sprue up or down

[brubincam]

always load sprue down, i figger the round front would be more accurate, what do others do and why?

 

[No Deer]

I load spru up in my smoothie. Can see it to make sure it is centered, not rotated off to the side.
The Bevel bros. did a test a few months back and reported in MuzzleBlast, they found it made no appreciable difference.

 

[Rebel]

I load sprue up so i can see where the sprue is.

 

[djnye]

i believe sprue up is the standard, however last year in muzzleblasts there were several articles that seemed to indicate that it really doesn't make much difference. i also think that there is an area of dead air that cushions the front of the sphere and helps the imperfection of the sprue to be neutralized when facing forward. also, in the name of consistancy of loading, it would be easier to do it the same every time with the sprue up where it can be seen rather than somewhere underneath.

take care, daniel

 

[Stumpkiller]

Up.

How can you tell if it's centered when it's down. :hmm:

Ye can't see it, then. :winking: And all of my rammers have a cupped tip. I figure this smushed the sprue down, anyway.

 

[NORD]

Sprue up my friend!

I heard that is where the saying "Spruce up" (meaning cleaning up) came from!

Take care!
:front:

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

I load sprue up so i can see where the sprue is.

Me, too, although I don't think it makes much difference. I tumble mine in a rock tumbler to get the sprue off when I cast my own.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Other discussions regarding the sprue...

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=70492

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB4&Number=18487

 

[musketman]

Let's go way back in forum time, back to 03/08/03...

Load a roundball backwards?

 

[musketman]

I load flat side up, cus I use a wine bottle corker's plunger as a starter on my musket...

 

[musketshooter]

If the cupped end of your short starter conforms exactly to the ball diamter, I would load with the sprue up. It can be centered and the short starter will "round out" the ball as you load it. :m2c:

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

I load the cast balls "sprue up" always; regardless of whether it's in rifle, shotgun/smoothbore, pistol, or cap-n-ball revolver. How can I see/judge if the sprue is centered in the bore, if I load it "sprue down"?. Consistency is lost if you can't center a cast ball.

Shoot Safely!
wV_Hillbilly