Author Topic: Ball starters  (Read 3815 times)

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Offline Eric Krewson

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Ball starters
« on: December 29, 2019, 07:54:59 am »
I put this on the "What did you do today" thread but thought I would put it here as well.

I was playing with scrap osage and made some ball starters for my flintlocks. I hunt with a ball board and don't need to cut a patch, these smack a ball in with authority because of the flat surface area to strike with your hand and take up very little space. I made one for my 12ga fowler and one for my .54.




Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2019, 12:38:15 pm »
Nifty idea!  Especially for old hands!  I use a rubber mallet on the range, and my first charge when hunting, will try to  work up some of those!
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2019, 07:07:32 pm »
I should have made the shaft of the smaller one a little longer so I can hold it between my fingers for that first light smack to get the ball just started into the barrel.

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2019, 12:07:30 am »
Aha!  That will help!
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Mike Yancey

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2019, 08:51:31 am »
I like!

Offline mullet

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  • Eddie Parker
Re: Ball starters
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2019, 03:57:13 pm »
Nice, Eric. I'll have to make me some.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline PaulN/KS

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2020, 08:48:13 am »
Those look pretty neat and handy Eric.  :OK

Offline Trapper Rob

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2020, 04:25:08 pm »
Those are nice

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Ball starters
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2020, 08:06:20 am »
As you can tell from the darkened osage I made the one for my fowler a year or so ago and have used it a good bit, it works perfectly.

I need to get a 1/2" round grinding bit to cut the cavity in the next .54 I make. It took me a while get the one in the picture hollowed out with small round dremel, the wood was as hard as a rock.