Ramrods, Hunting, other than wood ....

[Jedidiah]

I would reckon that under the heat of battle a steel ram rod would be most conducive.

Yes, thousand of military muskets/rifles like Zouaves, Springfields, Mississippi 's etc used a steel ramrod. Seemed to work fine.

 

[French Colonial]

I have a steel ramrod in my 1803.....historically correct and works fine.

I do not care what anyone uses, scaring the bejusus out of newbies making them think their ramrod is going to break at any moment and send them to the hospital........well that is just wrong.

 

[rp77469]

Over the years I've tried about everything: aluminum, brass, Delrin, fiberglass, steel and wood -cherry, ramin, hickory. For over 20 years I've relied on hickory. I finally learned to buy 6 blanks and hope to get two, maybe three, without too much runout. Continuous grain will not break unless you sit on it or back your truck over it.

I also finally learned to take the ramrod completely out of the barrel before turning my wrist. Turning your wrist too early eventually will weaken the rod at the brass tip causing the tip to break off.

I load every shot from the bag with the hickory rod for that gun. I have a metal range rod, but only use if someone needs a ball pulled. My Bess came with a metal ramrod. All the others are hickory.

The last broken rod I replaced involved a young grandson and a pickup truck door.

 

[Jedidiah]

Over the years I've tried about everything: aluminum, brass, Delrin, fiberglass, steel and wood -cherry, ramin, hickory. For over 20 years I've relied on hickory. I finally learned to buy 6 blanks and hope to get two, maybe three, without too much runout. Continuous grain will not break unless you sit on it or back your truck over it.

I also finally learned to take the ramrod completely out of the barrel before turning my wrist. Turning your wrist too early eventually will weaken the rod at the brass tip causing the tip to break off.

I load every shot from the bag with the hickory rod for that gun. I have a metal range rod, but only use if someone needs a ball pulled. My Bess came with a metal ramrod. All the others are hickory.

The last broken rod I replaced involved a young grandson and a pickup truck door.

When you say a "blank" what does that actually mean. Where do you find them?

 

[Innkeeper476]

While I have ramrods of all types I only use Hickory rods when in the field because i will probably only be shooting 1-3 times. I use "range" rods when at the range. it has nothing to do with knowing how to use a wooden rod. It is not rocket science, and many of us know exactly how to use one but still choose to use a different rod on the range etc. One problem today is finding a quality Hickory rod. They are not easy to come by IMHO. Yes, there are hickory rods for sale but that does not mean they are "good" ones, straight grained, no knots or other failure points etc. So, if you have a good one, many of us tend to save it for when we are a field and use other rods when we are at the range. If you have never fallen, tripped etc when you are in the woods/field then you have not been in the field much. It is easy to break a wooden rod, even when you are doing everything properly. IMHO, YMMV

 

[rp77469]

When you say a "blank" what does that actually mean. Where do you find them?

I buy the sticks, 3/8 or 5/16 round, as needed. I've ordered from Dixie and Track. Over the years about half are usable for ramrods. I examine each very carefully for grain runout -wet with mineral spirits to bring out the grain and wear my 2X eyeballs. I have yet to find one with no runout. My minimum standard is 50 percent straight grain at the thinnest point, but still a bit nervous about that number. YMMV, but more straight grain is better.

Some day on a trip to Clark's Hardwoods in Houston, a search through their fantastic collection of exotics will reveal a nice, straight grain, quartersawn hickory board. With a bank loan, it will come home to be split into straight grain blanks. It's not like hickory grows on trees down here.

 

[Jedidiah]

I buy the sticks, 3/8 or 5/16 round, as needed. I've ordered from Dixie and Track. Over the years about half are usable for ramrods. I examine each very carefully for grain runout -wet with mineral spirits to bring out the grain and wear my 2X eyeballs. I have yet to find one with no runout. My minimum standard is 50 percent straight grain at the thinnest point, but still a bit nervous about that number. YMMV, but more straight grain is better.

Some day on a trip to Clark's Hardwoods in Houston, a search through their fantastic collection of exotics will reveal a nice, straight grain, quartersawn hickory board. With a bank loan, it will come home to be split into straight grain blanks. It's not like hickory grows on trees down here.

Thanks, I have also order form the track, but i am not very adept at picking out the straight grained no run out ones! I need to do better.

 

[rp77469]

Thanks, I have also order form the track, but i am not very adept at picking out the straight grained no run out ones! I need to do better.

Aye! Might save a hole in your hand. Wet the wood, magnifiers and plenty of light. The more you do, the easier it becomes, as is true in all things. Mineral spirits won't raise whiskers. I only use water and whisker after the rod is built prior to stain and finish.

I think all of them get their blanks from some mill near Cincinnati. Track culls the worst of the ones they get and sells them as dowel blank bundles once or twice a year. I salvage straight grain from my rejects for shorter barrel rifles or pistols. Everything else becomes dowels for camp boxes I sometimes build.

 

[Jedidiah]

Aye! Might save a hole in your hand. Wet the wood, magnifiers and plenty of light. The more you do, the easier it becomes, as is true in all things. Mineral spirits won't raise whiskers. I only use water and whisker after the rod is built prior to stain and finish.

I think all of them get their blanks from some mill near Cincinnati. Track culls the worst of the ones they get and sells them as dowel blank bundles once or twice a year. I salvage straight grain from my rejects for shorter barrel rifles or pistols. Everything else becomes dowels for camp boxes I sometimes build.

thanks, I will take another shot at the ones I have and see what i come up with>

 

[Butch Martin]

This outfit might be a useful source.

https://www.curbellplastics.com/pro...delrin-homopolymer-acetal/#?Shape=CRBL.SkuRod

Thanks for posting this site!

 

[tenngun]

I’d question the need for a delran rod. When I started shooting black powder I, as most people bought powder one or two pounds at a time. After a few years of hunting and competition the cost saving of buying by the case became clear. The boxes that powder comes in are quite stout so I started saving them. I have three laying around and I’m sure there was two or three that are gone. The point is I have yet to break a wooden ram rod. How you use one is more important than the material.

Don’t try and reach too high on the rod, you don’t need to push down in one long stroke. Short strokes, six to eight inches works great. Even a el cheapo wood dowel will work if a rod is used correctly
Used right a good hickory rod will last a life time
Howsomever lots of people sear by plastic delin rods
They just ain’t for me

 

[oldwood]

I to bought a delron rod in 1972 , and didn't like it. Once I started to shoot competition w/a .50 longrifle , I saw the benefit of using a short starter. I always used a wood r/r and only once did the rod wear out , in a 15 yr. stretch of going to shoots. Still using wood , even to loading at the practice range.

 

[Mike in FL]

When we break one, we always no why. We will come to the knowledge of why, some more quickly than others. When actually do know why they break. We no longer need any material other than wood.

 

[ETipp]

For RB, I'm perfectly content with using a hickory ramrod. For conical, I've gotten by with hickory ramrods for years. Never broke one but I did see where a guy put one through his hand. I do not know the particulars. However, IMO, there are certain situations where a brass or some other form of sturdier ramrod can be conducive, in terms of conical projectiles. As it is now, I'm finding a heavier brass ramrod provides a steadier offhand hold on my .32 Crockett squirrel rifle. The additional weight appears to make a difference.