Ramrod material choices.

[mahd776]

All the muzzle loaders that I have both percussion and flint are factory rifles from TC, Lyman and Cabela. All came with period correct wood ramrods. I have a fiberglass range rod that I do use when cleaning and at the range. I am wondering what most of you carry on your rifle when out and about and hunting when you actually need to use whats on the rifle? Lot of choices out there. Synthetic, aluminum, brass and sticking with the wood. Suggestions please as I am going to get some new ones in the near future.

 

[Snakebite]

In the woods, hickory ramrods that came with my rifles.

At the range I have a brass rod with a brass muzzle guide.

 

[roundball]

I always get brass furniture on all my muzzleloaders, and replaced every wooden T/C ramrod I ever had with brass, same with the wooden ramrods than came on some long guns I eventually had built, and I use brass range rods at the range.
Just recently got a few lighter, strong anodized aluminum range rods to try having set up with accessories like bore brushes, etc.

 

[galamb]

I only use wooden ramrods for display.

For everyday use - plinking/hunting etc either brass or synthetic (delrin).

I don't need to be back in the bush and bust a rod at the most inopportune time.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use either brass or the stiff brown fiberglass. Many years ago I had a factory wooden ramrod split and a piece ran into my wrist( I still have the scar to remind me.) Since then I make an unbreakable ramrod for every gun. I used to use only brass, but I lost my source of reasonable priced brass rods, so now I make the brown fiberglass rods. I have made some steel ones with 3/16 steel embedded in wood to look like a wooden rod but that is a lot of work. :idunno:

 

[Many Klatch]

All I have ever used is Hickory rods. Even my range rods are Hickory. I do have one stainless steel rod that sneaked into my ownership but I rarely use it.

Many Klatch

 

[Black Hand]

All I use is hickory. If it was good enough then, it is good enough for me now.

 

[Rod Lassey]

Same with Blackhand--just a good wood rammer, I'll also carry a wood wiping stick in the bore (taken out, of course, when shooting :wink: ).

Rod

 

[hanshi]

Mostly ss range rods at the range and mostly wood rods in the woods.

 

[jamesthomas]

I use the 48" 3/8s thick hickory ramrods with a brass bore protector from Track of the Wolf at the range and the hickory ones that are on the gun when hunting. I've never had one break.

 

[Billnpatti]

I really don't like to use the wooden ramrods that come with my rifles for loading. I save them for display. I have several different ramrods that I use in the woods. I have a couple Delren??? Delron??? Whatever the stuff is. It's okay for the thicker rods but is a bit too whipy for use on a .32 or a .36 rod. I have fiberglass rods for those calibers. They are still not as stiff as wood but they don't split like wood either. Since I hunt deer from a blind with my .50 and my .54s, I just use my brass range rods for them. I tried using a brass rod in the thimbles on my .50 but the rod was heavy enough that it kept slipping out of the grip of the spring that holds the rod in place and it would slide out and snag on the ground or brush. I do have a fiberglass rod for the .50 and it will stay in place but since I am in a blind anyway, I just stick with my brass rod with the brass doorknob in the end to protect my hand.

 

[Alden]

I replace the wood originals with synthetic plasticy ones often or use a range rod. I rarely use a wood one anymore... Too fragile and dangerous, and too much of a pain wherever I would be should it snap, or do worse.

 

[roundball]

That was my decision”¦once I saw this on one of my wooden under barrel rods, I switched to brass and never looked back.

 

[rancher]

Use wood both hunting and at the range.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

In the shop, a custom aluminium.
In the woods and fields, hickory.
If I were doing a lot of paper punching, loading from the bench, I would probably use the shop rod with t handle.
As far as the "traditional" rods than come with store bought guns, they are junk in my opinion. Most of the hickory dowels sold as ramrod blanks are also junk.

 

[tenngun]

I use hicory on mine whenever shooting. I have one rifle gun with a 7/16 rod my others use a 3/8 thats been tapered. All my rods are about 1/2 to 1 inch longer then the bore. I have a couple of 7/16 un tapered thats fitted with a tip that will take all my jags for cleaning. I use a wire worm that fits on to any size rod to do swabing with.

 

[phoenix511]

Hickory would be the most period correct material for a ramrod. The dowels from ToTW and others are ramin wood from SE Asia, a strong staight-grained wood, and make great ramrods, but obviously not correct for an American firearm, and tend to over- darken using most stains.

Delrin and other plastics make great ramrods, and not likely to splinter in use. Some say that Delrin, along with aluminum and brass, allow particles to imbed in them and cause undo wear to the bore when used often as cleaning rods.

Stainless steel rods, especially when you wipe them often while cleaning, seem the best. Many ML barrels are softer than CF barrels, and a rod guide is useful in preventing wear at the muzzle.

For hunting, depending on your taste, a wood ramrod would work fine, as would a Delrin, for a follow-up reload. If the game is down, some hunters use a bare ball for a quick, close in, shot, hardly needing much strength in the ramrod.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Wood! I have a steel rod for cleaning. Most of my guns I replace the original rod with a homemade wooden one. I like to make my rods so I can leave a cleaning jag attached and they end up about one inch longer than normal to facilitate easier field cleaning. I have found that keeping the gun as clean as possible in the field takes the pain out of cleaning when I get home.
To me nothing beats the look and feel of wood.

 

[mooman76]

I use about all except brass. No preference to any except don't care for the limp plastic ones but they still do the job.

 

[54ball]

I use wood. If the gun wears it, that's what I use.
You need a straight grained piece as has been said, Ideally from split hickory.

More important though IMHO is knowing how to use a wooden rod.
In short, use very short strokes. Try to never force down more than a hands width of rod above the muzzle at a time.
Use a looser load combo, you'll be surprised how accurate a hand started ball can be.
Know your gun, if it starts to get dirty, swab it out before you stick a ball.
If you do happen to stick a ball. Use very short strokes to tap it down.
Never hammer a wooden rod.
Never take long strokes with one, even when cleaning.

One dis advantage of a unbreakable rod that's used only on the range or for cleaning only, is it's real easy to develop unsafe loading habits that can come back on you when you are using a wooden rod.