SIMPLE IDEAS FROM COMPLEX OBSERVATIONS

WEe all know why the big rig trucks have so many wheels. You don't?
It is to spread their great weights on to so many pressure points that none of them would be destructive or either the road surface or the truck itself.
Folks walking by my shooting bench might wonder why I have somewhat large white glass door knobs on my Short Starter or ram rod.
If you give either one a lot of whacks to extrude the patched lead ball into thrilling of your barrel will remember the wear and tear on what I called my Rifleman's elbow..The wide knob makes it easier on the palm of your hand and the weight is a plus when it comes to forcing that resistant patched ball

into the bore.
A side advantage is that if you forget and leave the ram rod in the barrel, you cannot aim the rifle without seeing
that large knob in the middle of you sight picture.

The ones I used were recovered from the wreckage of an old river steamboat that was revealed by a low water level during a drouth.

Actually my main ramrod had a solid brass knob recovered from a former elegant build that was being destroyed.
I doubt if many will adopt this practice because it looks a little "DUMB" if you don't think about it.
It seems you spend a lot of time carrying stuff to the range, to your hunting grounds. and a sling for your rifle is a good idea. I see a lot of them, narrow straps cutting into a shoulder. I suggest making one with a nice maybe 4 inch wide section that lies on your shoulder, Spreads the weight, make a heavier load feel much lighter.
For hunting in the field you probably just carry your rifle and at most a sling supports your shooting bag but if possible avoid anything that gets in the way of your smooth aiming moment.

Been shooting BP over 40 years. Never left a ram rod. Only a dry ball 2 times. More than a single moderate strike on the starter is too tight.
What works for you regardless if any others adopt it is not dumb. Would only be dumb if it crated a safety issue.
Hole heartedly believe in wide straps. Not much more uncomfortable then something digging in.

bang said:

Been shooting BP over 40 years. Never left a ram rod. Only a dry ball 2 times. More than a single moderate strike on the starter is too tight.
What works for you regardless if any others adopt it is not dumb. Would only be dumb if it crated a safety issue.
Hole heartedly believe in wide straps. Not much more uncomfortable then something digging in.

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My most or almost embarrassing dry ball event when giving a demonstration of the whole loading to letting them fire a ml rifle, I surrounded by a fuzzy eared young man and, I hoped, to admiring young maidens I skipped the addition of powder down the barrel.
Quick as a whip, Out came the nipple wrench to remove that item , In I rubbed some powder down the ignition channel. Pouf I fired a cap to move the damn ball an inch or two forward in the barrel, back to the wrench, removed the nipple was able to get a lot more powder down the ignition channel, back goes the nipple bigger pouf as I blow my self inflicted cork out of the barrel, a Quick wipe and then the very proper loading sequence. All the while keeping a straight face. Fuzzy ears a bit quicker than the maidens asked "What was all that?"
"Oh, maintenance" I replied.It was as though none of that scrabble had occurred.
I used to let these n"Tourists get off a surprised shot to make then understand the double set trigger. Then a very careful second shot that would usually go dead center using my rear aperture and globe front sight do their work.
This is one of the ways I created converts to the wonderful cloudy world of muzzleloading.. Not the dry ball bit, the rest of it.
Dutch Schoultz

I prefer to cone the muzzle than bust my hand on a short starter. It seems more realistic to how it was done back in the day.

MtnMan said:

I prefer to cone the muzzle than bust my hand on a short starter. It seems more realistic to how it was done back in the day.

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WHY DO YOU THINK THE OLD TYMERS CONED THEIR MUZZLES? LOOKING AT HUNDREDS OF OLD GUNS CONING DIDN'T SEEM AT ALL CCOMMON.
HOWEVER, YOU DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR YOU..
DUTCH SCHOULTZ

"OH, MAINTENANCE".....

QUICK THINKING DUTCH!!!

Skychief said:

"OH, MAINTENANCE".....

QUICK THINKING DUTCH!!!

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IT WAS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK REALLY STUPID AND TO MAKE MY BEAUTIFUL RIFLE LOOK LIKE JUNK.

