One of the things you’ll need to have in your possibles bag, along with a capper (for caplock guys), a flint hammer (for flinters), and a powder measure, is a muzzleloader bullet starter.
Originally called a ball starter from the days when most muzzleloader hunters shot patched round balls out of sidelocks, a bullet starter is like a short ramrod with a (slightly more) ergonomic handle, which is used to get the bullet started down the bore before you seat it fully on the powder charge with the ramrod.
Here’s why a modern nylon muzzleloader bullet starter is better than a traditional wooden one, even if the latter looks better.
Nylon Is Stronger, Dimensionally
The grain of wood may be very strong, but wood can split fairly easily along the grain, especially when stressed or improperly cared for. This is true even of strong, dense species like maple and oak, which are commonly used to make muzzleloader ball starters.
That being said, nylon is stronger overall, across all dimensions, than wood, and if it is stressed it is more likely to deform or bend than break, since it is a relatively soft plastic.
Nylon Will Not Absorb Water and Will Not Rot
As good as wood is, wood can absorb water, which will cause it to weaken and break down over the long run.
This is a problem in its own right, but it also means that wood can rot over time. Nylon is much more stable and requires no maintenance or storage considerations, whereas wood does.
Nylon Will Not Split or Break
Even though wood is strong, it can still break, and that’s a considerable problem if you’ve already got the bullet started down an inch or so from the muzzle.
Getting stuck there is not far enough that you should be able to use a ramrod to finish the job, which means you’ll be up a creek. The issue will be worse if part of the starter is stuck in there with the bullet.
Nylon can bend a little without breaking and as stated is more likely to deform than break, which makes it more reliable on the whole.
Because Performance Isn’t About Looks
Lastly, even though a finished hardwood ball starter might look pretty, and fit the appropriate traditional aesthetic associated with muzzleloading, at the end of the day, what you need is not looks but reliability.
Nylon is strong, reliable, doesn’t break, and when fitted with the appropriate loading jag is very precise, giving it several considerable advantages over wood.
Where to Get a Nylon Muzzleloader Bullet Starter
Are you sold on the relatively advantages of modern nylon muzzleloader bullet starters over wood? If so, you just need to know where you can go to get one.
Visit Anarchy Outdoors first. They carry a wide range of traditional and modern muzzleloader accessories, including loading blocks, speed loaders, powder funnels and cappers in addition to bullet starters. Check out their collection and bring your possibles bag into the 21st century with a little help from their collection
