Need range rod recommendation

Zonie said:

The material called phenolic is basically immune to just about any chemical that would ever be used around a muzzle loader.
It is a tough plastic that uses imbedded cloth in it to give it a lot of strength.

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What you say is mostly correct. As I have posted many times I attempted selling Delrin rods for a long time. I like them because of strength and they don't harm barrels. So, at one point I ordered a bunch of different 3/8" X 4' rods from my supplier made from every type of material available on this planet. I was particularly attracted to some of the phenolics because the coloring and material pattern made them resemble wood. I found none that passed muster in the lateral strength department. All except Delrin broke easily when attempting to use in a ml rifle bore. Costly experiment but I learned a lot.

ZEB I NEVER WAS AWARE OF PHENOLIC RODS.
I USED MY STEEL RODS FOR YEARS WITH no PROBLEMS WHATEVER.
EXPERIMENTING WITH A VARIETY OF ITEMS CAN BE EXPENSIVE BUT I ALWAYS FOUND IT BOTH EUCATIONAL AND FUN.

DUTCH

Rifleman1776 said:

What you say is mostly correct. As I have posted many times I attempted selling Delrin rods for a long time. I like them because of strength and they don't harm barrels. So, at one point I ordered a bunch of different 3/8" X 4' rods from my supplier made from every type of material available on this planet. I was particularly attracted to some of the phenolics because the coloring and material pattern made them resemble wood. I found none that passed muster in the lateral strength department. All except Delrin broke easily when attempting to use in a ml rifle bore. Costly experiment but I learned a lot.

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Thanks for the comments everyone. I was looking at the ToTW 48" phenolic as an option for a range rod thinking it might be easier on my muzzle but comments regarding retained grit, abrasion and R1776's lateral strength tests will point me towards SS with a muzzle protector.

8W8 said:

Thanks for the comments everyone. I was looking at the ToTW 48" phenolic as an option for a range rod thinking it might be easier on my muzzle but comments regarding retained grit, abrasion and R1776's lateral strength tests will point me towards SS with a muzzle protector.

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For my new Dave Person built Little Fella flint rifle I bought from Ox Yoke a brass rod. Got the rod and fixed a hunk of scrap brass as a 'T' handle. Brass is strong and easy on the barrel. Plus the weight makes loading a bit easier. FWIW, I used a stainless steel loading rod for many years on a variety of rifles with a bore protector.

IF OX YOKE HAS BRASS RODS FOR SALE, THAT IS A GOOD NEW SOURCE. HOW LONG A ROD DO THEY CARRY.
MY STAIBLESS STEEL RODS CAME IB LIMITED LENGTHS AND WHILE THE54RTY WERE FINE FOR HAWKEN STYLE RIFLES THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY TOO SHORT FOR THE LONG RIFLES.

DUTCH

8W8 said:

Thanks for the comments everyone. I was looking at the ToTW 48" phenolic as an option for a range rod thinking it might be easier on my muzzle but comments regarding retained grit, abrasion and R1776's lateral strength tests will point me towards SS with a muzzle protector.

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Rifleman1776 said:

For my new Dave Person built Little Fella flint rifle I bought from Ox Yoke a brass rod. Got the rod and fixed a hunk of scrap brass as a 'T' handle. Brass is strong and easy on the barrel. Plus the weight makes loading a bit easier. FWIW, I used a stainless steel loading rod for many years on a variety of rifles with a bore protector.

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Rifleman1776 said:

For my new Dave Person built Little Fella flint rifle I bought from Ox Yoke a brass rod. Got the rod and fixed a hunk of scrap brass as a 'T' handle. Brass is strong and easy on the barrel. Plus the weight makes loading a bit easier. FWIW, I used a stainless steel loading rod for many years on a variety of rifles with a bore protector.

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My stainless rods are 48" long. They will fit about any barrel. My wooden rods are used for holding the breech face cleaning brushes.

