push stick material and safety

[Octagonal Barrel]

Two things have convinced me a push stick is a good idea in loading my cap-and-ball revolvers.  The first is that my Remmie #10 caps seat halfway decently onto my slixshot nipples, but not all the way without coercion.  Without a push stick, they are somewhat reliable.  Mostly a bang, but sometimes not.  With pushing, I get a bang every time.  But pushing can be done with a thumb, not a stick.

The second thing is, of course, the photo of Cuts Croocked's thumb after it was used as a push stick.  (I appreciate the bravery of those who show their mistakes so I can learn from them.)

I've noticed most people refer to using a soft wooden stick for pushing, but some have mentioned using antler.  Antler looks very cool.  (Just as Orange is the new Black in the high-fashion world of prison...)  Antler is the new Dog Bone in the pet world.  I work in a pet store, and can find lots of very fashionable and ergonomic antler tips relatively cheap.  I bought one, and have used it as a push stick.  But deer antler seems hard.  I wonder.  Is antler safe for cap push sticks, or is it too hard and more likely to detonate a cap when pushing?  Is soft wood really better (=safer)?  I'd love to hear your of opinions, but especially of your experience.  Has anyone accidentally detonated a cap by using an antler push stick? How about a soft wood stick?  Is one really better than the other?

[litl rooster]

You bought a antler?

[rifle]

If it were me havin the little problem with no.10's seatin  hard I'd use no.11's if they fit or.......

If I wanted a better fit with the 10's I'd stick each nipple in a drill and turn them down (with a diamond file) till the 10's went on snug but easy.

That way ,if at a CASS match, I wouldn't need the stick or antler or anything but my fingers.

A gunsmith or handy Hombre could be found to do the nips/cones if a person didn't have a diamond file or didn't feel comfortable turnin cones/nips/nipples.

[sail32]

I use a popsicle stick as a push stick, it has some flex in case I push to hard.

I have not fired a cap and cylinder and I want to keep it that way.

I have broken the popsicle stick without a mishap.

[hellgate]

I use a hickory dowel glued into a 3/4" rounded block to pat my palm. The stick is 3-4" long. An antler seems pretty hard to me.

Off topic a bit: antler dog chew bones are going to allow your local veterinarian to send their kids to a better college. Hard bone fractures & chips teeth that get abscessed and need extraction under a general anesthetic. You are talking the equivalent of maybe another SXS or cheap Colt clone. Rawhide is a much safer alternative if you insist.

[Paladin UK]

JMOHO...


Cut off 60-70% of the erasure at the end of a lead pencil

Works for me!!

Paladin (What likes his thumbs as they are   ) UK

[hellgate]

Paladin,
What if the metal edge to the pencil end catches the cap?
I've heard that the back end of a Bic stick pen works pretty good too.

[Coffinmaker]

I must be living dangerously.  When I got my first set of Snubbies  they came with a tasty brass ramrod with a little "hat" for loading without the normal loading rammer under the barrel.  I don't use the tasty little brass rod to load though.  It's swell little concave end serves perfectly to do the final seating of the caps.  Knock on wood, so far, so good.

Coffinmaker

[cpt dan blodgett]

Why cut off any of the eraser at all?  Really want to know the answer and am not questioning the practice.

[Paladin UK]

Fer Cpt Dan..

It just seemed a bit too `squidgy` NOW THERES A WORD!!  when it was a full rubber

Fer hellgate..

Never been a problem its very positive 

Paladin (What's playin Cowboy on Sunday ) UK

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Fer Cpt Dan..

It just seemed a bit too `squidgy` NOW THERES A WORD!!  when it was a full rubber

Fer hellgate..
Paladin (What's playin Cowboy on Sunday ) UK

Thats funny! A squidgy rubber on your "pencil"!

[Paladin UK]

Oh Sir Chas!!

A squidgy rubber on your "pencil"!

      
Paladin (Whats  ) UK

[Bruce W Sims]

Quick question:

Might the same rod or stick be used to unseat a ball of a misfire chamber through the port after the nipple has been removed?

I don't read much in these threads about "immediate action" for a unfired chamber of a BP revolver. Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

[hellgate]

Generally, the push stick is too big to go through the nipple hole. I keep a good sized nail with the point filed flat to drive out balls that I can't shoot out.

[Bruce W Sims]

That makes sense....one more little bit to add to my duffle....

[Pettifogger]

For stuck balls I keep one of these in my shooter bag.  Just put the tip up against the nipple and pull the trigger.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/CO-Load-Discharger-Kit-and-Replacement-Cartridges/706432.uts

[Lefty Dude]

To remove an un-wanted ball from a chamber, I use a 2 1/2" deck screw. Simple : screw into ball and remove ball & screw with pliers.
Or: Remove nipple, insert some powder behind ball. Return nipple to chamber, cap and fire.

For a push device, I use a Deer antler.

[Blair]

Pettifogger,

That is the ticket!
There are even nozzles that will thread into the nipple opening depending on the firearm.
Very safe and no metal to interact with any powder.
My best,
Blair

[mrappe]

I use a hard wooden stick to seat the caps and I have sharpened the other end of the stick with a pencil sharpener so that when i go the the unloading table I use the sharp end to pick of any fired caps that are still left on the nipples. To remove any stuck balls I take the nipple off, wet the powder (if any) and drive the ball out with a brass punch and brash hammer.

[Coffinmaker]

Well,
Squidgey rubbers on our pencils and Brash hammers.  This game is getting a lot funner!!   

Coffinmaker