carrying balls and lubed patches

Okie Hog said:

When hunting, my patched round balls are carried in a piece of PVC pipe. My old blackpowder mentor carried his in a short piece of round oak.

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At least he was trying to be traditional. Nice Home Depot ball carrier. :wink:

I have ball boards that I use when shooting a string of shots. 5 holes 5 shots, its easy to lose count. I don't compeat much. While hunting I cary greased pre cut patchs in an old cap tin that i have burned the paint off then varnished, it looks like japaned tin. Then ball in a small bag. I used to carry a lot, then reduced to as few as I think I will need. We read a lot of old works where the wrighter states they were caught away from camp with a full horn but only 3 or 5 balls. Its a good excuse for my being whimpy...'why the old timers just carried 5" :haha:

I carry 15 or so balls in a small leather pouch, and my prelubed patches are kept in an empty snuff can. Both items are in my shooting bag, along with a powder measure, some alcohol soaked patches for field cleaning, a priming flask, and spare flints. Ive tried to use various types of speedloaders but I never found one I really liked.

I use a fowling bag on me hip. The balls are in the pocket, and the patches are in a snuff box.
My second shot takes 20-30 seconds to bag load.
So far have not needed a second shot. Also been shooting out of that bag for a decade at rondies, so Im used to it

If you're deer hunting, you will probably only need one reload .. if that.

I stole this idea from Rifleman1776 and it works great. It's fast and convenient. The patched lubed ball is in the flat part and the end is bored out to accept 70 grs. of 3F powder. It has a cut-down wine cork in it. It's perfect for my .45 flintlock.

Looks good. :hatsoff:
You can send the commission check now. :wink: :rotf:

Johnny Tremain said:

...so Im used to it....

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There you have it in a nutshell.

No carry or loading method is magic or perfect. You have to USE it lots to make it routine. Hang your bag over your shoulder, step away from the benchrest, and do all your loading and shooting with what's on your body. Add a little weather if you really want to get to know your loading methods. Howzit work out wearing gloves with wind in your face and rain dripping down your neck?

I carry 15 or so balls

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For deer hunting that is more weight to carry than is necessary. Two or three is plenty. For small game you might want more.

When I go hunting I carry 3 extra balls and 150 grains of extra powder. Not an ideal load (50 grains of 3F and a patched .490 ball) but more than enough for point blank dispatch of wounded game and defense of the kill from any potential opportunistic predators trying to rob a girl of her hard work.

For hunting

I use a small belt pouch about half the size of my fist or twice the size of CW cap pouch.

In it a piece of flint, maybe five lose balls, a dozen or so lose dry patches, sometimes a powder measure.
In my back pocket a small powder flask and a pocket knife in the front pocket.

I use to carry a lot more :slap:



Alexander

After 6 shots I would go home and try to figure what I did wrong.

No offence dude but if you need 6 shots at big game you need practice.

I carry the same kit to the range, or plinking, or small game or deer hunting. Anything I shoot target with is with me in the woods during deer season.

Both of my "good" hunting horns carry half a pound of powder. Might as well have enough balls and flints to make use of it.

IMHO target and range work is just hunting practice. If you carry a plastic box and a range rod to go practice maybe you should spend more time in the woods. ;-)

Stumpkiller said:

I carry the same kit to the range, or plinking, or small game or deer hunting. Anything I shoot target with is with me in the woods during deer season.

IMHO target and range work is just hunting practice.

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If you'll sing the tenor, I'll chip in the base for a perfect harmony! :thumbsup:

I have a small drawstring bag in the pocket of my shooting bag that I use to carry my balls, lubed patches are in a ziplock bag behind them. I usually keep a powder flask, measure, and a short starter within easy reach inside the bag. I also keep a tin of musket caps, a cake of patch lube, and misc. tools like a cleaning jag, ball screw, multi-tool, nipple wrench and pick in the bottom of the bag. The short starter and the measure do have a lanyard attached to the strap of the bag so they don't travel far if dropped or I miss the bag.

After some consideration on the topic it seems to me that it all depends on situation and circumstance.
If I am out in the woods behind my home the kit I take is very small. It wouldn't take me long to get back home so no need for much.
But it occurs to me that if I had plans on going into deep forested or wild areas that would take me longer than a day to get to civilization on foot, then it might be wise to play boy scout and be prepared. Thus a larger kit would be in order.

I use paper patched bullets an never looked back. I had 6 cigar tubes that were heavy tin,an cut them down,an placed them in a row with leather, then inserted them in a row in my bag. When I take my ol smoothie out ,I just put one greased cartridge in each tube finished!. the only other thing in my bag is a small primer made from cane, an a small cork to close it up. easy as hell!!!.sonny

nhmoose said:

After 6 shots I would go home and try to figure what I did wrong.

No offence dude but if you need 6 shots at big game you need practice.

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I am speaking more from a state of mind of being in the wilderness for an extended period, not a modern hunting outing. Sorry.

When I am out for a few hours hunting behind the house, I usually just load my rifle and take nothing else- unless its a bit damp outside in which case I bring my horn to periodically change powder.

Different than I understood, sorry but for a few days hunt my horn has about 100 shots in it(40 caliber). I carry way less than that in balls. I also prime from the main horn.

As do I. I don't see a need for two horns. I charge and prime with 3f from one horn and I've noticed no ill effect in my particular rifle.