ramrod problem

[Dale Grinolds]

First time poster: After waiting forever, I got a drop-in .32 cal barrel from Green Mountain for my .50 cal TC Hawken. But ramrod that came with barrel does not stay in - it's as if it is too small. Any ideas? Hopefully its a simple fix but clearly this is not an acceptable state. Thanks in advance!

 

[Black Hand]

First time poster: After waiting forever, I got a drop-in .32 cal barrel from Green Mountain for my .50 cal TC Hawken. But ramrod that came with barrel does not stay in - it's as if it is too small. Any ideas? Hopefully its a simple fix but clearly this is not an acceptable state. Thanks in advance!

Tie a strip of leather around the front ramrod pipe (through the hole). It will take up the extra space.....

 

[dodgecummins01]

Some of the TC's have a spring attached at the last screw hole on the under rib. If your 50 has it just transplant it the the 32.

 

[Billnpatti]

There should be a spring on the bottom of the barrel near the breach that is supposed to hold your ram rod in place. If you have a spring on the bottom of the barrel already, all you need to do is to raise it up just enough to hold the rod in place. If it is not there, you will need to get a new one and install it. I wouldn't use the one on your original barrel because you are going to need it on there when you use that barrel. Besides, you might have to bend it to work with the .32 barrel and it then would not be set properly for the original barrel when you went to replace it. If there is no screw hole, you will need to drill and tap a hole in which to put a screw to hold the rod retaining spring in place.

 

[roundball]

Any ideas?

I accumulated a number of GM drop-in barrels for T/C Hawkens and I'll pass on the two things I learned to do with GM vent liners and ramrods:

1) I throw every GM vent liner into the trash and replace them with the redesigned/improved liner TC uses;

2) I remove the cheap GM ramrod, put an attachment on it like a patch retriever, and set it aside using it only for that purpose at the range forever more...and have October Country make me a strong 3/8" brass under barrel ramrod.

NOTE:
With your barrel already being so heavy due to the tiny caliber, if you get a brass rod get a tubular one, not a solid brass one due to all the extra weight that would also add.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Bend the rammer slightly. If it's wood use heat from a hair drier (or fast rubbing with a rag) and then steady, gradual pressure. Just a slight bend will keep it tight in the thimbles.

 

[roger sells]

I am like Stumpkiller! When I build a rifle and have a loose ramrod, I use three books which I lay two on the floor the correct distance to support the rod one book at each end. Then. I lay the third in the middle on top of the ramrod causing the rod to bend in the middle. You will need to use books thick enough to bend the rod enough, but not too thick as to break the rod in the middle. Leave it in place for several days and check and see if you have enough bend in the rod to cause it to rub on the thembles when installed.
Roger Sells

 

[roundball]

Gentlemen, unless GM has made some changes, for at least the past 10 years I've never seen them use a wooden ramrod.

All of my GM barrels have arrived with either a black colored hard anodized stiff tubular aluminum with silver tips made by the Knight Co.....or, they've come with a piece of that whippy space age plastic spaghetti noodle material.

And on one occasion the 3/8" ramrod was actually a 5/16" rod somebody packed with the barrel by mistake.

 

[buttonbuck]

on my 32 ibs that sits on a tc 54 hawken stock I had to bend the metal tab nearly to 60 degrees to hold the rod in place I managed to loose one in the timber and found it 2 weeks later. Those spring steel retainers have a dozen or so bends in them and then they are gone. sometimes they snag on the ramrod thimbles I would go with the leather lacing idea. keep it simple!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Gentlemen: Carry your rifle or shotgun with the muzzle up in the woods, and fields. If you have an Accidental Discharge, into the ground, the projectile(s) can hit a rock you can't see, and ricochette either back at you, or towards another human. When was the last time you found people floating around overhead? An AD into the air is not likely to cause harm to anyone.

ERGO, is not carrying your gun Muzzle Up the safest way to carry the gun???

And, if the muzzle is pointed upward, how does a ramrod fall out of the forestock and thimbles??? Without you knowing it??? :shocked2: :hmm: :hatsoff:

I also recommend using boot lacing wrapped around one or more of the pipes to keep small rods in larger pipes. The lacing works, and can be easily replaced and removed as needed.

 

[R.M.]

I'd rather be shot in the foot than the head, plus, when it's raining, muzzle down is the way to go.

 

[roundball]

Never up...horizontally or down...people who march in parades carry guns on their shoulder muzzle up

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't do a lot of traveling in the rain. If I have to, I tape the muzzle, or cover it with saran wrap and a rubber band, but still carry it UP. I stand in the rain a lot, and that is when the gun is under my poncho, with the muzzle down. That keeps water from running down my stock and getting into the barrel mortise, and lock mortise.

I realize other member's experience is different than my own. I have explained my choice based on safety issues. I found out, the hard way, that carrying a gun muzzle DOWN when you are moving, is a great way to plug that barrel with mud and leaves, if you stumble and fall, or slip. I have accident reports where someone's gun fired into the ground, and a projectile ricocheted off a hidden rock and injured either the shooter, or someone near him.

Carry your gun as you want. I only hope you don't ruin a hunt, or worse, by having an avoidable( ie. Preventable) accident. They don't happen often, but its always a shame when they do occur.

 

[hanshi]

folks claim that in my case it doesn't make any difference. :rotf:

 

[jethro224]

The ramrod that came with the barrel SHOULD be the right size for the thimbles. I agree you need to check the spring at the end of the rib. Might need to bend it up a little bit. Or get a wooden one with a bit of bend to it. :thumbsup:

A 3/8" brass rod won't work in a .32 caliber barrel. You'd need a 5/16" rod.

The whippy plastic noodle GM rods are junk.

I carry my rifles either way depending on the situation. Usually muzzle-down. If I get into a crowd the muzzle goes up. If I get into a slippy situation the muzzle goes up. If it rains the muzzle stays down.
While it is true that an AD into the ground might hit a rock etc. and ricochet unpredictably, a ball/bullet launched into the air can be just as dangerous. I have read of accidents involving both scenarios. :v

 

[SAJones]

Actually, losing a ramrod in the thick brush & timber ain't that hard. Had it happen once, & spent a couple hours backtracking. Went home, made a new one, & next day going back over the same track the original ramroad poked it's head up & said "HI". Anyway, the cord tie in the thimble got smoothed out, so the tapered ramrod slipped out rather easily. I have a thin leather tie in it now.

 

[roundball]

Tape on the muzzle keeps the bore clear and dry.

I don't hunt muzzle up for a couple of reasons...the main one is that it's too hard to walk through the woods with a barrel up in the air...the other is a discipline not to do it so I don't forget one day and let water run back into the pan and kill the prime without knowing it.

Now I will admit to having the muzzle up when I'm reloading...