Reaming a Ramrod Hole

[Richard Kemp]

I'm refurbishing a kit-built rifle (.50 cal) that has 3/8" thimbles installed for the ramrod, but the builder used a 5/16" drill to make the ramrod hole in the lower forestock, and then used a 5/16" ramrod. Short of buying or building a 3/8" ramrod hole drill, any suggestions for slightly enlargeing or reaming the hole?

 

[Swamp Rat]

look for my post "needing to vent" good input there from the guys. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...282627/post/1312905/hl//fromsearch/1/#1312905

 

[rafterob]

You can taper one end of the ramrod, using a metal tip on only one end. That is the easiest fix.

 

[LRB]

Not just a fix, but quite correct. A 7/16" rod at the muzzle end, tapered to fit the 3/8" thimbles, then tapered more for the hole with a 5/16" tip. Nearly all r rods were tapered during the 18th c.

 

[Stophel]

I generally make mine with tapered rods and holes. 3/8" upper tapered to 5/16" at the tip. I made myself a square tapered reamer out of a piece of 3/8" round stock. Not a fun project, but it does work surprisingly well. Anyway...

For something that you don't want to put too much effort into, and you're determined to use a larger rod, you could make yourself a scraping tool. I have one I use to help correct errant undersized rod holes. A piece of 1/4" steel rod long enough (48") to hang onto and work with, and peen the end just a bit to get yourself a "hook" to scrape with. If you do it right, you can cut surprisingly quickly with it. Just make sure you have plenty of room in whatever direction you want to go, clearancing the lock bolt and staying away from the bottom of the stock, etc. Easier to enlarge the hole "up" towards the barrel than "down", just because there ain't an easy way to work the tool and put pressure on it to scrape "down".

To drill it out, without buying a purpose-made drill bit, you can take a regular drill bit and braze it to the end of a steel extension rod. I did one once with a screw tip spiral auger and threaded the lower end of it, and then put matching threads into the end of the steel rod to extend it. It's not exactly a precision instrument, but it works, more or less. Now to open up an existing hole you can't use an auger, but will have to use a standard twist drill bit.

OR....

You could leave it be, since the 5/16" rod will be fine. :wink:

 

[frogwalking]

Don't try to open it up by tapring your ramrod and then glueing sandpaper on it, chucking the other end in a drill and sanding your way to a larger hole. If you do try this, and break your ramrod off deep in the hole, PM me and I will tell you how to get the stuck, broken end out. Ask me how I know this.

 

[Birddog6]

Well..... you will have to make or buy something to get the hole larger, IF that is what you want. :idunno: You have a choice of that or tapering the rod.

Personally... PC/HC or not, I despise tapered RR's. And I don't have any on anything I own. To me it is a PITA trying to load something large bore with a small tipped rod & I refuse to do so, PC/HC or not. (oh manure...... here come the PC police ! :shocked2: )

Were it me & what I do now, I would buy a 25/64th metal drill bit, weld or braze it to a piece of 3/8" rod or All-thread, and drill the existing hole out. Then go with a 3/8" rod from end to end. The best straight grained Hickory RR's are coming from Steve Bailey. (his Ad is in back of MuzzleBlasts)

Keith Lisle

 

[tenngun]

I have a tapered rod on all my guns and for me is not a problem. Howsomever its your gun and you have to be the judge of what works best for you. Un like a german style lock on a southren mt rifle(somthing I built thinking it was right at the time)or some other glaring mistake no one should look close enough to see if your rod is tapered or not. Its not somthing youcould tell until you pulled it. Then you should be shooting and some one shooting with you should be paying attention to hisown gun.
This boy tries to be hc/pc but befor I would comment on some one eles I would look to the mote in my own eye first :hmm:

 

[Birddog6]

I meant a 25/32" drill bit...... in my above post, but was too late to edit it.

Keith Lisle

 

[Herb]

You were right the first time, 25/64 is .390 inch but 25/32 is .781 inch. I also do what you do, then the 3/8" rod tip will do through the pipes and down into the stock. May have to file the tip down a little. And since I cannot weld or braze, I rivet the drill to the steel rod. The shank of the bit is not hardened, so I grind and file a 1/8" thick tab about 1 1/2" long on it and then cut a slot in the end of the steel rod. Carefully fit and align them and drill two holes and rivet them together. I then solder the joint.

 

[Birddog6]

:slap: .781 would make for a Serious... ramrod, eh ? If you miss the deer, just club it with the ramrod ! :idunno: I never thought about riveting one together. First ones I did I brazed, then later on welded them with a wire welder.
I always drill the oversized, as getting a 3/8" rod back up 12" into a 3/8" RR hole is virtually impossible, and you end up sanding the rod down or trying to sand the hole larger. So I always drill the RR holes oversized & be done with it. Saves allot of work later on. You get one finished & the RR hangs up or is stuck ? PITA to go back & work the issues out on a Finished rifle. Better to cross this bridge before way finishing.

Keith

 

[Vaino]

I send out for the RR work and Dave Rase uses a 3/8th drill...would prefer larger. Even w/ a 3/8 dia. hole, the RRs still end up approx. .360-.365 because he does drill pretty straight......Fred

 

[frogwalking]

I do taper my hickory ramrods, but 90% of the time, use a plastic rangerod to load and clean with. The guns rod is only for hunting.

 

[AZbpBurner]

A tapered rod to fit is the quickest fix. Build a 7/16" range rod for routine loading. The easiest and sharpest scraper can be made by simply scoring and snapping a piece of single pane window glass. Once you're proficient with scoring glass, you can make a curved scraper that will work the wood down even quicker.

A larger diameter rod gives you more to hold onto, and is less prone to breakage in the event you flex it while loading instead of ramming parallel to the bore.

I cut mine 2 fists + 2 inches longer the barrel length.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Cannot be argued, tapered rods are very much PC. But, these days we have strayed from many of the old ways. I believe we use much tighter ball/patch combos than back in the day. Pushing a tight fit down a bore, especially if dirty, with a tapered rod can be very problematic.
For ronny I use a smaller ball and thinner patch and left the Delrin and stainless steel rods in the tin mule.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I long ago made a .378 reamer that is threaded 10/32 male on the shank so it can be used to open up 9 mm thimbles or ramrod channels . If you are interested in using it drop me a p.m. All I ask is postage and return.

 

[don hepler]

I have made long wood drills, just using drill rod. You will need to grind a long taper on each side of the rod, until it is 1/8" thick at the end. Next you need to grind an angle relief, sort of like an end mill, except with tapered 118 degrees like the drill point. I have never used this on a gun, or maple, but it should work, if you stop, often and relieve chips. Without spiral flutes there is no place for the chips to feed out. If you look at a wood bit, there's not much to it.