My loading tool

[jtmattison]

Like many others I usually beat my hand up at the range loading several tight patched balls by pounding them in with my palm.
Roundball made a post a while back about using a rubber mallet to ease loading. My problem was I wanted a tool to go along with the mallet to use as a short starter.
I came up with this simple tool.

Just an oak dowel with the end rounded out for the ball. Used with my small mallet all it takes is a couple light whacks to load the ball. No damage is done to the ball while loading either

HD

 

[roundball]

Pretty good idea...because using a mallet on my .40cal caused the shaft of the short starter to come loose in the wooden ball...expoxied it back in OK but still, the wooden dowl is all that's needed if using a mallet.

 

[mudd turtle]

That will work.mudd turttle.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I like it, but I have to 'grease my balls' so they will load easier! :haha:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I had a good friend, now sadly deceased, who used to use one of these.

A wood crab mallet, maybe 7" long. His still had the name and address of the crab house on it. :haha:

 

[Handy]

That is a great idea, thanks for posting it.

For over 20 years now I have used the hammer pole on the hawk as a mallet and a wood dowel just like yours. I bought one of those small plastic cutting boards from Wally World 1/2" thick and screwed it to the wood dowel(epoxy would not hold) works good. When the hawk is sheathed the hammer pole is still open for use.

Handy

 

[Old Sarge]

I don't believe I just read this. I use the same thing...A crab mallet. Only difference is I cut 1 inch of the handle and recess mit into the head for a short starter. I still don't believe it...I thought I was the only one that used that. Well I guess it just goes to show you...You're never the only one! :hatsoff: