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Ball seating question?

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Spend some time watching those who are at the top of board at a match, and you have the answer.
 
Hahahahahahaha, this thread cracks me up. There's a kid at camp (mid 20's) who literally slams his ramrod down so hard that it bounces halfway back up. He does this about a half dozen times before going out and missing deer.

I honestly don't think it does much in deforming the ball. At least no more than when we seat the thing in the first place. It's just one of those unnecessary things that people do that has become unwritten fact to ensure accuracy.

I seat the ball firmly and done with it.
 
Hahahahahahaha, this thread cracks me up. There's a kid at camp (mid 20's) who literally slams his ramrod down so hard that it bounces halfway back up. He does this about a half dozen times.

I honestly don't think it does much in deforming the ball. At least no more than when we seat the thing in the first place. It's just one of those unnecessary things that people do that has become unwritten fact to ensure accuracy.

I seat the ball firmly and done with it.

You should ask him why he does that and see what he says. Make him think your courious. Dont tell him any different, cause he will probably keep doin it.
 
You should ask him why he does that and see what he says. Make him think your courious. Dont tell him any different, cause he will probably keep doin it.

There are a couple who do. He's just the most pronounced. We did talk, the purpose was to make sure the ball is seated.

If it gives em confidence go right ahead!
 
I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN STARTED IN SOME MOVIE. AND ALL THE MOVIES ARE CREATED BY EXPERTS, OF COURSE

DUTCH

Hahahahahahaha, this thread cracks me up. There's a kid at camp (mid 20's) who literally slams his ramrod down so hard that it bounces halfway back up. He does this about a half dozen times before going out and missing deer.

I honestly don't think it does much in deforming the ball. At least no more than when we seat the thing in the first place. It's just one of those unnecessary things that people do that has become unwritten fact to ensure accuracy.

I seat the ball firmly and done with it.
 
Back in my BPCR days, when reloading the shells, one has to be careful of seating the bullet in the case as to not crush the powder. When you do crush it, you change the granulation size to a powder which alters your burn rate, which isn't good. It would seem you could do the same with a ML.
 
Back when I was a young buck just getting into BP Shooting, one of the first things I learned was that seating a ball with the rifle's ramrod hurt my palm! :eek: So I immediately got a "Palm Saver" to help me seat the ball. Still use one in the field.

Someone here posted that the practice of bouncing the ramrod may have been taught by the military of the day. Maybe, and I'm just supposing here, maybe that was done because a recruit might be more likely to push the small end of a metal ramrod through his hand then firmly seat the ball. By applying pressure directly to the ramrod with his palm that is.

I dunno... :( I'm just thinking...

I do know I never bounced a ramrod in my life! :D
 
Both seating by pushing and seating by bouncing can be done incorrectly.
Never bounce a conical, period.
The need for bouncing varies depending on factors like how tight your patch ball combo is and fouling build up.
If you stick a ball in a dirty barrel 2" off the powder charge, what are you going to do ? I'm going to bounce the rod untill it goes down.
 
Well, seems to me if you cant tell if your ball is seated you probably do not need to mess with muzzleloaders. Mark your ramrod! Its not rocket science. No you dont need to bounce your ramrod off the ball. You can easily tell by feeling the ball contact the powder or looking at your reference marks. This aint hard.

Just because someone wrote it in a book, does not make it true, or the best practice. Good lord man, look at the garbage on the internet. Bouncing a ramrod is just plain dumb. Mark your ramrods and you know exactly that your ball and patch are seated and also allows you to reproduce a consistent loading condition. Bouncing a rod on the ball does not, can not and will not give a consistent loading. If you really want it consistent, load with the butt on a scale so you get consistent down force on the ball. Bouncing is just useless.
 
Consistent loading is not always necessary. Doesn't anyone go "plinking" anymore ?

load with the butt on a scale so you get consistent down force on the ball

I agree that consistency is key to accuracy, But I will never resort to using a scale. That is truly unnecessary .
 
Both seating by pushing and seating by bouncing can be done incorrectly.
Never bounce a conical, period.
The need for bouncing varies depending on factors like how tight your patch ball combo is and fouling build up.
If you stick a ball in a dirty barrel 2" off the powder charge, what are you going to do ? I'm going to bounce the rod untill it goes down.

If you mark your ramrod and seat it to the mark you dont need to bounce it
 
Back when I was a young buck just getting into BP Shooting, one of the first things I learned was that seating a ball with the rifle's ramrod hurt my palm! :eek: So I immediately got a "Palm Saver" to help me seat the ball. Still use one in the field.

My Daddy taught me to never put ANY part of my body in front of the muzzle. I grip the sides of the rammer (tapered wood helps). So far (since 1976) I haven't split a wood ram rod when loading.
 
I normally do not bounce the rod. I say normally because once in a while I may be suspicious of whether the bullet is actually on the powder. I cannot use my sight to absolutely be positive the ball is properly seated. Witness marks can fail or not be noticed. I go by feel and by pushing in one motion till I feel the bullet touching the powder. When developing a load with various powder loads witness marks are useless anyhow. When I am not positive the ball has been seated properly I do raise the ramrod an inch or two and drop it while watching and listening which now involves two senses to assure the bullet is in fact properly seated.
 
Hmmmmm.....I would venture to post that if bouncing the rod on the ball is moving the ball (much if at all) then you may have a wayyy to thin patch???

And if you have a thick/ tight patch and it doesn't move the ball (according to your musing) What harm is done other than it possibly being off the powder charge ?
 
If after 77 posts and they still cant figure out the basic loading of a muzzle loader who cares.
 
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