Found this perusing the net tonight while bored. This is a bit long, but seemed neat. I dont recall ever seeing one, just remember an advertisement. When you consider all we do to achieve accuracy, ie; weighing powder charges, trying differing charges and endless combinations of powders, primers and bullets, bedding, high dollar scopes and mounts- not much thought has been given by the industry to projectile seating pressure/ depth. Seems like someone other than the folks at the now out of business? KaDooty would have come up with a gauge or device that would accurately measure the seating pressure as it just makes good sense that this would seemingly yield more accuracy. If any of you have your wheels turning, design something that would fit over the end of a ramrod or rangerod and would be less than $100 :wink: Here it is, another interesting read on the subject.
What is KaDooty?
- Sam Fadala
"Testing for varying ramrod pressure effect on a load was actually a no-brainer. The key lay in standard deviation from the mean velocity. Standard deviation is a test for variance. A low number is good. A high number is bad. Because black powder is essentially inefficient, standard deviations are normally low for muzzleloaders, with slight differences in the exact powder charge making little difference in overall results. This is easy to understand. Consider Bullseye, a highly efficient smokeless powder. A mere .10 grain can be detected by a chronograph for some loads in certain firearms. On the other hand, black powder pet loads, such as 50.5 grains volume or 60.7, are a joke, because no muzzleloading rifle shoots great with 50.5 volume black powder but is not worth beans with 50.0 volume of the same propellant. The miniscule difference in powder charge is undetectable in either velocity or accuracy.
No chronograph I know of, regardless of quality, can tell the difference between 50.5 volume FFg against 50.0 or 51.0 volume in velocity. Black powder is simply too inefficient for that sort of result to take place, likewise 60.7 volume FFg, 60.0 or 61.0. The smaller the bore size, of course, the greater the sensitivity to minor powder charge alterations. We see this in modern cartridges as well as frontloaders. The .17 Remington is a prime example - small hole in barrel, big difference in velocity per powder charge. Likewise, a .32-caliber muzzleloader is more sensitive to powder charge variation than a .58 caliber, due to far smaller bore volume in the former, far larger in the latter.
Standard deviations in the five to 20 fps range (from the mean or average velocity) for muzzleloaders are relatively common, so why be concerned about varying ramrod pressure and improved results? Isn't that nitpicking? You bet it is, and nitpicking is what really good shooting is all about. Furthermore, standard deviation leaves the realm of nitpicking when ramrod pressure on the load is severely varied. Once again, we turn to modern cartridges for a comparison. The most accurate cartridges we have, across the board, are shorter rather than longer and somewhat on the fat side instead of slender. For supreme accuracy, they do best with 100 percent load density - a case full of powder. Benchresters consider part of the reason for this a matter of powder charge shape.
It's also a product of consistency. Rather than the charge lying in a trough in the case, it takes a specific shape (that of the interior) every time when the case is full. Frontloaders always have 100 percent load density - the powder charge is always compacted in the breech section, pushed into a column by the front-loaded projectile. Inconsistency enters, however, by how that charge is compressed - a little bit, a lot, or worse than either (accuracywise) varied pressure from one load to the next. Also, black powder burns most uniformly when compacted. This does not mean 100 pounds pressure on the loading rod. Since black powder is impact-sensitive, it's possible, at least in theory, to cause combustion through super compaction. I've never heard of this actually happening; however, it could.
As I studied varying loading rod pressure on a powder charge, I found that standard deviation dropped when this pressure was consistent. Conversely, it rose when ramrod pressure was haphazard. This is where the KaDOOTY? tool comes in. It was invented by Chriss Pace and Ben Guillory of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Ben is a machinist. Chriss's field is systems analysis. Both are muzzleloader fans who found that varying ramrod pressure could make a difference in velocity consistency. So they set out to make a loading tool that would prevent the problem - a practical device embodying much more than powder charge regulation. It turned out to be the KaDOOTY? , so-named because Chriss Pace used that term in place of "thing-a-ma-jig" when he couldn't think of the name of a tool. After the KaDOOTY? was independently tested, the name earned a licensed trademark for a new company called KaDOOTY? Manufacturing, LLC, and manufacture began in Lake Charles. So what is this new black-powder accessory?
