Drop tube?

[Kermit]

I've misplaced it. I had an online source for a 36" brass drop tube. Anybody know where I put it? 

Somebody lists one. Thinking of adding one to the bench gun kit. It likely can't hurt my shooting, and it might even help. 

[Greyfeather]

I bought mine at Cains outdoor. Ed will make them about any length you wish.

[pathfinder]

Watched a bunch of "experianced" guy's shooting bench gun's a very long time ago and thought,"Man,they sure take a long time loading and shooting 1 shot. Takes FOREVER to get a 5 shot string off!" That's when I was young and full of energy. Bench gun's and drop tube's are looking pretty good now that I'm re-tired!

[smokinbuck]

Kermit,
It's easy enough to get a small funnel, tin or brass, and solder a brass tube onto it. Make it any length you like.
Mark

[T*O*F]

I made mine by epoxying an Easton aluminum arrow shaft into a brass funnel.

[bigsmoke]

Kermit,
To answer your question, October Country started making them at least 10 years ago, if not longer.
However, not sure if the new owner is continuing to do that.
As someone said, it's pretty easy to make one with a length of tubing and a funnel.  Either epoxy or silver solder.
I think the Tedd Cash brass funnel is just right for that.
The problem with buying them is the shipping.  I will bet UPS could make a double pretzel out of one given half a chance.  And that's with a 2 x 4 for a brace.
John

[Kermit]

It may have been October Country. Rings a bell. All I've found is this 3-piece Pedersoli that BuffaloArms carries. Longer than I need, and pricy.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Black_Powder_Drop_Tube_it-164309.aspx?CAT=4002

Mark, I'm taking your advice. A 36" hunk of brass tube and a copper pipe reducer will do just fine, I reckon. What was I thinking?

[smokinbuck]

Kermit,
Just like McDonald's, it will work just fine and you will have change left over.
Mark

[Tom Cooper]

Local plumbing wholesale house would most likely have a length of 3/8" rigid copper tubing, if not and you are not in a hurry they should be able to bring one in.

worst case, if your handy, soft copper could be straightnend out and could probably be found at the local hardware store.

[bigsmoke]

Another thought for sourcing brass tubing is to check with a metal supply business.
I got a lot of tubing from Acme Brass in Seattle.  The neat thing was they had it in all different diameters.
In Coeur d'Alene, I used to get it from Forrest Steel and also Cd'A Metals.

[camerl2009]

some brass tubing from the hobby shop and a brass funnel(or as others said a copper pipe reducer)

i made mine for my bpcr out of brass tubing  and a .50bmg case that had the head cut off and was annealed and expanded to make a funnel it also has a reducer at the end to fit in the casing

[Dphariss]

Hard copper tube. Powder funnel from gunshop will fit over 3/8" usually. Or solder on a brass one.
Adjust the length to give about 1/4-3/8 above the powder bed.
You and put a non marring ring on the tube for this.
A drop tube will give a more consistent burn in BPCR but I have never used one in a ML.

Dan

[Daryl]

I like aluminum arrow shafts.  3/8" or larger - Easton. the funnels, top and one on the bottom is desired are easily epoxied on a roughened shaft.  You could put 2 together for added length. One would merely have to find the sizes that fit.  Archery shops or ranges will have a bin of old arrows and shafts that can be used for 'testing' the fit of the various sizes.

Brass is avilable from hobby shops in any diameter you want - to 36" with .015" wall normally. Since they fit inside each next size, putting 2 together, with the smallest on the top, would prevent bridging and give any lenght desired.

[Larry Pletcher]

I made mine from Easton Arrow shafts as Daryl suggested. One telescopes inside the other, making it easy to adjust for length. I wrapped electrician's tape around the top to make a friction fit into a RCBS plastic funnel. Tape around the joint between the two shafts and at the bottom keep the tube off the rifling.

Regards,
Pletch

[The other DWS]

dumb question here.  whats the rationale for using a drop tube with a muzzle loader?  I'd think that the barrel itself is on big honking long drop tube

[smylee grouch]

One school of thought wants none of the powder granuals to stick to the side of the barrel when you load, high tech muzzle loading but I think it does make a measureable difference in some aspects as when I tested muzzle vel. using a drop tube, I came up with standard deveations of 5 which is quite small, IMHO.         Smylee

[The other DWS]

In BPCR the purpose of the drop tube is to maximize the powder charge put into the case, along with tapping or vibrating the case to settle the grains of powder, prior to compression.  With muzzle loading I'd think that when we seat the ball consistently we are getting the compression. 

Wouldn't the patched ball push any powder stuck to the rifling down to the main charge?

Or do you think maybe the grains stuck in the fouling, or on the wetted patch, get contaminated so it doesn't burn at full strength?

I've always wondered what effect a wet patch has on powder burn consistency and it the time between loading and shooting made any difference

[Daryl]

Tube to place the powder at the breech, not stuck to the sides of the bore all the way down. Consistancy rules in this game - and positively dropping the powder to the breech for exactly the same compaction/compression each time, is better than trusting it might happen if merely dumping it in the muzzle, down what might still be a slightly damp bore or grooves after wiping the last shot.