Yes, I've seen them, wooden with a steel rod through the middle and made for whatever length you need. Worth the money I think; http://www.periodramrod.com/gordy said:
Last edited by a moderator:
Fixed my broken ramrod
- Thread starter S.Kenton
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
matt denison
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2004
- Messages
- 1,786
- Reaction score
- 14
There are commercially available replacement ram rods made for your gun. Call The Gun Works in Sprinfield, OR. (thegunworks.com) TOW, or Dixie, they all have them. They are fiberglass, the correct length for your gun and correct diameter for the pipes. Cheap too. I replace all of the ram rods on Boy Scout guns with them.
If all else fails (not in stock) go to October Country (octobercountry.com) and John will make an indestructable one that will fit your gun perfect.
If all else fails (not in stock) go to October Country (octobercountry.com) and John will make an indestructable one that will fit your gun perfect.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
- Reaction score
- 89
WADR, I don['t like fiberglass or "plastic" ramrods for anything. The brown fiberglass ones I have seen used are too rubbery, and flop around, smacking into things as the guy is trying to load his gun. Yes, they are unbreakable, but that is about their only virtue. Steel chips can imbed into the surface of these rods, as will silicon grit. That turns the fiberglass rod into a bit of a "FILE" which I don't want near my barrel. I can easily clean my Stainless steel rod of such debris, but its far more difficult to get this kind of grit out of fiberglass. :hmm:
There is Nothing wrong with using traditional Hickory for a ramrod. If you get a rod that has straight grain, without "run-out", it will last for generations of use, with minimal care. No, you don't need, nor want, to soak that rod in kerosene, ( fuel oil) for any reason. Soaking the wood does not make the wood more flexible, or stronger. I have a hickory rod in my rifle, now going on over 32 years in age. The rod is fine. I did note that the brass fitting on the end of the rod is working loose, probably because I have not used it for several years leaving it in my dry home. However, I can soak the end of the rod in a bottle of water for 24 hours, and that will tighten up the wood again. Nothing is coming loose. The rod is as flexible today as it was when it was brand new.
I do own- and I bought it as soon as I could after getting the rifle-- a Stainless Steel Range rod, made of one solid piece of steel. I did have a friend make a "door-knob" style handle for it, which we pinned to the rod permanently, using a chunk of scrap brass, making that end of the rod much heavier than when it wore the wooden disc that came with the rod from Treso.
Nothing wrong with their handle- I just didn't think it would last very long, nor stand much pulling before it splintered, cracked, and broke. I use my Range Rod for the majority of the loading and cleaning work needed with the rifle.
I use the hickory rod to load the barrel in the field, for follow up shots. Even though I pinned the ferrule on the end of the rod that holds a loading/cleaning jag, I PUSH with that rod- only- I don't do any Pulling work with it, save running cleaning patches down and out of the bore. That means its used to Load PRBs down the barrel- not to pull out dry-balls. MY range rod handles those chores. :v
I certainly respect shooters who replace those ramrods with brass ones, but my particular barrel length would not be fun to shoot if It had a heavy brass ramrod in the pipes. As to objections to aluminum alloy rods( aircraft aluminum) you would have to carve on such rods with files, or very sharp knives to remove any of the metal. I clean all my rods frequently, particularly in use, so that grit and oil and grime don't gather on their surfaces.
I see nothing wrong with using any aluminum alloy range rod. I have one for my fowler. My rod does not corrode at all when its not in use. A wipe down using a cleaning patch sprayed with a bit of oil( Rem-oil, or WD40 work) is all that is needed to protect the rod, and remove any dirt or dust that has gather on it. The, just dry the rod using a piece of paper towel, and its ready to go. :surrender: :thumbsup: If you don't like a "shiny" "silver" rod, you can buy aluminum blacking compounds from Birchwood/Casey. Or the rod can be sprayed with a good black enamel paint. All my Range rods have nylon muzzle protectors on them, that both protect the muzzle from abrasive rubbing, and center the rod in the barrel. I highly recommend muzzle protectors on all rods that are going down that barrel. With a hickory rod, riding in the pipes under your barrel, you can make do with centering the stick in the bore by using your thumb and index finger to hold it centered, as you run the PRB down using a hand over hand technique. Just switch which thumb and forefinger are doing the centering as you switch hands on the rod. Don't grab the rod more than 8 inches above the muzzle with either hand, and you will not bend, nor break that rod using it in the barrel. Take a towel or rag along with you to the range, or field, along with a bottle of water, and a small container of dish soap, so you can clean your hands off, and wash up before handling that steering wheel.
