Fowler/shotgun ramrods

[Onojutta]

I'm nearing completion of a Chambers English fowler kit and need to make the ramrod soon. It's a 20 gauge (.62 cal) and will be used for both shot and round ball. The ramrod channel is cut for 5/16" rod which is on the small side compared to a ramrod for say a .50 cal rifle. So what's the most appropriate style of ramrod to use for a mid-18th century fowler/shotgun? I could just leave the 5/16 rod straight, I could taper a 1/2" rod down so that it has a flare or "club" at the muzzle end, or I could use a flared brass "trumpet" fitting on the muzzle end. Thanks.

 

[deerstalkert]

I just made one for the fowler i am building. I bored the channel 3/8" and used 3/8 thimbles reamed out slightly and polished inside. the entry pipe actually stayed at 3/8 and was polished and align bored to match the channel perfectly. the middle thimble was reamed and polished to a 13/32".
the forward thimble was reamed out and polished to 7/16. I tapered the rod to fit and once the forearm is slimmed to finish size and the nose cap poured, i will put a trumpet end on the rod.
the other end of the rod is just going to be finished wood.
in reality i am going to council the guy buying this one against using the slim rod and will make him a robust one that won't break at the worst moment. this is going to be a working gun used for most of the year.
mine also is a 20gauge.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Track sells tulip heads that look good and work very, very well. The other end can have a tapered threaded tip for a tow worm. Log cabin makes very good tips and worms.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I'm nearing completion of a Chambers English fowler kit and need to make the ramrod soon. It's a 20 gauge (.62 cal) and will be used for both shot and round ball. The ramrod channel is cut for 5/16" rod which is on the small side compared to a ramrod for say a .50 cal rifle. So what's the most appropriate style of ramrod to use for a mid-18th century fowler/shotgun? I could just leave the 5/16 rod straight, I could taper a 1/2" rod down so that it has a flare or "club" at the muzzle end, or I could use a flared brass "trumpet" fitting on the muzzle end. Thanks.

A tapered ramrod, if you can make one, certainly!
On one of mine, the builder had attached a 4” length of horn which is nicely flared and carved. It looks and works very nice. Also consider a jag attachment piece for other end.
(I don’t use this original old rod much, only with wadding and no round ball because it’s not replaceable, and use a custom range rod for this 53” barrel instead.)

 

[rich pierce]

The narrower rods for fowlers were designed to seat wads. If a gun is intended for tightly patched round ball shooting, a 3/8” rod is safer for most shooters. I like a flared rod on fowlers. Otherwise card wads can get edgewise while seating.