photos of your witness marks please .

[JeffB1961]

i see dedicated threads here and consistently see comments shared in threads about the importance of witness marks . i chose inline because i'm too much of a wuss to shooting something with a open explosion/sparks right in front of my face so i ding dang sure will do whatever to avoid something worse ! i was thinking seeing some pics of how you folks mark yours could be interesting . all would be appreciated . simple to ornate .
thanks , jeff

 

[snapbang]

Im sorry to say I dont use them. Only because I never have one load for a gun. I may shoot 2-3 different bullets, powders, etc. At least for my inlines. For my sidelocks I shoot round balls and may use 80-100 grains of Swiss or Pyrodex with a RB. Depends on if Im hunting or target shooting. For me having multiple witness marks could get as confusing as none at all.

I do however mark the rod with fingertips when it rests on the load. Then hold it next to the gun barrel to see if things look reasonable. I guess in a way that is a witness mark.

 

[CatamountRob]

I use a triangular file and remove the black (anodizing?) from the ramrod. It works great but I don’t know what I’d do if I had to dramatically change the load we shoot.

 

[ElDiablo]

Here’s the “easy button” Jeff. This really couldn’t be simpler. No need to overthink it. I shoot numerous rifles with lots of different loads and this works great every time for me. At the range I use a piece of masking tape on my range rods because it is super easy to move. For hunting I use a silver sharpie. The sharpie mark has never worn off while hunting and is easy to wipe off with alcohol and change.

 

[sabotloader]

Im sorry to say I dont use them. Only because I never have one load for a gun. I may shoot 2-3 different bullets, powders, etc. At least for my inlines. For my sidelocks I shoot round balls and may use 80-100 grains of Swiss or Pyrodex with a RB. Depends on if Im hunting or target shooting. For me having multiple witness marks could get as confusing as none at all.

I do however mark the rod with fingertips when it rests on the load. Then hold it next to the gun barrel to see if things look reasonable. I guess in a way that is a witness mark.

I have to agree with you snapbang. I am always experimenting wth different bullets, different loads, and a couple of different powders in every one of my inlines. At the range I may load several different combinations. I would like to think I am doing a lot of testing just for my own information. So my witness marks would be all over the place!

And I am not saying that the marks are useless - they could be very valuable - just not for me.

 

[JeffB1961]

wow , did not expect this . but you folks are old pros at MLs not a newbie like me so i marked the one i'm using at empty . should i mark empty on my gun rod and range rod ? and then the top of my shortest powder/bullet load !

ElDiablo is the mark at empty or the top of your bullet ?​

 

[MrTom]

X2 to snapbang and sabotloader when it comes to my Patriot. I have no idea which load I'll be settling on and probably will not settle on one anyway. I shoot alone. I shoot very early to avoid others. And I stay focused on what I am doing. I leave the phone in the vehicle so that damned thing isn't a distraction. I'm not out there shooting to be social and if company shows up, I leave.

 

[ElDiablo]

wow , did not expect this . but you folks are old pros at MLs not a newbie like me so i marked the one i'm using at empty . should i mark empty on my gun rod and range rod ? and then the top of my shortest powder/bullet load !

ElDiablo is the mark at empty or the top of your bullet ?​

I mark for loaded. I don’t mark empty but I do check for empty/clear every time by looking from the muzzle for light coming through the flash hole or blowing smoke/air through.

One mark is all you really need - loaded.

 

[MrTom]

ElDiablo is the mark at empty or the top of your bullet ?​

When you've established a load you're going to use, load the gun as in ready to shoot, put the rod in barrel and mark it where the top of the barrel is.

 

[CatamountRob]

ElDiablo is the mark at empty or the top of your bullet ?​

The depth with a bullet seated on the powder charge.
With the gun loaded I lay a triangular file on top of the barrel and spin the ramrod against it with my fingers. It takes very little to scratch a line.

