Do you use a muzzle protector?

[roundball]

Do you use a muzzle protector?

At the Range only.
For Hunting only.
Both Range and Hunting.
Neither Range nor Hunting.

 

[Robby]

Roundball, Yes, To both range and hunting, though I have not yet needed a follow up shot while hunting. But then, I also have never doubled up on deer either. :hatsoff: That was awesome!
Robby

 

[roundball]

Must have been living under a star all year...sure helps ease memories of some lean years. What's really unique is not only the double, but it happened at first shooting light, first day of the season, first time out with the new Virginia...can't even imagine the odds on such a thing happening.

 

[nchawkeye]

Nope, never seen the need...

 

[Marc Adamchek]

This is an interesting question, posted right at the time I was wearing out my bald spot scratching my head so much pondering it (the question, NOT my bald spot). I think this issue came up on one of these forums recently. For the life of me, I couldn't/can't remember reading anything at all about using one of these, and from all the posts it seems like I might be the only one. Why would you need to use a muzzle protector? The ramrod(wiping stick) is WOOD, the barrel STEEL. Please tell me what I've missed. Truly, I would hate to be endangering any of my muzzles on any of their barrels.

 

[roundball]

Well...the poll was just an interesting exercise.
But to your question, ramrods are not only made from wood...they're made from steel, brass, fiberglass, synthetics, etc. And muzzle protectors / muzzle guides are as much a part of the muzzleloading landscape as ramrods themselves...plus, accelerated wear tests have been performed which actually found that wood can be the worst offender of all.

An anology:
Top quality Easton XX75 aluminum arrows are incredibly smooth...as smooth as glass...but repeatedly drawing and shooting them on the steel arms of a top quality shoot-through arrow rest will eventually wear/cut right down through both of the 1/8" thick steel arms.

Your first thought is how can that be..."aluminum is softer than steel"...it's because friction is friction...and every time an arrow is drawn then released there is about 5 feet of surface rubbing/friction taking place every time. It is so commonly known in archery that inexpensive replaceable slip-on nylon sleeves are made to protect the expensive steel arms on the arrow rests...replacing them every so often instead of the arms themselves.

Same with a 3-4 foot ramrod...the only difference in muzzle wear from different ramrods is based on the different material the rods are made from...they all cause wear because friction is friction.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I always use one to protect the crown of the muzzle. This is not only when I load, but also when I clean the rifle. Damaged crowns do not make for better groups.

 

[Robby]

Nchawkeye, Just for the heck of it, I took a clean hickory ram rod and rubbed it on one of the corners of a GM barrel. GM uses a fairly hard steel, the ram rod had none of the gritty build up of a well used rod, and I only did a 6-8" back and forth on it, about twenty times. That isn't even one cleaning session for me. I wear bi-focals, but even I could see an indication of wear. Eventually it will affect accuracy.
Robby

 

[LRB]

Wood and soft metals like aluminum and brass can pick up grit. It gets embedded in them, and then causes wear of the crown over time. I use a muzzle guard anytime that I have time.

 

[LRB]

Wood has a trace amount of silica in it. That is why saw blades wear out.

 

[PaulN/KS]

My steel range rod has a brass muzzle protector on it.
I hunt so rarely,(and shoot even less when hunting), that the wooden rods on my rifles pose no threat to the muzzles.

 

[hanshi]

Must have been living under a star all year...sure helps ease memories of some lean years. What's really unique is not only the double, but it happened at first shooting light, first day of the season, first time out with the new Virginia...can't even imagine the odds on such a thing happening.

I arranged that for ya' :wink: ; didn't want you to go lean again. :rotf:

At the range I use a ss rod and it has a nylon muzzle guard on it. Hunting means only one - three shots, anyway. Even small game hunting requires only a few shots. Don't use them in the woods.

 

[Ketchakah]

Only with a steel rod. Not with my wooden ones.

 

[Jason Lewis]

at the range on my target rifles especially the long range rifle since cleaning and loading are accomplished with the same rod. otherwise i always use one for cleaning and maintenence. in hunting i use wooden ram rods and don't shoot often... especially this hunting season where i have been consistant... at being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

Roundball - MANY Thanks for the explanation and education. Changing one's perspective a little can indeed make the murky clear. A valuable lesson, and I again thank you. - Marc

 

[Canuck Bob]

Lapping plates in machine shops are made of stabilized cast iron. Lapping works because the git embeds itself in the softer plate and it doesn't move while it abrades the harder tool steel being lapped. I remember thinking this is stupid. The lap plate was amazingly accurate after many years of abrading hardened tool steel, very tough stuff.

It is the same principle as a leather strop. The softer piece is very abrasive with the presence of any grit in the softer structure.

 

[Flint311]

I don't use one, but don't get to shoot at the range or game as much as I'd like. But, when cleaning (or just checking how well I cleaned), I keep my fingers over the muzzle to center the rod and not contact the barrel.

 

[longcruise]

That jives with what I was told years ago. Was told to always have your rod made of a harder steel than the barrel.

 

[cgg]

I use stainless range rods for my rifles and always use a brass or aluminum muzzle guard while loading or cleaning. I make my own on the lathe at work :thumbsup:

I just use the wooden rod with the rifle to reload while deer hunting. That only amounts to a couple reloads a year. If I was small game hunting and reloading in the field more, I'd probably use a guard there too.

 

[Tom Compton]

The selections left me out soooo chose range only.

When hunting, I load at camp or PU with range rod. The only time a wood rod enters my barrel is when reloading after shooting game.