Hey
Robert, you'll probably have several other replies by the time I finish typing this. But I'll give it a shot anyway.
Sure enough the powder made a pop like a loud cap gun. But it really did not feel like anything came out.
DANG! I should have told you to point the gun at something (safe/not "bouncy") so you could see if the ball came out. Well, at least now you know to do that.
You will be doing it again you know.
If the barrel is empty, would I have been able to see the rod tip? Or is there some sort of chamber just for the powder that has a narrow opening, preventing rod from going as far down as the vent? (If that makes sense)
A GP rifle has a "patent breech". That's a chamber an inch or so long that's smaller than bore diameter. It's about .30 diameter. Your ramrod will not go into that part of the breech so you would never see the rod through the flash hole, even with the vent liner out.
Just drop your factory ramrod down the bore. If it's empty, the rod will stick out of the muzzle 1 & 1/8 inch. If there's a ball in there, it will stick out at least 1 & 5/8 inches. (These measurements apply to GPs only.)
Another way to check is to set the gun on it's butt with the barrel vertical. Put the rod in the bore and let it free fall for the last ten inches or so and listen for the sound. If it's empty you will hear the sound of the rod hitting the steel of the breech plug - king of a ringing. If there's a ball in there you will hear the distinct "thud" of the rod hitting lead or part of the cloth patch.
Another question: one of my wedges is very loose. As in tip the gun to the side and it will simply fall out loose. Do I need to get another wedge or do I need to seat the barrel in the stock just right to get the proper resistance?
First of all, try turning the wedge over to see if it's tighter one way or the other. If it's still loose, just lay the wedge on a flat hard surface and tap the center to cause a very slight bend. Go lightly - it doesn't take much. By the way, wedges go in right to left and the longer wedge is for the rear.
OK, here's a bonus. It's a good idea to make sure that patent breech is clean when you clean your gun. They can sometimes build up gunk. I use a 1/4 x 36" hardwood dowel from the hardware store for this. Use a hack saw blade to cut a slot about 3/4" deep on one end, and round off the end. Stick a piece of patch about 1/2" square in the slot. Use a twisting motion as you push the patch into the breech and as you pull it out. No, it won't come off (at least mine hasn't yet).
