Thanks Ed - glad it's working for you.
Daryl P. - the denim is likely just fine. If you have a cupped end on the starter, it will not make a flat spot.
That said, the flat spot will not hurt accuracy, as long as the ball is introduced into the bore straight down
not pushed over against one or the other side of the bore.
For years, we used to start the balls just by bashing them into the bore as in the SxS video loading I did.
We switched to using the little cupped peg on the starter knob.
If smacking the ball into the bore with the handle of your starter, use enough force to make it go in with one
whack. That will flatten the ball less than if you smack it several times.
Note the little peg on the starter knob. Put that cupped end on the patched ball and just hit the top end with
the palm of your hand - there- it's in the bore 1/4" or so, put the long shaft of the starter (also cupped) on the
ball and punch it down the length of the starter shaft - 4 to 6" or so. Now, the ram rod is somewhat supported
by the bore & down it goes. I put a disk of leather on the shaft, under the knob, to protect the muzzle from the
moose antler. Probably doesn't need it, but that is what I do. Too,t here is a hole in the side of the starter knob
to put over the rod for one last little smack to slightly compress the powder charge. This helps keep shot to shot
velocities close. In my .45, it also ran an average of 100fps over not doing that. The closer speeds ie: consistency,
has the potential to produce better accuracy. Consistency in how you load, what you load, all works together to
improve accuracy.
of improving accuracy.
