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What’s a “ball block” for?

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CoHiCntry

54 Cal.
Joined
Mar 21, 2014
Messages
170
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Location
Colorado
I’ve seen these around but can’t figure out what the benefit is in using one? Or maybe a better question is why would you use one? Is it for ease of use at the range or do guys actually carry one around when they are hunting? Probably elementary to most but it’s got me scratching my head...
 
Speedy and easy reloads. It also keeps your ammo together in one spot (not loose). It also makes it easy to keep track of your number of shots during competition. Some guys love them some don't, Small blocks are handy for hunting.
 
Loading blocks are a modern thing. There are very few examples pre-American Civil War. They may likely be a misinterpretation of blocks used for pre-patching balls. The block would hold the patch and ball together so one could sew the patch closed around the ball. We do have accounts of balls being pre-patched & lubed, which would make loading faster, and negate the need to carry another piece of gear (that being the block itself.)
 
Hmmmmmm , That stitching a patch onto the ball is interesting . I've made and used patched ball quick loader boards for hunting , but to hold PRB's to stitch the patch onto the ball???? , Maybe this is something to investigate. I'll ask the boss if she is willing to sit and sew some muslin patch material onto some lead balls. ....(Probably just git another not on my head for askin' ) I hate sewin' cloth.... oldwood
 
Although there is heated debate as to the loading board, ball block origins I use one at the range and especially when hunting makes for faster loading and less fumbling with patches and balls which can be a bit problematic especially when it is very cold out such as with our late muzzle loading deer season.
 
"Loading blocks are a modern thing".

So is the computer, but the loading block is the older of the 2.
 
Depends on your concept of modern I believe they were around say the middle to late 1800s as stated in earlier post this is a heated debate as to the origins and use of such a device, really do not want to re-ignite the issues, just attempting to answer the original question.
 
I have them from .32 to .54 in many shapes and sizes, some are in even in the shape of hearts. They are useful, reduce clutter in my "man bag" and are fun to make.

Who really cares when they were first conceived?
 
Use them for all my rifles from .32 to .69 cal. as you I like making them and the artistic touches that can be done to them adds to the individuals impression. As long as you are honest in telling folks about your plunder if in that type of situation.
 
I don't think they go back to the 18th century, but they do at least go back this far.

Bullet block photo.jpg


They are handy for a relatively quick reload, and I don't fault anyone for using one (I do sometimes, myself). I just don't like when people say "they MUST have had them in the 18th century, therefore, they're authentic".
 
As above they were around by at least the middle of the nineteenth century. We have some photos and the Museum of the Fur Trade has at least one on display. In the Age of Firearms we have a photo of an early American rife and it’s matched acotraments. This was published in the 1950s before reinactorisms came along.
Using one I got off seven shots in just shy of three min, about 25 seconds per shot.
They are great if your shooting a string of five shots so you don’t loose track of where you are.
A two or three shot one gives you a quick reload in the woods.
However they are an added thing to stuff in a bag. I have some and since we don’t have a date they were invented or an inventor for them I’m leery of those who say they weren’tused in the eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Thought I bet it’s been ten years since I used one in the field, at the range or at an event. The best we can say is we can’t prove them before the middle of the nineteenth century.
Athena would pop out of Zeus head full grown and fully armed, but I think other simple tools were developed and used a long time before some one got around to writing it down.
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Tenngun.........All this info and discussion of ball boards gave me an idea to change where I carry my ball board. Think i'll make a longer narrow board , and sew up a loose pouch to fit and sew the pouch to my possibles bag strap. Always looking for ways to make my poss. bag less crowded.
Last year the guys laughed at me at hunting camp. I was fussing about my possibles bag weighed too much. I found out i had more bullets than were used to start WW-1. Was much better when i lightened her up . oldwood
 
It still seems to me that a ball board is such a simple thing that it had to have been thought of way earlier, but what do I know. I always use one when hunting small game with a .32. It’s way easier to deal with those little balls that way. I have them in other calibers but those I mostly use on woods walks or primitive biathlon.
 
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