Rod pressure

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Since front stuffers are so sensitive to loading procedure, I started taking my bathroom digital scales to the range with me. I put the butt of my rifle down on the scales, and I can put exactly 50 lbs of pressure on my rod when loading.
This method has resulted in groups about 1/2 the size than when I load with the old "Feel it" method.
My question is, do you guys know of a better way of measureing the pressure on the rod when packing your powder? This method is great at the range, but has no use in the field.

[madcratebuilder]

Obviously not shooting tripe 7. I may be wrong, but if it takes fifty pounds pressure to seat your ball on the powder charge, you may have an under sized chamber. Or it's got a build up of crud. I guess I well try it and see what pressure I get with the way I load.

[kwhi43]

Wild Bill, I made a device out of a PVC pipe about 3 inches long . I put a cap
on it and put a smaller dia tube inside and pushed in down on the bathroom
scale to 40 lbs. and drew a mark on it. Now when I load, I just push down
on it when placed over the ramrod after the ball is seated to the line. That
way I know that I am puting 40 lbs. of preasure on the powder.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Not having any problems loading, I am just using scales for a consistent load pressure. Seems like my groups are much better with the exact same pressure on every load. Just wondering if anyone else is this anal about their loading techniques. The scales are ok, but are kind of a hassle, and was wondering if anyone had heard of any kind of device that measures rod pressure, that would be a little easier to have.

kw,

Sounds like something I could use. Is it spring loaded?

[Pahoo]

It's been said that a Fairy Tale starts out with "Once upon a time" and a Sea Story as: "This is no sh--" Well, I know I have see this rig a long time ago and it's mentioned in the Lyman Black Powder hand book, 2nd. edition, by my mentor, Sam Fadala. The loading item is called a "Kadooty" and delivers the same loading pressure every time. I actually saw a guy a long time ago, using one on bench shooting but never in the field. I have also seen other devices simular to this but paid little or no attention. Hope it helps !!



Be Safe !!!

[mykeal]

Just wondering if anyone else is this anal about their loading techniques.

Yep. Match and bench rest competition shooters are.

Amount of compression and technique are very important, even critical when using 777.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

I took a piece of PVC pipe, about 3" long, and cut a sight window in the side.I glued a PVC cap on the end. Then I put a lifter spring from an old lawnmower inside, to give it some adjustment. On top of the spring, I put in a piece of 3/4" Hardwood dowell rod about 1 1/2" long (Painted white). I painted the tube dark green, so I could see the white insert easier. I then marked a line all the way around the dowell rod, so I can see the line even if it turns inside the cylinder. I took another PVC cap, and drilled a hole in the end of it, big enough for my loading rod to go through, and glued it on the remaining end of the PVC tube, to keep everything inside. Once everything was dry, I put my rod on my bathroom scale and marked 3 lines on my tube, one for 35 lbs, one for 40 lbs, and one for 45lbs. I then tested each setting 10 times each, and the pressure came out within 3lbs of the setting each time. I tested the rod pressure without the gizmo, and I could not get any closer than 8 lbs difference in 10 trys, so the gizmo makes a definite difference.

I could not get a drawing of this gizmo to load onto the forum, so I hope this will give anyone wanting one, an idea of how to build one.

I will give all the credit for the gizmo to kwhi43, as he is where I got the idea from.

Great little tool, and easy to use, and definitely takes the guess work out of loading.

[kwhi43]

Glad it worked for you. That is about how I made mine. I really got so good
using it, that I don't need it anymore. You will find out also. I did a lot of
bench shooting at Friendship. Shot a "50" at 100 yds. Thats 5 shots in about
1 1/2 inches using a open sighted flintlock. 45 cal 1-60 twist 90 gr. Goex FF
.454 ball
.022 Teflon coated patch. Good Luck
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o127/prizzel/Phils50yd.jpg

[Hawg]

Now that's some good shootin right there.:cool:

[rjsixgun]

this was an interesting read.
But here is my method of loading my Civil War Front Stuffers.

Load powder, then Minie Ball, push the ball home with the ram rod. Then the tricky part.....2 taps of the ram rod! LOL!

Yes 2 taps not 3 not 4, just 2 will produce single hole groups.:D

Any more or any less the group opens.

[4V50 Gary]

Kadooty was mentioned and it worked like an axle puller. It had a piece of brass that slid on the ramrod. On the ramrod itself was a stop. You raised the brass and dropped it. The brass would slam down on the stop, tamping the bullet and powder charge. Simple and consistent.