I took in a loaded percussion Traditions .50 cal to pull the round ball and powder. It purportedly was loaded several years ago and wouldn't fire. I never had one not fire unless dry loaded. I am thinking about deploying a CO2 discharger for the first time. I soaked the barrel in Kroil, squirting it down the bore, starting yesterday. I will wait for a while so it is well soaked before trying to blow it outwith gas. I'm not a gunsmith but offered to help my buddy with this removal job. I didn't want him to use a puller and gouge the rifling. I am not a 'smith of any kind but have certainly seen and done a few removals myself. I could fashion a ball puller with a brass ring to keep it centered but will go this route first unless you guys have a slicker idea of how to pull it??? TIA. Be Well, Packy.

This is what I have used several times, with the brass guide you won't be able to touch the rifling.

https://www.sportsmans.com/sho...vwI7YDBoCbO8QAvD_BwE

Ball puller; they were issued to soldiers during the ML period and they still work. I use no guide. The ram rod is the guide.

I've used a ball puller and more recently CO2 to blow them out. They both work.

I have never tried this one, but...replace the nipple with a grease zert. Use grease gun to pump it out!

Sounds a bit messy, but you have to use what ya got on hand.

Ball/bullet pullers are readily available from Dixie and other ML suppliers and should be an integral part of the ML tool kit, just as they were in Military use. Using grease and co2 are expensive modern solutions to a very simple problem.
Now, make sure your ferrule is pinned onto your ramrod; if not, it will pull off.
Another method is to remove the breech plug and push it out. Or remove the nipple and dribble some 4f powder in; and shoot it out. If you are in the field, and forget to load powder; you won't have your breech plug wrench, grease gun or CO2 kit; but you should have your ball puller in your possibles bag.
When I was at Ft Stewart, one day I met a very disappointed guy in the woods; he told me his ML would not fire; He had borrowed it and knew nothing about MLs and had never fired it. I took his lighter, removed the nipple and proceeded to fire it with the lighter. Another method.

+ 1 on the grease zert. I had one giving me trouble and it worked great.