On the range I use cheap woo dowels from my builder suply store as near caliber as possible even if i have to down size the dowel a bit with a big wood ball on one end... if I want some brass end I fit a cut empty handgun or rifle case can even put fillet on that end

Dutch, Ox Yoke sells a variety of lengths plus a long unfinished rod. I bought the unfinished and cut to the length I needed. But....and I do mean BUT.......the 'brass' is so friggin hard I had to take to a machinist to cut the threads. It definitely is not soft, easily machinable brass but sumptin else. I advise to buy the length you need and avoid the frustration of trying to thread at home.

I use the largest diameter rod that'll fit down the bore and allow me about 4" longer than the barrel. It makes loading a lot easier. Use your smaller diameter ram rod as a cleaning rod at the range.

Valkyrie said:

I made mine. 5/16” length of cold rolled steel from Lowe’s. Drilled the end and tapped to 10-32. Chucked it in a drill and polished with some emery paper and drilled and tapped to 10-32. Added a wooden handle I made from a piece of scrap wood.

Cost about $10.

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Pretty much what I do. I like 5/16 and 3/8. I add a 5" T-handle made from handy steel round stock stock I can pull dry balls. I also cover it with shrink tubing. The heavy steel rod makes loading tight balls much easier.

i use steel or fibreglass.....they all have bore protectors though

I have an older Hoppes 3piece shotgun aluminum rod with the T handle had it since late 70’s or early 80’s many years of use,now on my BP rifle at the range.

I use a M7 50 cal jointed rod US military. And pin the “T” handled
Here is a listing in eBay it is not mine. http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338413729&icep_item=252588823270

Tim L said:

I use a M7 50 cal jointed rod US military. And pin the “T” handled
Here is a listing in eBay it is not mine. http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338413729&icep_item=252588823270

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I use the same. Works well.

I too use jointed mil-surp rods, with extra sections to match the longest bore I have, in addition to a bunch of adapters, so I can use the various jags, scrapers, and worms. You don't mention caliber: If I had to choose one rod for all common calibers, I would pick the .30 cal rod, and use a muzzle cone to keep it centered in big bores. I would go with the .50 rod only if all my rifles were .50 or larger. The jointed rods break down for easy carrying in your bag, and come with "T" handles, which are a BIG help. I would avoid building supply dowels, having seen the stigmata marks that occur when the dowel breaks.

I have 6 M-1 style take down rods with T handles and muzzle protectors

Irish lad said:

Rice Barrels makes the best range rod I have used.
Absolutely straight stainless steel, beautiful finish, muzzle guide and a round handle. Mine is 4 inches longer than the barrel.
They are a steal at $20.
Irish

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Do you have a photo of the rice range rod you can post? Rice barrels doesn’t have a photo on their web site.

Dibbuk said:

I too use jointed mil-surp rods, with extra sections to match the longest bore I have, in addition to a bunch of adapters, so I can use the various jags, scrapers, and worms. You don't mention caliber: If I had to choose one rod for all common calibers, I would pick the .30 cal rod, and use a muzzle cone to keep it centered in big bores. I would go with the .50 rod only if all my rifles were .50 or larger. The jointed rods break down for easy carrying in your bag, and come with "T" handles, which are a BIG help.

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The .50 cal surplus machine gun cleaning rod I have is just under .30 cal and 5 sections for a length of 52 inches if all sections are used. I had to re tap the end for 10-32 jags that I had. Cost about $8 but that was a number of years ago.

I have an assortment of rods for longer A& shorter barrels, and for various bore sizes. I get my blanks from ToTW, specifying that I need a straight rod the entire length and also no grain runout. In the rare instance they miss my instructions, an e-mail to Customer Service gets a quick shipment of an acceptable replacement.

Of prime importance, whether building your rod, or getting one pre-made, is to ensure the tip has been cross-pinned. Glue or anything else isn't good enough and can't guarantee the tip will come off down inside the bore.