Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: vthompson on August 17, 2011, 09:13:41 PM

Title: Brass ramrods?
Post by: vthompson on August 17, 2011, 09:13:41 PM: I have broke two ramrods while shooting my rifles and I am tired of it. I was wondering if you guy's could point me to a dealer that sells brass ramrods so that I can buy me one of them for my rifle. I thank you for your time and trouble,

vthompson
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Stormrider51 on August 17, 2011, 10:09:19 PM: Just a thought, but I've used hickory ramrods for more than 40 years and never broken one. Okay, well I did shoot one downrange when I got in too big a hurry but that shouldn't count against me. My point is that there are at least two schools of thought when it comes to loading. Some people take along everything the truck will carry. Others take along only what they could walk out of the house with, rifle and shooting bag. I'm in the second category. I use a hickory ramrod carried in the thimbles under the barrel for everything from loading to cleaning. The "secret" is to buy hickory ramrods with a nice straight grain and minimal run-out. Then soak them in kerosine or other good wood treatment oil. I can's seem to find kerosine anymore so I use Danish Furniture Oil. Then, when loading, never raise your hand more than a hands-width above the muzzle when running a ball home. Reaching too far above the muzzle and bending the rod on the down stroke is where most breakages come from. The "short stroke" method has the additional benefit of preventing you from pile-driving the ball and deforming it.

I'm sure that many will offer sources for a brass rod and if that's what you want that's fine. I'm just saying that if you ever plan to spend a day or more woods roaming and shooting at targets of opportunity, it pays to have a ram rod attached to the gun that will do everything.

Storm
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Gambia on August 17, 2011, 10:40:02 PM: If you want to stay with wood, check out these ram rods, hickory with a steel rod down the center and made to your order; http://www.periodramrod.com/ (http://www.periodramrod.com/)
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Bigsmoke on August 17, 2011, 11:12:11 PM: RMC makes brass rods. October Country does also. Eastern Maine probably does too.
I wouldn't be without a good brass range rod. I prefer the one piece rods rather than the multipiece ones.
John
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Rasch Chronicles on August 17, 2011, 11:46:22 PM: Coal oil, if you can find it, was the old tyme method for making flexible ramrods.

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch (http://http)
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™: George Washington, President and Fisherman (http://http)
?O??? ????!
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: vthompson on August 19, 2011, 05:16:23 PM: I wanted to thank you guy's for your help and suggestions on the ramrod. I have a couple of different options to consider that I didn't know were available to me. Once again guy's, many thanks.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: 2571 on August 19, 2011, 09:30:04 PM: Quote from: "Rasch Chronicles"
Coal oil, if you can find it, was the old tyme method for making flexible ramrods.

What's the diffeence between coal oil and kerosene? Thought it was the same stuff.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Stormrider51 on August 19, 2011, 09:44:24 PM: It is. Different names is all. Sort of like bucket vs pail.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Two Steps on August 19, 2011, 09:49:38 PM: vthompson...I've purchased quite a few brass range rods with a T handle from the Log Cabin Shop....of different lengths and diameters. I also have a brass rammer hung under the barrel of a .32cal rifle...works just fine.
Al
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: wwpete52 on August 19, 2011, 11:31:02 PM: You can also go to a big hardware store that sells brass rod. I did that and had the end of the rod drilled and tapped 10/32 for the jag. I think the brass rod was around $12 or so.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: sse on August 20, 2011, 08:36:04 AM: For use at the range and cleaning up a brass rod is a great tool. You don't have to struggle as much with the rod for any tough patches. Using one is a great relief. I ordered one for fifty bucks.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Rasch Chronicles on August 20, 2011, 09:33:05 AM: Ahhh, my friends,

But it is not the same! A common misconception!

Coal oil is refined from shale oil. . Coal oil is a term once used for a specific shale oil used for illuminating purposes. See reference (http://http).

When kerosene, distilled from petroleum, took over as a cheaper alternative, people just started using the term "kerosene" for all illumination oils.

Your friend,
Albert
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Sean McKown on August 20, 2011, 09:44:36 AM: i use stainless range rods.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Sean McKown on August 20, 2011, 09:48:01 AM: Sorry, My kid was helping!! I get the stainless rods from a customer of mine(welding shop that does only stainless) they drill and tap the end for me, and they cost me a 1$ a foot. I just have to put a handle on them. My daughter and I have an early 1900's door knobs for our handles. and I still ram my ball down the barrel a hand width at a time. I use my wood rod for hunting and trailwalks.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: prairie dog on August 20, 2011, 06:34:23 PM: I have broken wood rods too. Once in the woods, trying to load a tight load (should have swabed the bore) and I had to whittle a stick to seat the load. Broke a few on the range and the last time I broke one at rendezvous during a timed shoot.

Stormrider gives good advice on wood rods. I have hickory rods just like that under the barrel of my rifles. I use them when hunting and at rondezvous.

However, I do think it's a good idea to have a range rod. My old one is fiber glass and I quit using it because of getting glass splinters in my hand. My current rod is brass, threaded on each end. I use a brass muzzle guard and a screw on T handle. I believe I bought the rod from October Country.

The range rod really helps get a tight load down the barrel and when you have to pull a ball (it happens sooner or latter) you can hook the T handle in the fork of a tree and pull the rifle. It scares heck out of me to watch two guys trying to pull a stuck ball and one of them pulling in front of the muzzle.

