you are wedging the ball tighter into the barrel. I also have in the camp box a weight that slips over the puller ram rod and acts as a slide hammer. Since I have been camp gunsmith for the lase 40 years I have used this outfit a lot. I also carry the air chuck for blowing them out.

[longcruise]

The C02 discharger is the way to go. I have pulled balls with ball pullers but at my last shoot I observed the C02 unit in action and will be acquiring one post haste.

I'll add that I'm a percussion shooter and have been 100% successful in using the powder dribble under the nipple but with the C02 device you can empty a loaded gun anywhere.

[megasupermagnum]

Track of the Wolf sells threaded "T"' handles that thread right into the threads on the ends of most ram rods. They can come in real handy at times.

Yes, the T handle is a phenomenal accessory. I have that and the wood ball. I only use the T handle, it stays in my possibles bag. I should have qualified with my earlier post that I have mostly pulled balls using my range rod from TOTW, which is thick stainless steel with a brass bore guide. I did recently use the field rod to pull one, and it worked just fine, I didn't even use the T handle. Maybe not the safest in modern terms, but after making sure the gun is de capped (or flint removed), I pinch the gun between my legs, then grip tightly with my hands. The motion of pulling is more with rocking back, not just trying to curl the rod by hand with my bicep.

[Drm50]

My dad made me a nice ball puller out of stainless and brass back in 60s when TC first came out with their Hawkin rifle. Have 3/8” brass rod center drilled for 5/16” drill bit. Bit held by set screw. After you hand twist hole through ball you replace drill bit with the screw. The screws were stainless with heads cut off to fit rod. Opposite end of rod has male threads for a large 3/8” nut that is the keeper for a brass slap hammer type weight. This outfit has never failed to pull ball. I’ve had guys come in with ball and puller in bore because puller came off stock TC ram rods. I made ramrods out of 3/8” aircraft aluminum stock that I bought in 8’ lengths. This is what I carry in field, D&T for 10/32 stud with bullet screw welded on. Guys were ruining crowns on TC Hawken and Renegade with fiber glass rods so I went with aluminum.