ramrod

[DeadWood]

Was curious if others are using a altenate ramrod? The one on my Hawkens is functional, but i'm afraid while hunting or just accident it may meet its fate. Would like to replace it with something stiffer that will also mate under the barrel like original?

[stubshaft]

I am guilty of using synthetic ramrods while hunting. It is NOT stiffer than hickory, but it is idiot proof. You can order it in different diameters and cut it to length. Try "Track of the wolf".

[Pistolero]

I got myself a 'range rod' which is a one piece synthetic item that cam be used as a ramrod and cleaning rod. It is long enough for my CVA hawken and my 61 Springfield. Very solid and it has a handle too.

The rod on my Hawken seems a bit flimsy and it just wont stay in place. But it looks good.

[Richard B]

One of the first things that I do when I get a new black powder gun is to replace the wooden ram rod with a synthetic one. I have seen wooden ram rods split during the loading process but never a synthetic one.

Richard

[twotoescharlie]

always use a muzzle protector with the synthetics as most are very abrasive.

TTC

[Maven]

dwd, Track of the Wolf has an extensive selection of ready-made ramrods as well as blanks, which you buy fittings for in order to construct your own. If you opt to make one, get the hickory blank, as it is much stronger than the ramin blank. The synthetic ones are OK, but much too floppy for my taste. Also, it helps to soak the blank in a boiled linseed oil and turpentine (50:50) mixture for several months to render it flexible and hence, less prone to splintering.

[kenjuudo]

I favor a solid aluminum rod for the field. You can always put the hickory back in for display if it botheres ya.

jim

[waksupi]

Good wood ramrods are hard top come by. The ramen are very poor choice, as they tend to be very soft. I bought some hickory from Track of the Wolf last summer, that turned out to be made by a doweling machine. So, they have run out, and are prone to breakage.
The best hickory ones I have got lately, come from Dennis Glazner, on
http://www.americanlongrifles.org/forum/
His are split, rather than doweled, and will last very well.

[2shot]

I buy hickory ramrods by the dozen and just discard the ones with bad wood. It's ussually only one or two that I toss and I have never broken one to date. I've been getting them from the Log Cabin Shop. I tried fiberglass one but just don't like them.

2shot

[357maximum]

Once upon a time you could get good raminwood dowels for ramrods/arrows. Them days are over apparently. After our last ramrod discussion I went looking...the hardwares either had junk raminwood that ranout the side grain or they had poplar......them are like a wet paper noodle. I am glad I have a stash of the old ramin 3/8 dowels....I used to use them for arrowshafts...tough/durable/ and they worked. Too bad them days are over. [smilie=b: Putting a synthetic ramrod on a traditional gun hurts my feelings and I will not subject my crowns to fiberglass.....so I guess when the time comes I will follow the path to good hickory rods that Waksupi posted. I am going to need a 7/16 right here shortly. Maybe I will break out the wedeges and the spokeshaves.

[405]

More of a traditionalist as much as possible so I favor the wood rod. The only non-wood I have is a steel one... but it is original to the gun!

I've never broken a rod so either dumb luck or paying attention to details have played into that equation... not sure which.

Always check the grain if you can or get the type with a track record for quality if buying sight unseen. Straight with no grain runout are important.

I usually taper my rods just a little. Sandpaper with a block with the rod laying of a flat surface- taper for fatter end toward seater. The slight taper eliminates the rod from sticking in the pipes after swelling in wet/humid conditions. Then to help minimize the brittleness, soak the rod in diesel or similar for a couple or three months. Simple to do. Plug a 1/2 - 3/4" pvc pipe that's a little longer than the rod, add rod, add diesel, plug open end with cork, stand in corner. Check once in a while and add diesel if needed.

[Geraldo]

I've used hickory for a long time, which I leave about one inch longer than the factory rods. My experience many years ago with a fiberglass ramrod left me umipressed, as have the spaghetti synthetic rods that come with GM barrels. My favorite for range use is solid brass. I don't know who sells them, as mine came with trades, but the weight really helps send a tight patch/ball combo down the tube. They're not the ticket for field use, as they add quite a bit of weight to an already heavy rifle.

