some beginner's lessons

[Billnpatti]

"(but NONE of us use potty mouth)."

Au contraire, mon ami, Many years ago, I gave it a try. My neighbor told my mom what I had said........if I think about it, I can still taste that soap. :haha:

 

[Kansas Jake]

My mom used Lava.

Enjoy the gun and shooting that smelly black stuff.

 

[coloradoclyde]

My mom used Lava.

Did it work? :haha:

 

[George]

I dont shoot at ranges myself, only one within 100+ miles and its alot further than my place in the woods and no range master, drunks, liberals or such anywhere near! I suspect once there was some liberals but when I started shooting they took off like a rocket before I could determine they're political standing :grin:

Surely you aren't ignorant of the fact that there are liberals on this forum. I'm a card-carrying one, myself, among other things which would curl the hair of the average conservative, and I'll thank you to keep your bigoted comments to yourself or your bigoted friends.

Spence

 

[azmntman]

:redface: apologies offered :redface:

 

[Kansas Jake]

Thanks Spence.

And Clyde, the Lava maybe helped for a time. My wife and me raising 3 daughters helped a lot.

 

[Grumpa]

:redface: Got my steel ramrod stuck in the barrel of my .58 Harpers Ferry years ago ( cut the patch at the muzzle after seating the ball too deep).

Went home and resorted to vise grips :shocked2: :shocked2: after wrapping leather around the brass tip of the rod, and soaking everything in lots of WD40.

I got the ramrod out - and left some ugly gouges in the brass tip from the vise grips.

I later learned (on this Forum ) to wrap a bootlace around the end of the rod, twist it over itself, and pull it tightly while exerting steady pressure to pull the rod out of the barrel.

I left the gnarly tip on the ramrod to remind myself of my mistakes. :redface:

I could tell you some more dumb a$$ things I've done shooting, but I can only bear so much public humiliation at one time. :haha:

Welcome to the Forum. :hatsoff:

 

[azmntman]

I later learned (on this Forum ) to wrap a bootlace around the end of the rod, twist it over itself, and pull it tightly while exerting steady pressure to pull the rod out of the barrel.

Photo or drawing on how to wrap?

 

[Cowboy]

Yes, the forum is the best thing I have ever experienced in my journey in traditional muzzleloading. I have learned so much here! I have made my share of both stupid mistakes as well mistakes because of not knowing any better. This forum has saved me from avoidable mistakes though. Has also saved me alot of money in impulse purchases of things I thought I needed at the time. On the other end of the coin it has cost me money in that it has introduced me to things that I said to myself " I gotta have one of those!" I do have my favorite members here who I tend to learn more from, but still learn regardless from both new and experienced members. I do love this forum and it is a very big part of my life. Respectfully, cowboys1062.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I later learned (on this Forum ) to wrap a bootlace around the end of the rod, twist it over itself, and pull it tightly while exerting steady pressure to pull the rod out of the barrel.

Photo or drawing on how to wrap?

You don't have to get fancy....I make a loop wrap it a couple times around the rod and put a toggle or my ball puller through the loops and twist it up tight...
Now I have a rod with a T handle. :grin:
I even made some grooves in one rod that doesn't have an end so it doesn't slip.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I could tell you some more dumb a$$ things I've done shooting, but I can only bear so much public humiliation at one time.

Please Grumpa.... just one more story....:grin:

 

[Jim C]

My mom used Lava.

Enjoy the gun and shooting that smelly black stuff.

:haha: My granny used homemade lye soap she made herself, and I'm here to tell you that that rough texture on it will really grind that lye into ones tongue. Enough so to keep a potty mouthed little boy whispering sweet nothings for a long time afterwards.

 

[Grumpa]

Photo or drawing on how to wrap?

I'm doing good to lace my boots! let alone post a drawing or a picture! :haha:

CC gave a right fancy explanation, and I like the idea of a toggle using the short starter. :hatsoff: I just take the lace in both hands, put it around the rod like you'd do for a necktie, cross it over itself once or twice (you have to swap hands), pull sideways real hard to maintain tension, while also pulling to get the rod out. All this while the rifle butt is on the ground, muzzle pointed skyward. You, and all your body parts, are safely out of the bore line.

After you move it several inches, you can get a good enough hand hold on it to be able to pull it the rest of the way. If not, you may have to have someone hold it while you pull - BUT NOT IF IT'S LOADED :shocked2: . Pan empty of powder, flint removed.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I just carry a short piece of cordage in my bag....I hate unlacing a boot.
If I still can't pull it I place or tie the toggle in the crotch of a tree or sapling and give it a yank.

 

[bender20]

watched a gray head drive his subaru over the ramrod and used the weight of the car to hold it while he pulled a ball. no way i would have ever thought of that.

 

[Grumpa]

I could tell you some more dumb a$$ things I've done shooting, but I can only bear so much public humiliation at one time.

Please Grumpa.... just one more story....:grin:

The first time I had the above mentioned ramrod stuck, many years ago,I was with my 12 year old daughter. She had never seen the flintlock fire. A nice doe jumped up in tall weeds, and I raised the rifle (.58) and the doe spun and ran just as I was firing. All was lost in a cloud of smoke.

My daughter was beside herself with laughter: "That's a real Rube Goldberg device!" was all she could say.

I reloaded too hastily, and cut too much patch at the muzzle. When I rammed the ball home, the excess patch trapped the bell of the ramrod, and I couldn't pull it out.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked. "If that deer is still there, I'll shoot it with the ramrod." - That would have been the dumbest a$$ thing I ever did!

Fortunately, as I expected, I had completely missed the deer, and she was long gone. And we were headed home.

G'night. :wink:

 

[azmntman]

I believe that's what happened to me this deer season....had to have had too much patch. Thinking bout it and inspecting the rod I now seat with the tapped end rather than the con-calved end as its thinner! Fortunately I had no witnesses other than the only legal deer I saw all season, he didnt know what I was saying and watched a minute and ambled off. Yes I was tempted to shoot the ramrod at him but then I'd be done for the morning till back to town for a new rod! Wonder what the ram rod does to accuracy as the ball blows past it? Maybe we should put feathers on the thing "just in case" :rotf:

 

[Grumpa]

I just carry a short piece of cordage in my bag....I hate unlacing a boot.
If I still can't pull it I place or tie the toggle in the crotch of a tree or sapling and give it a yank.

Better yet! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Boomerang]

How about screwing your ball puller into the ram rod and the other end into a tree and giving it a yank. :thumbsup:

 

[Billnpatti]

Surely you aren't ignorant of the fact that there are liberals on this forum. I'm a card-carrying one, myself, among other things which would curl the hair of the average conservative, and I'll thank you to keep your bigoted comments to yourself or your bigoted friends.

Spence

Whooeeee! I don't believe I would have told that on myself. :redface: :shake: Well, I admire your courage in being able to admit that you have the problem. That's the first step toward a cure. :haha:

But I do agree with Colorado Clyde when he said "Not all Liberals are against guns....I have spent range time shooting with liberals, and have found them to be some of the nicest and most courteous people to spend range time with.....But then I don't prejudge them or treat them like an enemy.
Instead I befriend them and convert them into happy gun owners.
It's amazing how people can get along once you remove the fear and conflict imposed by others. "


:thumbsup: