Loading Bowling Ball

[smokemjoe]

 I picked up a nice set of old ice tongs at a garage sale for 3 bucks, They pick up ball nice but are to wide if you can them down the barrel, One prong will pick up nice. Has anyone ever used these  and what did you do to change them, Thanks

[IvarForkbeard]

Are they cast or forged? If they are forged, straighten them out a bit so they aren't bowed as much.

[Cat Whisperer]

I ask the question 'what if....".

When loading at every point in time the question is what if it goes off now?

Some times I don't like the answer.

[1Southpaw]

" what if it goes off now?"
My thoughts also .  Also wonder if one had a loading devise if the damage might not be worse if the "thingy "gets hung up in the loading hand .
Have thought that a short implement of some sort would be nice .
A lot of the balls I have I can not get my thumb or fingers in the hole . So they some times drop a bit and ... The thought is .. what if ?
Perhaps better than having a finger or thumb stuck tight in a hole and having it go off.


 

[GGaskill]

I have mentally designed a "safety rammer" type of loading device for bowling balls but it would require two people to operate most likely. 



This is basically a balanced lifter with a hand operated clamp that would grip the web between the finger holes.  Bicycle hand brake parts should work adequately.  The gripping pieces would have to be metal for strength in a small package, maybe with some teeth for enough grip.  Undoubtedly, the design willl need further refinement from experience.

[gulfcoastblackpowder]

Another option to increase the safety of loading would be making a breech loader or breech block design, so the ball could be loaded before any powder, though that's a completely different design.
 
You could probably make a loading tool that could grip the inside of one of the finger holes by expanding within the hole like a wall anchor to hold it by friction.  May be easier to make it work with various sizes of finger holes.

[Cat Whisperer]

Another option to increase the safety of loading would be making a breech loader or breech block design, so the ball could be loaded before any powder, though that's a completely different design.
 ...

AND THEN you could also RILE the barrrel!   

[Cannoneer]

Artilleryman,
Do you have any photos of the loading of your siege mortar? Weren't two men used when loading with the original shell tongs, one to each side, so nobody had to stand in front of the bore?

[Artilleryman]

Cannoneer, You are partially correct.  I have summarized the following information from the  manual "Instructions for Heavy Artillery".   On a 10 inch siege mortar a handspike is passed through the ring of the shell hooks and lifted for wiping and then lifted and lowered into the bore with the gunner in front who helps lower the shell gently into the bore.  This is basically the same procedure used for the 10 and 13 inch seacoast mortars.

On an 8 inch siege mortar the gunner stands in front of the mortar and with shell hooks lifts the shell to be wiped and then lifts and lowers the shell into the bore.  I preferred to stand as much to one side as I can to lower the shell into the bore.  Since the shell weighs 45 lbs that is not easy to do.

As hazardous as this sounds, what would cause the mortar to fire prematurely?  You can see the entire bore during cleaning.  Since no cartridge bags are used unless you have a sub chamber, there are no bag fragments to hold an ember.  Even if there were you could see it and deal with it.  For arguments sake lets say that you left an ember in the bore.  That would set off the loose powder when you poured it into the barrel well before you would load the shell.  I would be more worried about that than loading the shell.

[smokemjoe]

I was thinking of this way, A friend took a rubber stopper used in furmest bottle, He hooked it up to long rod, The stopper is set in a finger hole, the top is turned and the stopper tightens up in the hole, With a cross bar on the rod , like a T , 2 people lift the ball up and down in the barrel, Then its released and the ball is seated, I was going to use the ice hooks on the same set up, Maybe just one hook on the long T handle , I wash my barrels, and vent hole after ever shot to were I have water in the powder chamber and have to dry it by hand. Its take more time and I no there is no hot spots in there, Hope this helps, Joe

[Artilleryman]

The manual goes on to describe service of a coehorn mortar.  "As the shell is without ears, it should be strapped with tin, having loops attached, through which a cord is passed for the purpose of lowering it into the bore."

Something to think about.

[smokemjoe]

How would something like a wooden plug that would fit tight inside a finger hole with a hole cross ways so a cord  could go through it and hold both ends, after seated, pull the cord out, Would this work, the ball shouldnt  turn in the tube, . Dont wrap the cord around your hand, like fishing for gators Joe

[BoomLover]

Another possible way to load a Bowling Ball might be to drill the space between the finger holes, and use an implement or tool like the handle of a scissors jack. the curved "J" at the end might just hook the ball enough to lower it into the bore. With a "T" handle, you wouldn't have to lean over the muzzle, and if it were to somehow ignite,  ,  it would take the handle straight away from you, leaving fingers and such still attached and usable. BoomLover