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Post by HighCotton on Jul 10, 2014 18:54:16 GMT -5
Well, I got out with the new Hawken today. Practiced firing the "primed pan" about 10 times so I could get used to the flash and hold on target. Then, I loaded a roundball over 70 grains of FFF. I made this shot at 50 yards which I felt pretty good about. I went to swab the barrel before the second shot and...Arrgh! Ramrod and patch stuck all the way in the barrel tighter than a pig in a poke.
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Post by stevein on Jul 10, 2014 20:27:12 GMT -5
Man that sucks. Did just the tip stick or the whole ramrod? Almost every production RR I have seen is not cross pinned and they need to be. Also some wire brushes are made to push through not bottom out. Usually a few grains of powder trickled through the touch hole will dislodge stuck RR or tips. It is a problem I don't think about because unless I am hunting I have a range rod handy. Nice shot.
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Post by HighCotton on Jul 11, 2014 5:33:57 GMT -5
Well, I've dealt with this before along with issues like stuck breech plugs and usually manage by myself. But this time I felt a little more confident in getting help from my good buddy and gunsmith at Scroggins in Martinsville. We were able to save the rod with tip intact without greatly marring the brass tip. It was cross pinned. I am going to replace the solid tip with a 10-32 threaded tip so I can attach various jags, worms, etc. But I'll keep the old tip just so I have everything original. I also set up a good (though a bit longer) range rod! So far, I am using the lead since that is all I have. I had to tighten a bit after 5th shot. I ended up setting the flint like trapperdave suggested at 1/16" and that works great. I also had to play with the amount of 4f in the pan. With 1 tap from the pan primer it fillled the pan ~1/3 full and only set off 1/2 the time. I started to add a bit more which is ~ 1/2 to 2/3 full and keeping an air gap between that and the touch hole. That set off every time! I had laser bore sighted the rifle before heading out. I know it is only 1 shot but it sure seems to help with initial shots. I can see how important practice will be in holding that extra bit after the pan flashes!
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Post by dbd870 on Jul 11, 2014 7:11:50 GMT -5
Like Steve I use a range rod
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Post by stevein on Jul 11, 2014 7:44:54 GMT -5
Glad you got it out. I have threaded ferrules on both ends of my RRods. I have a small tee handle that I can screw in in case I ever need to pull a load in the field or get a patch stuck.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Jul 11, 2014 12:06:27 GMT -5
I've also had luck by removing the barrel, placing the breech end in a bucket of water, and dumping a little water down the barrel. I was able to get the ramrod and patch to budge a little that way, and after a couple short jerks up/down the barrel, it came right out.
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Post by trapperdave on Jul 14, 2014 6:44:00 GMT -5
Glad you got it out. I have threaded ferrules on both ends of my RRods. I have a small tee handle that I can screw in in case I ever need to pull a load in the field or get a patch stuck. ditto
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