where to find good stout wooden ram rods???

[adkmountainken]

i have a .40 with a rather long barrel and i want a couple strong, well built ram rods. the original that came with it is perfect but i'm really trying to save it as it matches the rifle exactly with stain and fit. i bought a couple wooden ram rod blanks and finished them out but they are no where near stiff enough to seat a ball in that length of barrel. any recommendations???

 

[Nav]

https://kiblerslongrifles.com/collections/all/products/hickory-ramrod?variant=31777770799222
These are nice for $6.

 

[BillyC]

I cracked a ramrod on last Thursday, it had some grain runout I hadn’t noticed and I got a little careless with it. Anyway, I ordered two from Kiblers the same day and got an order confirmation immediately but have heard nothing since. I’m guessing the 5/16 size is out of stock.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I buy mine at Friendship during Spring and Fall nationals. Also Track of the wolf will ship them. Another vote for Kibler as well.

 

[64Springer]

Delrin from TOW. Use it for range work and hunting. Then put your nice wooden rod back in your rifle when you get home.

All this ramrod break'in nonsense doesn't need to happen.

A brass range rod is the shizzle too.

Tap the ends 10-32 and it's twice the shizzle.

 

[wiscoaster]

If any of Kibler's ramrod blank sizes work for you, they're like iron.

 

[necchi]

Also Track of the wolf will ship them.

I do like Track of the Wolf, they are a local shop for me and I've spent plenty there all with good results.
But I wouldn't recommend a wood ramrod from them, I was down there one time and had to pick through "a lot" of blanks to find one without runout,, they were good, but I wanted to see straight lines all the way along.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I do like Track of the Wolf, they are a local shop for me and I've spent plenty there all with good results.
But I wouldn't recommend a wood ramrod from them, I was down there one time and had to pick through "a lot" of blanks to find one without runout,, they were good, but I wanted to see straight lines all the way along.

I hear ya! Being able to look at them and check the grain is the way to go. I have a lot of shagbark hickory on my land. I've thought about splitting my own.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Not stiff enough? Jokes aside, the bore of the rifle will keep the rod from flexing. You’ll want to hold the rod just a few inches above the muzzle and push in short strokes. Virtually any rod will flex if it is held too far from the muzzle while ramming, including the synthetic ones, and this increases the risk of breakage of wooden rods substantially.

I have no personal experience with Mr. Kibler’s rod blanks, but people seem to like them. I’ve not had any problems with Hickory rods from Track of the Wolf, and I’ve gotten some really nice rod blanks in the past from R.E. Davis, which I believe has been taken over by the Log Cabin Shop. I would not hesitate to order rod blanks from them. The late Dan Putz produced the best hickory rod blanks, but he passed away just a couple of years ago. I ordered a bundle of a dozen hickory rod blanks from him in a mix of sizes a few months before he died, but I haven’t needed to use any of them yet.

I don’t think you’ll go wrong ordering rod blanks from the Log Cabin Shop. I would respectfully suggest you order a bunch of them in various sizes. They’ll keep, they’re not going to get any cheaper, and if you stick with muzzleloading for the long haul, you will eventually use them.

Notchy Bob

 

[BoomStick]

Get a couple good wood rods (and delrin is a good option for 5/16 that's unbreakable) but also consider a brass or stainless range rod. I use mine at shoots, the range, cleaning at home and my first load at the back of the car on a day's hunt.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

5/16" Super Rods are the bomb diggity.

I have never had an issue with any size of the hickory ramrods from TOW. Cut and sand to fit. Brass and steel ends already installed, 8-32 and 10-32 choices.

The last rod I got from Dixie Gun Works must have been turned from a tree that was on Elton's farm cause it was as straight as the number 8.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

DISREGARD - I had previously posted Dan Putz's name, but later learned he has passed away ...

 

[1950DAVE]

I got a blank out of a 6"X5' hickory log.

 

[necchi]

All b.s aside, Wood rods are for display or for a purist that knows the rod will fail and need replacing many times in the life of his rifle,, just like they did. Fiberglas with a brass muzzle cone and jag attached is the way to go for function,,
Wood is for display,,
Don't believe me? Search for "candy stripe" a rod,,,,

 

[Nav]

 

[French Colonial]

All b.s aside, Wood rods are for display or for a purist that knows the rod will fail and need replacing many times in the life of his rifle,, just like they did. Fiberglas with a brass muzzle cone and jag attached is the way to go for function,,
Wood is for display,,
Don't believe me? Search for "candy stripe" a rod,,,,

I agree with you 90% of the time necchi but must disagree this time.

Use a good rod with short strokes like Notchy Bob says and it will last forever. Never had one break even on my ancient .32

No striping on any of my rods as I think its a later time period affectation.

 

[roundballman]

A 3/8" wood rod should not break in a 40 cal barrel.
Just keep from bending it above the muzzle and it will last a long time.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

With sadness, I regret to inform our audience here that Dan Putz has passed away ... thus I will edit out the phone# in the post above ...

I was further told that Jim Kibler sourced his ramrod blanks from Dan, so maybe one could contact Kibler Longrifles for blanks.

 

[BillyC]

I’m going to look at one of these at tractor supply. It’s .350 diameter so a little sanding and pinning a tip to it might do the trick.

 

[flconch53]

Don't use fiberglass... it will become abrasive over time. A brass rod is period correct and unbreakable. I will say the same thing the next time this topic comes up