Stuck Cleaning Patch

[69thNYSVCoC]

Well, I was stupid.

While cleaning my rifle, I pushed a patch down the barrel using the ramming side of the ramrod vs my worm in a moment of stupidity. Of course, it got stuck. No matter how much windex, simple green, or oil I put down there, that patch is STUCK. Between my 200 lb, all muscle roommate and I, I figured we could pull her free, but to no avail. Any thoughts? I'd rather not put powder in the nipple and blast the thing free...

Thanks

[Calum]

‘morning,

Having done the same thing on occasion, I’ve found that adding a handle to the ramrod will give the leverage needed – turning the ramrod is sometimes enough to break the suction.

Field expedient handle, which is still in my bp kit. Took a short section of wooden broom handle, screwed a ball screw into it (so that the screw portion was in the handle, and the attachment threads were exposed). Put a female to female connector on there and screw that to your ramrod threads. I stood on the handle and pulled the barrel up.

A guy I know had no luck at all, and eventually had to remove the breach plug and push the patch/ramrod out the back.

Best of luck!
Calum

[maillemaker]

Make sure that the nipple is free and clear so that you don't have a vacuum going on preventing you from pulling the patch out.

Then as Calum suggested, thread some sort of handle onto the end of the ramrod. I'd think all you would need is a piece of metal bar stock with a hole big enough for the ramrod to pass through, then put a nut on the threads of the ramrod. Find something to stand on that gives the end of the ramrod a place to go (like a board with a hole drilled in it) so you don't bugger the end of your ramrod, and stand on the bar stock and pull up on the barrel.

Steve

[Cadet]

Well, I was stupid.

While cleaning my rifle, I pushed a patch down the barrel using the ramming side of the ramrod vs my worm in a moment of stupidity. Of course, it got stuck. No matter how much windex, simple green, or oil I put down there, that patch is STUCK. Between my 200 lb, all muscle roommate and I, I figured we could pull her free, but to no avail. Any thoughts? I'd rather not put powder in the nipple and blast the thing free...

Thanks

If you do resort to using powder (and it should be a last resort), be sure to be smart about it and do it somewhere safe--like NOT at an event. I saw this stupidity happen one time with someone who should have known better--they were lucky no one got seriously hurt. If you do end up with this route, get several bails of hay or something to shoot the ramrod into, with a nice hill of soft dirt behind it. Hopefully the bails of hay will slow the ramrod enough so as not to destroy it.

[MissouriStateGuard]

I had great luck once heating the barrel up by putting it under the back window of my car on a very hot, sunny day. The metal expanded enough to break it free. Good luck! V/R, kip lindberg

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

I am guessing that the ramrod is frozen in place and not just a patch down the bore? (likely an Enfied...)
But even with range rods or specialized cleaning ramrods it is not that unusal for a not wet enough patch on a clean ing jag to get stuck.

What often happens is that the fouling in the barrel grabs a hold of the dry patch and binds or "glues" it in place.

1. Try standing the gun on its butt and pouring soapy water solution down the bore. Then prop it up and allow it to soak for a day or two- allowing the "wet" to seep and soak down through the patch lubricating it.

2. The, try wrapping a strip of leather tightly around the shaft of the ramrod, leaving a length as a pull. With one of you on the ramrod, and the other holding the gun, try to extract the ramrod by you jerking one way and your pard pulling the other.

3. Affix your wiper to the end of the ramrod. Using a pair of pliars or better yet lock-jaw pliers or vise-grip pliers, set the pliers under the wiper and nwith a board or hammer, pound up on the wiper to see if that applied force will move the ramrod out.

4. As shared above, if you have the tools, you can make a "T" handle bar to thread down on the ramrod in place of the ramrod.

I assume that the gun is empty and there is no charge to attempt to fire the ramrod out with. Sometimes if not stuck too firmly, a charge can shoot out the ramrod. However, depending on how well it is stuck, firing the gun may possibly burst the barrel as the ramrod serves as an obstruction. Especially since blank firing tends to focus teh most fouling about 2/3rd's to 3/4the's down the bore. IMHO, I would not risk the risk. But again, I suspect your gun is empty.

Some guns have cone vents and bolster vents that are large enough to driibble loose powder into the breech to "pop" a non-obstruction out. BUT, I am thinking you may possibly have liquid in the breech if any solution got past the patch.

I am confident that the advice here and above will free it for you.

If not, then yes, as shared, you may need the breech plug removed and the ramrod and jag tapped out from the breech end. (That is assuming you have a gun with a breechplug and not a fixed patent breech as some of the Italian repro's have.)

And last but not least:

5. Don't do it again.

Curt

[69thNYSVCoC]

Yay! It's out!

It was a springfield, but I just stupidly used the ramming end of the ramrod as a jag without thinking. Had to unscrew the wiper and ended up putting the handlebar from a cleaning rod I got on sulter row years ago on there before screwing the wiper back on. Bent the ramrod slightly when banging up on the handlebar, but it still managed to come out.

...never again. >_<

Thank you for the suggestions guys! Definitely helped!! =D

[maillemaker]

Glad you were able to work it out! Thanks for the update!

Steve

[S.D.Swart]

Oh course, if you do not mind non period tools. I keep a small cordless powerdrill in my vehicle inside a period ammo box. Just put the end of the rod on the bit, tighten and run in reverse and it pulls it right out. Or you can use the above methods..

[captain_kirk]

This is not peroid but it gets the job done. Go to Wally World and buy a 1/2 inch dowel. Drop the dowel down your barrel and cut it leaving about 8 inches past the muzzle. Now obtain a sharpe utility knife and cut three jags near the end. Use a 20 ga. shot gun patch to clean your rifle. I use the other end as a ramrod when shooting my Parker-Hale. To get the old patch out purchase a worm that attaches to your steel ram rod.