Bullet Starter Advice

[HAGEMANIAC]

New muzzy this year, Knight Bighorn. They have came a long way from last I hunted with one 20 years ago. Anyone have experience with a ball/bullet starter damaging the polymer tips of Barnes bullets? I bought the Barnes jag for my rod, but I'm worried I may damage the tips getting them started.  Any advice/experience/recommendations for this? Thanks

[BigGoonTuna]

I have a bullet starter, but rarely use it. It’s threaded so you can use one of the Barnes jags if you felt so inclined.

I pretty much always use one of the aftermarket jags on my knight ramrod with any sort of tipped bullets; the threaded hole has a tendency to grab the gummy tips and pull them out of the sabot   

[andersonjk4]

 

I use a threaded jag designed for the tipped bullets on both my starter and my rod. But be careful, I had one that was supposed to be for tipped bullets but was the wrong shape and would dig into the tips and pull the bullets a little ways out of the sabot. Not good.

[elkboy]

One thought related to this topic is changes in the ease with which bullets/sabots can be started in the barrel.  I found, over several years of shooting two of my muzzleloaders, that starting and ramrodding bullets was getting harder and harder.  Sabotloader put me onto J-B Bore Paste, which is a micro-abrasive paste to clean years' worth of hard barrel fouling accumulation from your bore.  It has worked wonders for me, reducing the need to even use a bullet starter (I do have one). 

A small amount of the J-B bore paste should be smeared in the center of a lightly oiled patch, then scoured up and down the barrel about 20 times with a good ramrod or range rod.  Repeat if bore is severely fouled.  Cleanup of the bore is best done with 90% isopropyl alcohol.  Then, finish with your normal bore cleaning operation.  Maybe Sabotloader can correct my memories of the procedure he taught me, but this has worked so well to restore my bores to like they were on day of purchase.  Cheers, -M

[The Big Game Hunter]

New muzzy this year, Knight Bighorn. They have came a long way from last I hunted with one 20 years ago. Anyone have experience with a ball/bullet starter damaging the polymer tips of Barnes bullets? I bought the Barnes jag for my rod, but I'm worried I may damage the tips getting them started.  Any advice/experience/recommendations for this? Thanks

I had this issue when i first got started shooting those Barnes bullets in my muzzleloader. Using the right jag immediately fixed the problem and I haven't had any issues since.

[huntnfmly]

Same as already mentioned we use the screw on jag for those

[JakeLand]

Use a 5N1 speed loader it’s got the starter built in

[10thmountainarcher]

I shoot Hornady ssts and have never used a bullet starter with them, with that said I had concerns about the tip being damaged while loading. I pushed one out after being loaded and there was zero damage.

[LDennis24]

I use the copper jacketed Hornadys with a red polymer tip and most of the time it comes out with my starter or rod end stuck in the tiny hole. Never affected the shot. Just made it a hollow point

[carpsniperg2]

I'm with most the crowd. I use barnes bullets and I run their jag on starter and ram rod.
My new 700 this year has a good open style jag on it so didn't have to add that to that gun, but have done so to all my others.

[Wanttohuntmore]

On a related note,  does anyone make a starter jag for polymer tips that also can be used for patches (knurled on the sides so they grab the patch)?  I like to run a few patches down the bore between shots,  in the field.   The Ssts fit so darn tight.

[M_ray]

My ram rod was damaging the tips of My TC shockwave bullets.  I use a speed loader with starter and it wasn’t pulling them off but the threads left deep scratches in the tip. Never affected my groups but I corrected it by just screwing in a small jag that protects the tips from the threads now.

[jjhunter]

I shoot lead powerbelts and don’t need a starter.  Let the flogging begin. 

[carpsniperg2]

I shoot lead powerbelts and don’t need a starter.  Let the flogging begin. 

So you like syrup with those pancakes Sorry man had to

[M_ray]

I shoot lead powerbelts and don’t need a starter.  Let the flogging begin. 

So you like syrup with those pancakes Sorry man had to

He also likes pink hats and rainbow skirts 

JK

In all seriousness if you can get Powerbelts to group, then good for you. I was never happy with the occasional flyer that would be 6 “ off. Could never figure out why but I suspect because they are so easy to load they aren’t seated very good in the barrel and therefore you are going to get the occasional tumbling flyer. Never get that with TC shockwaves or knight full lead conicals both have sabots.

Oh also I’m glad I stayed away from them because in Oregon the law is written that your bullet may NOT have a plastic base attached or otherwise.