Improper loading

[hobbles]

I read that
"Improper loading techniques can quickly screw up a crown causing some real accuracy issues"

Would some one explain this to me so I don't mess mine up? It sounds like somethin I should know,, Thanks

 

[john12865]

I'm not sure what you have to do in order to damage a crown by loading. Must be pretty abusive! Maybe beating in loads with a hammer. I'm interested myself on this one.

 

[jdixon]

Using a steel loading rod w/o a brass guide is probably the main problem. This is especially true if the bottom of the rod's handle is able to contact the face of the barrel during loading. Allowing the steel rod to bang against the muzzle opening during repeated loading can be enough to cause minute dings and burs in the crown. These can be sufficient enough in size to effect accuracy. Fiberglass rods can even cause problems over time with the crown. I use a glass rod for hunting w/o a guide but, at the range, the brass guide goes on the glass rod as well.

 

[Bald Baron]

Improper loading, yea I've done that a time or two. Its hard to shoot the ball with no powder,ha. I just started using a metal range rod with the guide. Before that my range rod was a large hickory. Sometimes I would scrap the side of the muzzle and shave off part of the rod, not good. This new barrel only has about 90 balls through her.

 

[musketman]

I read that
"Improper loading techniques can quickly screw up a crown causing some real accuracy issues"

Would some one explain this to me so I don't mess mine up? It sounds like somethin I should know,, Thanks

Careless use of a patch knife could cause the point of the blade to nick the crown...

I lent my brother-in-law my .58 for deer hunting a few years back, he got the metal ramrod stuck while cleaning it...

So what does this "Einstein" do?

He clamps vise-grips on it and uses the muzzle as leverage to work the ramrod up... :cursing:

Not only was the crown distroyed, but the muzzle was marred and the ramrod was bent and gouged...

Needless to say, I was ticked offed...

 

[CrackStock]

Anything that rubs the crown and inside of the bore near the muzzle can damage the accuracy of the gun. Wooden ramrods often carry grit, fiberglass is pretty abrasive and even brass and stainless will wear the crown and bore near the muzzle unless you use a bore guide to keep these from touching this critical area.

A bore guide is simply a cone shaped piece of brass or plastic that guides the rod to the center.

Cheap a plenty at about $2 each and well worth having.

I use a stainless range rod with brass bore guide.

CS

 

[hobbles]

K boys, I'm gettin the idea now,, I use pillow tickin patches and they are bigger round then other patches and I put my starter then ramrod on the ball and they both are inside of the patch, so I GUESS I don't have to worry bout the crown, My ball started has a brass tip and my RR is solid brass,, But I have rubbed on the barrel a time or two and I don't like the feel, I am more careful now, and after readin this I will be even more so,, Thanks,,,,,,

 

[recycle33952]

I think its not as big a issue as some believe. Yes a boogered crown affefts my 222 sako hart barreled bench gun. But unless it is substantial I cannot see a drastic difference in a muzzle loader no offense you know what they say about opinions everyones got one just mine. i have muzzle loaders with not the best crown that shoot plenty accurate for my tasks

 

[recycle33952]

also I only shoot round ball maybe that is why I see no diffence maybe conicals are not as forgiven? maybe someone can answer that?

 

[hobbles]

I also only use round balls, Just seems like the proper thing to do,,

 

[roundball]

K boys, I'm gettin the idea now,, I use pillow tickin patches and they are bigger round then other patches and I put my starter then ramrod on the ball and they both are inside of the patch, so I GUESS I don't have to worry bout the crown, My ball started has a brass tip and my RR is solid brass,, But I have rubbed on the barrel a time or two and I don't like the feel, I am more careful now, and after readin this I will be even more so,, Thanks,,,,,,

Hobbles, it's not the tip that wears the muzzle...it's the ramrod shaft itself...as you slide the rod down then back up, at some point along that full length rod travel, the rod rubs the inside edge of the muzzle...and after enough of this rubbing the ends of the rifling get worn down, affecting accuracy

 

[Zonie]

Dirt is one of the things that can wear out the muzzle of your gun.
I've seen people drop their ramrods in the dirt, pick it up and proceed with loading their rifles.

The dirt that sticks to the side of the ramrod acts just like the fine abrasive that it is and proceeds to remove metal from the muzzle of the gun if the rod is not guided by some sort of cone that keeps it centered in the bore.

Actually, if the person doesn't wipe the ramrod off, even the ramrod guide won't really help because if the rod bends down in the bore, the dirt will start it's "dirty work" wherever it touches.

 

[hobbles]

Mornin roundball, Zonie,
Now that info. I haven't thought about, I still got things to learn,,,,,,,,,

 

[Pittsburghunter]

Musketman after you uncurled the screwed up ramrod from your brother-in-law can you tell us what his neck size is?

I was letting a friend of my hunting buddy use my Scout at camp this year and he felt laying the rifle on a tailgate of a truck was just fine. I moved it onto the plywood bedliner twice after he laid it down and he kinda snapped at me. ("I know how to handle a gun")

Yeh that's why you are using mine instead of your rusted to heck H&A that is sitting in Pauls gun room. No respect at all. Grrr My Scout looks newer than guns off the damn rack!!!! It is 10 years older than your H&A.

I actually had to tell this expert that you do not lay guns down on dirty metal truck tailgates. I would not even do that to a Daisy Redryder.

 

[musketman]

Musketman after you uncurled the screwed up ramrod from your brother-in-law can you tell us what his neck size is?

I was letting a friend of my hunting buddy use my Scout at camp this year and he felt laying the rifle on a tailgate of a truck was just fine. I moved it onto the plywood bedliner twice after he laid it down and he kinda snapped at me. ("I know how to handle a gun")

Yeh that's why you are using mine instead of your rusted to heck H&A that is sitting in Pauls gun room. No respect at all. Grrr My Scout looks newer than guns off the damn rack!!!! It is 10 years older than your H&A.

I actually had to tell this expert that you do not lay guns down on dirty metal truck tailgates. I would not even do that to a Daisy Redryder.

For lending reasons alone, I now have an old CVA, this way I am still being the good brother-in-law and protecting my good guns from his wrath...

Perhaps that would be a good excuse to own one cheap modern muzzleloader, so they won't ask to borrow your fine traditional rifles...
:hmm:

 

[walruskid1]

i tell friends and family don't ask to borrow tools, guns, or my wife. i don't loan these out to anybody, makes life much easier.

 

[Richard Allen]

That reminds me of somethin I haven't thought of in many years.

Back in the olden days I made my living as an automobile mechanic. Automobile mechanics back then weren't specialists and had to be able to repair anything that was wrong with almost any type vehicle on the roads including trucks and farm equipment. We provided all our own tools and replaced them when they broke, wore out, or were lost.

My first employer had a bumper sticker sized sign on his tool box that stated his feelings about loaning tools. It read:

"The two things I hold most dear in this life,
are the tools of my trade and my dear little wife.

Please don't ask to borrow my tools,
and I won't ask to borrw your wife."

Thanks for the memory,

Richard/Ga.