Ramrod difference??

[yonderin]

I agree with your statement and might add that anything added or taken away will effect how a rifle performs.If you can't take something away you can cancel it out by adding weight to the barrel. A thick heavy barrel is used in target rifles because of this very thing. Muzzle loading rifles by their nature are heavy barreled therefore It is logical to think that something the weight of a ram rod should make little difference to the accuracy of the rifle? Am I right? I don't know but I don't worry about the weight of a ram rod when I am shooting>

It wouldn't seem likely just due to the weight which should remain consistent particularly with a non-wooden ramrod. But anything else that might affect the barrel vibrations could.

Right off the top of my head, I can't recall the optimum spot in the barrel harmonics (whip) the projectile should leave the muzzle.

Most important, it's consistent from shot to shot. Whether 5 minutes or 5 days between shots. Anything that changes that should have an effect, even if it still performs to our satisfaction. A number of factors affecting internal ballistics.

 

[Shortfingers]

On a half stock muzzleloader, have you noticed a difference in accuracy with the ramrod in the thimbles vs out of the thimbles when shooting? As soon as I get a chance to shoot again I’ll try it myself. Until then, I’d like to hear from y’all.

I’ve never noticed a difference unless you leave a jag on the end or the ramrod somehow extends past the end of the barrel.

 

[LME]

It wouldn't seem likely just due to the weight which should remain consistent particularly with a non-wooden ramrod. But anything else that might affect the barrel vibrations could.

Right off the top of my head, I can't recall the optimum spot in the barrel harmonics (whip) the projectile should leave the muzzle.

Most important, it's consistent from shot to shot. Whether 5 minutes or 5 days between shots. Anything that changes that should have an effect, even if it still performs to our satisfaction. A number of factors affecting internal ballistics.

I think you misunderstood what I meant by weight? I should have been more clear.
I was refering to the thickness of the barrel not the weight of the ram rod. most muzzle loading Rifles have a thick barrel which does nullify a lot of vibration in the barrel which is what harmonics creates and it can effect accuracy. I used a bull barrel on My Anshultz rifle which I used in competition . The only reason was the bull barrel toned down the harmonics. Muzzle loaders work on the same principle.Does it get rid of all the vibration? I say no it doesn't but then again nothing is 100% even tuners on barrel can't eliminate it all but it can get it so close you will never know it is there! It becomes a non_factor!

 

[yonderin]

I think you misunderstood what I meant by weight? I should have been more clear.
I was refering to the thickness of the barrel not the weight of the ram rod. most muzzle loading Rifles have a thick barrel which does nullify a lot of vibration in the barrel which is what harmonics creates and it can effect accuracy. I used a bull barrel on My Anshultz rifle which I used in competition . The only reason was the bull barrel toned down the harmonics. Muzzle loaders work on the same principle.Does it get rid of all the vibration? I say no it doesn't but then again nothing is 100% even tuners on barrel can't eliminate it all but it can get it so close you will never know it is there! It becomes a non_factor!

Sorry, since the OP was about the effect of a RR I kept on going down that path.

Absolutely, barrel profile affects potential accracy. A heavier barrel reduces barrel whip, I also read that a shorter barrel can produce better accuracy than a longer of similar profile. Using the same barrel, change something very much and noticeable effects may be found. My very first load I made for my .30-06 produced a 3 shot cloverleaf at 100. Fairly mild load and I never saw quite the same with different loads.
But when I found a load that produced 1 MOA, that was always good enough for my hunting purposes.

My overall point was that anything that affects barrel harmonics may affect repeatability. Even the effect of a ramrod stowed under the barrel as per the norm.

As long as the shooter is happy with his results, it may or may not be enough of a factor to be concerned about. But something to bear in mind if you're trying to shoot the fleas off a dog's arse way out back of beyond.

 

[Patched]

Ah, my fellow theoretical physicists, articulate forumites, nimrods and know-it-alls in denial…here comes my anecdotal evidence on the subject…
As the owner of no less than 13 half-stocked muzzleloaders/inlines all with open/aperture sights…accuracy is not effected to any degree that can definitively be attributed to the ramrod in or out of its furrels below the barrel…In other words theory says yes it does…but iron sights, round balls and patches , sabots , powder lot variations all prevent knowing definitively if it is in fact the ramrod…because they shoot accurately within their limited range and purpose.