How do I unload a loaded flintlock (PRB) WITHOUT firing it?

Any tool for the task will have to be built by hand from scratch, so I"ll appreciate any idea, info or pictures.

How do I unload a loaded flintlock (PRB) WITHOUT firing it?

Any tool for the task will have to be built by hand from scratch, so I"ll appreciate any idea, info or pictures.


The traditional way is to:
1. Remove the pan powder.
2. Block the flint/frizzen or remove the flint (don't want any spark-accidents)
3. use a "worm" on the ram rod to pull the ball. Worm is a kid of coarse threaed sharp screw point, which you kind of screw into the ball and use that bit to pull it out.

PLEASE ADD IN THE MODERN SAFETY FEATURE of flooding the load as best you can from BOTH ends with a good penetrating oil. WIll help kill the powder charge and make pulling a lot easier.

Not without problems...have to get the screw to bite into lead, NOT bit into lead and the side of the barrel. Wrapping someting around the rod to center the worm is the tradtional way (in the modern world, we use tape).


OR


If a modern made replica, will find a threaded vent hole liner...are c02 devices sold that will thread into the vent liner's threaded hole, and can squirt the patched ball out with a blast of CO2.


OR

The real hard way is to de-breech the barrel and push the ball out from the back end. this just isn't practica or even possiblel on some guns (esp. originals).


Check Track of the Wolf on line (or Dixie gun Works)...they'll have the gear you need.

How do I unload a loaded flintlock (PRB) WITHOUT firing it?

Any tool for the task will have to be built by hand from scratch, so I"ll appreciate any idea, info or pictures.
There's a device out there that uses a co2 cartiage to shoot the ball and powder out using the adapter for the touch hole, it has adapters for percussion, 209's or flintlocks. Cabela's, Bass pro, Midsouthshooters etc all sell them. Pulling the ball with powder in the gun is super dangerous, you're way better off to just shoot it and clean it. A good friend of mine did the water soaking deal with his traditions flinter, he soaked it to death from both ends, he mangled the ball trying to pull it out, but it didn't move much, I pushed it back down tight against the supposidly soaked powder, primed the pan and the **** thing went boom when I pulled the trigger, freaked us both out big time, because he drowned it in a tub of water, I still wake up shaking thinking what could of happened.