Making wooden ramrods

[outdoorman]

I have a question I need an answer to that I have never thought about before. I usually make my wooden ramrods out of hickory, but today I saw some dowel rods made of oak. Would oak make a good ramrod, or should I just go ahead and order some more hickory?

Thanks for your answers.

Outdoorman

 

[Mean Gene]

Heck try it out for a few years then let us know how it worked.

 

[Black Hand]

Hickory...

Oak might work if the rammer is thick (1/2" or thicker), but I don't believe it has much shear strength or resistance to bending. Hickory is stringy and flexible. While Oak has been used to make bows, it is not a first choice or go-to wood for bow makers. Either way, I'd avoid commercial dowels as they are cut with no regard for grain orientation, a feature I see as essential for strength.

 

[kansas_volunteer]

Travelers on the Santa Fe trail would stop at Council Grove in Kansas, there's now a town there, and make ramrods along with other chores. In those days it was the last place along the trail with a reliable source of wood before heading out onto The Great American Desert. The area lacks hickory, although there would have been hickory not far back up the trail. Ash and Oak would have been most common, as would Hackberry, so ramrods were likely made of these. Dogwood grows in the area, and is very straight and tuff. Ramrod length cuttings of dogwood are almost the right diameter as is, and wouldn't be hard to trim to exact size. Indians made arrows of dogwood. Chokecherry is another option in the region, amongst less common growth. Hickory makes excellent ramrods, but isn't absolutely THE wood for ramrod. Consider that in Europe ash is used for almost everything Americans use hickory for.

 

[Larry Akers]

Consider that in Europe ash is used for almost everything Americans use hickory for.

Maybe that is because Europe doesn't have hickory trees.

 

[outdoorman]

Black Hand,

I don't know that I would use any of these dowel rods for the reason you have given, as I have always used hickory in the past. I was just looking at them today and started wondering.

I would think in a pinch oak could have been used. As Kansas Volunteer said, ash would be tough enough. We have some ash trees that didn't survive a storm over the summer. I may go out and extract some pieces and try my luck with them, too.

Outdoorman

 

[Black Hand]

Dogwood grows in the area, and is very straight and tuff. Ramrod length cuttings of dogwood are almost the right diameter as is, and wouldn't be hard to trim to exact size. Indians made arrows of dogwood.

I make arrows from Dogwood - it will tolerate some bending but will break if taken too far. In the thickness needed for ramrods, I would not use Dogwood unless it was an emergency. The problem is the numerous small side-branches that can be present - they create weak spots in the shaft where the breaks start.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I've been using an oak ramrod on 2 rifles for about 3 years now....one is 3/8" and the other is slightly smaller than 3/8 diameter...works great no complaints....
Just choose a piece with nice grain, no run-out and some flex.

Oh!... and they are dowels from a lumber store....selection and inspection is key....I have 3 more suitable dowels sitting in the cabinet...I sorted through close to a hundred to find the "cream of the cream"

 

[rijerolmon]

I just sawed some .5x.5 in. blanks from the outer edge of an Ash plank. The outer edge will show "close" growth rings, quarter sawn logs will produce the "rings" at or close to straight across the boards. Plain or flat sawing will produce this at or close to the center of the log. This grain configuration is the choice of many cabinet, furniture and flooring suppliers due to it's straight grain stability and surface appearance. In recent years Ash and Hickory have been big in these markets. Often you can buy edgings and shorts from these sources, as well as shopping for hardwood flooring. The added feature is that this material is kiln dried. Saw your blanks, pack them into a length of PVC pipe to protect them and use them at will.

 

[Archer 756]

:hmm: Just was wondering why ALL post and beam construction use OAK BEAMS must be STRONG :idunno:

 

[Black Hand]

:hmm: Just was wondering why ALL post and beam construction use OAK BEAMS must be STRONG :idunno:

Are you making a strength comparison between a 12-14 inch (or larger ) beam with a 3/8 inch dowel used as a rammer? The forces at work on the two are not very similar nor do they function in the same way...

 

[coloradoclyde]

:hmm: Just was wondering why ALL post and beam construction use OAK BEAMS must be STRONG :idunno:

The largest and fastest wooden sailing ships ever built were also made from oak...

I also have a hatchet with a oak handle that I made.....It works every bit as good as ash or hickory....

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Eastern White Pine from Maine was the main source for ship's masts during the 1700's and 1800's in the colonies. So much so that there is NO old growth white pine today in Maine. Was one of the primary uses for them because they grew straight and tall.

Maybe if we had a really tall rifle we could try one as a ramrod??? :hmm: :youcrazy:

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[kansas_volunteer]

I wouldn't use just plain lumber yard dowels without checking them out carefully. I've found with dowels if I run my fingers along them I can feel the fuzzy feeling places where there is grain runout. I'd would try to get some with no run out, but if I had I'd take some with very little runout. The grain can be oriented in the actual ramrod so as if it breaks the direction of the splinter will be away from the hand. Of course using a hand over hand pushing of the ramrod will do a lot to minimize the chance of breaking.

Menards sells hickory lumber in their mill work section. It could be a source of ramrod material. Tropical wood might work very well. I have some dagame, or lemon wood that has a super fine grain. It can be made into bows, as I will be doing, without regard for grain orientation. It's color is not all that different from hickory sap wood.

I think it best to split pieces for ramrods as the split will follow the grain. The split pieces can be straightened and made into ramrod with very little or no grain runout.

 

[Elnathan]

Consider that in Europe ash is used for almost everything Americans use hickory for.

European ash is different from American ash, for what it is worth. The European stuff is rather better, I believe.

 

[Zonie]

I can't really comment on European ash or even other American ash tree wood but I can comment on a Arizona or "Shammel" Ash. I have one in my front yard that's been growing there for over 40 years.

The branches are very brittle.
Even a 1/2" diameter dried branch can easily be snapped without hardly any pressure at all using my bare hands and I am far from being muscular.

There is no way I would use this trees wood for a ramrod.

 

[omarick1948]

I think the best and more traditional way of making a ram rod, was to split the wood (hickory or any other) lengthwise. Using hardware store dowels for ram rods is a good way to skewer your hand! If you have been using HWS dowels, consider yourself lucky!

Rick

 

[Katahdin]

I'am with Rick,,save your body ,buy a good ram rod and save the E/R visit and all the fun that goes with it.Not to point out the healing,pain and being pointed to at the range. Save the copper and spend the gold !!What ever doesn't kill you makes you smarter,,,or those around you,,
We start out life with two pots,one is full of Luck,the other is empty of experience,the idea is to fill one before we empty the other,

 

[outdoorman]

What started as a flash thought has turned into an interesting thread. Thanks to all who have answered or some who may still answer.

I have always ordered hickory blanks from Dixie Gun Works, and have always played the caution card regarding dowel rods from hardware stores. Read too many horror stories about that.

I would CAREFULLY inspect any of these oak dowels if I was to ever try one, but I won't rule out looking. I prefer the hickory, as I have never had one break on me in my almost 30 years of muzzleloading. Why tempt the gods of luck?

Outdoorman

 

[Katahdin]

Flash thoughts are where head slaps start, the flash thought is followed by the head slap with the DUH!! why didn't I think of that or how did I forget that!! Some things are just to make us think or remember, good from time to time.I find if it is something I do frequently,I'am more likely to start doing it by reflex and get in trouble quicker,got the scars to prove it,, My scars are like birthmarks but have a story to go with them. be safe and shoot more often.