pulling a load

MacEntyre

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Bought a Thompson 50 Hawken cheap today, on account o' there is a load stuck in it. It's soaking in penetrating oil right now. There is no breech plug. My polymer rod with screw extractor tip is stuck down there. It's well threaded into the lead down there, but nothing wants to come out. If I unscrew, the rod comes out and leaves the extractor down there. Eight inches of the rod is out of the barrel. I've done this before, and it wasn't as difficult. I think I'm gonna drill a hole through my polymer rod, to have something to tap against to get it out.

Once I get this load out, I'll have a nice $300 frontstuffer. Until then, it's a wallhanger! Anyone ever tackle a similar stubborn load?
 
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Can you unscrew the nipple, stuff some BP in there, then use a cap to blow it out?

Do you know if it’s a lead ball or ...projectile?

clamp the exposed end of the rod in a vise, then pull like crazy?
 
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Can you unscrew the nipple, stuff some BP in there, then use a cap to blow it out?
I have done this with good results. Is any oil visible with the nipple out? If not I'd try to trickle a few grains in and choot it. Previous owner dry-balled it?
 
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I wonder what size the threads on the nipple are. If they are same as a zerk fitting you could put on in and pump it out with a grease gun.
That was one of my ideas too.
 
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I like this...

The problem with pulling it out is if your ball puller has bored through the ball. If you rip the puller out and leave a hole through the ball, CO2 or trying to blast it out with a few grains of powder won’t work.
 
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The problem with pulling it out is if your ball puller has bored through the ball. If you rip the puller out and leave a hole through the ball, CO2 or trying to blast it out with a few grains of powder won’t work.
It might make it safer to try blasting it out.

But I don't know what's under the ball. Also, it's soaking in penetrating oil right now. Probably has filled the chamber beneath the ball.

This ball is tight. Real tight. I hooked a wire to the rod using a hose clamp to stop it, tightened up with a turnbuckle on a 6x6 leg of the bench... nothing!
 
It might make it safer to try blasting it out.

But I don't know what's under the ball. Also, it's soaking in penetrating oil right now. Probably has filled the chamber beneath the ball.

This ball is tight. Real tight. I hooked a wire to the rod using a hose clamp to stop it, tightened up with a turnbuckle on a 6x6 leg of the bench... nothing!
Bring it around and we’ll do the CO2 approach
 
I put a shotgun die on the rod. I put the rod in the vice, with barrel hanging vertically, just above the floor. I pried between the top of the die and the bottom of the vice. A 44 cal jacketed bullet came out.

Now, how do I extract the green sabot that is jammed against the bottom of the bore?
 
I put a shotgun die on the rod. I put the rod in the vice, with barrel hanging vertically, just above the floor. I pried between the top of the die and the bottom of the vice. A 44 cal jacketed bullet came out.

Now, how do I extract the green sabot that is jammed against the bottom of the bore?


Patch worm
 
I put a shotgun die on the rod. I put the rod in the vice, with barrel hanging vertically, just above the floor. I pried between the top of the die and the bottom of the vice. A 44 cal jacketed bullet came out.

Now, how do I extract the green sabot that is jammed against the bottom of the bore?


The screw extractor tip you used on the bullet should pull the sabot as well. The ones I used when I was still hunting had a cupped area at the bottom so the extractor should be able to penetrate the sabot without contacting the barrel.
 
Try some Acetone. It should dissolve the plastic but leave the metal alone. According to the Great and Mighty Google.
 
I have to take the barrel to the Farm to use compressed air...

Tryin' to get it done at home.


If it's just that sabot, you may get away with a can of compressed air used for dusting computers. Pick it up at the grocery or Staples.
 
I can get hold of it with the screw extractor, and it pulls hard... but it always pulls out.
Looking down the bore, it appears that the sabot is misshapened, and the screw extractor is going down beside the sabot.
I think I'll take it to the Farm on Saturday, and hit it with 100 psi.
 
Call the man (@Tim) just call the man......

I'm no expert. I've just dry balled a time or 2. Those lessons stick with you. I've never loaded or dealt with sabots, I'm pretty sure my father would slap me silly if I used anything other than real BP under a lead round ball patched with pillow ticking.
 
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I'm no expert. I've just dry balled a time or 2. Those lessons stick with you. I've never loaded or dealt with sabots, I'm pretty sure my father would slap me silly if I used anything other than real BP under a lead round ball patched with pillow ticking.



Difficult to explain but I think your dad is right. I tried the sabot and 44 cal bullets but went back to patch and ball. I still prefer that.
 
Today I learned that below the torn up sabot is a lot of oily, granular, black, dirty stuff. Must not have been dry-saboted. I wonder why they didn't jus' choot it!
 
Save time, drop a lighted match down the barrel. ;)
 
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