I may be a little too "gadgety" for some, but having a good range rod available can save a day.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Kermit on August 22, 2011, 10:21:59 AM: Marketing names! Seems folks don't know what to do with "kerosene" (paraffin in Britian) any more. Look in your "hardware store" in the camping/outdoor section. They'll probably have "lamp oil" by the quart or gallon. It's more highly refined for clarity and less odor. And more price. Expect between $10 and $20 per gallon!
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Pete_Sheeran on November 04, 2011, 03:52:47 PM: Getting back to the Brass ram rod....
I have been informed that other than military firearms, wood is the only correct ram rod to be period correct.
That didn't seem right but I had not seen other wise... until 2 yeaars ago when I purchased an original Jaeger in .66 cal with what appeared to be the original ram rod of solid copper! It was made for the fire arm, and tappered from 1/2 inch + at the muzzle end, to 0.30 inch at the breech end. It is a little longer than the 28 inch bbl. The Jeager was precussion but had originally been flint, about 1810 as near as I could tell. The barrel had round bottom groves and could have been from an earlier firearm, the inlay silver pattern in the barrel seemd to be an older style.

I personally like a rifle to have some muzzle weight. I intentionally use steel ram rods in some of my rifles that "feel light". One is a 36" Vincent with a 13/16" bbl, and and other is a Gillespie style Southern Mtn. Rifle that has a 3/4" X 42" bbl. I feel that they hold on target better (offhand) with the added rod weight.

Pete
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: FlintSteel on November 11, 2011, 09:05:17 AM: I personally prefer real hickory ram rods. Been shooting flintlocks since 1974 and can honestly say have never broken a hickory Rammer. The only ram rod that I have broken was one that I tried made of some mysterious south american wood called "rammin" lookes like hickory buts is very brittle like a matchstick.

If you doubt the strength of a hickory Ram rod, try breaking one on purpose some time, they are t-o-u-g-h.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Hank in WV on November 11, 2011, 04:51:00 PM: I've only broken one hickory rod. It happened when I caught it on the door post of my truck.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Two Steps on November 11, 2011, 05:29:19 PM: Quote
It happened when I caught it on the door post of my truck.

Well Hank...if you'd stop trying to reload while you're driving...
Al
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: greyhunter on November 11, 2011, 06:04:38 PM: Quote from: "Two Steps"
Quote
It happened when I caught it on the door post of my truck.

Well Hank...if you'd stop trying to reload while you're driving... :rotf :rotf
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Stormrider51 on November 11, 2011, 06:33:27 PM: I've never used anything but hickory rods and never broken one. I did shoot one downrange once but we won't talk about that. The secret to not breaking ramrods is to never grab it more than 8" or so above the muzzle when loading. Reaching up and grabbing the rod toward the end is almost guaranteed to result in rod breakage sooner or later and possibly getting a piece of rod stuck in your hand. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against a metal rod except I find them hard to get a grip on when my hands are sweaty. We all get to choose what works for us.

Storm
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: forest on November 18, 2011, 07:52:28 PM: Quote from: "Stormrider51"
I did shoot one downrange once but we won't talk about that.Storm
:lol sign :Doh! :rotf Been there done that.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Stormrider51 on November 18, 2011, 08:54:46 PM: Quote from: "forest"
Quote from: "Stormrider51"
I did shoot one downrange once but we won't talk about that.Storm
:lol sign :Doh! :rotf Been there done that.

Yep, and I've managed to run a ball down without pouring in a charge of powder AT LEAST ONCE plus a host of other misdemeanors over the years. Most were when I was in a timed match that required me to fire a certain number of shots in a given period of time. No pressure there.

Storm
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Bigsmoke on November 19, 2011, 10:41:30 AM: Went to a rendezvous once a long time ago that had an interesting event - the ram rod shoot. Camas Meadow, WA. 1980 something.
Seems like the local hardware store had a bunch of 3/8" dowels that they didn't want and so they donated them to the event. Nasty, crooked, warped, 48" dowels.
So, everyone was issued a rod and a 100 yd rifle target. You posted the target at 25 yards, loaded the rifle, put the rod into the barrel of the gun, and shot the rod at the target. A few people actually even hit the paper.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Kermit on February 27, 2012, 01:33:28 PM: Ah, Camas Meadows! My first exposure to "rendezvous." Me in my bright yellow backpacking tent, my remade Aussie navy fall-fronts, a "Tru-man Ca-poh-tee" made from an OD surplus blanket, and my venerable TC Renegade with Lee REAL bullets. And my 5-year-old daughter.

She's now 40 (how'd THAT happen!) and still talks about it. We all started somewhere.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Sir Michael on February 27, 2012, 07:11:57 PM: I'm a little late chiming in here but I would second the recommendation to go with

http://www.periodramrod.com/ (http://www.periodramrod.com/)

A way to have a wood ramrod and and the strength of metal.
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: jbullard1 on February 27, 2012, 07:44:44 PM: If you have ever had the luxury of skewering your palm with a splintered Hickory ramrod you will understand why I have hickory for show and brass for go....
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Stormrider51 on February 27, 2012, 08:24:11 PM: On the other hand, pardon the pun, I've been using hickory rods exclusively for more than 45 years and never broken one.

Storm
Title: Re: Brass ramrods?
Post by: Pete_Sheeran on February 28, 2012, 12:55:43 AM: If you're looking for good straight grained hickory ram rods, Steve Bailey in Perryville, Missouri makes them. He has a saw mill and the ramrods are a side line. He has them in 5/16, 3/8, and 7/16 inch. They are 48 inch length. $3 each for premium and $1.50 for seconds. Minimum of 10 + shipping. (573) 547-4540 The last time I bought rods from him was over 10 years ago and I still have some and I build at least one rifle a year. He has the best comercial hickory rods!

Pete