General discussion > Contemporary Accoutrements

Revolutionary War Ball Rammer

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Dave Marsh:
I found this item on ebay.  Interesting description and item.  In light of all of the discussions on ball starters and whether they were used or not I was curious as to what the experts thought about this.....


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=280274548161

Elnathan:
Unless he has some information to back up the Revolution claim, I would ignore his dating. Don't see how it would speed up the loading process, either.

Interesting piece though...I wonder how it is supposed to work? If you whacked the end of the rod it would hurt your hand.

James Rogers:
I am no expert but the piece has no provenance for Rev. War time frame or military use. I question whether the two pieces go together and if it actually is a ball starter.   

Randy Hedden:
Dave,

I see nothing there that would indicate that this item is from the 18th century or is a ball starter or rammer. Heck, it might be a F&I period nut cracker?

It seems to me that some of the old militaria  collectors and those who collect old shooting related items sometimes have no knowledge or experience shooting muzzle loaders and in their ignorance they buy up anything that could possibly be related to muzzle loaders and then try to relate the item to muzzle loader shooting like trying to fit a round plug in a square hole. The seller of this item is one generation removed from the gentleman who collected this item and seems to have little if any knowledge of muzzle loaders.

Randy Hedden

TPH:
2tweetiebirds' father had a good imagination. The date is off by about 200 years. I saw a couple of short starters like it back in the 1970s and his/her father got taken to the cleaners if he paid more than $1.00 for that "rare collectible" back then. ;) Especially since it is missing the ball that was attached to the top.... 

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