oak ramrod

[shootrj2003]

I found in Lowes and probably Home Depot,separate from the regular dowels, where the stair ballisters and such are they have oak dowels,long enough for Hawkins/plains rifles,about 1.00,not quite a flexible as hickory mind you but a dang sight better than the normal ''hardwood'' /poplar ones in the regular dowels I found a good number were nice straight grain wood not likely to break.for some reason there were no 5/16'' [.36] and they are'nt quite long enough for my BlueRidge longrifle but the shorter guns they would fit.

[pathfinder]

They WILL split and go through your hand,not a matter of if,it's a matter of WHEN! There's a reason you don't find them in original guns, THEY WILL HURT YOU! Just because you can,doesn't mean you should. I hate to sound a little harsh,but we need everyone to be safe and unharmed in our sport. The anti's are always lookin for a reason to kill the sport.

[Firewalker]

They WILL split and go through your hand,not a matter of if,it's a matter of WHEN! There's a reason you don't find them in original guns, THEY WILL HURT YOU! Just because you can,doesn't mean you should. I hate to sound a little harsh,but we need everyone to be safe and unharmed in our sport. The anti's are always lookin for a reason to kill the sport.

Ditto that.

I've seen a few rods split over the years. It can put a big damper on your shooting or hunting day.

[shootrj2003]

I have split a couple myself ,the ones that came with the gun are long gone to splits ville I reacon if you use one long enough it will probably let go. You CAN  choose the grain to be as straight as possible so that it doesn't run at a diagonal and off the side of the rod and you have to look at it visually with your eyes to see that.thank you for the info it pays to be careful!

[Kermit]

I saw a split ramrod go right through a mate's hand! Don't do it. Not fun.

REAL ramrod stock is much less expensive than a trip to the ER.

[Swamp]

I agree with Kermit. You can buy hickory ramrods from many places, and even with shipping, it will be cheaper than the ER! Be safe!

[shootrj2003]

After listening to these responses from some very knowledgable gentlemen ,I'd have to withdraw my reccomendation to others to look into these dowels as a ramrod.I would not want my advise to be the cause of any one elses injury,so I would take thier advice and not use these.Be Safe guys,Sorry!

[pathfinder]

Don't stop thinkin' of idea's,thats how great inventions are made,take the loading block for example..............................

[shootrj2003]

Please elucidate?

[Swamp]

I agree with Pathfinder! Never stop looking for ideas, as well as asking about ideas you come up with. We're all here to help, educate, and learn.

But, nothing to be sorry about Shootrj. Just glad you asked before you bought.

[mark davidson]

I came up with a great solution. It is called ALUMINUM!! :-)  I don't know how "traditional" it is or how frowned upon but I do know that my aluminum ramrod in my 38" full stock Hawken is NOT going to break and go through my hand or leave me out in the woods unable to load my rifle.  I bought a TC Renegade a while back that had a solid BRASS ramrod in it. So just how UN-trad and INcorrect is a metal ramrod??? I figure that the rest of the gun except the stock is made of metal so why hadicap the whole rig with a weak wood rod? Edurcate me!!!  :-)

[Captchee]

look around some more shootr
 what you want is a good strait grained hickory rod .
 i have seen them  at home depot believe  it or not .
 you have to pick through to find a good one.
as was said . stay away from the oak  and such .
 
 now what has not been said here is that even a hickory rod can break .  just  far less likely if the rod is maintained and used properly
 having a RR break and go through your hand is no fun .
 I been there and still have the scare to prove it .
 and yes it was a hickory rod .
 but  in fairness  I was young . didn’t know what I was doing . I wanting using the rod correctly .

 through the years i have mad RR from  rose wood and even ebony .
 but even  with those woods  you have to maintain the rod . when loading you have to lean not to grasp the rod to far above the barrel . using short strokes to  push the ball down .

again having a strait grain hickory rod isnt going to  stop that rod from braking  if a person  grabs the end and tries to jam the  ball home ..

[shootrj2003]

My experience with metal rods is 1. aluminum-to me it's just not right 'I have a ''unbreakable ''rod but that is for staying at home ,it's not PC,even when hunting I strive for the experience of traditional ,if my ancestors were saddled with the problems of wood and suceeded than I can use wood with its problems ,in the event of woods failure than I am forced to solve a problem that an ancestor had to solve[or go home whipped , whining..or...captured uhh?] I have made my own in a pinch while out hunting  when  a rod cracked while loading up ,hemlock worked really well and I had it finished by the time I needed to reload[I got a doe] 4 hours later .
.2 Brass works well and is pc but adds weight and tends come loose due to momentum  so I stick to wood .Wood will break sometimes when you try not to use a short starter,did that twice.

[mark davidson]

shootrj, Questions meant in all due respect....Where do you draw the line on PC?  What spoils your period rush? Do you wear completely period correct clothing?  No gore tex, no coated pvc raingear, no plastic buttons on your clothing, no modern zippers,...how about shoes?  Do you walk or ride a horse to your spot?  If a non-wood ramrod ruins it for you then there has to be a bushel of other stuff equally guilty.  I respect completely what you seem to be trying to do and I hope you respect where I am at. A metal ramrod hanging under my flinter or caplock does not bother me one bit, actually no worse than loading it at home with a steel range rod which most embrace as just fine. In my limited time afield or in the heat of the moment, I need a rod I can depend on and brass or aluminum works fine for me.

[shootrj2003]

I'm not suggesting or telling you to do it ,and if you and hunted together I would not even comment on it ,it's just something I do and I do hunt in camos or other modern clothes and sometimes more traditional garb so I guess I don't don't really draw a line on pc unless I went to a PC .event.I guess I really like wood ramrods and they just seem right to me.I did try a brass one as I thought the idea cool because I REALLY like brass too I was surprised at the weight dif that it made and it wasn't secure because of the weight.