Walnut rod?

Came across some straight grain 3/8" walnut dowels. Anyone have experience or regrets on using walnut for ramrods?

Never have but I don't see why it wouldn't work good as long as it is straight grained with not weak spots and as long as you don't push from too far up the rod. Use a short starter and grab the rod about 8" above the muzzle.

I agree with mooman76. I've never tried a walnut rod, but would not hesitate to do so if it meets the criteria for straight grain and you use it properly. It ought to make a nice-looking and distinctive rod, too.

Hickory and walnut trees are both in the family Juglandaceae. The two woods do have somewhat different properties, but they are related.

We want to see pictures when you get it finished!

Notchy Bob

Hi,
Hickory is Carya and walnut Juglans. Compared with hickory and ash, walnut dowels are weaker. It might be fine for pistol rods but it will break more easily as a long gun rod.

dave

Hickory and walnut are in the same family and tribe classifications. Different genus, though, as Dave pointed out, which is a little farther down in the classification system. The woods do certainly have some different characteristics, and I have no doubt Dave is right in that hickory is stronger and harder. The Wood Database has more detail.

I guess the question was whether walnut would be strong enough.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

Straight grain hickory rods can break and that is the best wood. Other woods are more likely to break. If it was just an inconvenience that is one thing. If it breaks while ramming a ball there it a good chance you will run the broken rod though you hand. Serious hand injury is not something I would risk. Real hickory rod blanks are cheap insurance.

Thanks everyone. Think I'll try a couple of pistol Tod's as suggested by dave_person and see what happens

I am with Dave, I would only use Walnut for show on a rifle.

NORTH AMERICAN HARDWOODS

Flintlocklar

Hi,
There is a reason why ash and hickory were and still are used for tool handles. Part of the reason is the grain runs long and straight in the wood. However, it does have to be cut and split correctly to take advantage of its structure. In the past, Indian rosewood and African blackwood (often mistaken for ebony) were used on high quality guns but they were popular mostly for sporting guns with short barrels like doubles and pistols. In Europe and England, ash was the wood of choice for long guns but some very high-end guns had ramrods made from whale baleen. I've made ramrods for long guns and pistols using all of those woods so have some actual experience. Of course, I've never used baleen nor would I want to.

dave

While its not included in the listing, I would rate eastern Ironwood ( American Hornbeam ) as a pretty close second to hickory. I've made a couple of self bows from iron wood and its a very tough wood.

I seem to recall back in my misspent youth seeing a percussion shotgun (single barrel) with a tapered ramrod made of walnut; Probably homemade, it was quite thick, like maybe 7/16ths swelling to maybe 5/8ths on the business end. Folks still had such things and I guess still used them in North Louisiana in the '50s and 60's. People in the woods didn't make a lot of money to spend on newfangled guns; if it worked, it was used.

I have some rifles with rosewood ramrods. Never use them but rather a steel rod.

Yes, have tried and found unsatisfactory. Grain in walnut is short compared to hickory. Lateral strength is very small. I still have a dowel of it but will never be using in a rifle again.

Lateral strength is important. Any dowel will work, as long as you don’t add lateral pressure to your stroke. Long tough fibers hold the wood a little better hickory or ash are tougher and less likely to break. However grasp your rod close to the bore and drive down in short stokes. Don’t grab so high that if you give lateral pressure or what pressure you do add is not enough to break the rod.
The feared break in a rod happens at or a few inches above the muzzle because the rod is being bent there. It’s not bent inside the gun. Only outside. If your hand is close to the muzzle as your pushing down you don’t have a place to bend the rod to break.

You know that little guy sitting on your shoulder whispering "Don't do it"...pay attention to him !!!