DUTCH

I won't argue about it. I have won many BP shoots with a coned muzzle.

On the link below you will find this if you scroll down far enough.

"Research suggests that most 18th & 19th century muzzleloaders had coned muzzles. A slight to long taper was ground into the bore of the muzzle. This taper or funnel allowed the easier starting of patched balls or conical bullets. The coning could be as short as 1/8" to as long as 4", but most were on the shorter side. Production guns typically have no coned muzzles."

http://www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/tradml/index.html

MtnMan said:

I won't argue about it. I have won many BP shoots with a coned muzzle.

On the link below you will find this if you scroll down far enough.

"Research suggests that most 18th & 19th century muzzleloaders had coned muzzles. A slight to long taper was ground into the bore of the muzzle. This taper or funnel allowed the easier starting of patched balls or conical bullets. The coning could be as short as 1/8" to as long as 4", but most were on the shorter side. Production guns typically have no coned muzzles."

http://www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/tradml/index.html

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NOBOFY'S ARGUING. WITH YOU. THE LONGER CONING ELIMINATING THE SHORT STARTER SEEMS TO MAKE MORE SENSE IF YOU CANFIGURE OUT HOW TO GO IN STRAIGHT. I PREFERRED CUTTING AT THE MUZZLE WHICH GIVES A PERFECT PATCH EVERY TIME.
DUTCH

You know those spherical and conical rocks for pencil grinders? They're great.
They typically won't last long at all but you can put emery paper on the conical rocks.

Dr5x said:

NOBOFY'S ARGUING. WITH YOU. THE LONGER CONING ELIMINATING THE SHORT STARTER SEEMS TO MAKE MORE SENSE IF YOU CANFIGURE OUT HOW TO GO IN STRAIGHT. I PREFERRED CUTTING AT THE MUZZLE WHICH GIVES A PERFECT PATCH EVERY TIME.
DUTCH

Click to expand...

I thought of that Dutch. I use loading boards. So, I cut the patch at the board just the same as cutting at the muzzle. I can push the patched ball from the board into the muzzle. Then all I need is my ramrod. A simple faster system for hunting. Which is my main interest and important when hunting for bear on the ground. My gunsmith does the coning and I saw no loss in accuracy.

btw...You are aware that all caps is yelling.

nkbj said:

You know those spherical and conical rocks for pencil grinders? They're great.
They typically won't last long at all but you can put emery paper on the conical rocks.

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THOSE SPHERICAL ROCKS ETC ARE GREAT???
THEY ARE GREAT AT WHAT? YOU DO NOT EXPLAIN. I THOUGHT THE JELLY BEAN WAS PRETTY GOOD BUT IF THE SPHERICAL AN CONICAL ROCKS ARE GREATER I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE THEY ARE USED.THE JELLY BEAN CROWD AWAITES YOUR EXPLANATION.
THERE IS NOTHING SO PIZZLING TO ME IS A POST THAT FIRMLY STATES
HOW ABOUT THE PURPLE ONES? WITHOUT CONNECTING THAT QUESTION TO ANY OTHER FACT OR INFORORMATION.

HERE WOULD BE ANOTHER MYSTERY POST.

I THINK 15 IS BETTER!
ALWAYS TRY TO SEND A COMPLETE THOUGHT/ I LACK YOUR BRILLIANCE AND NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.
DUTCH
Here I'll send one
They antique spaghetti sauce may be the cause. Your opinion?
Dutch.

MtnMan said:

I thought of that Dutch. I use loading boards. So, I cut the patch at the board just the same as cutting at the muzzle. I can push the patched ball from the board into the muzzle. Then all I need is my ramrod. A simple faster system for hunting. Which is my main interest and important when hunting for bear on the ground. My gunsmith does the coning and I saw no loss in accuracy.

btw...You are aware that all caps is yelling.

Click to expand...

I think you have solved your problem of loading very well.

I am aware that all caps is yelling. What message is it shouting?
Oh Yes. I have very little vision left and appreciate your consideration as It helps me a little in not producing extra stupid typing errors.

Other people enjoy putting furniture in my way. Sometimes it can cause a great laugh.

