I'm going to be making a ball starter I know to make the short starter about 1/2" or so but What's a good length for the longer seater ?
Thanks,Tim
5-7 inches, a little longer for smaller calibers...
Anything from 3" to 12" will work. It depends on what you have available but about 5-6 inches is typical. Also you don't necessarily need the short side but most people use it. Sometimes I make them with just a ball shaped end and the long leg. With that kind can you can use the ball end just like if it had a short leg on it or else you can just use the long end and drive the patched ball down with it.
You want a somewhat flattened top to strike your hand against rather than a fully rounded one if you do a lot of shooting.
If you are shooting a flint gun use a 6" or longer piece of brass rod. Now you have a starter & a handy little non-sparking rod to knapp your flints in the cock. Cock lock put finger under flint edge and with lite little taps nibble off your flints cutting edge.... Saves carrying 1 more piece a gear.....Tom
Quote from: gunmaker on January 08, 2013
If you are shooting a flint gun use a 6" or longer piece of brass rod. Now you have a starter & a handy little non-sparking rod to knapp your flints in the cock. Cock lock put finger under flint edge and with lite little taps nibble off your flints cutting edge.... Saves carrying 1 more piece a gear.....Tom
Excellent idea ! I just so happen to have a piece of 5/16 brass rod about 6 inch long thmbsup
Quote from: gunmaker on January 08, 2013
If you are shooting a flint gun use a 6" or longer piece of brass rod. Now you have a starter & a handy little non-sparking rod to knapp your flints in the cock. Cock lock put finger under flint edge and with lite little taps nibble off your flints cutting edge.... Saves carrying 1 more piece a gear.....Tom
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I cone my muzzles and use the back of my knife to knap. No longer bother with a short starter.
I have serious doubts about coning. It may not cause issues, but no way in he11 would I ever do it to my rifles.
I used to think the very same thing,for years! I tried it on a gun that shot very well,I just wasn't real happy with how it turned out,personal preferance,just to see what happened. No change what so ever. I have since coned all my rifles and on 2 of them it even seemed to improve the groups. And I use top notch barrel's,De-Haas,Rayle,Hoyt.Colerain,ect....
But,to each his own! Some fella's even REFUSE to use touch hole liners too!
Is the purpose of coning just to eliminate the use of the short starter? I would think if the angle was perfectly centered to the bore it shouldn't make a difference ,but I can also see how easy it could be done improperly . Do you only tapper till the top/muzzle is at groove dia. ?Or till the ball is fully in the barrel ?
Tim, No short starters have ever been found from back in the day. They shot a lot looser load than we do. coned or not......Tom
[hmm] You know as many of the short starters I have lost in the field we would have found some if they used them!
You can tie a little leather "Wang" to it and then they don't get away as fast! hdslp ROFL
Ya gotta train em ta come when ya whistle! ;D
I dont load as tight as most do now days , and have never had any problem with accuracy ! I use a patch knife to cut the patch at loading , and use the handle to push the ball in far enough to cut the patch flush with the end of the barrel . snug fit but not so tight you have to work hard to push the ball down the barrel !
Quote from: Dogshirt on January 09, 2013
Ya gotta train em ta come when ya whistle! ;D
[hmm]Good Idea Dogshirt I will try that!
The Cuss Words sure didn't bring them back! hdslp pnic pnic ROFL ROFL
It doesn't matter to me whether they were used or not in the long ago; I use them because they are useful to me. I make two sizes. One has the long rod about 3" to 4". I also make "mini starters" with a length of 1" to 1.5". The normal size ones are affixed to my bag straps (in little holsters) while the "mini ones" can be carried inside the bag or in a pocket.
I have one made with a T end instead of a ball,the T top is stub of deer antler it is also a mallet on one end and a measure at the other end with a point turned int a 1 " starter stub,,it's more than a starter ,it'zs a multi tool.i don'use it much as a starter unless I don't brush between loads .
My theroy is that the short starter should not seat a ball directley under a dovetail. The sight and the underlug should be either passed or stop short of, just in case you forget to fully seat the ball on the powder. Hence the term short started. The barrel could be weaken at those points and a short started ball could turn from, a ringed barrel to a split barrel. I'm just a little paranoid but thats just me. My $.02 worth and worth twice the price
I have to go with Hanshi here,just because men in the past did not do it does not mean we can't,besides just because they all lost they're short starters( we all know how easy that is)is no reason to assume they did not use them(LOL)!If we followed that reasoning ,we should all be using matchlocks or bows.
I only use mine if I don't brush the bore between shots and I already have the ball pushed in the muzzle,If I do there is no reason to use it.
I too agree that if you want to use 'em,USE 'EM!! I have NO issue what so ever with them. I dont use them not because of the "they didn't have them then,so I wont use them now", it's one less thing I need to worry about making room in my bag for!
I sometimes use a bullet board,now THAT'S an item that'll get the thread counters going! I like coning my barrels,and so far 34 of my customers wanted and recived coning in thier gun, Some still use a short starter with the coning,they can really get a tight load and NOT cut the patch!
yep ! figure it`s all a matter of preference ! if you like them use em ! I used to ! ;D
I use them. On the range, I use my 12" pistol range rod as my 'short' starter for the rifles. In the hunting pouch, a standard length starter.