There is Nothing wrong with using traditional Hickory for a ramrod. If you get a rod that has straight grain, without "run-out", it will last for generations of use, with minimal care. No, you don't need, nor want, to soak that rod in kerosene, ( fuel oil) for any reason. Soaking the wood does not make the wood more flexible, or stronger. I have a hickory rod in my rifle, now going on over 32 years in age. The rod is fine. I did note that the brass fitting on the end of the rod is working loose, probably because I have not used it for several years leaving it in my dry home. However, I can soak the end of the rod in a bottle of water for 24 hours, and that will tighten up the wood again. Nothing is coming loose. The rod is as flexible today as it was when it was brand new.
I do own- and I bought it as soon as I could after getting the rifle-- a Stainless Steel Range rod, made of one solid piece of steel. I did have a friend make a "door-knob" style handle for it, which we pinned to the rod permanently, using a chunk of scrap brass, making that end of the rod much heavier than when it wore the wooden disc that came with the rod from Treso.
Nothing wrong with their handle- I just didn't think it would last very long, nor stand much pulling before it splintered, cracked, and broke. I use my Range Rod for the majority of the loading and cleaning work needed with the rifle.
I use the hickory rod to load the barrel in the field, for follow up shots. Even though I pinned the ferrule on the end of the rod that holds a loading/cleaning jag, I PUSH with that rod- only- I don't do any Pulling work with it, save running cleaning patches down and out of the bore. That means its used to Load PRBs down the barrel- not to pull out dry-balls. MY range rod handles those chores. :v
I certainly respect shooters who replace those ramrods with brass ones, but my particular barrel length would not be fun to shoot if It had a heavy brass ramrod in the pipes. As to objections to aluminum alloy rods( aircraft aluminum) you would have to carve on such rods with files, or very sharp knives to remove any of the metal. I clean all my rods frequently, particularly in use, so that grit and oil and grime don't gather on their surfaces.
I see nothing wrong with using any aluminum alloy range rod. I have one for my fowler. My rod does not corrode at all when its not in use. A wipe down using a cleaning patch sprayed with a bit of oil( Rem-oil, or WD40 work) is all that is needed to protect the rod, and remove any dirt or dust that has gather on it. The, just dry the rod using a piece of paper towel, and its ready to go. :surrender: :thumbsup: If you don't like a "shiny" "silver" rod, you can buy aluminum blacking compounds from Birchwood/Casey. Or the rod can be sprayed with a good black enamel paint. All my Range rods have nylon muzzle protectors on them, that both protect the muzzle from abrasive rubbing, and center the rod in the barrel. I highly recommend muzzle protectors on all rods that are going down that barrel. With a hickory rod, riding in the pipes under your barrel, you can make do with centering the stick in the bore by using your thumb and index finger to hold it centered, as you run the PRB down using a hand over hand technique. Just switch which thumb and forefinger are doing the centering as you switch hands on the rod. Don't grab the rod more than 8 inches above the muzzle with either hand, and you will not bend, nor break that rod using it in the barrel. Take a towel or rag along with you to the range, or field, along with a bottle of water, and a small container of dish soap, so you can clean your hands off, and wash up before handling that steering wheel.
Thats exactly how I fixed mine.. 2 pins and a coating of epoxy on all of the mating surface and in the holes where the pics went,I don't think it will break again. I will use it a few more times.. then it will get retired as a backup after I buy a new one.
hanshi
Cannon
All range/cleaning rods I have are ss except for one very old aluminum one. Though wood rods are used with my hunting guns, ss rods are used at the range. Two rifles do have fiberglass rods and one (US M1841) has a ss under the barrel. They all function very well. The fiberglass rods are as stiff or stiffer than wood rods and with bore protectors pose no risk to muzzle crowns.
