Pre-Patched Roundball Jig?

[trimegistus]

I was at the library today hoping to find a copy of Rifles of Colonial America, they did not have one, but I did find a book called Arms and Armor of Colonial America.  I was leafing through it and found a desciption of a simple device that sounded pretty neat.  It described a small block of wood slightly thicker than the diameter of your round, with holes the diamter of the round drilled clean through it.  You would pre load it by placing greased patches over the holes and then plunking a ball in.  Then, as needed, you just center this block over your muzzle and ram it down, no fumbling with pathces.  Has anyone tried one of these?

[James Rogers]

It's a loading block but to my knowledge there is no evidence of use before the 19th century.

[trimegistus]

The book says it covers from 1526 to 1783, it was written in 1922 I think, maybe he was going on older incorrect information.

[Longknife]

The "loading blocks" are very controversial subjects. There is no written documentation of them being used in that time frame but some well respected historians claim that they were used. There are even pictures of (original?) loading blocks in books. ( Collectors Encyclopedia of the American Revolution---Neuman) I personaly use them when hunting, sure is easy to load a quick round with frozen hands! I also think that they are such a simple and easy thing to make, why wouldn't they have been used?.....The frontiersmen relied on their rifle for sustaining their life and a quick second round might be the difference between life and death...others say they could easily "bare ball" a load if necessary....I have found in studying history that  things "taken for granted" were not usually recorded, just the different and exiting events made it into the journals....we may never know for sure...Just my .005 on a cold and wintery day!!!...Ed



  

[whitebear]

This along with priming powder and patch knives is one of the top three subjects for discussion.  Mention ether one and it will be discussed ad-nauseum.  My idea is if you like it use it.  Personally I am getting away from the priming horn and separate patch knife to simplify my kit,less to tote.  I can't tell the difference in using 3f and 4f for priming and I can cut my finger with a general purpose knife just as well as with a separate patch knife.  As for the loading block I have never used one but I can see where they would help for a quick follow up shot.  This is all my opinion take it for what it is worth.

[trimegistus]

I appreciate all the responses.   When I was a kid I shot blackpowder with my Dad, but was never too serious about it.  So im sort of just getting back into it/more interested and have been reading these forums for a while now learning a lot.  I had not yet come across a post about one of these pre loaders and when i saw it in Arms and Armor i figured I would post here and see what all you fine people here had to say about it.  It does seem like such a simple device that people would have figured it out/been using it for far longer than is documented.  Again thanks all

[omark]

i use and like loading blocks all the time, especially when hunting. i feel they were probably used in the 1700's, but have no proof of it, just my opinion, and you all know we each have one of those, too.     mark