Ramrod question

[Flintlock]

Use a spit patch every so often, ok maybe not the same patch, you can bring several. I also use smaller diameter balls' no sense fighting them.

 

[MountainRanger]

"Use the big end to ram the ball! Several of my guns have tapered ramrods you describe. The big end is used for ramming balls. The small end with the brass tip is only used for screwing in jags or other attachments."

Of course I do that. It's the small end, the tapered, tapped end that is relatively sharp that is difficult to fully ram. That is why I drilled a small hold part way into my short starter to use it for a final tamp once I fully pushed the ball down onto the powder. During one sequence, the rod snapped right at the metal/wood junction.

I like the idea of tying some tow around the end of the rod to swab. I think this is a crackerjack idea! Thanks :hmm:

 

[Black Hand]

I like the idea of tying some tow around the end of the rod to swab. I think this is a crackerjack idea!

I can't take credit for the idea as I found the information elsewhere though don't recall where.

As a clarification, the tow is not tied around the rod. The string is tied to center of a bunch of tow which is pushed down the barrel with the rod (the string is your retrieval device). If you wish to attach tow to the rod, make a worm from coat-hanger wire. The worm is coiled so it is slightly smaller than the end of the rod, "screwed" onto the end of the rod and the tow wound into the worm. The wood rod gets a track burnished by the worm and is held in place by friction. You can also do this with a metal end.

I've used this method in the field and it works quite well. Just rinse the tow when done and allow to dry for the next time. Conceivably, one could tie tow to both ends of the string and use one damp to clean and the other to dry.

 

[nhmoose]

"Use the big end to ram the ball! Several of my guns have tapered ramrods you describe. The big end is used for ramming balls. The small end with the brass tip is only used for screwing in jags or other attachments."

Of course I do that. It's the small end, the tapered, tapped end that is relatively sharp that is difficult to fully ram. That is why I drilled a small hold part way into my short starter to use it for a final tamp once I fully pushed the ball down onto the powder. During one sequence, the rod snapped right at the metal/wood junction.

I like the idea of tying some tow around the end of the rod to swab. I think this is a crackerjack idea! Thanks :hmm:

Wipe more often is the way to do it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Some brass ramrod tips are drilled to small for the ramrod...I open them up and taper them allowing for more wood to slip into them.

I also leave my jag attached to the rod and swab between shots.....whether I'm hunting on the range or a woodswalk...
I load with my cleaning jag.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I've repaired it with epoxy and refinished it seemingly good as new

:shocked2: The "seemingly" part is the killer hiding in the shadows.
A broken rod is junk. Some people seem to want to get married to their rod. Don't let that happen. Toss and replace.
A brass rod would work fine but is heavy. Consider a synthetic. Not fiberglass. Delrin works fine. Or a good hickory. They are to be found but are rare.

 

[mooman76]

It was an idea born of aggravation. I've seen fellows trying to ram a ball with one of those black noodles and I've gotten a chuckle out of it. This is the first rod I've ever broken (and cracked). I am inclined to stick with either the wood under barrel rammer or my bench rod I guess.

I really appreciate the nice input :thumbsup:

I've got one of those limp noodle ramrods. I don't care that much for them either but all said and done, they seem uncomfortable to use but still they do the job. There are some synthetic rods that aren't limp like those.

 

[Gene L]

I made one for my .32 out of Ramin, I believe. I flexed it good before buying it and it didn't break and made a good rod. For .50 caliber, a 3/8" ramin works fine. And you can get them at any hardware store for a buck-fifty. Just make sure they flex well.

Plenty of hickory around here, but I don't have the means of reducing it to the proper size. I've got plenty of Osage Orange, too, and in odd moments have considered splitting off a chunk and working it into a square then a round rod...but I don't have the means for that, either. I think it would be cool, though.

 

[Black Hand]

A hickory shoot should be easy to work.

Alternately, a hand-saw and axe/hatchet should reduce a larger piece (even a sapling) to a manageable size before working with a scraper, plane, rasp and sandpaper. One could make a rammer with just a knife without too much trouble.

The easiest Hickory source for me was the lumber store (no Hickory grows in MT). I picked a 3/4" board that had the most grain running parallel to all sides and then cut 3/4 x 3/4" blank on the tablesaw before working with hand-tools.

 

[Gene L]

Getting a hickory shoot 40" long would be hard around here.