The only time I have noticed this action was around those N-SSA folks. They shoot mini balls and I thought that they did this because they wanted to seat the mini down and maybe help flare the skirt some to get a better seal.

A lot of you guys keep talking about running patches down the barrel. Well during a heated battle, I am sure those rebels and yankees didn't have much time to think about a patch and wanted to get that mini ball down their barrel to get the next shot off and kill something!

Now as to a hunting gun, not military type, I have never seen anyone slam the ram rod down on a load. Maybe others have, but not me. But as with everything else around here this is JMHO folks.