bushing the thimbles

[Whiterabbit]

This is a sister thread to the one about carrying the ramrod. I have a backup idea of making a new range rod specifically to carry in the thimbles. Here's the challenge:

The thimbles are for 3/8" material and undersized. I'm not going to modify (cut) the thimbles. Taking a few thou off a 3/8" brass ramrod is not feasible for me.

So I'm thinking about a .250" brass ramrod. I'd have to take the palm saver off for every shot or use my short starter as the palm saver, but I think that might be OK. I may be able to seat the ball OK anyways without a palm saver on a .250" ram rod as well. Maybe.

But that means I need to bush up the thimbles so I #1 - don't scratch them up and #2 hold the rod securely.

This hole exercise would be so I can avoid carrying a ram rod on trail walks.

So: any ideas how I can relatively easily bush a .370-ish thimble to .255" so it's easily removable and not permanent? I can make whatever on the lathe (as long as I'm not profiling a 36" long piece of stock!). I have some delrin blanks that would work nicely. But not sure how to make something that isn't just a permanent (and ugly) press fit. I'll want ot put the wood rod back in after the trailwalk.

[johnson1942]

make a quiver out of leather just for the range rod and carry in like you would arrows.

[waksupi]

Why not just use the wood ramrod? I've never saw the need for a separate rod, although I appreciate my friends carrying them so I can sit them on the back side of a tree while they shoot, and then watch them look for them.

[country gent]

WHy not turnup a matching set of thimbles for the 1/4" or 3/8" rod and make them duplicates install needed set when needed. Or rem the existing out to .375 or whats needed.

[Whiterabbit]

The answer to those two questions, basically, is that the gun was made by Joe Weist, and I don't want to mess with it (rod and thimbles) much for fear of breakage.

(Which is a weird statement since I shoot the doggone thing at least monthly, and everything else about the lock stock and barrel is getting worn appropriately)

[Whiterabbit]

OK, this thread can be disregarded. I mocked it up here with a 3 ft piece of .250 brass rod, and it's silly. It would be better, at that point, to make my own ram rod from scratch and save the one I currently have.

[Col4570]

Make some bushes with a Collar at one end,Saw cut the length but not the collar,slightly splay the Bush,it should hold and be easily removable.You could make a rod out of 1/4" Drill Rod and fit a Ball Bearing at the end by softening a Steel Ball and drilling it to take a 1/4" Thread.The Ball could be scooped out at one side slightly to clear the underside of the Barrel.You could also make a rifling protector to fit the Rod save the bore.

[Whiterabbit]

The rod is the easy part, I got that completely covered. I prefer brass. Regardless, I mocked it up last night and it was silly. Makes more sense to pursue a 3/8" option, whether using an extra range rod, making a range rod fit the thimbles, or making a second wood ramrod (my first ramrod project) to put mileage on.

[gnoahhh]

What about the added weight of a brass rod hanging under the barrel versus a hickory rod? It would seem to me that it would be a negative factor. Re: my reply on the range rod thread may be clouding my thoughts on the matter.

I'm a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. principle.

[Whiterabbit]

yep, KISS prevailed in the end.

I prefer a heavy barrel for offhand target shooting. Keeps me much more stable, or at least it FEELS that way.

My scores also reflect this.