How do you waterproof a wooden ramrod

[fire bear]

I have a new to me .45 caplock with a wooden ramrod. I went to the range for a short session a few days ago and it was very hot and humid. I use a range rod so the wood rod stayed in its place on the rifle. While cleaning the rifle I probably sloped some water on the rod. Bottom line is when I was finishing cleaning and checking things out I discovered the ramrod was stuck in the stock. I got it out with the help of a pair of pliers and have sanded it down back to "slide in size" but it is obvious to me that I need to seal it with something; what suggestions do you have for a sealer?

 

[deerstalkert]

bees wax or renaissance wax. i use both regularly. just coated one while watching a ww2 movie.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a first coat of tung oil, let dry, then a coat of carnuba wax. Rewax as needed.

 

[French Colonial]

I just oil mine, usually with Ballistol.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

True Oil gun stock finisher, use your fingers. Dab it on and wipe it off, let it dry. Acts as a sealer. Steel wool to make it smooth. Makes a killer stock sealer too.

 

[dave951]

Boiled linseed oil, let it soak in. Finish with renaissance wax.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Almost any oil that is safe for wood will help, or just Johnson's paste wax.
However, the issue you describe is probably more of a matter of the rifle stock swelling from humidity than the rod. This is a fairly common problem and easily solved with a long drill carefully used to enlarge the hole in the stock. This will probably require removing the rear thimble for the process. Get expert help if you don't feel comfortable doing it.

 

[waksupi]

Something I learned over the years of experimenting with different finishes, none are water proof.

I use bear oil on my ramrods, as it penetrates better than anything else I have tried. Some recommend a kerosene soak, but that evaporates away. Plain lard, or raccoon oil is a fair substitute for bear oil.

Don't start drilling the stock. Taper the ramrod end. Best practice for ramrods, is to shave them down so they easily go in and out of the thimbles, even when soaking wet. If it won't stay in the thimbles, heat the ramrod and put a slight bend in it to retain it in place. Having a ramrod stuck on a hunt can ruin your day.

 

[deerstalkert]

should you determine that you need to modify the rr hole in the stock, get a dowel just smaller than the hole. split the end for 2 inches. cut a piece of sandpaper, cloth backed preferred, insert it into the slit in the dowel and with a drill motor run it into the rr hole for a few passes.
this will rid the channel of any splinters or irregularities that ma hang up the rr.
just my process.
include waksupi's advice of tapering and enjoy.

 

[fire bear]

Thanks everyone for your answers, I wanted to hear what you all were doing before I did something stupid. Fortunately for me I have some bees wax, tung oil, carnuba wax, Ballistol, True Oil (unless it has dried out), boiled linseed oil, paste wax (maybe not Johnsons), kerosene, and raccoon oil (I’m too chicken to touch the wife’s lard) on hand (the joys of being an old fart with wide interests). I’ll pull the barrel before I start resizing the ramrod channel partly because it has a poured nose cap (it’s a Tingle build) and partly because I have tapered the ramrod with sandpaper and steel wool and it is fitting ok. Thanks to your input I am going to try a three step process: 1 raccoon oil, 2 after it is dry a coat of boiled linseed oil, and 3 after that is dry a beeswax rubbing. If this turns into a sticky mess I’ll let you know.

 

[david w]

There are several good answers. I myself, have used bear oil in the past. the object is to block the pores of the wood so it limits the amount of humidity it can absorb.

 

[SDSmlf]

I am a big fan of using real Tung oil (not the Tung oil finish that may not any significant amount of Tung oil in it) for wood finishing including stocks and ram rods. I apply a few coats of Tung oil that is cut 1:3 with mineral sprits to all parts of the stock, including the lock mortice, barrel channel and ram rod hole when finishing a stock. Seems to seal everything up. Apply same to ramrod. Any gun stock (and ramrod) that has seen heavy use is touched up every so often with the 1:3 mixture to seal up the scratches and gouges. Adds ‘character’ over time and keeps everything sealed without using wax, which I have never found to offer any real protection from the elements.

