Cheap Strong Ram Rod

[N1YDP]

thanks for the kind reply.i guess i dont explain things to well.i thought that i had a good idea.
but,please,if you go to tractor supply,atleast look at them and see what they are.like i said,maybe they are some kind of composit stuff that mite work.boy,i did'nt know that the word fiberglass was like the four letter word around here.lol.forgive me guys?

 

[Billnpatti]

Jeeze Louise, Ken. Jack knows whereof he speaks. He is a man with a lot of experience and he is worth listening to. Most all of the folks on this forum are pretty darned experienced and want to help you. Don't get your feathers ruffled when someone tells you something different from a favorite idea that you may have. I have been building and shooting muzzleloaders for over 40 years and I still listen respectfully to what others on this forum have to say. I sure don't know it all and if several folks on here tell me I'm wrong, I listen even if I think I may have a great idea. So, sit back, relax and you stand a really good chance of learning some really worthwhile information and advice. But, after listening respectfully to what others have to say, it is your gun and it is your right to do it your way so long as your way doesn't endanger others. We really do want to help. :hatsoff:

 

[Billnpatti]

Aluminum oxide is an abrasive.

 

[N1YDP]

i think its the maine heat getting to me.i'm really easy going.

 

[Zonie]

Aluminum develops a coating of aluminum oxide on the surfaces that are exposed to air.

Many aluminum parts are "anodized" to help them resist corrosion but this anodizing process actually only increases the thickness of the aluminum oxide coating.

Aluminum oxide is extremely hard. It is often used to make the less expensive kinds of sandpaper.

Brass on the other hand does not develop a hard surface coating on it.
Brass is softer than iron or steel so if the two are rubbed together the brass is the material that will develop the wear.

About the only negative about brass is that it is soft.
Being soft, it is easy for hard abrasive particles of dirt to become imbedded in its surface.

These hard particles can remove steel when they rub on it.

Of course, the same thing can be said for wood ramrods.

I was all ready to mention the glass fibers that can easily poke holes in a persons skin and then break off but billnpatti beat me to it.
Anyone who has worked with fiberglass knows how bad those fibers can be.

 

[jdkerstetter]

Thank you sir. Question. Why brass ok aluminum bad?

Yep! What Bill and Zonie said. And the testing prooved it as it abraded more than the other materials....not as much as fiberglass, but more than others.

I.I.R.C. the aluminum was more prone to holding grit too. I don't have the article handy.

I don't use any aluminum cleaning rods anymore and prefer brass or coated steel for cleaning rods....and I'm careful. :wink:

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[schreck5]

Please follow the advise of these fine people and don't feel insulted. Just learn from them. Believe me, I have learned many things the hard way, and ended up regretting it. Ignorance = Unlearned. Stupid = Unwilling to learn.

 

[jdkerstetter]

...please,if you go to tractor supply,atleast look at them and see what they are....

I'm not sure I even want to get near them after what Bill said about 'em! :shocked2:

Seriously though, hang around a while. This heated debate is nothin'. :haha:

There are some other four-letter words, like "subsitute powder" or "12L14 steel barrels". They tend to be two-sided debates though and we've likely those are worn them out....For the time being anyway.

Just keep your head down and try not to get caught up in the fray.....much. :wink:

In your defense, Jack can be as abrasive as your fiberglass rods most of the time. He's an aquired taste......................Just kidding Jack. :haha: :haha: :haha:

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[pargent]

It is hard at times to explain that what has worked for 300 years is still the best way to go to-day , especialy when there are so many shinny new mouse traps to catch the unwary

 

[N1YDP]

"go to tractor supply and get fiberglass poles for eletric fence.they are 3/8 round and i think 4ft long for about $1.50.turn the ends down for the jags to fit and epoxy them on."

