Maven's day at the range: Dixie TN Mtn. Rifle

[TCLouis]

I will assure you that you will never regret getting the metal rod for shooting at the range.


Wood looks good, the aluminum and plastic/fiberglass rods are ok, but you will be glad you spent the bucks on the SS Rod.

My newest one is 15 years old and going strong.

[northmn]

TCLouis, just curious as I agree with you. I bought a brass rod about 5/16 diameter that was made up for front stuffers many years ago and am using it (with a muzzle guard) a SS rod would be great too. Your SS rod is it a solid rod or does it take apart? I have more rods than I can care to mention break at the joint where they unscrew. Solids ones don't.

Northmn

[Guido4198]

Get a one piece range rod..!!
Looking through my records...I can offer 2 sources not previously mentioned..Don't know their current status as it's been a few years(2002-2003) but you might try..
Thunder Ridge Muzzleloading, Woodland Park Colo. 719-687-6510

Tip Curtis Frontier Shop, Cross Plains Tennessee 615-654-4445 ( A conversation with Tip might be a real benefit to you...it was to me)

When I decided to replace the original bbl. on my 50 cal. T/C Hawken, I got a 32" Green Mtn. "drop-in" bbl. for roundballs from Tip. He advised me that if I wanted to really tighten up my groups...I would have to shoot a VERY tight combination. I went to a .500 roundball w/ .017-.018 patch. VERY tight...using a 3/8" solid brass range rod, and keeping my bbl. clean between shots, loading isn't too difficult. I use a mallet with my "short starter" to get this combo. started into the bbl...then one long steady push with that brass rod, and she's home. With iron sights, shooting for group off sandbags I get one ragged hole @ 50 yds. using 70 gns. ffg powder, @ 100 yds.(with 80 gns. powder) it opens up to 1.6-1.75 in. Note: I cast my own roundballs, visually sort, then weight grade to +/- 0.5 gns.
Also...Ballistol works GREAT as a cleaner, protectant, patchlube(mixed 50/50 w/ water).
Hope this helps...
Cheers,
Don

[mooman76]

I like the wooden rods. Almost all my M/L's have them. On the same note I don't use them because of obvious stated reasons but I still like having them with my guns to keep them correct. I have verious rods I've p/u here and there. Frome the soft plastic rods to steel. I think the ones I like best but I can't remeber their nam are the ones that were wood but a material was injected or forced into the wood to make them almost like a fiberglass.

[piwo]

My local gunsmith turned a piece of solid brass rod into a VERY fine ramrod. Looks awesome, won't break, won't mar the barrel, works great! Cost = $25...
Something to think about, especially if you know someone who has a lathe.

Don

Look something like this?


Local fella here makes and sells them at blackpowder shoots and the like. Solid brass stock, smooth antler handle, and you can change tips, threaded either 8X32 or 10X32. VERY nice to have at the range. Ball screw, jag, whatever you need. No worry about anything snapping, and STRONG to boot. Notice near the top the "shiny" spot: the upper limit of it is where the rod stops when loading my standard load. Instant check to tell if you did something wrong or out of sequence

[TCLouis]

one piece. I said SS, but I think they are just drill rod, Not stainless.

That is what I use to make my cleaning rods.

I trust joints less than wood!

IF one insists on using a wood rod, please, never grab it more than 6-8 inches from the muzzle when seating your projectile.

Tipi is a great source of materials, and will lead one pretty straight.

[Underclocked]

http://www.cainsoutdoor.com/cart/asp/item_index.asp

Select Item Category - Super Rods - Hunter for the thimbles various lengths/diameters available - made of Delrin with brass fittings - excellent rod!

http://www.cainsoutdoor.com/cart/asp...asp?item=18091 is 7/16" diameter and makes a great range rod. It's Delrin with brass fittings and you would have to try very hard to break it. Will not damage rifling. I have that very rod and altered the plain end to accept a 45 caliber jag with a smooth transition. It barely fits in a .45 bore but works very well. You can buy additional jags for larger calibers if needed. I've never felt the need of a handle as the thick rod allows me plenty of grip. In your case, adding an extended t-handle would get the length you need.

Other possibilities http://www.cainsoutdoor.com/cart/asp...sp?item=318040 or http://www.cainsoutdoor.com/cart/asp...sp?item=318037 and Cain's will make you about anything you would possibly want in the way of a custom rod for a very reasonable price.

I have a pair of solid stainless rods - one with a T handle (.50 cal) and the other has a rotating handle (.45 cal). Both have bore guides. They are excellent rods and work very well, making seating most anything an easy task. I rarely use them, the Delrin rod is nearly always my first pick.

[Ricochet]

Hey Maven, I have one of these, too. I bought mine as a kit, got it for Christmas 1980 and put it together over the following weeks. With my inexperience it's not quite as "finished" as the commercial complete version, but it looks good, shoots well and I'm proud of it. Wish now I'd gotten the convertible setup with percussion gear, too, but mine's just a flinter.