 

[deerstalkert]

Fire Bear, i don't think i'd reshape the rr channel if the tapered rod is working well. 1 you may disrupt the poured nose cap and 2 you only have a thin web between the barrel channel and the rr tunnel. when in doubt,(i am always in doubt) do the least needed. just my perspective from having created nightmares by doing "just a little more".

 

[SDSmlf]

I discovered the ramrod was stuck in the stock. I got it out with the help of a pair of pliers and have sanded it down back to "slide in size"

should you determine that you need to modify the rr hole in the stock

@fire bear, you are dealing with a ‘new to you gun’ don’t know the history of the gun. I would work the the ramrod like you have already successfully done so it fits the stock. For now, I suggest leaving the stock alone, although modifying the stock may work with your current ramrod, hard to say how the next one will fit. General rule of thumb with muzzleloaders and many other things that go together in life is to modify the least expensive and easiest to replace component. As you already figured out, that is the ramrod in this case. I would leave the stock alone for now.

 

[FlinterNick]

Successive coats of Varnish mixed with reducer.. 30/70/ 50/50 and 100% varnish will created a locked up coating.

Hickory although is a very tight grained wood that doesn’t absorb water very much. Ash is a great wood for rods but tends to have more open grains, Ramine is just as pliable and dense grained as hickory. White Oak and Holly Oak work great for ramrods.

I use my wooden rods to clean my guns, they’ve never had any dry rot or logs.

Varnishes were a lot more common on original period guns that people think. It was usually a mixture of alcohols, linseed, pitch and hardening gums Such as Venice turpentine.

 

[FlinterNick]

Thanks everyone for your answers, I wanted to hear what you all were doing before I did something stupid. Fortunately for me I have some bees wax, tung oil, carnuba wax, Ballistol, True Oil (unless it has dried out), boiled linseed oil, paste wax (maybe not Johnsons), kerosene, and raccoon oil (I’m too chicken to touch the wife’s lard) on hand (the joys of being an old fart with wide interests). I’ll pull the barrel before I start resizing the ramrod channel partly because it has a poured nose cap (it’s a Tingle build) and partly because I have tapered the ramrod with sandpaper and steel wool and it is fitting ok. Thanks to your input I am going to try a three step process: 1 raccoon oil, 2 after it is dry a coat of boiled linseed oil, and 3 after that is dry a beeswax rubbing. If this turns into a sticky mess I’ll let you know.

Soaking the rod in Kerosine or Lemon Oil makes the rod more pliable to avoid breaking, will not water proof it.

I would use a plain tung oil varnish.

Straight Tung Oil will only work if it is soaked into the rod, not a practical solution.

You can dip the exposed ends (assuming they’re not tipped) in a mixture of bees was, pine Rosen and caranuba. Beeswax, Carnuba and pine Rosen is used to waterproof wooden canteens.

 

[FlinterNick]

I have a new to me .45 caplock with a wooden ramrod. I went to the range for a short session a few days ago and it was very hot and humid. I use a range rod so the wood rod stayed in its place on the rifle. While cleaning the rifle I probably sloped some water on the rod. Bottom line is when I was finishing cleaning and checking things out I discovered the ramrod was stuck in the stock. I got it out with the help of a pair of pliers and have sanded it down back to "slide in size" but it is obvious to me that I need to seal it with something; what suggestions do you have for a sealer?

I always dry off my ramrods for a few hours then coat with mineral oil. This keeps the rod from sticking.

 

[josie wales]

I broke a few rods in my 50+ years of hunting. The rod I use now I heated with a hair dryer and kept applying Paraffin wax to it until it would hold no more. I did that 25 years ago and the same rod is still going strong...... even with my Grandson using as a drum stick!

 

[SamTex1949]

I just use good Old Johnsons paste wax and work it in till my hands get very warm. them use an old soft cloth and work it again till things get warm ! Easy to do while watching a movie on TV. This has been repeated many times over the years.

 

[1BadDart]

Minwax wipe on poly.