Bill: I like .40 caliber, one reason is because of the ramrod. I drill a 3/8 (.375) hole. I use a 3/8 rod and 3/8 brass tips on both ends. But first, screw a cleaning jag into one rod tip and chuck the jag in your drill press (or electric hand held drill). Holding a file flat against the rod tip, file it and the base of the jag down until they will slip through your rod pipes. You may have to cut the rod down a little, too. You can do this by chucking the mounted and pinned rod tip in a hand electric drill and using sandpaper. This way, you can have a cleaning jag permanently mounted on the end of your rod, but down in the stock out of sight. I don't turn down the other rod tip, and it won't go through the rod pipes. You can also use a rat tail file and open up the rod pipes a little if you need to. You can put a slight "taper" on your wood rod so that as it seats fully home, the front part snugs up in the front pipe. I also don't use a front tab pin on the trigger guard and drill the rod hole to the tang bolt. There are ways to hold the guard in without that tab and pin, and I think I mentioned it recently. See my post in Builder's Bench 12/18/04. So the ramrod is about an inch longer than the bore, but flush at the muzzle, and the second tip allows installing a ball or patch puller for use if you need to, and your rod is comfortably longer than the bore.
