Short Starters????

[redwing]

When did they come into use? I don't think I have ever
seen a very old short starter. Were they used in those
yesterdays long ago? In looking at old guns and things
over these many years I have not found one.
In the old writings I do not recall mentions of one. It
seems they used loose patch and ball. That leads to the
fact that they were not that accurate. Of course in that
time speed was more important.

:redthumb:

redwing

 

[Stumpkiller]

There is one shown (or even mentioned) in Madison Grant's book on hunting pouches. It is a straight 5" length of dowel with no handle that is next to a .32 cal four-hole ball block. Madison shows several ball blocks from two to twenty holes, bag moulds, patch knives, picks, measures, but that is the only short starter, and the caliber would indicate it's pretty late in period.

Why carry something extra and bulky when holding the ramrod 4" from the end serves the same purpose?

How loose do you consider loose? With a slight cone or even a radiused crown it is possible to use a 0.018" lubed patch (saliva will do) and a 0.010" under bore sized ball and thumb start it flush, then ram it home in a 44" barrel in two motions. Plenty accurate enough to hit a man at 200 yards. (4" group at 50 yards, 8" at 100 yards, 16" at 200 yards . . . not much by modern standards but good 'nuff with a round ball).