range rod

[J. Paul]

Question: Steel vs Brass
What would the preference of steel over brass be?
I went with brass as I figured it was a softer metal and less abuse on the barrel.
Is there an advantage of one over the other?

out
i. Use brass myself, I believe it is more forgiving to muzzle

 

[Rató:rats]

I always load with the ramrod that’s on my gun. My creedmore range rod I use exclusively for cleaning

 

[Mad L]

Not really. Steel is stronger and maybe less prone to being bent but should be used with a bore guide.
Brass? Looks cool, patinas nicely, no bore guide required.

wm

The brass rod I got from October County came with muzzle protector, kind of awkward but I got used to it pretty quick. Now actually wish I had got one long ago, would have saved me a few scares.

 

[M. De Land]

out
i. Use brass myself, I believe it is more forgiving to muzzle

The brass rod I got from October County came with muzzle protector, kind of awkward but I got used to it pretty quick. Now actually wish I had got one long ago, would have saved me a few scares.

The trouble with a brass rod is two fold, it is not as rigid as one piece steel and grit can em-bed into it much easier to create a crown saw. The best crown protection is to make a down bore rod guide of brass or Delrin plastic about a inch long and make your loading rod of one piece stainless steel.

 

[toadboy65]

Well, I load the rifles with the brass-tipped wooden rod under the barrel. I wipe it clean before putting it back, so I don't have to worry about grit. Plus, I am mostly in the back country. And I stop and clean the bore fairly frequently.
I have a fine selection of brass and stainless cleaning rods back at the shop, but I have no desire to carry one in the woods. I suppose it would be fine at the range, along with spotting scopes and bench rests and such.
If I felt the ramrod on the rifle was not up to the job, I would make one that was.
But I am always willing to learn from the experience of others.

 

[Ponderosaman]

Learned my lesson on that, breaking the one that came with my gun and stabbing my pinky and palm. The TOW steel one with a wooden handle a brass muzzle guide is so easy to deal with. Never looking back.

 

[Big Bob]

I use a range rod with a bore protector. Rod is unbreakable. I replace wood ram rod with unbreakable ram rod under gun too. I also carry an old HURST shifter ball in my possibles bag to push a stubbon charge in using the unbreakable ram rod.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I use a rod that fits the gun's thimbles.
Don't want carry around an extra rod.

 

[Dibbuk]

Personal opinion on my part, based on my past experiences.

Most of the ramrods that come with a rifle are, at best, mediocre. Barely long enough, and the tips are often just glued on. My preference is to cut a metal rod that protrudes about 1/2" when dropped down an empty barrel. Both ends are threaded, so that when I put a loading/cleaning jag on one end, and a "T" handle on the other, it is long enough to grip and load without smashing my knuckles.

 

[ord sgt]

At the range, I always use a plastic flexible rod. The wood ramrod under the barrel is there for appearances only. For cleaning at the end of the shooting session, I just got a new carbon fiber rod with a bore guide. Interchangeable jags for different calibres.

 

[Stony Broke]

I have a large assortment of rods that I've collected over the years, but a nice brass one is my favorite type. I like to put an antler chunk on for a handle, and with the weight of the brass rod it sure loads easier. Some guys use pretty small balls in their barrels, but I like to do just the opposite and put a ball/patch combo that fits the barrel pretty snug.