ramrods

[tg]

How many stain their ramrods to try and match the color of the gun? I once went to the trouble of feathering in with shoe polish the tiger striping on a ramrod and matched the stain on the gunstock so when put in the right position it looked like an extension of the striping of the stock...broke it second time I use it, gun now has plain oil soaked rod.

 

[Haggis]

I say oil tehm and forget them.

 

[Randy]

I was fond of using aquafortis and heat to darken the ramrod. It seems the amount of time spent on this "decorating" is proportional to the likelyhood of the rod breaking. Soaking in kerosene is supposed to toughen the rod but when they break the slivers sure sting. I now hardly ever use the rod made for the gun except when hunting and I don't want to carry a range rod.
Horse Dr.

 

quote:Originally posted by Haggis:
Self Description: Ego sum sanguinarius homo indomitus
Personal Motto: Bona Na Croin
Family Motto: Buaidh Na B

 

[musketman]

My Bess and Zouave both have steel ramrods, I would have to eat my Wheaties in order to break one of these.

 

[roundball]

This is probably off the point of your post TG, but I just wanted to toss it out.

While my TC Hawkens are certainly not period specific, I still don't like the idea of using synthetic ramrods with them...and since the big TC plant fire years ago, their excellent resin impregnated ramrods are no longer available.

So I've gradually switched everything to brass...
most are 3/8" solid brass rods, a few are tubular...they look great with TC Hawken brass furniture and appear as traditional as the TC Hawken itself, so it seems like a good marriage given my limited choices

 

[tg]

I made up three solid brass rods for a few of my guns also, I cannot claim they are PC but on a long walk/overnighter into the bush when hunting I know one will not break and will put a ball down a fouled barrel with authority, and drive a ball puller well, they are also nice for a gun that is light and needs a little weight. but I still use the wood ones most times.

 

I used to burn a barber pole spiral on my hickory rods but now I burn the whole rod with a torch. If done right, It will look amazingly like an ebony rod. I generally slop on the bear grease while the rod is hot. I've only broken two rods in my life. The first was just careless, pulled it a little sideways. I always put a light load level mark on my rod with my patch knife. Some say you weaken the rod and it will break there. Yeah... right....how is a rod going to break 2" from the end???? Well...let me tell you. The second rod I broke?? yup... 2" from the end right on my load mark. Go figure. I know a guy that borrowed a 3/8" solid brass rod and accidently shot it down range. That's some serious recoil. Owner of the rod was not impressed. Hit the target tho. A steel gong. The rod looks more like a trumpet now

Cody

 

Just to clarify, I didn't mean the rod flared like a trumpet when it hit the gong, it just curled around like one. Shaped more like a large hawken trigger guard.

Cody

 

[Voyageur]

quote:Originally posted by Cody Tetachuk:
Just to clarify, I didn't mean the rod flared like a trumpet when it hit the gong, it just curled around like one. Shaped more like a large hawken trigger guard.Cody Would that be an 'Early' or 'Late' Hawken trigger guard Cody?