Seating the Projectile
- Place a ramrod into the barrel.
- Use the ramrod to push the projectile until it is seated well on the powder charge. Push the ramrod in short strokes, gripping it just a few inches above the muzzle. If you use longer strokes, you might accidentally snap the rod and injure your hands or arm.
- Make sure the projectile is seated firmly against the powder charge. Projectiles that are not seated against the powder can cause dangerously high pressures when firing.
- With the rod still in the barrel, mark the ramrod to show when the ball is properly seated over a specific load. Use this mark for future reference to check for a properly seated load.