Long ago I did have a hickory rod for a .36 that broke just above the jag attachment. Otherwise there have been no problems.

[mooman76]

I have wooden ramrods for all my guns, except for my one inline and a 32 cal. squirrle rifle that isn't an original copy so it doesn't matter. I don't use the wooden rods because I don't want to run a broken one through my hand. I have several different types. I have a fiberglass one that I didn't buy, it came with the gun. And several types of plastic ones. The one I like the best is a resin impregnated one. It is very stiff and strong and has the original look. After that I like a plastic one that is stiff with a little flex to it. Then I have several that are a limper plastic. I don't care for them as well because they have too much flex but they get the job done. My 32 squirrle gun cam with a aluminum rod. I like it fine for it beings it isn't original anyway and it is harder to get a rod that small and strong enough. I picked up an old original squirrle gun (1870's era) that has an old probably hickory ramrod ahat works well for it. It almost looks like bamboo but I know it isn't and probably not the original but I can tell it is very old.

[peter nap]

The best hickory ones I have got lately, come from Dennis Glazner, on
http://www.americanlongrifles.org/forum/
His are split, rather than doweled, and will last very well.

I don't believe it. I was just getting ready to post His link link. He gave me about a dozen a few years ago and I haven't broken one yet.

This is his direct link
http://home.att.net/~t.glazener/wsb/html/view.cgi-home.html-.html

BTW, he was at the lunch the other day. The rifle Larry (fellow in the tie) is holding is one he just picked up.

[waksupi]

If you have any fiberglas ramrods, get rid of them. They are the fastest way to ruin a barrel.

[longbow]

Nicest ramrod I ever had I bought at shoot in Oregon in the 1970's.

The fellow that made them encased a steel rod in wood. I think his method was to rip square section strips, cut a slot with table saw or router in each half full length then epoxy the halves together with a steel rod inside (probably 1/8" or maybe 3/16"), then dowel them.

He put the brass tip on one end and a horn or bone button on the other.

Looked traditional and the seam down the ramrod was almost invisible. He said you could bend them far enough to break the wood then straighten them out and the steel rod would still work as the ramrod.

Wouldn't be hard to make if you like the traditional look and unbreakable nature.

I thought it was a great idea. Mine lasted many years and was sold with the gun.

Longbow

[buckweet]

always use a muzzle protector with the synthetics as most are very abrasive.

TTC





whats a muzzle protector look like ?

[Lead Fred]

When I built my rifle, I made a standard hickory ramrod.
It lasted 11 shots and broke.
I had one of these custom made 5 years ago, and its still working great.

http://www.periodramrod.com/

I also have a acrylic range rod that I use only at home for cleaning and seasoning.

Ive been muzzle loading all my life and have never had to sue any type of protector.

Its all in how you load

[405]

whats a muzzle protector look like ?

buckweet,
I don't use them for loading MLs but use them for cleaning all guns where I can't use a rod from the breech including- levers, some single shots, muzzleloaders.

This one is nylon/plastic. Many commercially available are brass. For larger calibers some brass gas fittings work well.

[flinter62]

Deadwood,Most wood ramrods break when loading if you grab to high up the rod to push ball down bore.6-8 inch at atime.

[Taylor]

I have had to replace the ramrod on my Kentucky one time in 30 years,I guess that is not to awlful bad.Most of the parts I use have come from Dixie Gun Works (they are close by).But when I built this rifle,I had read during research is that traditionally the rod blanks were soaked in coal oil for a couple of months,and that is what I have done,seems to work fine for me.Of course the stain is made from chewing tobacco and amonia,stinks to the high heavens,but it does a good job.But I don't like plastic.

[jim4065]

The ones that I've seen broken have mostly been caused by someone who's a little too lazy to clean the bore often enough. When the ball starts sticking they lift the ramrod and slam it back down on the ball repeatedly, then after the shot they go ahead and load it "just one more time". They keep that up until the ball is jammed halfway down - or the rod breaks. :mrgreen: