• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Ramrods and Long Guns

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Cruzatte

50 Cal.
Joined
May 13, 2005
Messages
2,227
Reaction score
1,407
Location
Lawrence, KS
I've been wondering how some of you fellows with extraordinarily long guns with 48 inch or longer barrels do for ramrods. So far I don't seem to recall any ramrod blanks or finished rods available from the usual merchants longer than 48 inches. So if you've been shooting a French trade gun with a 51 inch barrel, for example, what do you do? And what is your source for longer ramrods?
Cruzatte
 
I would check an industrial suppy house. The steel companies sell steel rod in 20 foot lengths. Buy a quarter inch diameter piece.
 
I used to make and sell rods made from Delrin. It comes in 8' lengths. I usually had it cut into 48" lengths for easier transport or shipping. You could check around for a plastics distributor and proceed accordingly. I know plastic isn't PC but it works, is strong and safe. Better than not having any rod.
BTW, I sand mine to take away the shine. When dulled no one will give it a second look.
 
I make them for all of my builds.. no matter what length barrel. :v
 
Good evening Cruzatte, if you did want to go traditional, then a good timber merchant should be able to provide you with a suitable length of 1/2" dowelling (or 3/8 or 5/8 or 3/4 - whatever you need), but do check it for joins - these days they fix shorter length together using a zig-zag joint that will fail, so give it a once-over before you buy.

Always have a metal or synthetic back-up handy though.
 
I put a brass or steel end on the rod thread a hole in the end, turn a jag the length to make up the diff.

I use this plan to make a rod on a regular length barrel so the rod is even with the end of the barrel. I screw it on to clean?
 
I have no idea how appropriate or inappropriate this might be for your situation, only tossing it out there in case its an option.

October Country carries strong rigid tubular brass stock to make custom ramrods.
For example, 3/8" with .060" thick walls...strength without adding inordinate weight, threaded end inserts are glued & pinned.
 
You would do best to find a source for long staves of hickory and work your own down. I do not think one will find much in the way of dowel rod without runout. I have never seen a piece that the grain was true in, as the natute of how they are sawn and shaped prevents it pretty much. I have found that I do not have to get the ball really tight with my smoothbores and still get very good acuiracy,this will help in the life of a wood rod.Some gun builders might make custom length rods as well if asked?
 
Roy said:
I make them for all of my builds.. no matter what length barrel. :v
Roy walked me through how to do this. I got a 7 ft hickory log that was about 9" in diameter and split rod stock out of it. Works great, but lots of work to split out of the log..
 
roundball said:
I have no idea how appropriate or inappropriate this might be for your situation, only tossing it out there in case its an option.

October Country carries strong rigid tubular brass stock to make custom ramrods.
For example, 3/8" with .060" thick walls...strength without adding inordinate weight, threaded end inserts are glued & pinned.

Most guns I have encountered require the end that goes into the gun be tapered. I usually sand or file my rods down to fit. With tubular that can't be done. With solid rods, brass, delrin or wood you can make the taper. I see lots of rods in museums with tapered ends.
 
Mike,

Don't have access to a hickory log. Will splitting out a blank from a one inch kiln dried hickory plank and working it round with files and spokeshaves do the job? I'm assuming the grain cooperates.

Jeff
 
i made a range rod from 416 stainless steel for my enfield. 416 was used as it is easier to drill and tap than other stainless. i made a brass jag threaded male therads on one end female on the other. speedy metals has 416 stainless 60 inches for $7.98 5/16 dia. and brass the same length and dia for $18.83. thread one end put a wood handle on the other and you have a great range rod. if you happen to break a wood rod while loading it can reall ruin your day. joe gifford aka 1853 enfield
 
Regarding the comment about needing to be tapered...the solution is very simple.

The main length of brass ramrod is tubular from the muzzle down into / past the entry pipe.
Then the remaining few inches is a solid piece of brass rod tapered down to 5/16" to clear front lock bolts.
The 3/8" end is joined to the tubular section's 3/8" insert with a normal steel thread and a drop of Loc-Tite.
Both ends drilled & tapped 10/32", making the ramrod an easy to use, completely functional one and not a single-attachment rod with a sharp tapered end of limited flexibility.

The main consideration is whether or not a brass rod would fit with a particular individual's ML time period or tastes...if it does, these are outstanding.
All of my Virginia and Lancaster long guns have brass furniture and these brass rods blend right in fine, and I never worry about a rod breaking with me on a day hunt in the woods, etc.
 
For range work MBS has 48" brass range rods, and also 4" add on extensions. My longest rifle barrel is 52", a hickory ramrod is no problem. the smoothies have steel rammers, and the brass rods at the range. After splitting the hickory using one of the shaping tools made by Tom Curran http://thosmachine.wordpress.com/
It's great for shaping and tapering rods.

Bill
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dried hickory is next to impossible to split, compared to a freshly cut log, and kiln drying "cooks" the pores and weakens the wood. Find a lumber mill and try to get a green log before its cut and dried. Any local lumber supplier can tell you the nearest mill that provides hickory.

The nice part about splitting out a stick from a green log is that it will air dry in a few days to weeks, and then you can shape it to your heart's content. That is about when all those sore muscles in your wrists, hands, arms, and back will finally heal enough to proceed with the work. Find a warm, sunny place to put the green splits, and turn them over and around every day or so. If you have an old car that sits, put the wood inside the car, with the sun coming through the back window, and one window cracked just enough to allow air flow to keep the interior from getting too hot.

Now is the time of year to cut down hickory trees to make tool handles, and ramrods. The Sap is all down, so that the logs will dry quickly and still be the strongest and most flexible they can be.
 
Be warned, continued use of a steel rod will ruin your barrel. I puts incredible wear at the muzzle. I have had to cut back guns at the muzzle that wear worn at the muzzle from steel rod wear.
 
Steve Bailey in Missouri advertises in Muzzle Blasts etc and will supply you with fine 60" hickory dowels with straight grain.
 
Back
Top