How do you waterproof a wooden ramrod

[1BadDart]

In the late 80's I bought a GPR kit, the ram rod had a place where the grain made an abrupt turn. On about the fifth loading it broke. It was replaced with a fiberglass one.

The rod that came with my Virginia kit has a place where the grain turns at a long angle, I'll probably replace it just for piece of mind.

 

[user 48702]

With all due respect, two full pages related to waterproofing a wooden ramrod? I think it's time to move on.

It's a more interesting topic than a stuck ball. I'm enjoying reading about the different methods others use, who knows I might learn something. I've found if there's a certain topic that bores me, I just pass it by.

 

[Sooty Scot]

While you are sealing the rod, put a strip of cleaning cloth in the split end of tha undersized rod/dowel. Secure the cloth; dip it in your favorite wood oil/grease; and either hand spin it up & down the rod hole a few times to seal the sides of the ramrod hole. That wood may be absorbing moisture & swelling, too.

 

[waksupi]

In the late 80's I bought a GPR kit, the ram rod had a place where the grain made an abrupt turn. On about the fifth loading it broke. It was replaced with a fiberglass one.

The rod that came with my Virginia kit has a place where the grain turns at a long angle, I'll probably replace it just for piece of mind.

Fiberglass is bad medicine in a bore. Take your barrel out of the stock, and rub that fiberglass back and forth on the steel where it won't be seen. You should be able to see you could actually saw a barrel in half with one of those. I'll try to find the pictures I have of demonstrating that.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

My whole rifle gets a Ballistol wipe down before back in the buckskin cover.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

if you haven't oiled or waxed the ram rod yet . there are some finishes that can seal. the wood. Believe it or not, wood turners often use Crazy Glue to seal wood. , it also leaves a hard surface. Then waxing or oiling the ram rod will help seal out dampness as well. The fumes get nasty so take precautions like doing it out doors. It is a very frequent finish on much handled items like pens and handles.

 

[Rifleman1776]

believe it or not, wood turners often use Crazy Glue to seal wood.

Woodturner here. While true,, this certainly would not be recommended for ramrods. Sealing a decorative, or lightly used item with CA is OK. But, CA dries brittle. Depending on it to hold for use on a ramrod is a very dangerous idea, IMHO.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Woodturner here. While true,, this certainly would not be recommended for ramrods. Sealing a decorative, or lightly used item with CA is OK. But, CA dries brittle. Depending on it to hold for use on a ramrod is a very dangerous idea, IMHO.

writing pens are hardly lightly used items. CA glue is used because it is more durable than many other finishes
Manufacturers use hard sealed finishes on ram rods all the time.

 

[user 48679]

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

Tarnation ! Use it all ! !

 

[Brokennock]

writing pens are hardly lightly used items. CA glue is used because it is more durable than many other finishes
Manufacturers use hard sealed finishes on ram rods all the time.

A pen doesn't need to bend/flex, rebound, and get rubbed against a steel muzzle and rifling.

I do use it on some "hard use" items. The edges if bamboo/cane ball bag spouts, and often the top of an applewood branch plug for same. Powder measures..... list goes on.
But nothing that needs to remain flexible. And, never enough for surface build up. I use the thinnest ca I can find and soak it in.

In the same vein, the o.p. could try some Massey Finish. I've used it on bows and arrow shafts.

 

[DuncNZ]

Mine have all been soaked in Creosote for 4-5 months .

 

[Rifleman1776]

Manufacturers use hard sealed finishes on ram rods all the time.

Fancy, shiny, glitzy stuff is a marketing thing. Does not mean good.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Mine have all been soaked in Creosote for 4-5 months .

For decades, can't creosote for love or money here. 50 years ago, I had a summer job with the state fish commission and we went around painting all their signs and posts with creosote. Really smelly nasty stuff. Skin contact causes rash and chemical burns.

 

[DuncNZ]

It works as do rubber gloves , and the smell fades with time

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Gun oil. Wipe off the dirt and wipe it with gun oil. Wipe off the excess.

 

[Dixie Flinter]

I just oil mine, usually with Ballistol.

I do the same.

 

[david w]

I do the same.

I use Ballistol on both my ramrod and stock.

 

[Ames]

I use enough mink oil when target shooting that it seems to take care of ramrods as well.
That said, two points. # 1. I don't hunt in the rain with a two-thousand-dollar gun, so I don't worry if my rod is waterproof. I would worry about the gun.
#2 Ram rods are $4. I don't worry about them at all, I have a closet full of new ones. Seal it with whatever you have handy. Just saying.

 

[david w]

I use enough mink oil when target shooting that it seems to take care of ramrods as well.
That said, two points. # 1. I don't hunt in the rain with a two-thousand-dollar gun, so I don't worry if my rod is waterproof. I would worry about the gun.
#2 Ram rods are $4. I don't worry about them at all, I have a closet full of new ones. Seal it with whatever you have handy. Just saying.

I use nothing but the best ram rods, and cull out the ones that have any grain run out at all. I stabbed my hand once when a inferior quality rod broke. Never again. The culls can be used for dowels.

 

[Colonial Boy]

Interesting thread, I’ve read every post.
I’ve made a few rods over the years.and have sealed some of them with Estapol synthetic varnish (polyurethane) but mostly I just give them a rub over with raw linseed oil, never had any trouble.