 

[4stringdude]

I don't mark my ramrod. However, I know from experience where the ramrod will touch my extended index finger when I have my rifle loaded. I touch the tip of my index finger to the muzzle and measure the extended bit of the rod. That has always worked for me.

 

[sabotloader]

wow , did not expect this . but you folks are old pros at MLs not a newbie like me so i marked the one i'm using at empty . should i mark empty on my gun rod and range rod ? and then the top of my shortest powder/bullet load !

ElDiablo is the mark at empty or the top of your bullet ?​

Just my thoughts but the mark at loaded would tell you more than the empty mark. The loaded mark will tell you if you might be double loaded with either powder of bullets. And it can indicate to you if the bullet is truly seated on the powder.

 

[rangerod]

I use a round half inch orange sticker from a target.

 

[ronlaughlin]

Rifle loaded with 105 grain 777ff, vegetable fiber wad and Fury 50 caliber 275g Star Tip MZ sized to fit barrel .

 

[10acres]

After I found my load for my Traditions inline, I just loaded up and left my ramrod in. I placed my knife blade on the muzzle of the barrel and rotated the ramrod. It put a nice clean mark on the ramrod to see. I have yet to do that with my CVA Optima V2.

 

[MrTom]

I'll note here that all of my charges are in tubes. I start with a known number of charge tubes and a known number of bullet/sabots. When I shoot, I pull the spent primer, then set the next sabot/bullet, primer and charge tube to one side while the barrel cools. The remaining components are nowhere near where I do the actual loading. This really helps eliminate any chances of screw-ups. When the gun is charged, I put the tube back in the caddy so its accounted for.

As mentioned, when I am at the club shooting, I do not socialize. I'm not there for that.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Just mt thoughts but the mark at loaded would tell you more than the empty mark. The loaded mark will tell you if you might be double loaded with either powder of bullets. And it can indicate to you if the bullet is truly seated on the powder.

You may be right. But after a few (hundred?thousand?) loads i can tell the dif between a load thats just powder vs powder and bullet vs double loaded. I like the empty mark because the guns either loaded or empty. If im not 100% sure whats in there, it gets dumped and i start over.
That said i think everyone should have some witness mark to tell if there is something in the barrel. Whether its 1, 2, or 3 marks. Full or empty.
At the range sunday i was loading up my UL, had poured powder in, looked up to grab my bullet, and i see this dumb kid(man) running down range to hang targets. No warning, never asked or called for a cold range, just ran down to the targets. I left a very short time later. People are not smart and i always stay at the far end, away from distractions and dangerous people.

 

[ENCORE50A]

Post #34 Why witness marks are a requirement

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

I like a thin strip of orange electrical tape. Easy to apply and see, it fits thru my ramrod thimbles, and is easy to adjust when trying different loads. I see no reason why not to use a witness mark.

 

[CVA Fanboy]

Mark on ramrod, some use knife, I have seen tape used, I also seen paint, different colors marking different loads, IE 70 G Powder Sabot (red) 85 G Powder and Patched Round Ball Yellow. depends on barrel and the types of projectiles that can be fired and best load mark up. What the shooter chooses, I have seen the different used with In Lines More their barrels can shoot different projectiles, with their twist rates. One might find a dual on a smooth bore Shot gun Load VS a Patched Round Ball load to each his own, I do not use them, I look at my ramrods in the empty barrel when purchased, after I verify the barrel is empty. Like I said to each his own, CVA Buckhorn mag, CVA HunterBolt, CVA St. Louis Hawken, .45 Stag Horn I know where the ramrods sit on empty MY CHOICE. I also will tell folks to shut the hell up I am loading, their safety as well as mine. But alas as a result I am often shooting alone, which well is more fun than most will ever know. My dad, RIP, OFTEN more than one occasion which was not many, but a few has said "Boy if your going to be stupid you had better be tough or carry damned good insurance" but alas we was GEN X.