Oh, Lord no!!! Fiberglass rods will work but not those rods. :td: I have worked with them and they will fill your hands with glass fibers when you handle them. :cursing: They do not have a smooth finish on the outside like the rods that are made specifically for ramrods. I put up a bunch of fiberglass electric fence poles and at the end of the day, I thought my hands were on fire. It took several days for the fibers to work out of my hands. I'm glad that most of the time I was wearing leather work gloves. I only removed my gloves when I was opening bundles of the rods. If you want a fiber glass rod, buy one that is made specifically as a ramrod. They have a nice smooth finish on the outside that have the glass fibers sealed up inside the rod. My personal preference is a steel or brass rod with a muzzle protector as a range rod. I leave my wooden rod in the rifle thimbles for appearance and use it only for wiping the bore, notfor seating a ball. Fiberglass, synthetics or metal rods made specifically for ramrods are not all that expensive. Do not try to use a wooden dowel from a hardware store as a cheap ramrod. They all have a lot of runout and can very easily break and leave a nasty spear point to ram into your hand or arm. Never take the cheap route if it means giving up any bit of safety.

bill,these ones are coated and when a turned them in my metal lathe it was like sanding wood.it does'nt have long strands,like i said it may not be fiberglass

 

[Stumpkiller]

Not wood? Really? Straight grain hickory makes the best ramrods and has for hundreds of years. Enjoy, J.D.

That's all I use in the woods or at the range. :thumbsup:

 

[jdkerstetter]

...there are so many shinny new mouse traps to catch the unwary

Just like what they say about fishing lures Phill....."They're made to catch fishermen, not fish." :wink: :grin: :haha: Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Stumpkiller]

thats one thing about fiberglass,it dont snap off to a spear!

I had a fiberglass batten break on a sail I was furling and it made a pretty good imitation of a bayonet stuck in my left forearm. I think glass fibers hurt every bit as much or more than wood ones - but they were clear and near impossible to pull out with tweezers.

I have also snapped fiberglass fence posts. They are sensitive to cold (though months in the sunlight are hard on most man-made products).

As for making millions - I volunteer here 'cause I love traditional muzzloaders. The kind with wood rammers! :rotf:

 

[AZbpBurner]

What do you guys think of the 3/8 Delrin 48" rod sold by TOTW?
It's about $15.
I'm looking for a good range rod

There IS such thing as TOO flexible. The Delrin rod I used is akin to stuffing an angry eel down your bore. It flexes to the point of annoyance. It also makes a poor tomato stake.

If you want a great Range Rod, get a 7/16" Hickory blank from ToTW for a couple of bucks, and fit it with a brass or iron end for a couple bucks more. It's gonna be a Range Rod, so you won't be stowing it on the rifle. You won't be flexing or breaking it, either. The larger diameter gives you plenty to hold onto, encouraging you to develop the correct habit of ramming in a straight line. It easily fits down to .50 cal.

 

[AZbpBurner]

who's to say your right and i'm wrong.i dont think your smarter than the the people that make gun products.do a search for ramrods and most of them are fiberglass.

I don't doubt for a second that I'm significantly smarter than the legion of folks who have made gun products, and are now long gone because of product or marketing failures, or that a better product with more thoughtful design was made by a competitor.

To simply assume that a manufacturer is the foremost authority regarding their products can often be disproven with little effort.

 

[jdkerstetter]

....The Derlin rod I used is akin to stuffing an angry eel down your bore....

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: BEST LINE OF THE DAY!!!! Oh, the visual!!! Thanks very much!!! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: Enjoying it, J.D.

 

[Adui]

who's to say your right and i'm wrong.i dont think your smarter than the the people that make gun products.do a search for ramrods and most of them are fiberglass.

Actually most of the ones Ive seen on any make from any manufacturer were polymer, or more commonly Delrin. Cheap material and darn near unbreakable.

However, thanks for the post I had often considered doing just what you've suggested. Now I get to read the reasons why not instead of screwing up my cheap old Traditions rifle that I cant afford to replace.

 

[nkbj]

Thanks for the heads up on tractor supply. Sounds perfect for the long fifty cal smooth flinter critter getter.

 

[razorbritches]

I make all my rammers from small saplings, mostly privet from a thicket on my property. I have a huckleberry rammer in my 62 been goin strong for a while. I like sapling rammers because the grain all runs one direction(no runout) does anyone else use saplings for ramrods

 

[jdkerstetter]

Not me. Hickory splits only. Straight grain, no run out, very strong and flexible. Enjoy, J.D.