Anyone use bullet blocks for cap and ball?

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Looks like a pretty creative idea. I use good ol' wood. But maybe if I had a 3-D printer. . .

One thing that I do is I make the blocks thicker-than-caliber. Using a thicker block allows me to push the ball flush into the block, then run a patch knife across to cut the patch material. It's similar to cutting the patch at the muzzle only I do it on the block.

I don't so much have in mind "fast follow ups" as much as the ability to load without removing my gloves/mittens. Big blocks, cappers, lanyards, they all help. If you can load and shoot without ever removing your gloves it is incredible how much more pleasant winter shooting becomes. I actually like my muzzleloaders in winter better than suppository guns.

[Moleman-]

I've always given my hawkens a tap on the lock side with my boot after dumping the powder in similar to what others are doing. Also the best caps I've found are the German made Dynamit Nobel/RWS caps that sound like a 22lr and not like you shot a cap gun.

[toot]

WOW!! that's the cat's MEOW!! i rely like it . you are on the rite track, as far as i am concerned. i for one am going to make up the ball starter. keep it up.

[ogre]

.

I've long used an inline cap holder, with a leather thong, for capping my rifles.




.

I'm not into fashion or style so much but wearing a leather thong has got to cause chafing. Am I right?

[bigted]

�� sheesh.

[sharps4590]

Persuckshun....that's what some of us call them newfangled rifles what don't need no flint.

I've made and used some bullet blocks, always of wood and, they work admirably. Probably some 25-30 years ago I went back to loading from the bag. It's a little slower, sure, but I ain't in the woods huntin' squirrels as a speed contest. If I wanted a fast second shot I'd be using the Mod. 74 Winchester I inherited from Dad or even my Jeffrey Rook Rifle.