Short starter size?

[jtmattison]

I was wondering if any of you pay any mind to the size of the tips on your short starter.
I have been using a starter made for .50 cal for a long time on my .54 and it makes a pretty good ring/dent on the ball when I smack it in.
I have a .54 cal short starter from TOTW and out of curiosity I compared it to the one I have been using. The tips on it are much larger and the ball is cradled in it opposed to sitting on the rim of it.
I wonder if loading with the .54 starter will cause less damage resulting in better accuracy?
Part of me thinks it will but another part of me don't because the ball goes through a lot of deformation upon shooting anyway.

Comments?

Huntin

 

[roundball]

I was wondering if any of you pay any mind to the size of the tips on your short starter.
I have been using a starter made for .50 cal for a long time on my .54 and it makes a pretty good ring/dent on the ball when I smack it in.
I have a .54 cal short starter from TOTW and out of curiosity I compared it to the one I have been using. The tips on it are much larger and the ball is cradled in it opposed to sitting on the rim of it.
I wonder if loading with the .54 starter will cause less damage resulting in better accuracy?
Part of me thinks it will but another part of me don't because the ball goes through a lot of deformation upon shooting anyway.
Comments?
Huntin

I noticed that too back when I got started using PRB's and have no idea if that slight ring mark affects[url] accuracy...in[/url] my gut I doubt seriously that it would...but having said that, I decided to use short starters that match the calibers without leaving a mark.
My 50 works fine with both .50 & .45 balls;
Then I have a separate .54 and a separate .58.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I would say using the metal tip dished out closest to the shape of the ball will give the best results - if you use a metal tip.

I use wood tipped short starters. Actually, they're more like "stub-starters" as the dowel portion is only 1-1/2" long. Whittled out of one piece of maple wood. Just enough to clear the pre-patched ball out of the loading block and down enough for the rammer to get a solid hold on top of it. I make mine just shy of 1/2" around so I can use them in either .50 or .54 caliber rifles.

Here's one with an iron staple in the side so I can tie it to a block.

Frequently I just choke up on my rammer and do without the starter entirely. My flint rifle has a "medium crown" which is a pronounced radius (not coned). That's enough of a help to get the ball started with just a good push instead of a sharp smack.

For YEARS before that I used one made from a 5" length of 1/2" dogwood set into a palm piece made of 1-1/2" round x 3" witch-hazel. Dogwood doesn't split. (the one in the image below under the left hawk).

In all cases the tips are flat with just the edges rounded.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Never have used one.

I press hte patched ball in wiht my fingers, then use my steel ramrod. They slide in the muzzle, by the time the risistence starts, Im 3-4 inchs down the barrel and have a good grasp on the ramrod.

Gotta love that 1000 lube

 

[charcloth]

Hello Huntin Dawg,

I use the same short starter for my .50 and my .54. It has never seemed to have any negative effect.

Charcloth