In effect, it's a loading rod, but with a difference. Made of solid brass in the good old U.S.A. by union machinists, it comes as a kit - no, not to be put together like a bicycle from Sears - but five pieces boxed and ready to go to work. Each kit is made up of 16 pieces, including a slide assembly (five of the pieces), three rod sections and couplers, small combo seater, large combo seater, large and small bullet puller and an all-thread adapter. If the KaDOOTY? were only a pressure-regulator, it would be good, but it's much more than that, which is better. It's versatile, running 24 inches for revolvers and pistols and 38 to 50 inches for rifles and shotguns.
Plus, there are two different sizes - smallbore and large. The first is called the smallbore KaDOOTY? model; the second is the standard. The standard is for calibers .45, .50, .54 and .58, but will work on much larger calibers as well. The other is for .32, .36, .38, .40 and .44. Quality of workmanship is impeccable. What we have here is a sectional brass ramrod with weighted slide-hammer, plus the parts mentioned in general above, which are specifically three rod sections, three rod couplers, the slide (which can also be used as a T-handle), slide rod, bottom stop (one ring), top stop/crossover (10-32, two rings) thumb screw, all- thread ramrod adapter, small combo seater (four grooves), large combo seater (five grooves), small bullet puller and large bullet puller.
In my own tests, completed some time ago, I used several pressure regulators made for me by the late Chuck French, pen pal of many years. I found 45 to 65 pounds workable. Extensive testing by KaDOOTY? showed 65 pounds more ideal than higher or lower pressure on the powder charge. I also found 65 pounds about right, although I tested all the way up to 90 pounds. The KaDOOTY? slide handle achieves 65 pounds pressure on the charge due to the exact length of the slide rod providing specific " tamp pressure." By using a certain number of tamps, compaction of powder charge is regulated for consistency. Also, if we can believe tests, black powder burns best when under reasonable pressure, so the KaDOOTY? should provide an optimum powder burn to promote full velocity from the charge.
Personal shooting tests are still recommended to find how many tamps a certain firearm "likes" best. This can be decided with a chronograph for velocity consistency (standard deviation), but more importantly, I feel, by shooting from the bench for accuracy, keeping careful records of successive targets until a clear group advantage is discovered. Along with these properties, the other aspects of the tool are prudent conical and roundball pulling using the screws provided. The most impressive part of projectile removal is the ease with which this tool does the job, due to design. The shooter doesn't have to be big and strong to extract a loaded projectile. The rod also works in cleaning the firearm after the shooting fun is over. Also, the KaDOOTY? does not require a shooter to work over the muzzle, but rather from the side of the barrel.
As an extra, a "haversack" with long strap can be ordered with the KaDOOTY? . It's styled after the Civil War model that soldiers carried, and works well as a shooting bag (called a possibles bag these days, although that's the wrong word). The interior of the haversack contains several well-designed pockets that accept KaDOOTY? parts, but are also ideal for other accouterments. The container is a foot wide and 15 inches tall; it's made of heavy-duty, water and mildew resistant cotton canvas, and it closed with buttons. The haversack is also made in the U.S.A. There's a smaller "scabbard", 15 inches high but only 5 inches wide. It's ideal for holding the parts of the KaDOOTY? compactly and intact. It's made of the same material as the haversack.
Impressively, the KaDOOTY? was independently tested by the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana. The work was supervised by Dr. Janardanan Uppot. Dr. Uppot's "Summary and Conclusions" stated that "using the recommended tamps from the table will provide near optimum compression and inevitably an efficient powder burn. As compared to the ramrod, the KaDOOTY? did prove to be the superior method of achieving consistent blackpowder compression. Aside from consistent powder compression, the KaDOOTY? also was effective as a projectile-extracting device."
The company offers a lifetime replacement warranty based on reasonable shooter care and employment of the tool. "Should any part break of fail due to poor workmanship or material flaws, all you have to do is return the damaged part(s) to us and we will send you new ones." If an individual part is lost, it can be purchased separately. That's clear enough. Now, what does this multi-tool cost? The multi-life-time KaDOOTY? runs $150. It's one of those accouterments that you buy once and forget about replacing it - ever.
For more information write to KaDOOTY? Manufacturing, 842 S. Tamela Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70605." - Sam Fadala
RIFLE Sporting Firearms Journal
July 1998
Volume 30, #4 (#178)
Pages 64, 65, 66, 67
Section - PRODUCT TESTS
Article by, Sam Fadala
Information -
[email protected]
KaDOOTY Products - P.O. Box 4682 - Lake Charles, LA 70606
Phone - 337.562.9008 | Fax - 337.477.7502
Toll-Free Order Line - 1.888.TRU-SHOT (1.888.878.7468
oke: :lol:
