Ramrod material choices.

[Rifleman1776]

Wood is more abrasive than Delrin or metal rods when used for long-term, repeated cleaning due to the fact that it is more porous and particles embed

Agree. However, this thread has so many issues that can be replied to I have, up to now, deferred.
Wood is probably not harmful to barrels unless you are using something with a high silica content. e.g. Osage Orange.
Delrin does not attract and hold grit.
Stainless steel, as in BB test, can maybe wear barrels.
But, isn't all this talk mute for most shooting with the use of bore guides?
I clean my wood rods with lemon oil after use and even wipe them during a shoot.
I wipe off my Delrin and it does leave dirt on the cleaning cloth. Same with my stainless range rods.
I use Delrin or stainless for safety. Wood is used for ronny, reenactments and display.
Sorry some here don't do much shooting. It is fun. At a club shoot we fire 20-30 times. With swabbing and loading and final cleaning, the rod gets probably 100-200 swishes up and down. Being careless could (probably) do wear damage to a barrel.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Even if we did manage to cause barrel wear with a ramrod, what kind of dammage would we be talking about?
If we are just talking about muzzle or crown dammage, then recrowning would be and easy fix.

And then there are coned barrels? :idunno:

 

[cynthialee]

Even if we did manage to cause barrel wear with a ramrod, what kind of dammage would we be talking about?
If we are just talking about muzzle or crown dammage, then recrowning would be and easy fix.

And then there are coned barrels? :idunno:

It would seem to me that this crown damage thing would only occur after thousands of shots rammed home with a microscopically gritty rod. (I am sure most of us would wipe off obvious grit and grime before loading)
I simply do not shoot that much. I may go through 1000-1500+ bullets in an active year of shooting, and that will be spread out amongst a number of guns.

I may be wrong, but this doesn't seem like a valid concern for a casual shooter.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Even if we did manage to cause barrel wear with a ramrod, what kind of dammage would we be talking about?
If we are just talking about muzzle or crown dammage, then recrowning would be and easy fix.

And then there are coned barrels? :idunno:

I grew up in this game hanging around some of the best competitive shooters ever in the history of post-1930 ml shooting. They were (many still are) incredibly obsessive about everything related to their guns and accessories. At the suggestion of barrel wear they would be getting their guns freshed or have new guns built. The theory was any wear, however minimal, would affect the 'X' finding ability of their rifles. Meaning, whatever wear happens to your rifle, or you imagine happens, is important only to you. Those who get paper plate accuracy at 50 yards and say "that is good enough for me" probably don't worry about it. But those who only accept 'Xs' at 100 yards might jump off a cliff with the fear of any muzzle wear. Nines and possibles don't make it when running with the big dogs.

 

[larry wv]

I ruined a Renegade barrel years ago. Used the ramrod that came with it and no guide. :redface: Young and DUMB but I had to cut about 3 inches off the barrel to get to a good spot to start over. Larry

 

[coloradoclyde]

I shot competitively for years so I know exactly what you’re talking about. I beat many shooters and was beaten by many shooters that were better than me and had better equipment. At the end of the day the only factor that really mattered was the person behind the trigger. Everything else that we do regarding accuracy is an attempt to compensate for this. :v

 

[matt denison]

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

I have a story to tell about not taking the rammer out for a shot at the long gong. It's funny now but wasn't at the time.

 

[M. De Land]

Since I got a bore scope (25-x) I have been able to see what cleaning rod wear looks like in a muzzle crown.
It happens right at the very end but on top the lands and is very hard to see end on.
I call it peening not wear and believe that cleaning rods, improperly used, ruin accuracy more than any other cause, unless muzzle protector/bore guides are used.
There was a reason that muzzle loading guns were freshed out rather often in the Day and ram rod wear from field use, I believe, was one of the main ones.
One more point, measuring wear accurately in a crown is almost impossible with a caliper or mic, even when a lead slug is made. MD

 

[larry wv]

Don't forget Laffindog you owe us a story. :grin: Larry

 

[Wes/Tex]

Don't forget Laffindog you owe us a story. :grin: Larry

Till he does, I'll bore you with mine. Once upon a time...actually, in the late 60's one of the guys shooting at the range in Houston forgot his wooden ramrod and got a 6 with it but missed the target with the ball! The rest of us butted heads and agreed to let him have the 6 for the shot!! Big whoop! Now, back to your regular programming!! :wink: :rotf:

 

[Rat Trapper]

Since I got a bore scope (25-x) I have been able to see what cleaning rod wear looks like in a muzzle crown.
It happens right at the very end but on top the lands and is very hard to see end on.
I call it peening not wear and believe that cleaning rods, improperly used, ruin accuracy more than any other cause, unless muzzle protector/bore guides are used.
There was a reason that muzzle loading guns were freshed out rather often in the Day and ram rod wear from field use, I believe, was one of the main ones.
One more point, measuring wear accurately in a crown is almost impossible with a caliper or mic, even when a lead slug is made. MD

Very well written. Another reason to use a nylon bore guide over a brass one. Those brass one can get away from you and slide down the rod and ding the crown.