today after practicing with the flintlock awhile.. i say about the 8th shot. i sat down and the bench and the f4 powder fizzed. no problem.. primed the pan again.. i knew something was wrong when the ramrod went about a inch deeper in the barrel.. i forgot to put the powder in.. no extractor.. i took the barrel off soaked it in water for about 10 min.. i didn't think this would work cause how much energy it takes to ram the ball down the barrel.. anyway i took my air compressor and cranked it up to 175lbs.. put the blow nozzle at where the nipple screws in.. that ball shot out of the barrel so fast and a lot faster than useing an extractor.. just be careful if you do this to make sure nothing is in front of that muzzle when you do this.. it can litterly do some serious damage.. just curious though has anyone else ever forgot the powder?

We would never admit it in print, only verbally, and then is a very low voice. :->
Chap Gleason Va

Do I get a nickel for every time I dry balled a rifle? I had a friend and his son over to the house one afternoon. The boy had just gotten a Tradition's St. Louis Hawkins. Needless to say he was excited. So after cleaning the rifle and explaining how to load the rifle to him. He was told to load. The look on his face when he said, "I forgot powder." So we cleared that ball and not more then six loads later he walked up to me and asked, "how do you get that ball out again? I forgot the powder." Believe me, you're not the first and will not be the last.

I have and so has my friend right in front of me. It hasn't happened for a long time though. I'm not as hurried anymore.

i know 100s of people have...but i can honestly say(knock on wood) that i havent yet done it in my 5 or 6 years flinting..im sure my time will come. im real familiar with my ball pullers though just because i unload that way...when i do it i just hope i aint hunting!

Happened to me the first time I wen't to shoot my muzzleloader. I shot two shots and decided to clean. I did not have a range rod and the tip came off with the jag at the bottom of the barrel. We drove up to the barn and used the air compressor to blow the jag out. Then, I went to go shoot and I forgot the powder! We just decided to go home. My first time at the range sucked!

thanks all for making feel better.. i am worried about my ramrod being launched sometime now in the future.. will that make me a profesional if i do that by chance?? i read a few have done that on here and they seam like they been shooting quite a bit.. something to look forward to in the future i guess.. i just hope it's not when i shoot at a deer though.. never hear the end of it..

You mean you never saw ramrod launching? I am sure everyone saw Charlton Heston on The Mountainmen shoot the bad guy with his. Well TV is good for telling lies. Ramrod launching really is not a joking matter, ramrods depending on their material content can be heavy and if you were unfortunate enough to have a strout powder charge, then a projectile and a ramrod, you are really making some dangerous barrel pressures.

At the range once w/ a XTP and then I pulled a bullet over a charge once @ the end of my first deerless season.
I would think if you get distracted it could happen to anyone.
SHills

i only use 80gr of f2 and the rod i got is graphite.. i don't think i have to worry if i forget.. but yes,, i am aware of the dangers that could happen.. what would happen if a double charge was placed now you got me thinking.. some people mark their rods so they know where it should be when seated correctly.. i understand now why they do that,, i think that is the reason?? i am goanna do the same after thinking about that.. paranoid now after thinking about forgetting the powder.. i be double checking that from now on.. can you tell i am new to this type of gun and hunting with it??