Want to make a round ball quickloader

[Doe]

For those that have made a quick ball loader (wood block thats hold rb for hunting) what wood is best?? oak/pine/maple etc... and what tools did you use? would i need to buy a reamer or would a regular drill work? and is staining the wood important? This is going to be for a 50cal patch round ball. Thanks!! :thumbsup:

 

[MikeC]

Actually any wood is fine, really just a block of wood with holes. I made a couple from palmated antler sections.

I just used drill bits and a round file to "funnel" the holes a bit.

You don't have to stain the wood but i would use something to waterproof and protect it.

Not rocket science use your imagination.

 

[Rancocas]

I don't think the type of wood is too important, although a hard wood is probably better than something soft, such as pine. But, I've made some from pine and they work just fine.

You want the loading block to be a little thinner than the caliber it is intended for. That way, the patched ball will extend a little out of the wood which makes it easier to center it in the muzzle of your gun.
For my .50 caliber blocks I like a 3/8" thick piece of wood. You can use a regular 1/2" drill bit, but put some masking tape or even duct tape on the wood and drill through that. The tape helps to prevent the wood from splintering when the drill bit comes through. Drill slowly, don't force it.

Get creative! You can make your loading blocks any shape you want. You can paint them, stain them, do some carving on them, or leave them plain. You can make them big to hold a dozen roundballs, and you can make little ones for just two or three balls. I like a four ball loader for hunting purposes, and a larger one for target practise sessions.
Make sure you space the ball holes far enough apart so that when you're loading one ball, another isn't hitting the rim of your gun barrel and getting in the way.
Oh, and don't forget to drill a smaller hole for attaching a thong.

 

[bwhoffman]

there is a drill bit/caliber chart in the members resource(?) section that will get you real close. a little sanding to accomadate the fit with patch, and you are good to go!

 

[paulvallandigham]

When you make a ball holder for larger calibers, weight becomes an issue. That thing is often hung around your neck for convenience, particularly if you are doing a Seneca Run or some other speed contest. It does not make a lot of sense to have just ONE ball black, holding 15 or 20 ball of .58 caliber hanging around your neck all the time. Its better to make smaller blocks, holding 3-5 balls, and just make several of them for those rare times when you need to have all those balls to run a match course. In the field, You are likely never to have a situation where you fire more than 4 balls ( I in the barrel and 3 in a block) before you get back to camp, or your vehicle to replenish your gun, and block. The huge blocks with lots of balls in them begin to look like a Fraternity paddle, for the Marquis de Sade!

If you have access to a router, you can cut grooves on the underside of your block that will match the width of your barrel flats, and that can aid you in centering the ball over the muzzle for quick insertion, using a short starter, or if you are very practiced, just using your ramrod.

I have a block for my .62 smoothie, that hold 4 balls( 3/4 ox. each!) , and I definitely notice the weight around my neck. I find myself leaving one of the holes empty these days. I may just make a smaller one.

 

[skunkskinner]