Help solving a situation
 

A guy I know (honestly not me) got a brass brush stuck in the breech of his sidelock and asked me how he could get it out.
Before I give him my idea which I will explain below do any of you have any ideas?

What I was going to suggest he remove the flash liner and place a twisted patch in the vent hole. Then melt a couple balls and pour it down the muzzle. After considerable cooling time, remove what's left of the patch and place about 10-15 gr of FFFFg into the breech, replace the vent liner and fire it off.
IMO the lead should adhere to the brush forming a plug which should blow out under the light charge.

A worm or jag will not grab it?

It may not if the brush became unscrewed off the rod. Then a worm is out. But depends on the diameter of the threaded end. I'd mess with a corkscrew type jag.


How about a quick high pressure air blow once you have formed the seal?

JW

That's a new one...is it still attached to the cleaning rod/ram rod? If so why not put a T handle on the end an with two people just pull it out?

I have used .54 brushes in a .50 cal and still was able to get the brush out, just sayin...

Bronco this brings back memories.
Many moons ago I was cleaning my TC sidelock and had an end pull out of my cleaning rod when I was using a jag w/patch. It was stuck and I had no clue what to do. I was also new into ML'ing... probably my 1st year.

I don't remember specifics, but somehow I fashioned a sharp screw onto a makeshift rod and was able to drive it into the back end of the stuck part. Used some penetrating oil it lubed everything up enough that I was able to get it out. I just remember working on it for a few days and freaking out because it was a new gun.

I don't remember ever thinking to try and shoot it out. Not sure if it would have worked or not.

Did the brush unscrew or break off, or what?

The corkscrew deal might work. I you could get it to grab the metal part on the brush. The one I have is pretty stout.

A thin wall brass tube, just smaller then the bore diameter, can be pushed down over the brush. That encloses the bristles so it can easily be drawn out. That tubing can be found in hobby shops, or, sometimes in local hardware stores.
Paul

Remove the breech plug.

That to me sounds like a real good idea. :party0005:

I would not try to shoot it out. Where are you located? Are you close to Berks Co? Why not contact Dixon's muzzle loader shop, I am sure with their years of experience they have dealt with similar problems before. They are in Kempton, phone# (610) 756-6271

I was also going to say use a tube. Although I would have said to try to find a copper tube. A copper tubes are easier to find. Push them over the bristles and pull it out. Then buy only brushes that are not crimped in aluminum.

This is what I've seen suggested on other muzzleloading sites...

Then, tell the fellow to leave the brass brush at home for traditional muzzleloaders, it isn't needed...

How do you clean the breech?

Pete, I think it is a side hammer or even a rock sparker - not thinking it is an inline - cuz if you could remove the breech you would just push it out...

I know it's a sidelock, but when all else fails you can remove the breech plug.

Some side locks, although completely retarded, don't have removable BP's Pete. Ran across a few years ago. The BP's were welded in. 100% stupid design I know but they are out there.

Some of the breech plugs are pinned in - most require a special tool/wrench and more than likely the thread are corroded in place. Very few people ever remove those plugs. In fact I have 6 renegades that have never had the plugs out.

No reason to take them out unless you get something stuck in then that you can't get out.

Renegade is one that comes out.

We don't know what kind of gun we're talking about in this thread.

I've always pulled the plug on my old Hawk at least 2 times a year whenever I break it down completely for a thorough cleanup. You know, pulling the barrel, trigger set, lock and all from the stock for a intensive cleanup and oiling.

I do that every time I shoot it, except for the breech plug.

I have lots of time to do stuff.

Well this sucks. I called this guy yesterday to see how he was making out with the brush. The rifle was a Pedersoli flintlock .54 1:65 twist. He told me he sold it for $300 because of the stuck brush. Ughhhhh....I told him I would have bought it for that. I was looking for a .54 flinter. Man try to help a guy and get stabbed in the back like that. He could have at least offered.

No good deed, etc. etc. etc.

Well when it happened to me I tied a small treble hook to a strong fishing line cut a wire hanger and straitened it cut a slit in the end of the hanger wire put it over one leg of the treble hook shoved it down past most of the brush and used the fishing line to pull it out.

here's what we do at our shoots when that happens we have a overhead awning with some steel beams so we take the handle of the rod and hook it on the beam or just try to catch it on the side and then yank the rifle down away from the beam and it works every time hope this might help ?

I wouldn't be shoving any steel coat hanger wire down the bore of my rifles.

I was thinkin the same thing.

That ain,t gonna work if it pulls apart from the rod.

we do it all the time it works !