Possible New Kind of Short Starter for Smoothbores?

[Artificer]

I’ve been reading with interest on the difficulty of aligning/starting shot cards and wads in the muzzle and an idea just hit me after reading about a slightly rounded short starter, close to bore size and that makes it easier to center the cards/wads in the muzzle.

What about making a cylinder shape collar that fits over the close to bore size starter rod and would just fit over the outer dimension of the barrel to further help it align the card/wad to the bore? This collar would have an internal dimension to fit over the short starter rod and be long enough to be glued/pinned behind the area of the starter rod. Of course for a double barrel gun, the end of the collar might/would have to be relieved a bit for the area where the barrels are joined. For a single barrel gun with a forearm or forearm cap close to the muzzle, it may not work as it might butt up against the forearm end or cap before the card/cushion can be pushed down far enough.

Not sure if this was ever tried before? Maybe just a Rube Goldberg idea?

Gus

 

[Howie1968]

I’ve been reading with interest on the difficulty of aligning/starting shot cards and wads in the muzzle and an idea just hit me after reading about a slightly rounded short starter, close to bore size and that makes it easier to center the cards/wads in the muzzle.

What about making a cylinder shape collar that fits over the close to bore size starter rod and would just fit over the outer dimension of the barrel to further help it align the card/wad to the bore? This collar would have an internal dimension to fit over the short starter rod and be long enough to be glued/pinned behind the area of the starter rod. Of course for a double barrel gun, the end of the collar might/would have to be relieved a bit for the area where the barrels are joined. For a single barrel gun with a forearm or forearm cap close to the muzzle, it may not work as it might butt up against the forearm end or cap before the card/cushion can be pushed down far enough.

Not sure if this was ever tried before? Maybe just a Rube Goldberg idea?

Gus

great idea!!! my bores are full to extra full getting cards down is tough I made a 5/8 dowel rod to use it does well I like your idea

 

[Artificer]

Thank You.

Actually, I guess the idea comes from some period short starters used in the late percussion era for target rifles and then modified for smoothbores.

Gus

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

... confused ... what’s a short starter ... ?

 

[Artificer]

Yeah, I know.....

And that's why I posted the idea here, rather than in one of historical sections.

Gus

 

[Griz44Mag]

I have a starter with a threaded end so I took a jag and ground it down to a dome shape. Pushing down on the wad forces it to curve slightly and they pop right in.

 

[Artificer]

Griz,

Thank you for the reply.

Gus

 

[Stumpkiller]

When I load shot wads and cards and form paper cups at the muzzle I use a short length of dowel slightly under bore size.

For my rifle I just choke up on the rammer.

 

[Badgerfarm]

Great idea.

 

[Artificer]

When I load shot wads and cards and form paper cups at the muzzle I use a short length of dowel slightly under bore size.

For my rifle I just choke up on the rammer.

Thank you for the pics and the reply. Indeed, the forearm front end is too close to the muzzle of your gun for something like my idea to work and I appreciate you showing pics of it.

Gus

 

[Brokennock]

How about something like this,

Lower right in divided box. I've posted it before. Flat faced jag with threaded connector glued into a hole drilled in the end of a hardwood dowel of same diameter. Then the other end of the dowel shaped and smoothed for a comfortable shape to use and a size easy to stash and carry.

 

[Artificer]

Looks like a great tool for a gun that has a forearm or forearm cap too close to the muzzle to use the tool I suggested.

Gus

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have seen false muzzle/loading sleeve that fit over a turned section of barrel at the muzzle. The barrel is turned round from the end of the front sight to the muzzle. The sleeve was coned for easy loading. Sounds very similar to the starter you are describing.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I have seen false muzzle/loading sleeve that fit over a turned section of barrel at the muzzle. The barrel is turned round from the end of the front sight to the muzzle. The sleeve was coned for easy loading. Sounds very similar to the starter you are describing.

I always wondered why some barrels are turned round at the end..... Now I know! Thank you for that tidbit...

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

How about something like this,
View attachment 10060
Lower right in divided box. I've posted it before. Flat faced jag with threaded connector glued into a hole drilled in the end of a hardwood dowel of same diameter. Then the other end of the dowel shaped and smoothed for a comfortable shape to use and a size easy to stash and carry.

Nock,
That a great little kit you have there!!
The dividers are an excellent idea!!
Is the jag a .62 caliber?

 

[Brokennock]

Nock,
That a great little kit you have there!!
The dividers are an excellent idea!!
Is the jag a .62 caliber?

Yes it is, could easily be made for any size smoothbore. Toughest part is getting the right size dowel, or turning one down to size.

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

Yes it is, could easily be made for any size smoothbore. Toughest part is getting the right size dowel, or turning one down to size.

Do recall where you picked up the jag?

 

[BrownBear]

I like really tight "hard" cards (Type A's in the TOW catalog) between the powder and shot for scraping fouling from the bore as you seat them. Done a lot of experimenting with seating as a result. Though I don't have any choked shotguns, it's an even bigger issue getting them past chokes.

No matter what tricky device I've tried, the issue is starting them flat to the bore. I keep coming back to a very simple solution requiring no special tools and no special effort:

I tip the card on its side and push it in just past the muzzle. Real easy to do. Then I turn it down mostly flat to the bore and use my rod to press it completely flat to the bore and continue seating down to the powder. Takes about 2 seconds and easy as pie. Tried it on a bud's choked gun, and it slices pie there too.

 

[Artificer]

I have seen false muzzle/loading sleeve that fit over a turned section of barrel at the muzzle. The barrel is turned round from the end of the front sight to the muzzle. The sleeve was coned for easy loading. Sounds very similar to the starter you are describing.

Those are exactly the ones I was referring to when I made the follow up comment about short starters on percussion target rifles.

Thank you.
Gus

 

[Artificer]

I tip the card on its side and push it in just past the muzzle. Real easy to do. Then I turn it down mostly flat to the bore and use my rod to press it completely flat to the bore and continue seating down to the powder. Takes about 2 seconds and easy as pie. Tried it on a bud's choked gun, and it slices pie there too.

Wow, that's a great tip and I sure wish I had known about in the late 70's when I was occasionally shooting shot in my Brown Bess Carbine!

Thank you.

Gus