Why oh why do I ever go anywhere without a ramrod puller??

[Rob Dinwiddie]

That is not only wrong but just flat out weird. Why would some random schmuck start tinkering with someone else's stuff?? You don't mess with a man's rifle, truck, dog, or woman. You have more patience then me good sir.

I agree and would have less in the future. To all the belt afficianadoes, this is a steel ramrod stuck down in a .58 caliber musket..tulip end down. And that's why I can't get enough friction on it. But tomorrow I'll be home to the tools!

 

[SDSmlf]

That was in fact what happened. Rangemaster had everyone lay down their weapons and proceed down range. When I returned there was a guy about 50 standing there with a sheepish look. Just said I could tell your bore needed to be wiped so I out down a patch with my special mixture on it. "Now I can't get it out!"

No worries, I'm taking care of it tomorrow. But it was weird. And had the range master not also been downrange with the shooters it never could have happened. As it is, I may not go back there. I have plenty of farmland on which to shoot but miss shooting with my friends so I will occasionally go to the club.

You need to find a different group to shoot with. Someone did that or anything close to that where I shoot and they would be forever banned. I can not imagine touching someone else’s gun without their permission. Probably learned and understood that before I was 5 years old.

 

[Rudall]

Nobody said anything about picking up a gun when someone was down range.

Read post #7.

 

[Bruce Evans]

I tried that and just could not get enough friction with the rod . I'll get it done at home with correct tools. Need to make a "please don't touch" sign for the rifle when I have to go down range.

You don't need a please don't touch sign for your gun. You need the range officer to banish Mr. Helpful from the range and tell him to keep his f***ing hands off other people's equipment.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Look up Prusik Knot.

Here's a pic I posted on another thread for pulling a ball. It'll grab hold good:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/jag-and-rod-stuck-in-barrel.123630/post-1697345

 

[oldhunter1954]

Touching someone's gun is bad but handling a gun while others are downrange is insane!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I hung a ramrod in a barrel (too much patch material) while I was reloading to take a second shot at a lust crazed 8 point that didn't leave after the first shot, I have carried this ever since, I have used it a few time on my guns and other peoples guns at the public range.

One time I dryballed at the public range and couldn't get the ball out of a very fouled barrel, it wouldn't budge. I drove 50 miles to the range then turned around and drove 50 miles back before I realized my ramrod puller was in my tackle box, I had forgotten about it, it would have pulled the ball easily.

 

[mooman76]

That was in fact what happened. Rangemaster had everyone lay down their weapons and proceed down range. When I returned there was a guy about 50 standing there with a sheepish look. Just said I could tell your bore needed to be wiped so I out down a patch with my special mixture on it. "Now I can't get it out!"

No worries, I'm taking care of it tomorrow. But it was weird. And had the range master not also been downrange with the shooters it never could have happened. As it is, I may not go back there. I have plenty of farmland on which to shoot but miss shooting with my friends so I will occasionally go to the club.

The range master should have jumped on the guy. Not only for handling someone elses gun but mostly because you do not touch guns while people are still down range.

 

[mooman76]

Read post #7.

OK, my bad, I overlooked that.

 

[flntlokr]

Well today it's because a nice guy shooting next to me licked up my rifle and decided to wipe the bore with a patch and product. He used the loading end of the ramrod to push it in. Now until I get home in 3 days that ramrod is stuck in there...People mean well.. I've done the same thing and learned better myself. But I don't have my repair kit.. so it rides home stuck.

Pull the nipple and use a compressor or CO2. to push the rod out. You could probably safely shoot it out with a bit of powder down the nipple channel also.

 

[Col. Batguano]

If you are going to shoot out the ram rod, should you point it up in the air so that it lands somewhere down range? With a metal rod, what's the odds of it getting bent while leaving the bore?

 

[Dibbuk]

That was in fact what happened. Rangemaster had everyone lay down their weapons and proceed down range. When I returned there was a guy about 50 standing there with a sheepish look. Just said I could tell your bore needed to be wiped so I out down a patch with my special mixture on it. "Now I can't get it out!"

No worries, I'm taking care of it tomorrow. But it was weird. And had the range master not also been downrange with the shooters it never could have happened. As it is, I may not go back there. I have plenty of farmland on which to shoot but miss shooting with my friends so I will occasionally go to the club.

I have never been to a range that allowed people to handle anything on the line during a cease fire. I have seen such things occur, and the result was usually a prompt escort to the exit, with instructions not to return.

If the rangemaster was downrange, and no one was watching the line, the range needs a second person.

 

[Dibbuk]

If you are going to shoot out the ram rod, should you point it up in the air so that it lands somewhere down range? With a metal rod, what's the odds of it getting bent while leaving the bore?

Exiting often isn't the problem. When it hits the ground, target frame, or some other object is when things get bent and broken. Like they say: "Flying is easy. It's the landings that are difficult."

 

[Grenadier1758]

One of our range safety rules is that when the range is called down and the guns are securely benched, no one touches a gun. Not to clean, not to to look at, not to put in the case, not to carry away to the vehicle to go home.

 

[Sun City]

Commonsense these days is a rare commodity!!

 

[ohio ramrod]

Stuck ramrods is why many years ago I started drilling and tapping both ends of my ramrods.A "T"handle screwed into the end of the ramrod allows you to place the t handle on the ground, place your feet over the T handle and use your leg muscles to pull straight. You have much more strength in your legs and you can get a straight pull. I just finished making two ramrods for a person today and I included a T handle.

 

[oldhunter1954]

I hung a ramrod in a barrel (too much patch material) while I was reloading to take a second shot at a lust crazed 8 point that didn't leave after the first shot, I have carried this ever since, I have used it a few time on my guns and other peoples guns at the public range.

One time I dryballed at the public range and couldn't get the ball out of a very fouled barrel, it wouldn't budge. I drove 50 miles to the range then turned around and drove 50 miles back before I realized my ramrod puller was in my tackle box, I had forgotten about it, it would have pulled the ball easily.

View attachment 67336

Did you make the ramrod puller?

 

[J. Paul]

Well today it's because a nice guy shooting next to me licked up my rifle and decided to wipe the bore with a patch and product. He used the loading end of the ramrod to push it in. Now until I get home in 3 days that ramrod is stuck in there...People mean well.. I've done the same thing and learned better myself. But I don't have my repair kit.. so it rides home stuck.

I got mine stuck several years ago with no puller. Gentleman named Kelly, next to me asked if he could try. He poured in about half a cup of water then let it sit about 1 minute then pulled it out by hand. We had tried puller, Para cord, leather belt and were reaching for vise grips.

 

[Flinty Scot]

Thanks. I like the idea of a Prussic knot, but doubling and opposing them, so any tendency to exert lateral pressure would be balanced and cancelled. Adding cord to my kit tonight (shooting tomorrow).

 

[toot]

Try the belt. Just pull back as straight as possible! Don't bend the rod as you pull as you can snap the rod off.

keep chucking it up close to the muzzle. and keep a good purchase on it, don't jerk it!!