A very smart ball board modification

[.38 Special]

I just came across this on Facebook. It's so simple that I'm embarrassed at never having seen, heard, or thought of it (and maybe I'm just hopelessly out of the loop) but it strikes me as such a good idea that I just had to share it.



The fellow simply adds a countersink on one side, to match the outer diameter of the barrel. That way the ball always aligns with the bore, with none of the annoying little hunting around that often accompanies the task. Also, he puts a slight countersink on the other side, to match the diameter of the patch. This ensures that the ball always centers the patch, again without any fiddling. Neat tricks to make life just slightly easier!

 

[Ironhand54]

I have wondered, in the past, if that would work.
Never tried it.

Ironhand

 

[Bill M.]

I like it. I needed a small project anyway. And, I do not have a ball board for my .40 or .45. Thanks for showing the nice picture.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Neato!

 

[woodnbow]

Drill the countersink slowly with a really sharp Forster bit, barrel side first and the tip of the bit should just barely poke through. Thence you can flip it over and do the patch centering countersink before drilling the hole for the ball and patch.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Not bad. But that board is badly in need of some oil.

 

[doubleh]

Drill the countersink slowly with a really sharp Forster bit, barrel side first and the tip of the bit should just barely poke through. Thence you can flip it over and do the patch centering countersink before drilling the hole for the ball and patch.

Or just place a backer board under the piece to be drilled. Do the Forster bit thing, change bits, preferably another Forstner if the correct size is availabl and drill the hole for the ball. Then turn it over and use a counter sink with no need to clamp as the sink will self center.

 

[.38 Special]

Not bad. But that board is badly in need of some oil.

Oh yeah. I essentially waterproof mine; otherwise it sucks up all the lube from the patch!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I just oil mine, which are made of oak which do not seem to drink the patch lube too badly. I have learned that left in the board the patches do seem to dry out, don't know if that's the wood or not. So...I don't leave my bullet-boards "loaded", just load them up before a hunt, hike, or whatever. They seem to stay fine through most of a hunting season. (weeks) Longer than that they do seem to get dry and funky.

 

[alsaqr]

Yes, ball boards are neat.

This carrier holds five patched and lubed round balls. Loads easily by removing the caps and inserting the short starter:

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Yes, ball boards are neat.

This carrier holds five patched and lubed round balls. Loads easily by removing the caps and inserting the short starter:

Now if you made that out of wood...that would be very cool. For my purposes, can't beat the old paper cartridge. I carry a few for "emergencies".

 

[.38 Special]

Yes, ball boards are neat.

This carrier holds five patched and lubed round balls. Loads easily by removing the caps and inserting the short starter:

Tell me you shoot an inline without telling me you shoot an inline.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Man, I've shot double patched ball loads a little bit, but never FIVE!!! DANG! That would put the hurt on grizz!

 

[hawg]

I guess you're supposed to have a feel for when the first ball is set.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Well that could require some ramming on the rod, to seat five patched balls in a fouled barrel, all at the same time. If you seat them one at a time, the balls following the first can rise back up the barrel. Compressed air. Don't ask me how I know that. And Alsagr, we just giving you a bad time. No offense.

 

[PWC]

Question....your pic shows the ball centered in the barrel relief. You say the opposite side has a relief for the patch.

How do you get the patch between the ball and powder if the board is over the muzzle with the muzzle in the relief? Isn't the patch on top of the ball?

 

[hawg]

Question....your pic shows the ball centered in the barrel relief. You say the opposite side has a relief for the patch.

How do you get the patch between the ball and powder if the board is over the muzzle with the muzzle in the relief? Isn't the patch on top of the ball?

In the pic the balls are patched.

 

[.38 Special]

Question....your pic shows the ball centered in the barrel relief. You say the opposite side has a relief for the patch.

How do you get the patch between the ball and powder if the board is over the muzzle with the muzzle in the relief? Isn't the patch on top of the ball?

Ah. The idea is to put the patch into the shallow relief and then place the ball on top. Then when you push the ball into the hole it will be centered. This is done at home, at your leisure. Later, when it is time to shove the whole works into the gun, the ball is already patched, and the larger relief serves to align the combination with the bore.

It probably doesn't make sense to most folks, but for us cockeyed old drunks it is a lifesaver!

 

[PWC]

Thank you, understand now; the pic shows the patched and trimmed ball ready to go down the barrel.

Now that I look closer I can see the cloth pattern, well, duh...

 

[hawg]

We all have well duh moments. Except for me I have Homer Simpson D'OH moments.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

We all have well duh moments. Except for me I have Homer Simpson D'OH moments.

That's nothing. I have hit-on-the-head with a baseball bat passed out in La-La-Land d'oH moments. And that's on a good day.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

It probably doesn't make sense to most folks, but for us cockeyed old drunks it is a lifesaver!

Makes a lot of sense, and an excellent idea. I'll be doing that for my TC "Hawken". And the Plains Pistol too, as I've not got around to making a loading block for it. My Jeager on the other hand, I've modified the muzzle so that I can pretty much throw a patched ball at it from across the room, and it will go right down the tube. It's both coned and dished.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I tried to make a bullet board on Saturday and the drill bits are too dull (need to find a grinder)

 

[doubleh]

It has been a long time since I did any muzzle loader hunting. Back when I did my board was just a piece of oak that I finished with varnish to keep it from soaking up oil. I just pushed the balls through the board enough to where I could feel one slightly drop into the bore.