Ball Starters

[kflach]

I've noticed that some people use "ball starters" - something that helps them get their balls into their cylinders before they use their loading lever.

Is this "strongly recommended" or is it just a matter of personal preference?

I've seen different kinds: brass hammers, t-shaped handles, ones with round handles. Is one style more useful than the other or is it just a matter of what fits comfortably in your hand?

If you get one that's not a hammer shape, can you still use it to hammer lightly on a dowel and get stuck balls out of your cylinder or muzzle?

Are there any other things I should be asking about them before I decide whether to get one or not?

Thanks! I'm trying to cure my ignorance.

[Springfield Slim]

First off, I don't see how it is possible for a ball starter of any type getting a stuck ball out of a cylinder or muzzle as it is pushing the ball the wrong way. And second, I have only seen starters used on muzzleloading rifles, never on a revolver. Doesn't mean it isn't done, I just haven't ever seen or heard of it.

[kflach]

I meant using the Starter as a hammer to tap a dowel that actually fits through the muzzle.

I saw a video on YouTube () where the guy was showing how to load a BP cylinder. At time 3:11 he places the ball on the cylinder and taps it a bit with a hammer to get it seated before he rams it down. I've been thinking that these starters were something you could use to just push the ball into place instead of using a hammer.

Maybe I'm wrong?

[Noz]

Not necessary. Never seen them used with revolvers. I load all my revolvers using the on board loading lever and rammer. Works just like Sam'l Colt designed.

[Marshal Deadwood]

Thats the devil perciesly,,why would you need 'additional technology' than what is mounted under the barrel of the revolver to begin with ?

I HAVE heard of guys with percussion Sharps using a short starter to place the bullet firmly in the 'riflings' forward of the chamber when using loose powder charges (not paper cartridges). Never heard of one being used on a revolver though.

Maybe I'm not clear on what is being said here.

MD

[Dirty Brass]

I could see using one if you loaded cylinders out of the gun, and didn't have a loading thing-a-ma-jig gizmo. Ball starters are usually pretty short, so I could see where a person might relate them to pistols o revolvers, but that's not the case.....

[kflach]

Thanks for the responses. I'm still figuring out what's what and keep coming across things I don't know about. Ya'll are helping clear things up and I'm slowly becoming less ignorant.

[Pettifogger]

That's William, I don't know why the heck he does that.  He is using conical bullets and they are sometimes a little harder to seat, especially if they are not PURE lead.  However, I don't know anyone other than William that hammers in the ball.  If you have an external loading machine its an extra un-needed step.  If you intend to load with the cylinder in the gun, what he is doing won't work.  You would have to remove the cylinder, tap in the ball, replace the cylinder, ram it home and then do the whole process over again.  (Since if you start all five balls, the cylinder won't rotate so you could never finish loading.)  On an external machine at least you can start all five balls before seating them with the machine.  Ball starters are for muzzle loading rifles.  Forget about it for a C&B revolver. 


P.S.  Don't rush out and buy tweezers to put the ball in the cylinder either.  Keep it simple, have fun.

[Mako]

I just watched the video and it's as I suspected.  He was using a cylinder loading stand, it looked like one of the old Powder Inc. stands.

Kflach, some people use a cylinder loading stand as the guy  (Wolf Wind-Walker)  in the video did, the majority use the loading lever on the pistol.   I will say his loading technique is EXTREMEMLY unique and twice as complicated as mine.  He used a small plastic faced hammer to start a conical bullet instead of a ball.  All that being said, you only need what's on the pistol to start. There are some advantages to loading off of the pistol, but right now just focus on loading it on the pistol.  Later if you want to know about the "wonders and advantages" of using a cylinder loading stand ask again, but don't do it until you have some experience.

If you're shooting with Noz he can walk you through it, he's an expert.  If not,  here are the basics:

Two techniques for on the pistol:
1. Over the ball lube

• Basically you just need a powder measure (usually integrated into a powder holder) to dispense your powder into chamber right before the ram. I don't know what kind of pistol you have or what caliber so I can't suggest a powder charge.
• then you place your ball and rotate it under the ram
• pull the lever down to fully seat the ball against the powder, there can't be any space.
• do this for five cylinders, the 6th one has to be empty for CAS competition.
• now apply an over the ball lube, some people use Crisco, others use Bore Butter or a myriad of concoctions.  You'll have to ask someone else what they use because I use a lubricated wad.

The lubricant serves two purposes, it keeps the powder fouling soft to prevent binding of the action over the course of shooting and it will prevent a "flash over" from a cylinder being fired to one of the other ones.  If you look at photos of C&B pistols firing you will see a glorious amount of fire billowing all around the pistol.  Do not fear it! ENJOY IT!  It's really cool and everyone will think so too.  Sometimes a small amount of powder may have fallen on top of one of the balls and been retained by debris or fouling.  If this powder ignited and there was a small gap between the ball and the chamber wall it potentially could cause that chamber to fire.  This has happened to some of the members of this forum (not me), and they lived to tell about it.  Actually it sounds worse than it is which you will learn about as you grow in the sport.

2. Lubricated Wad under the ball
Some of us live where it is too hot to use lube on top of our balls.  It would just run out into our holsters.  We use a pre-lubricated felt wad between the powder and the ball.  You can buy "Wonder Wads" or make your own.  I use a Ø.45 cutting punch to cut out .45 Caliber wads for my .44 caliber 1860s and a Ø.375 for my .36 caliber revolvers.  As you have probably already learned the balls start out bigger than the "caliber."

I make my own lube from 2 parts Mutton Tallow, 2 Parts Paraffin and 1 Part Bees Wax.  This classic recipe is done by weight, so for instance it would be 8 ounces of Paraffin, 8 ounces of Mutton Tallow, and 4 ounces of Bees Wax. melted together in container of some sort sitting in a pan of boiling water.  I use a small Pyrex jar with a snap on lid.  You can get Mutton Tallow from Dixie Gun Works.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3686

You can get Paraffin which is used for canning fruits and vegetables at the super market and google online for Bee Wax, one source is EBay.

Once you have the melted lube put your wads in it and then pick them out with tweezers or a fork or something .  Put them on paper to cool down and when cool peel them from the paper and put them in a small container.

Loading with wads

• Same powder measure (usually integrated into a powder holder) to dispense your powder into chamber right before the ram.
• Then you place a wad over the powder
• Then you place your ball and rotate it under the ram
• Pull the lever down to fully seat the ball against the powder, there can't be any space.
• Do this for five cylinders, the 6th one has to be empty for CAS competition.

Put the pistols in your holsters and wait to cap at the loading table.

It's really a hoot!

~Mako