Brass short starter tips

[WVTracker]

Is there a place that sells the brass tips for someone wanting to make their own short starters? Or maybe recommendations on how to make them out of brass or something durable. Thanks in advance.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Is there a place that sells the brass tips for someone wanting to make their own short starters? Or maybe recommendations on how to make them out of brass or something durable. Thanks in advance.

Others might/will give you purchase info. If you want to make one, go to your local hardware and purchase a chunk of round brass, per your desired diameter. Whack it off with a hacksaw and drill a hole in the end for the dowel. If you want the end concave use a Dremel with a round stone.
Larry

 

[loflyr55]

I use an empty brass cartridge shell, .45 cap, use a drill but to drill a concave base then epoxy over a dowel., alternate caliber to suit.

 

[BoomStick]

You can buy a brass tip for a ramrod. That's probably more expensive than a minimum requirement, but would allow you to attach a jag or other accessory.
I used a ball puller once in a short starter, had just seated the ball about an inch inside the muzzle when I realized I skipped a fairly important step.
Track of the Wolf, October Country and others sell ramrod tips.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I repaired a broken short starter by drilling the ball and glueing in a nice section of 3/8” Oak dowel. I used a piece of “Winchester” .38 Special brass for the tip. Then, I read here guys have had issues with such a tip grabbing patches upon loading. So, maybe I should have used .38 Auto or another rimless case for my lo-buck tip?

 

[appalichian hunter]

Once you have the desired cartridge glued and pined in the short rod, chuck the rod in a drill press take a piece or fine emery cloth and round the edge of the case, you want a bevel on the head of the case where it joines the cartridge case. This will do away with the head of the case grabbing the patch as you short start the ball.

 

[Coolhand]

Use and end off a broken ram rod if you can get your hands on one.

 

[ltdann]

My best starter uses a brass 9mm casing, with the primer pocket reamed out with a countersink. works great!

 

[Salty]

Is there a place that sells the brass tips for someone wanting to make their own short starters? Or maybe recommendations on how to make them out of brass or something durable. Thanks in advance.

I pick up a spent brass cartridge of the appropriate size from the range. Fit it , glue and pin it.

 

[colimr]

EBAY has them,type " muzzleloader black powder " in search just saw them this morning

 

[rafterob]

I have always used cartridge casings on my home made starters.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have made many from wood. I use cut-offs of hickory ram rods. The end is concaved with a drill and fire hardened with a candle. Some of these have been used for years and hold up very well. Not brass but they make a good short starter and at near zero cost.

 

[Dave Fox]

Take the rod, reduce the last inch in diameter, dip repeatedly in molten lead. File base flat.

 

[Jimbob]

Is there a place that sells the brass tips for someone wanting to make their own short starters? Or maybe recommendations on how to make them out of brass or something durable. Thanks in advance.

YES! - The Gun Works Muzzleloading Emporium -

 

[Jimbob]

Others might/will give you purchase info. If you want to make one, go to your local hardware and purchase a chunk of round brass, per your desired diameter. Whack it off with a hacksaw and drill a hole in the end for the dowel. If you want the end concave use a Dremel with a round stone.
Larry

Just exactly how do you drill a hole big enough for a wood dowel in a small diameter piece of brass rod? I need exact procedure.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Just exactly how do you drill a hole big enough for a wood dowel in a small diameter piece of brass rod? I need exact procedure.

Simple: You drill a 1/16" pilot hole, then drill a larger one leaving enough side to the brass. Can't give you specifics as you don't say what size you are dealing with. The finished hole will be smaller than the rod. Preferably for appearance the rod should be the same diameter as the outside of the brass. The starter rod needs to be trimmed down to the size of the finished hole. A drill press is handy, but you can do it with a cordless drill. Make a mark 360 deg around the rod first where the brass will stop. Take a hacksaw and lightly cut a line around the rod and then file the material off. OR, after the saw cut, place the rod in the drill and while the rod is spinning hold sandpaper where you want the wood removed. Not a hard task, but does take a little care to make a neat job.
Keep us posted.
Larry

 

[Jimbob]

Thanks but how do you get the hole in the brass rod in the exact center using simple hand tools and a cordless drill? How do you hang on to say a .40 cal. rod to do this drilling and keep the drill centered?