Metal Ramrods

[redneck]

there is a co. making a steel core wood rod . costs 45.00 plus shipping cant remember there name. or mine for that fact [email protected]

 

[cynthialee]

Just reading these stories about impaled hands is enough for me to be sure to dig out my brass range rod every time. The idea of a wooden spear through my hand is not one I relish.

 

[FishDFly]

I have pulled 2 wooden rods from forearms since I became an EMT. I carry supplies in my truck, bandaging and cleaning liquids.

PC/HC, I do not care, wood is for fire starting, brass is for guns, line use or in the woods.

 

[Billnpatti]

They are absolutely not period correct. Neither are protective eyewear or ear protection but common sense tells us to wear these things when we are shooting any kind of gun. Wooden ram rods are the ones that are period correct. Another thing that is most likely period correct is impaled hands from a broken wooden ramrod. If you are in a situation that calls for extreme period correctness and prohibits ear and eye protection and requires the use of wooden ramrods, all I can say is do all you can to compensate for the lack of these things and learn how to use a wooden ramrod as safely as it is possible to use them. Personally, I refuse to be all that period correct and avoid those muzzleloading activities that do not allow safety glasses, ear plugs/ear muffs and metal or synthetic ramrods. To me, it just ain't worth the loss of an eye, permanent loss of my hearing or serious injury to my hand from impaling it on a broken rod. But, that is just me. To each his own and you gotta do what you gotta do.

I learned my lesson many years ago in the service. Back then ear protection was not required and in most instances was not even available. I did a LOT of shooting without any hearing protection and now I am paying the price. I have ringing in my ears 24 hours a day. Once your hearing is damaged, it is permanent and nothing can be done to make those crickets go away.

 

[Wes/Tex]

I learned my lesson many years ago in the service. Back then ear protection was not required and in most instances was not even available. I did a LOT of shooting without any hearing protection and now I am paying the price. I have ringing in my ears 24 hours a day. Once your hearing is damaged, it is permanent and nothing can be done to make those crickets go away.

That's two of us partner it's not just hard rock that'll make your head ring when you get old and grey! :haha:

 

[Barry Duggan]

WILL NOT BREAK as long as the grain is correct

Wish that were true. :shocked2:
They can break and dangerously so.
Must be used properly and with as much respect as a loaded gun.

I got a permanant reminder of a broken ram rod from a 45 cal TN MT rifle while 2 1/2 miles back in the swamp. Dragging a deer, carrying a long rifle and bleeding is bad enough but when you see a big 10 point watching you do it laughing because your guns halfway loaded is salt in the wound. Ram rods break and go thru hands..

As bad as they had to hurt, I sure hope those wounds are period correct.

 

[Swede50]

If someone would either answer the phone or get rid of the crickets I would be verry gratefull.
I had a jerk shooting between my table and the table he was suppose to be using.
I did not have any ear plugs (my mistake) after he shot about 5 shots with his hopped up .308 reloads I could not hear anything.
It wasn't untill I got back home about 1 hour later before I could hear anything.
That was more than 5 years ago.

People please use hearing protection and not wood ramrods for loading your rifle.
If I didnt have a heavy coat on during a winter target practice I would have been inpailed with the wood ram rod I was using when it snapped.

 

[cynthialee]

My right ear has lost about half the range it is supposed to have from shooting rifles at a young age without ear plugs.
I always were my ear plugs when practicing now. But when I am hunting I do not wear them. I need to be able to hear in the forest.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Been there; done that; now have a right ear hearing aid!! :wink:

 

[crockett]

Dixie Gun Works has a lot of info in the back of their catalog and if I recall there was something about soaking a wood ramrod in coal oil (?) for an extended period of time which made it flexible and prevented snapping. Never tried it and have no idea if period correct.

 

[Paul_R]

If I were to soak a rod in coal oil (or kerosene for that matter) I guarantee I would never break it. Because I would never touch the stinking thing! :shake:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Dixie Gun Works has a lot of info in the back of their catalog and if I recall there was something about soaking a wood ramrod in coal oil (?) for an extended period of time which made it flexible and prevented snapping. Never tried it and have no idea if period correct.

The 'stuff' (I won't call it info) in the back of the DGW catalog is not gospel. It is loaded with errors. A lot is OK but enuf is incorrect and misleading so that one must read with extreme caution, especially where safety issues are concerned. e.g. they say if a nipple won't fit use any size and just force it in and cut new threads as you go. :youcrazy: Don't.

 

[AZbpBurner]

My right ear has lost about half the range it is supposed to have from shooting rifles at a young age without ear plugs.
I always were my ear plugs when practicing now. But when I am hunting I do not wear them. I need to be able to hear in the forest.

You may want to seriously consider a pair of the electronic ear muffs. I have 2 pair & they both have stereo mics & adjustable volume - crank them all the way & you can hear a deerfly fart at 50 paces.

Amplified hearing, then immediate shutoff when a shot is fired - can't get any better than that for your ears.