Safety question

[nealglen37]

I have shoot about 200 shots out of a muzzleloader in the past 3 years. I no longer mark my ramrod, as i think i can tell when it seats snuggly on the powder. Do any of you continue to mark your rods, or am I just not playing it safe.

Thanks

 

[JWP]

For safety sake, continue to mark your ramrod. It's a quick and easy way to answer that question that you may have sometime "is it set or isn't it ?" :hmm:

 

[nealglen37]

Please forgive the typos its late..........safety and have shot

 

[Many Klatch]

It is handy to have a marked rod when you can't remember whether you put powder in or not. It also lets you know when there is a hard carbon ring in the barrel and you need to give the ball a few more thumps to get it down on the powder.

Just a word of warning, use a felt tip marker to mark your wooden rods instead of a knife. I have lost several rods to breakage that started at the load line cut in the wood.

Many Klatch

 

[Mulebrain]

I have never marked any rods, and generally use a heavy range rod. I use two hands to ram it home!

 

[JWP]

Just a word of warning, use a felt tip marker to mark your wooden rods instead of a knife. I have lost several rods to breakage that started at the load line cut in the wood.

good advice - I've shortened a few myself.

 

[jtmattison]

I have never marked a ramrod. I use different powder charges all of the time so it wouldn't do me any good to mark the rod. You should be able to feel when your projectile is seated firmly on the powder. Do whatever works best for you. :thumbsup:


HD

 

[Black Hand]

I have just become familiar with how much ramrod is sticking out of the barrel when loaded/empty. The rod also picks up a bit of a wear-pattern at these points too.

 

I don't mark my ramrods. Just know your rifle and you will know when it is loaded or not. With experience you will feel the ball seat on the powder. You may have already developed that sense.

 

[Desert Rat]

I've never marked a rod. In the same breath though, I need to say I have pulled a few perfectly good loads cause I wasn't sure.

 

[Swamp Buck]

On two of my ramrods I have marked with magic marker where they are flush with the end of the barrel when the rifle is empty/unloaded.

This way, I can eyeball when the ball is seated properly on top of the given powder charge for the situation (ie hunting, target or plinking), by how high the mark on the ramrod is above the muzzle.

 

[roundball]

I don't shoot a range session without a proper witness mark on my range rod.

I don't make any cuts or permanent marks...I use a piece of electrician's tape so I can change it / move it whenever I use a different load, or a different caliber

 

[tg]

I have not marked a rod for twenty years, I am very deliberate in how I load, I am also confident any of my guns will stand a double charge (kinda like re-proofing?) this is a situation where you need to do what makes YOU feel comfortable there is ceratinly nothing wrong with marking the rod if it adds to your confidence.

 

[Keppy]

I have marked mine with a marker. I find it handy when hunting and with all the excitment going on around you. My brass range rod is also marked. Most of the time shooting at our little back yard range I pay little attention to the mark until friends are around and the talking begins.

 

[xxgrampa]

hi ho old bean,

been doing this since the 40's and still mark the rods. you never get too good for safety.. thats when the accidents happen.

..ttfn..grampa..

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

My mark for where the rod indicated a loaded condition had been worn off due to use. My son and I used masking tape to mark all 3 range rods we bring to the range. This was indeed a good thing. During last Sunday's BP league shoot, I was temporarily distracted by another shooter's problem with a missfire. It was soooo nice to be able to just put the range rod down the throat and see what's up! Good thing I did, as I would have dry-balled without first checking. I've fired this same rifle a thousand times. It was just reassuring to use the range rod and keep my angst level non-existant. Won the match with a nice slow heartbeat to boot!

My son and I also due a number of BP demo's, especially at Boy Scout events. Even though we don't yet have official Instructor certification, we pull-out all of the stops and operate as safely as possible. On one of these occasions, when the Ranger saw three individual range rods each marked for their intended rifles, he asked what they were for. I then explained all of the built-in safety plans for the demo as well as the marked rods. He was very pleased. So was the certified Instructor that was just there to watch us do our thing!

Safety first!

Dave

 

[wildeagle]

I would have to agree with grandpa, now I'm not meaning to step on anyones toes or say you all don't know what your doing, far from it !! But i do know when one gets to comfortable or complacent Murphy has a way of rearing up his ugly mug and taking a big bite out of ones A$$. Please don't ask how I know :redface:

 

[SAJones]

Used to mark the ramrod, but the markings kept wearing off, plus w/ different loads the ramrod sticks out differently. Many years ago an old muzzleloader recommended "thumping" the ball, which means throwing the ramrod down on the ball until it bounces out. If the ball isn't seated, the ramrod just thuds. At the range I use a brass range rod, lift it up about halfway & drop. Can easily tell if ball isn't seated. Recovered balls don't show much nose damage (if a round ball can have a nose), the short starter usually marks it up more.

 

[sparsons]

There is no substitute for being safe. I would always mark my rod. If you have one rifle and a short ramrod which barely clears the end of the muzzle when not loaded you might get by with it. On a lighter note, you have taken a shot on the average for past three years at about once every 5.475 days, I cant remember what shirt I wore two days ago let alone six days ago. I would not want to bet my life that I could remember just where on the ramrod I thought gave me a good setting of the ball. Better safe than sorry would apply here for me. :grin: