Compacting powder or not

[vulture]

I go along with what Brown Bear said above, be consistent when loading. When I first got into this sport some gentlemen who had been in it for years gave me that advice above all others. Some folks will ram the patched ball down on the powder and then tamp it all down by "throwing" the ramrod down against the charge, I never found this to be needed, I just make sure the load is all nice and snug trying to use the same loading pressure each and every time.

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

All of Sam Fadala's experiments showed that anywhere between 30-40lbs pressure on the ramrod created the best results. Consistency is key. Smaller calibers, finer grain powder need less pressure. Heavier calibers, courser grain powders need a bit more. Ultimate accuracy requires consistency of pressure.