About all of my hickory rods were soaked a few weeks in kerosene. Whether or not it helps, I don't know. I'm not about to test it by bending them.
About all of my hickory rods were soaked a few weeks in kerosene. Whether or not it helps, I don't know. I'm not about to test it by bending them.
longcruise
70 Cal.
I've thus far done 3.5 GPR kits. Two had broken ramrods right out of the box. :shocked2:
Get a good rod and don't look back. :thumbsup:
A brass rod is a good option.
Get a good rod and don't look back. :thumbsup:
A brass rod is a good option.
Rat Trapper
62 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2006
- Messages
- 2,648
- Reaction score
- 7
Roundball was selling some ram rods on the classifieds here. Don't know if you saw that, but they are gone now. I was able to get the last two range rods he had left.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
- Reaction score
- 89
The Tests soaking hickory rods in kerosene have been done. It doesn't nothing to improve the flexibility. It does make the rod stink of Kerosene for about 30 days after you take the rod out of the fluid.
My former President of my Gun Club bought half a dozen rods at Friendship, then put 4 of them in an iron pipe, filled the pipe with Kerosene, and closed it with endcaps. He left the rods to soak in the pipe over a Winter. The other two rods were stored next to the pipe. The next Spring, we did the " unveiling". All the rods were tested for flexibility. The two rods NOT soaked, flexed just as much as did the 4 rods that spent the Winter in the Kerosene.
This was done back in 1978, and I don't think any member of the club since has bothered to soak a hickory ramrod in kerosene since. I did not yet own a BP gun, so I was a spectator at the time the test was done. Like others I had read stories about this being done to limber up the rods. I didn't know anyone who had kerosene, nor anyone who had ever soaked a rod in it. So, I was just as interested as all the other club members were with the outcome of the test. I think we were all surprised. His 3/8" diameter, 4' rods could be bent into a circle so that the ends could be butted against one another. I don't know what this has to do with making a good Ramrod, but that was the "Test" used to determine flexibility of the wood rods. I would not attempt to do this with a shorter rod, or one that is thicker. :hmm:
My former President of my Gun Club bought half a dozen rods at Friendship, then put 4 of them in an iron pipe, filled the pipe with Kerosene, and closed it with endcaps. He left the rods to soak in the pipe over a Winter. The other two rods were stored next to the pipe. The next Spring, we did the " unveiling". All the rods were tested for flexibility. The two rods NOT soaked, flexed just as much as did the 4 rods that spent the Winter in the Kerosene.
This was done back in 1978, and I don't think any member of the club since has bothered to soak a hickory ramrod in kerosene since. I did not yet own a BP gun, so I was a spectator at the time the test was done. Like others I had read stories about this being done to limber up the rods. I didn't know anyone who had kerosene, nor anyone who had ever soaked a rod in it. So, I was just as interested as all the other club members were with the outcome of the test. I think we were all surprised. His 3/8" diameter, 4' rods could be bent into a circle so that the ends could be butted against one another. I don't know what this has to do with making a good Ramrod, but that was the "Test" used to determine flexibility of the wood rods. I would not attempt to do this with a shorter rod, or one that is thicker. :hmm:
Kerosene dries out. I am not a fan of using it. The best hickory rods I have ever been able to buy were pressure inpregnated with parafin. So far as I know, those are no more and I'm hoarding my remaining last couple. But for new hickory rods, I soak in lemon oil. I made up a rod soaker. It is nothing more than a length of pvc pipe capped and sealed at one end, the other end has a screw cap fitting. I'll put the rod in then fill with lemon oil. Doesn't take much because the rod consumes most of the 1/2" ID. I'll let soak as long as possible, weeks at least, months if possible. Gives the wood a nice color also. Works for me. :v
bull3540 said:
Last edited by a moderator:
Similar threads
- Locked
