Short starters

[Lippy984]

So my old short starter broke the other day, and I ordered a new one from Track of the Wolf. I’m not really crazy about the smaller ball, but I can get used to it I suppose.
My dumb question is, do you guys use the brass starter on the ball, or use the convex portion of the wood to first seat the ball? I’ve been using just the wood and the lead ball will sit just below flush of the muzzle, then I cut my patch. But I wonder if the ball is down a little further using the brass part, will more patch material be better? Or is that just split’n hairs?
(I’m shooting a .54 GPR)

 

[necchi]

What your doing is Golden, more fabric above the ball won't matter as an improvement to sealing the gasses. Nor does a small amount of extra fabric harm accuracy.
I know several folks that just use the flat side of their patch knife to slap the ball flush, then cut.
But,, I guess I learned a long time ago that if I cut flush with the muzzle, I leave little (harmless) scratches on the muzzle face,,
, so I gather my patch material and cut just above the muzzle face, making no contact with the barrel. In affect, that leaves a little extra fabric above the ball.

 

[Frontier's]

normally i just ram it down with the long section.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Usually the short brass ball starter on the pictured short starters is too long and pushes the ball deeper past the muzzle than I like. I have a ball starter to push the ball just below the muzzle. After I cut off the excess patching, I can see the sprue of the round ball and I can be assured that I have just enough patching around the ball.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I make my short starters with just a little brass "spike" to set the ball about 1/16 below the muzzle.Also I use antler instead of a ball and a short brass rod radiused to the ball caliber instead of a wooden rod.

 

[renegadehunter]

I use the brass starter on mine since I prefer to pre-cut my patches, doesn't matter how far it seats in as long as it's started.
If I was cutting at the muzzle I'd want a method that didn't seat it quite so far, as Grenadier1758 stated.

 

[user 48679]

I use the shorter ball starter for tightly patch balls; just the longer for looser PRB's that slide in smoothly.

 

[Musketeer]

With the style shown I've always used the little brass "button" on the side of the ball to do the initial seating.

 

[user 34300]

I grab the short starter by the rod section, make a fist with the rod up, and smack the ball with the round part. Or I use a separate dainty little wooden mallet. Smacking and pounding while loading my increase bench rest accuracy, but if you hand is shaky you will not shoot off hand well.

 

[mushka]

I'm with musketeer on this and I use pre cut patches that I lube myself.

 

[hanshi]

I always use pre-cut patches and start the ball with the little stub before using the long part to get it down far enough for the ramrod. I have a couple of bought starters and a "passel" of homemade ones. All have the short nub and the longer starter.

 

[tenngun]

I do not have a short starter, but do have powder measures that have a tail that does the same thing

 

[Stumpkiller]

Normally I just choke up on my rammer to start the ball.

If I'm shooting a lot from one spot I have a little starter I whittled from a maple board that I use the flat under my palm to seat the ball flush, cut the patch, and ooch it in further with the dowel portion.