[northmn]

Rocohet. "just a flinter" When I was shooting more in competition, there were three of us that regularly kicked butt on percussions. It was offhand shooting and crosssticks. One of the three (a person that I beat once in a while and felt darn good when I did) was good enough that one organization made a rule that you had to shoot percussion in percussion matches. He built a percussion just for that group. Once the other two sent a couple of gentlemen home practically crying as they were going to show the hicks how to shoot with percussion zip-guns (these were custom made in-lines before Knight started up). The last flinter I built promptly got its owner an 8-point buck. I don't even know if the stock finish was totally cured yet. When loaded right and primed right with the proper lock geometry, a flintlock can be faster than some of "Hawkin" style weapons with the bolster breechs as the touch hole goes directly from pan to barrel. The mule ear and underhammer locks in originals were an attempt to speed things up for percussion by placement of the nipple directly in the barrel and were used by the very serious competitors at the nationals. The percussion era in muzzle loading only lasted about 40-50 years (some say even less), the flintlocks were around for over 200 years. Ya percussion replaced flintlocks, they are fun at times too I admit as I shoot both. (still shoot mostly flintlock) But in this day and age where they are doing some interesting things to what they call muzzleloaders, the flinters have remained more historical in nature. The Dixie rifle is in my opinion about as good of an off the shelf flinter as one can get. Enjoy shooting whatever you enjoy, it was kind of fun replying to your "just a flinter" comment. Have fun.

Northmn

[Ricochet]

Oh, I quite agree with you. I only meant that it's a flinter, not a switch ignition system. If I had a percussion, I'd've shot it a lot more over the last few years when BP has been unobtainable locally (within 400 miles) and is only practical to order in larger quantities than I'm really comfortable storing. But I'd rather shoot it as a proper flinter with real BP, of course. I am cursing the regulations and the regulators.

[Maven]

All, I was away from my 'puter since New Years' Day* and just read the new posts a few minutes ago. I probably will either fabricate (not my first choice) or purchase a solid brass or 3/8" or 7/16"(better) steel rod and muzzle guard and non-rotating handle in the very near future. Actually I have a heavy steel one that would suffice except for the length. And yes, my experience with both caplocks and the flintlock is in keeping with your advice re a tighter patch & ball combination. Since I have to use a plastic mallet to start the RB's, a solid metal rod seems to be the better way even though I have a few extra 7/16 dowels and 1 1/2" round wooden balls (dolls heads, really! at Michael's craft stores; maybe $0.99 ea.). Thanks in advance for your help and excuse the lateness of my reply.

Ricochet, The Dixie product is a beauty! Mine has a few scars (small ding on bbl., re-glued chip on buttstock, etc.) due to being carried and used, but nevertheless, seems quite sound and I think, an accurate piece.


*Had to help my daughter the professor drive from Falls Church, VA -> Tampa, FL. Was to fly to Balto. (BWI) on the nite of Jan. 1, but the weather was so bad (5"+ of snow) that I decided to take Amtrak to NYC and then get a connecting train to Wash., DC. Left on the morning of Jan. 2 and got to Savannah, GA by late afternoon in time to enjoy the freezing weather. Got to Gainseville, FL by 1PM and saw frost(!) on the grass in shaded areas. It was 37 - 40 deg. in Tampa this morning when I left for the airport. It's less than 30 in Kingston, NY as I write. Do I know how to have fun or what?

[Ricochet]

That's quite a drive, Maven!

[northmn]

I was just having a little fun on the flinter comments. Difficulties in getting black powder have probably done more to undermine the sport than anything else. Part of the reason the new zip guns exist is because the "substitutes" do not substitute very well in historical arms. In my experience Pyrodes R-S and P have given the worst results, Pyrodex Select is a little better and H777 better yet. They have a tendency to hangfire and I got way bettter grouping with black. One recommendation was to duplex the black and pour an ignition charge of about 10 grains first and then top it off with the substitutes if one has limited amount of black. Might work but sounds like a proper pain in the sacro iliac region. As I have a fair access to black I have not tried Pioneer but have seen it advertised as suitable for flintlocks. At the local prices for the stuff one should be able to buy golden round balls to complement it. For percussions one can get a nipple that will take a musket cap that will wotk in some "Hawken" style rifles that also might help. This should be a seperate thread in itself. We are having a warm spell in Northern Minnesota right now at 37 degrees. It was getting down to about 15 below at night and only in the teens in the day time. Only light between about 8 AM and 430PM. Plenty of snow this year. Really messes up my urges to go out and shoot. I kind of hibernate in the winter.

Northmn

[Ricochet]

Doggone percussion caps are priced like gold now, and hard to find too. (I have a Colt Walker replica that uses 'em. I've been substituting Pyrodex RS in it, and it works satisfactorily, but I greatly prefer FFFg.)

[northmn]

Yesterday I decided to buy more black powder as you got me to thinking about finding sources for the stuff. My source is an older man that keeps selling to aid in retirement. I am within about 200 miles of Track of the Wolf so that I would have to save pennies and buy in bulk to pay for the trip. I used to work close to the St Paul/Minneapolis area but moved back north as all the traffic went one way on weekends. You are right about caps. I have almost used up a batch I bought back when by the thousand. I feel like I am getting old and out of touch, I still think $100 is a lot of money.

Northmn