Making Short-Starters?

[jetcanoe]

If a "Colonial-era" riflemen needed one, what was used for a homemade short-starter?

Most of us BP shooters make a section of antler with a wood or brass dowel stuck in it. I was curious to see (and maybe try to replicate) what your research had uncovered.

So I'm looking for period education here as well as how to make them. Pics are very much appreciated!

Thanks and Safe Shootin',
-Jet

 

[Black Hand]

The easy and PC reply is that they WERE NOT used in the colonial era. Thumb-start was the norm and some barrels were coned to ease loading. So be PC and use a slightly looser ball/patch combination and avoid a shortstarter altogether. You'll never miss it!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Most long guns in the colonial era were muskets( smoothbores) and not rifles. NO short starter was needed nor used. Rifles made during that period tended to have coned muzzles, so that the ball and patch could be pressed down the muzzle, and then run down onto the powder charge with a ramrod. Not until Conicals, and precision shooting became in vogue in the 1840s, do you see short starters appearing. Madison Grant, when researching his book on original Possible Bags, found NO loops, or keepers, or any other manner used in the mid 19th century to hold short starters in original bags, from the 18th century. He wrote an article about this absence for Muzzle Blasts, which was published back about the time his book came out. He visited museums all over the country, and examined bags brought to him to view at Friendship, Ind. while he researched his book. The lack of use of Short Starters was one of the unexpected discoveries of his research.

 

[blacksmithman64]

Paul and Black Hand are right.No evidence that I know of suggests the use of short starters.
But I do use one because I shoot a tight patch/ ball .495 with .012 patch.I get a better group with this than with a looser combo.

 

[roundball]

There was an excellent museum photo right here on the Forum of a short starter used during the Rev War era...

 

[Swampman]

I'd really like to see that.........

 

[blacksmithman64]

roundball, I can't find the link, think you can post it?

 

[juancho]

I have no idea if they used them or not at the time.
I lost mine one day in the field and had to improvised one with a tree branch.It was a 1 inch 3 inch long section with a 11/32nd(ish) 5inch long one sticking out at almost 90 deg.
I made a new fancy one later at home,but kept using the "branchy" one for a couple of years until it broke.If nothing else it did have a natural look :grin:

 

[roundball]

Don't have any link...I simply commented that somebody posted a photo of one claimed to be from the Revolutionary War era on the forum a couple years ago...don't know how far back the archives go but you could try the search feature