Dutch
If you indicate on your posts that my amusing handicap offends you I will remember to send everything your way in lower case 12 point type. or less it that would make you more comfortable
Dutch

Ah, yes. Now I remember about your eyesight. I've talked with you by email years ago.

Caps don't bother me. Very few things do. I only mentioned it so it wouldn't seem like an argument. I'm aware of vision problems. I lost the sight in my right eye and had to learn to shoot left handed. I now have a cataract in my left eye and the doc won't operate on it because if something went wrong i'd be blind. He said just deal with it. So, i'm dealing with it. Every year I need to get closer and closer to the game to make sure of a humane shot. Pretty soon I can just knock it out with a club.

Dr5x said:

I think you have solved your problem of loading very well.

I am aware that all caps is yelling. What message is it shouting?
Oh Yes. I have very little vision left and appreciate your consideration as It helps me a little in not producing extra stupid typing errors.

Other people enjoy putting furniture in my way. Sometimes it can cause a great laugh.

Dutch
If you indicate on your posts that my amusing handicap offends you I will remember to send everything your way in lower case 12 point type. or less it that would make you more comfortable
Dutch

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i had no idea that coning is a religious thing. Apparently relate to circumcision which I can't spell.
I have become a loose cannon.

Dutch.

Dr5x said:

LOOKING AT HUNDREDS OF OLD GUNS CONING DIDN'T SEEM AT ALL COMMON.

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Agreed!

MtnMan said:

Ah, yes. Now I remember about your eyesight. I've talked with you by email years ago.

Caps don't bother me. Very few things do. I only mentioned it so it wouldn't seem like an argument. I'm aware of vision problems. I lost the sight in my right eye and had to learn to shoot left handed. I now have a cataract in my left eye and the doc won't operate on it because if something went wrong i'd be blind. He said just deal with it. So, i'm dealing with it. Every year I need to get closer and closer to the game to make sure of a humane shot. Pretty soon I can just knock it out with a club.

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OK. truce I have glaucoma in the right and Macular degeneration in the left. The right gives me a blur and the left gives me sharper details except in the exact spot i am looking./
I can't figure out how to reduce type size to 12 point.
My most successful method of earning income was through typesetting and design. I imagine you can understand my sense of loss.
All is well. I think understand better than most my situation.
Dutch

Go ahead and use caps. Had I remembered about your vision I wouldn't have said anything.

Yes, truce.
Truth is. I don't have a gun that's coned right now and since my gunsmith went to the happy hunting ground. I won't be doing another one. I just bought a Sharon Hawken and I won't be touching that barrel. They're too good to mess with.

MtnMan said:

Go ahead and use caps. Had I remembered about your vision I wouldn't have said anything.

Yes, truce.
Truth is. I don't have a gun that's coned right now and since my gunsmith went to the happy hunting ground. I won't be doing another one. I just bought a Sharon Hawken and I won't be touching that barrel. They're too good to mess with.

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THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME RECALL THE FOLKS WHO MADE THE BARREL I USED TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL 197? BARREL THAT CAME WITH THE KIT.
THE EXACT COPY OF AN ORIGINAL ST LOUIS HAWKEN CAME WITH A GREEN MOUNTAIN BARREL.

I BELIEVE SHARON WAS OUT THERE IN IDAHO OR THERESABOUTS.. I WONDER WHY THEY FAILED TO CONTINUE. DOUGLAS BARREL stopped because, I was told, they had too many lawsuits from exploding barrels. One wonders...

Dutch

MtnMan said:

Go ahead and use caps. Had I remembered about your vision I wouldn't have said anything.

Yes, truce.
Truth is. I don't have a gun that's coned right now and since my gunsmith went to the happy hunting ground. I won't be doing another one. I just bought a Sharon Hawken and I won't be touching that barrel. They're too good to mess with.

Click to expand...

I came across an older post where you said you prefer a coned muzzle over as short starter but what actually occurs is that the cone holds the patched ball in place and your ram rod is then able to take the place of a short starter.
It takes a little force to extrude the patched lead ball into the rifling. or a most powerful thumb.

Dutch