Ramrod length

[Zip]

How long do you guys, especially with half-stock guns, keep your ramrods? Mine sticks past the muzzle by about 2 inches. But while seating some round balls at the range a couple weeks ago it seemed the length of rod left to grip was a bit short for good leverage. Just wondering. Pics?

 

[BrownBear]

Long enough for a good grip when I dry ball.

 

[Bill Hall]

I had the ramrod on this rifle sticking out past the muzzle about an inch longer than it is now, but it kept banging into the short starter and it had an objectional vibration when I shot it. I cut it off to about an inch past the muzzle when it's bottomed out. Gives me just enough to grip when I clean to the bottom, and out of the way when it's in the rifle. Bill

 

[C Barker]

Well put, sir. My wood ramrod is just as yours and the range rod is about 4" past muzzle -- enough to let me stand on the T-handle and pull rifle up when "stuck" or with ball puller on if necessary. Works for me.

 

[LRB]

I have found on a few guns, including my own rifle, that the trigger guard pin lug was blocking the use of a longer rod, and on some others, the hole was just not drilled deep enough. On a couple I was able to trim the lug back, or re-drill for a new pin in a lower more rearward location. On my gun, the maker drilled a tad short, and the upper part of the lug blocked going deeper. I re-drilled the RR hole a little deeper, after trimming the lug and now have plenty of rod to work with. You would have to check yours and decide for yourself what might work. In some cases, there is nothing that can be done but to live with it as is. I will not have a ramrod protruding beyond the muzzle, if at all possible. When in deep brush, it can become a fork to catch anything in it's path. One could concievably rip out the upper thimble, in an extreme case.

 

[George]

Sometimes you are locked in by the way the ramrod pocket is fixed. I have a smooth rifle with a 50" bore and the ramrod sticks out an inch or more past the muzzle but is still an inch or more shorter than the bore. On one of my rifles the last 2-3 inches of the small end of the ramrod has been cut in half so it can slide past the front lock bolt, apparently. On my percussion double guns the ramrods are all just a bit longer than bore length and fit in their holes deep enough that they behind a keeper just below the muzzle. All of these arrangements work well enough for me when loading, although sometimes I have to use a long jag to gain an extra bit of length. Cleaning is where my problems come. No problem with the rifles, since I'm just running the jag up and down in the bore, but I clean my smoothbores with a worm which requires that I twist the rod with the patched worm against the breech plug, and that's really difficult with only an inch of rod sticking out and wet/greasy hands. I solved that problem by making an extension. I made a 10 inch rod with a male fitting on one end and a female on the other, and with that inserted between the rod and the jag or worm I have enough for a two-hand grip. It's of a size to fit into a .40, so I can use it on anything bigger than that. Makes cleaning a snap.

Spence

 

[dcriner]

Personally, I prefer to not use the mounted wooden ramrod at the range - leave it in the car. That way, it won't fall out - or get fouled with powder if it sticks out beyond or near the muzzle. (Maybe if I were ever to do a photoshoot for a national magazine, I'd leave the wooden ramrod in place.) :grin:

I have steel range rods of the proper length and diameter for my various guns. They have T-handles - I don't have to have room on the shaft for gripping.
Doug

 

[William O.]

I have a range rod with T handle along with a ram road that is flush with the muzzle. If I forget my range rod or am hunting I take this little tool with me;

It's the tip of a whitetail antler with a hole a little larger in diameter than the ram rod drilled about halfway through it, so it acts as a palm saver when loading as well as some added leverage if I need to pull the ball or when swabbing out the bore. Just a little sideways pressure locks the rod in place, almost as good as a T handle.

 

[Zip]

Hmmmm, interesting responses and pics. I just measured my T-handled range rod and it's 3" shorter than my ramrod. Trying to figure how I used to use it at that length when I used to shoot smoke more regularly. Shouldn't it be at least as long, if not longer than, as my ramrod?

Bull3540 does your Sheridan pellet rifle still work? I keep mine in the garage as a real "mouse gun."

 

[necchi]

I just measured my T-handled range rod and it's 3" shorter than my ramrod.

Time to upgrade the equipment Zip, the ole gear ain't gunna work with the new gun,,

Like Wick E. said, with some of the gun's out there the maker's just kinda forgot a part. Ya only got a couple choices;
* Change one of the ramrod ends to accept a threaded extention.
* Drill the hole deeper and replace the rod with a proper size.
* Carry an use a Rangerod of proper length.

Otherwise I keep mine like snowdragon's photo, just the jag beyond the muzzle and it works,
that's for the TC an GM barrels, CVA dropped the ball on the Mountian Rifle an Traditions didn't do real well with the boy's St. Louis Hawken.

It's a good idea to stay upgraded on the rod part.
What with the loading an cleaning an all,, :wink:

 

[hanshi]

I cut mine long enough so that they extend an inch or so beyond the muzzle. Makes them a bit handier for seating prb.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Flush with the muzzle.

I add a jag about 1-1/4" long so I have 3" out for grip. I carry a bit of leather and also a length of tarred marline in my shooting bag for added grip to pull a ball or a reluctant rod.

 

[William O.]

I should have been a little more clear in that I keep this tool in my shooting box so if I do manage to forget my range rod my day isn't ruined.
Bull3540 does your Sheridan pellet rifle still work? I keep mine in the garage as a real "mouse gun."[/quote]
It sure does! I sent it off to be rebuilt with the "steriod" upgrade for more power a few years ago. It's actually great practice for using iron sights and trigger squeeze.

 

[Rifleman1776]

On the range I use a dedicated range rod. Either stainless steel or Delrin. With really good hickory rods harder and harder to find I don't want to risk a breakage on the range. For primitive and hunting purposes I use a hickory rod about 1 1/2" longer than the end of the barrel and I use a looser ball/patch combo for easier loading. I also carry a mini plier for emergency pulling. I've never had to use it. :redface:

 

[roundball]

Flush with the muzzle.

Same here...I never use the under-barrel rod at the range, just leave it in to ensure the same weight & POI.
For my hunting there's no need for speed and I just carry a 1.5" jag with a muzzle guide around it in my pocket, and a 3" T-handle in case I need one.

 

[David W.]

I have my ram rod 2" past the muzzle. It makes cleaning a whole lot easier out in the field. And as mentioned, the posibility of dry balling. I don't know about some folks, but uncle Arthur has an influence on my hands.

 

[2172]

there was a time mine would stick out up to two inches, and then I realized why some guys called 'em brush catcher..mine are about bbl length. Hank

 

[shortbow]

Flush with the muzzle, always. That's the way they don'er in the old times if I got it right. Also have never used a range rod. Seems to me a metal or fiberglass rod beside being non PC is just asking for trouble to the crown of the rifle.

I've always found just the addition of the jag gives me plenty of grip except for the couple times I dry-balled, then I used a thong and timber hitches to pull it.

Also, I use a thumb-seat ball and patch combo that doesn't require a short starter so that might be one other reason I've never required an unbreakable rod.

 

[Richard Allen]

"Flush with the muzzle, always. That's the way they don'er in the old times if I got it right."

A few weeks ago I re-read the volume of Foxfire dealing with muzzleloaders. Unless I'm mistaken, in every old photo showing someone posing with a long gun the loading rod appeared to extend from four to six inches beyond the muzzle.

I find it strange that in practically every long gun photo I have ever seen, other than those in "Foxfire" the loading rod seldom extends more than about an inch beyond the muzzle.

I wonder why that is.

 

[ohio ramrod]

My ramrods sit flush or below the muzzle. They are all brass tiped both ends and threaded so I can use a "T" handle when desired.