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Author Topic: oak ramrod  (Read 1633 times)

Offline mark davidson

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« Reply #15 on: December 13, 2010, 09:05:55 AM »
Shootrj, Thanks for the polite response. I promise I meant no foul in my question. I am only about three years into this more "traditional" black powder thing. When I first had a custom gun built, without knowing any better I suppose, I automatically had a solid aluminum ramrod built for it. It never occurred to me to actually use that flimsy wood one. My rifle had a rock on the hammer and that was all I really needed to get my period rush!!! :-)  I thought I might go out west for elk with my new toy and the idea of horsebacking around the mountains and depending on that little wood stick gave me chills. I too had an old TC rifle with a brass rod and I liked it but I figured solid aluminum would be lighter. Sometimes in whitetail hunting I take the wood rod but I have pretty much transitioned to the aluminum one. The finish matches the rifle metal pretty well and looks pretty natural on it.

Offline Firewalker

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« Reply #16 on: December 13, 2010, 09:47:19 AM »
Some of us old guys have trouble holding the rifle up offhand without a ramrod, or even carrying it around all day. I can't imagine adding the weight of a brass ramrod to it.
If I was "way out in the toolies" I'd probably be carrying one of those unbreakable plastic ones just because of weight and dependability and just pretend it was wood. My imaginary space extends quite a ways around me when it has to.
At an event its wood for sure.
Firewalker aka Bob
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"Life doesn't come with a guarantee; eat your desert first." D. Kelman

Offline Firewalker

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« Reply #17 on: December 13, 2010, 09:51:20 AM »
One other thing...if you mistakenly shoot a ramrod at a tree it usually breaks. But...one of those plastic ones.....and I saw this happen.....will bend like a U and fly right back at you. So there! :rotf
Firewalker aka Bob
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"Life doesn't come with a guarantee; eat your desert first." D. Kelman

Offline shootrj2003

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« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2010, 09:10:46 AM »
Mark,
  No offense taken and if you you spend the money on a horseback hunt for elk I could see why you might want to cover your base's  after all it would be a h@$% of a reason not to get your elk right? Firewaker- :(  :shake Dodging that plastic ramrod sounds REALLY scary to me!
I go forth armed and girded as a free man.

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Offline PJC

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« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2010, 07:11:35 PM »
Quote from: "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.

That would make a great thread. I do not think it could be handled very well on some other forums. but TMA is not other forums.

We all do this to add primative and historical pioneer flavor to our hunting. Do you add a little spice to the recipe or the whole bottle.

There are so many things that we can never replicate. Even the woods in the east. At one point, one in four trees was an american chestnut tree. Can you imagine the food that provided for the wildlife. If an acorn is 15% protien then a chestnut  must be right up there.

Most guys can't haul all their gear on horseback so I think a few compromises are acceptable when packing stuff in. And we all want to get as far off the road as we can to get away from, from, well from everything.

For me clothing is where I am making some compromises. Especially in cold weather. Hunter Orange is a problem, a required  evil for most during big game season.

Water is another problem. not much good drinking water laying around on top of the ground these days.

Our pioneer ancestors did endure some hardships and it can be useful to experience and truly understand what they went through or how they accomplished some of these hard tasks BUT as in B*U*T we are doing this as a hobby to have fun and enjoy and learn. We have to be safe and we want to enjoy our pasttime.

Everyone finds their own balance point in PC. I think for many it changes from day to day, event to event. Season to season. etc.
flexibility in our degree of correctness and more importantly our tolerance of others choices makes this fun and makes TMA the best forum for this sport on the internet.

Boy I got long winded...

Pat
« Last Edit: December 14, 2010, 07:21:41 PM by PJC »
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Offline PJC

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« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2010, 07:19:57 PM »
As far as wiping sticks, I don't use mine for cleaning. I have some synthetic ones I purchased at Dixons that I use for that. Also I don't try to seat a ball with a big push, causing the stick to bow. Short 8 inch strokes, close to the muzzle and well supported. Sure it takes me a few minutes to load a ball but I ain't got not injuns trying to scalp me. I just take my time.
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Offline shootrj2003

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« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2010, 09:41:51 PM »
Yeah I guess we all know there is only so far we can go with PC or we'd all be living in the woods!
I go forth armed and girded as a free man.

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Offline greyhunter

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« Reply #22 on: December 14, 2010, 10:33:14 PM »
Well said Pat. I wish I could do more period attire, but Pa. requires orange,shudder, on yer noggin and body,small game and big game seasons, really screws up the visual effect of my capote and fox hat! No one here says ya hafta be pc to shoot yer deer, as long yer honest in yer hunt and yer choice of firearm. My hat is off to anyone who takes their deer with a trad rifle/musket/smoothie. It is truly a trophy to take pride in! I refuse to wear a breechclout in December, er for that matter any other time, it wouldn't be a pretty sight!
Pa. TMA State Representative.[/color]
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Offline pathfinder

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« Reply #23 on: December 15, 2010, 04:02:20 AM »
Greyhunter,that's why our shirts are sooooo long! :rotf
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Offline Riley/MN

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« Reply #24 on: December 15, 2010, 09:03:18 AM »
Quote from: "greyhunter"
I refuse to wear a breechclout in December, er for that matter any other time, it wouldn't be a pretty sight!

Okay, well, your Christmas present is going to be a little late then...
~Riley
><>


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Offline mark davidson

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« Reply #25 on: December 16, 2010, 01:32:57 PM »
I can tell that I am getting gradually more and more into the period rush and maybe the P/C thing too.  I got me a capote from a nice gent on here last year and put some deer antler buttons on it and I do like the way it makes me feel to hunt in it. I also recently gave up my big ole mountain man belt I made with all my stuff on it in favor of a more practical possibles bag. All my powder measures and short starter are now hand made by me from deer antler instead of the store bought ones I used the first year or so. It is a journey and I do seem to be creeping BACK in time! :-) Gore tex and good boots will be the last things to go!!! :-)  :-)

Offline AxelP

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« Reply #26 on: December 16, 2010, 02:39:11 PM »
I clean with a brass rod and use my wood rod while in the woods. I sometimes field clean with the wooden rod on most of my guns.  

I broke my wooden rod for one of my guns and as a quick replaecment I am using a brass rod... its a short barreled flinter (31" barrel) and the brass rod weight actually helps-- so I may keep it instead of getting a new wood rod....

K

Offline pathfinder

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« Reply #27 on: December 17, 2010, 12:28:42 AM »
We moved this over to HUNTING
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