Here we go again. Another hardware store project.
When I'm onthe range with my .54 Great Plains flinter andthe Renegade with the .54 GM barrelI never use theunder-barrel ram rods. I use two other range rods. One is asimple 36" rod that I made usinga 1/2" hardwood dowel with a2" wood ball glued on one end.I use that one for seating the ball. The other is one of those flexible synthetic rods from Cabala'swith a .54 jag that I use for swabbing the bore.
I've been starting the ball with a short starter that has a small diameter shaft, and it always leaves a circular cut on the ball when I give it a hard bump - sometimes a deep cut and sometimes not so deep. So I got to thinking about the "consistency" principle in loading, and figured I would play with two aspects of that factorin my next range session -(1) try not to deform the ball upon initial seating, and (2) assure that the ball is seated with
exactly the same pressure for each shot.
Here's the approach.
Went to the hardware store and got a 1/2" diameter brass tube 12" long, a package of JB Weld, a 1/2" bushing collar, and a 1/2" nylon washer. I cut the brass tube into two 5" sections and one 2" section.
And I glued the nylon washer to one side of the bushing.
I wanted to attach the 2" section of the brass tube to the end of my ball seating rod. But because the tube and the rod are the same diameter the tubewould not just slip over the rod. So I chucked a section of the tube in my cordless drill and spun to tube against the end of the rod until it cut it's way about an inch and a half up the rod.Then I slipped the two inch section on the end of the rod and epoxied it in place. This leaves a 1/2" section of hollow tube at the end of the rod.
I filled the 1/2" hollow section of tube with JB Weld.
Then covered it with a small piece of plastic wrap.
And pressed a .54 ball down on it, squeezing out the excess. I let it sit like that overnight.
After it was dry and hard, I removed the ball and plastic wrap and cleaned the excess JB Weld off the side of the tube. This gave me a ram rod tip that exactly conforms to the ball.
Looks pretty neat, huh?
I then epoxied a 2" wood ball on one end of a 5" section of the brass tube. Thenpacked aluminum foil in the tube - leaving a 3/4" hollow on the end - and repeated the process. Now I have a short starter that will not deform the ball.
The next step was to slip the bushing collar on the rod with the nylon washer on the side facing the muzzle.
Here's the plan. I will be using weighed charges of GOEX in my next shoot(another variable eliminated) and weight sorted balls. When I load the very first ball, I will carefully push the ball down until I feel it just touch the top of the powder charge. Then I'll position the bushing collar so that there is a 1/8"gap between the muzzle and the collar, and tighten the set screw on the collar down to hold it in that position - then push the rod down again until the collar is against the muzzle, compressing the charge that 1/8 of an inch. Once set in that manner, all successive loadswill be compressed exactly the same amount. It will be impossible to seat one ball harder than any other.
I don't know it this will accomplish anything of significance - but it can't hurt.
The Round Ball Ramrod Project
Semi - give us a warning before you post a pic like that. Ya scart the crap out of me.......
