THUMBING BALL

[brandonessary]

I was watching one of mark bakers videos and noticed he just starts the ball with his thumb, no short starter or any thing. I have tried this with my rifle and it dosent work. I have a cloreian swamped 50 cal. barrel on my rifel. I shoot a 490. round ball and I pick my fabric my feel I dont mic it but I would say it is a little thicker than .10 Any advice?

 

[spottedpony]

i cant thumb start balls in my 50, as it seems to like a tight patch ball combo the best. .495 ball with .018 patch. i can thumb start the same ball with a .010 patch but groups open up a little. i think use the combination that shoots the best and use a ball starter if necessary

 

[Claude Mathis]

I would guess that Mark's barrel is coned.
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/96465[/url]
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/190568[/url]

 

[Blizzard of '93]

appears coned to me, when he uses the ramrod it's apparent he puts some 'grunt' into it.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

IMHO, I think today's shooters have a tendency to use a tight ball/patch combination, which would have proven unrealistic on the colonial frontier.

 

[brandonessary]

Do you know how much the coning tools cost from Joe Wood?

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I've wondered whether the wasp nests they carried wasn't used as 'patch' material when they had to re-load in a hurry. :hmm:

 

[BRUN]

Didnt they just drop a ball down the barell without a patch for a quick second shot?

 

[Many Klatch]

It is surprising how well a bare ball in a rifle barrel shoots. Every once in a while you have a real bad flier, but in a hurry, the bare ball is just about as accurate as patched. If you do it a lot though, you will have to clean the lead out of the grooves.

Many Klatch

 

[Claude Mathis]

Do you know how much the coning tools cost from Joe Wood?

I'm afraid I don't. I was given one as a gift.

Joe Wood
5311 Briar St.
Amarillo, Texas 79109

806-352-3032
[email protected]

 

[Stumpkiller]

My .54 Lehigh isn't coned but L.C.Rice gave it a "medium radius" crown and I can thumb start .530" balls with 0.018" patch to flush. I don't carry a short starter. I just hike up on the rammer and use the first 4" to start the ball down.