Firing the ramrod down range.

[ratpatrol]

well, I saw a few cleaning rods fired from M16s in the military....kids will be kids

 

[jdw276]

Was standing talking to a gentleman and out of the corner of my eye i see a target frame i built break down. I then hear "i just shot my ramrod. Oh my god!" Yep, found 3 of the 4 pieces and repaired the target frame. This was 3 months ago. He still hears about each match.

 

[Musketeer]

If you have a musket with a steel rammer, firing it out might work well for spear fishing.

 

[LME]

I can tell you for a fact that a ramrod fired out of the barrel will sure shake the snow off of a bush.

It would also cause you to ruin a perfectly good pair of underwear!

 

[dave951]

I have witnessed one ram rod sent down range. N-SSA match in Winchester. Rapid fire match. Much recoil, much noise, target was missed. Not recommended.

ADK Bigfoot

Part of the N-SSA lore is the team that decided to all shoot their ramrods in a volley at the sound of the horn. Positively wrecked the pigeon board.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Yep...a good friend of mine shot a ramrod out of one of my guns.
I believe he actually hit an hedge apple at 30 feet doing that too...LOL
Rick talks about it at the 4:50 time mark below...LOL

 

[Loyalist Dave]

One can almost picture it Load, fire, walk out, retrieve ramrod,load,fire repeat. Wonder if they were sticking out of the target.

Actually I think it was more, load, fire, search,
search,
search,
....guys back up on the line are getting impatient,
search,
AH HA, walk back, and start loading procedure for next shot.....

LD

 

[Ironoxide]

Yes, I did shoot a ramrod out of my squirrel rifle

There is even a thread on this forum where I have some photos of the replacement I made.

It wasn't with a full load. Just few grains. It was years ago when I was quite new to the sport. I had a tight patch on a permanently installed ramrod jag stuck all the way down the bore. Also I broke the top of the ramrod trying to pull it out.

So eventually, I took the nipple out. I poured few grains of power into the hole tapping my hand on the side of the barrel so it funneled into the bore. Then the nipple was put in and the ramrod was shot out. It broke in half. I don't remember if I hit the target with it

The rifle is fine BTW. It has been one if my most accurate rifles.

Also few months ago I was at the range and a new shooter got his ramrod stuck exactly like I did back then (including broken top). Unfortunately, he managed to do it on top of a loaded charge. He said he'll take the gun to a gunsmith.

 

[towgunner11h]

A co-worker once pinned a doe’s ear to a tree momentarily- with no way to reload, it got away!

 

[Whughett]

A co-worker once pinned a doe’s ear to a tree momentarily- with no way to reload, it got away!

That’s got to be a first ever…………

 

[towgunner11h]

He was a stander in a drive. Missed his first shot, but the doe was confused and “circled back.” His second shot included the rod!

 

[FlinterNick]

why ?.......

 

[rafterob]

I have shot one, I have seen 3 others shot. One of those the guy had an original rifle with a false muzzle. He left that false muzzle on there also. He found the ramrod in two pieces, never did find the false muzzle. Never saw him at our range again. When you shoot a ramrod out, you know something wasn't right because there is a significant kick.

 

[gerryherd]

Clark Gable shot a ramrod in a mountain man flick, as did Charlton Heston or Brian Keith in “Mountain Men”. In real life, getting distracted during loading has caused 2 or 3 rods to be sent downrange at clubs I’ve shot with. Ballistics are expectedly lousy but the rods can penetrate plywood backers, and metal (CW) rods can get turned into corkscrews. Felt recoil is reportedly unpleasant.

 

[Kabulrocks]

I witnessed a friend shoot a ramrod out of a .45 caliber CVA Kentucky rifle. We were shooting BP at the river one day, shooting at mussel shells on the opposite bank. My friend proceeds to load up, aim and fire. We were both perplexed by the unusual splash in the water about half-way across the river. Until he went to reload - we figured out pretty quick what caused the splash. Fortunately, the river was low and slow that day so we could retrieve the wood ramrod. I’m really surprised the rod didn’t break. It must have been solid against the ball when he touched it off.

 

[Capnball]

Mining the clubs 25 yard back stop for lead a few years back. Found several pieces of ram rod including the jag tip embedded in the dirt.
Fired from a gun??
Is that possible or would any one actually admit to it.
I’ve dry balled a few long guns and revolver cylinders, distraction pulled my attention away from what I was doing. But firing a ram rod. ??

The guy is probably still trying to figure out how he lost a ram rod.
Lol

 

[Pukka Sahib]

The guy is probably still trying to figure out how he lost a ram rod.
Lol

Many years ago, a re-enactor at F&I war event (somewhere in NY state) supposedly shot an “Indian”, in the leg with a steel ramrod from a Bess. The guy who told me the story was only upset because the idiot “ruined the event”, when it got subsequently shut down.

 

[Whughett]

The guy is probably still trying to figure out how he lost a ram rod.
Lol

I’ve got the brass jag around here somewhere.

 

[cannonball1]

Have distracting friends, shoot a lot of black powder, after 50 years with smokepoles - - done it more than once.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Didn't one of the fellas in the movie "Mountain Men" kill an "Injun" with a ramrod? I mean, I know that was a movie, but I bet in the heat of battle more than one ramrod got launched at velocity! Thinking I would not want to be down range of it either!

Similar to multiple balls being loaded and not a shot fired.

Things happen.

RM

I believe it was Clark Gable who fired his ramrod in "Across the Wide Missouri". It's pure Hollywood of course since he was reloading and hadn't primed the rifle thus rendering it un-fireable..