Question on ramrods.

[majg1234]

I have made several ram rods with the ends from TOTW that KAPOW linked.Until I used these my ability to pull a stuck ball or conical was miserable.Using the TOTW screw thingy I've yet to fail :grin: even a conical that was left in a TC GreyHawk for over 2yrs :redface: came out using a leather thong with a knot like SK showed.Be sure to pin and epoxie or glue the ends on though!!!

 

[Kapow]

You should listen to this guy he obviously knows what he is talking about! :bow: :grin:

 

[kingsax26]

As a new owner of a Lyman GPR kit let me warn you...that wooden ramrod isnt that great. I had mine break the third time i used it ...so i got another in hickory from TOW..that one just broke as well...so now i decided to switch to a Delrin rod.....IThey are not pretty and they may not look correct...but correct is no good when you run that rod through your hand...leave the wood rod at home for the beuty pageant... however i ahve yet to use a delrin rod ...it hought i would give it a shot

 

[Rifleman1776]

Somebody has been listening to my sermons. :grin:
Lightly sand that rod to take away the shiny outside. Will look much better.

 

[splinter84]

when this wooden one eventually cracks and gives out

You seem married to that rod because Lyman made it. It is yer rifle and rod, do wat floates yer stick. Hope you are happy together for a long time. My view is a rod is a stick and tool. Nothing special, mystical or romantic about them. I have dozens of rods for back-up, special purposes and, often, loaning to others. Am I obsessed? Dunno. :idunno: Ask my shrink. :haha:
Do not expect your rod to wear out or break with normal usage. It might outlive you if not abused.

I don't know what is wadded up inside your britches for you to react to my post the way you did. I was simply going off of past history of others on this forum about their experiences with hickory ram rods. I don't even have the kit completed yet. I was just asking a simple question on how this type of rod would be designed to pull PRB from a barrel.

 

[kingsax26]

He didn't have any thing waded up any where....he merely stated that you seemed like u really wanted to use that ram rod...I thought the same thing. Don't rush to conclusions..and chill.I seriously doubt anyoe truly cares enough about what ran rod u use...to be insulting to you

 

[splinter84]

He didn't have any thing waded up any where....he merely stated that you seemed like u really wanted to use that ram rod...I thought the same thing. Don't rush to conclusions..and chill.I seriously doubt anyoe truly cares enough about what ran rod u use...to be insulting to you

Understood....I was trying to come up with a solution that wouldn't require an additional purchase. It seems that a eange rod isn't a bad investment.

 

[kingsax26]

Now... for the task at hand... If you go to October country and search for delrin rod you will come up with a few selections.... They are cheap durable and effective.... And it will set u back about 10$ each.... Buy two one in your rifles ram rod size and another... Trim one to fit your rifle length and leave the other long.... Attach a handle and presto! U have a range rod... and won't have to worry about skewering your hand. Just remember... They are ugly to be sure..... But effective

 

[splinter84]

Thanks for the tips Byron. I will check out October country.

 

[eaglesnester]

Do not use that ramrod for anything. Throw it away immediately. If you attempt to use it I guarantee it will break with the possibility of running the splintered end through the palm of your hand. Ask me how I know. The grain is almost absent and the longitudinal strength of that rod is almost non existent and the brass threaded ends are not pinned and they can come off when trying to remove a ball. Then ya got more problems. Do yourself a favor and buy a custom rod from Track of the Wolf or Possibles shop.

Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester

 

[Rifleman1776]

Do not use that ramrod for anything. Throw it away immediately. If you attempt to use it I guarantee it will break with the possibility of running the splintered end through the palm of your hand. Ask me how I know. The grain is almost absent and the longitudinal strength of that rod is almost non existent and the brass threaded ends are not pinned and they can come off when trying to remove a ball. Then ya got more problems. Do yourself a favor and buy a custom rod from Track of the Wolf or Possibles shop.

Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester

Eagle, I hope he listens to you.
I tried to go into the Delrin rod business quite a few years ago. In fact, I believe I was the first to offer Delrin rods. At the time all I could get was white Delrin, not a popular color with our crowd.
As time went by I tested many materials for rods. The requirements were: strong and would not damage bores. And, hopefully, would look good with the traditional ml crowd. I tried some phenolics that looked like wood, really nice. But they didn't have any real lateral strength.
Then I was able to purchase Delrin in black and went with that. But by that time the big dealers in the ml trade were selling Delrin at prices I could not compete with. So, even though I am out of the business of selling Delrin rods, I am still a preacher of it's benefits. Other than being a non-traditional in material or appearance, it is everything one would want in a ram rod. Strong, non-harmful the bore and safe to use.
Nonetheless, the same mindset as the "It ain't blowed up yet" crowd exists with some regarding ram rods. They insist on using dowel rod made of mystery woods imported from strange lands or the, equally strange, rods that come with their imported factory made rifles. I wish them well and only hope good first aid care is nearby when their rod breaks.

 

[chazz1975]

Why does the NMLRA still insist on wood ramrods for their matches? I would love to have a delrin or similar synthetic looking ramrod for shooting events and not have to worry about one snapping and breaking. I have a brass one on my T/C hawken, but that adds A LOT of weight to it. I also have a Pedersoli Dixie Penn Rifle, and would like to replace its ramrod with a synthetic, as I have noticed a dent/divot in the rod, but I like shooting the primitive matches with them. I understand the fixed sights, but really what difference does the ramrod make with the rifle?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Why does the NMLRA still insist on wood ramrods for their matches?

Show us the rule that says that. You can't. They don't.
But some of the primitive or rendezvous events might have such a rule. I do keep wood rods for use when historically correct is required. I also use a smaller ball and sacrifice potential accuracy for safety.

 

[JMiller]

I recently purchased a Lyman trade rifle, and found the ram rod to be in need of replacement. The ends were threaded onto the rod, but were not even glued, let alone pinned, and came off too easily. and it seems it was made from some flimsy dowel wood, that doesn't seem like it's going to hold up too well. I replaced it with a delron rod, it doesn't look the best, but, it's a much better ram rod than what Lyman provided, which I will keep and find a use for it. I'm surprised Lyman skimped on the quality if the rod when the rifle itself is top notch.

 

[chazz1975]

The primitive matches do indeed have such a rule.

9070”“RAMRODS”“Ramrods for Matches 602, 603, 609, 622, and 626, must be a traditional ramrod made with material readily available in the period
1750-1840. Those materials are wood, iron, horn, antler, brass, and bone. Non-traditional material are stainless steel, fiberglass, plastic, and so forth,or handles or parts made of aluminum, nylon, plastic, or such. Whether materials like these are traditional in style or not, they are not allowed.

Downloaded from their website last night.

 

[Black Hand]

Why does the NMLRA still insist on wood ramrods for their matches? I would love to have a delrin or similar synthetic looking ramrod for shooting events and not have to worry about one snapping and breaking. I have a brass one on my T/C hawken, but that adds A LOT of weight to it. I also have a Pedersoli Dixie Penn Rifle, and would like to replace its ramrod with a synthetic, as I have noticed a dent/divot in the rod, but I like shooting the primitive matches with them. I understand the fixed sights, but really what difference does the ramrod make with the rifle?

Using a non-traditional ramrod on a BP rifle is like using a rubber chicken as a hood ornament on a Ferrari. Doesn't go....

Many ramrods (on production guns) are made of some other wood and/or have grain runout. A straight-grained hickory ramrod is far tougher than they are given credit for and will work very well. That said, a wooden ramrod can break if used improperly, though a good hickory rammer will take a considerable amount of abuse.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The primitive matches do indeed have such a rule.

9070”“RAMRODS”“Ramrods for Matches 602, 603, 609, 622, and 626, must be a traditional ramrod made with material readily available in the period
1750-1840. Those materials are wood, iron, horn, antler, brass, and bone. Non-traditional material are stainless steel, fiberglass, plastic, and so forth,or handles or parts made of aluminum, nylon, plastic, or such. Whether materials like these are traditional in style or not, they are not allowed.

Downloaded from their website last night.

That's fine and I acknowledged the primitives might be separate. The broad statement that NMLRA prohibits I knew to be incorrect.

 

[Zonie]

Folks need to understand that the NMLRA holds a lot of different matches.

The "Primitive" match is exactly what it says it is. The guns must be as they were back then.

Other matches often allow more modern equipment to be used in the competition.