Is a Fiberglass Ramrod Really Bad For a Muzzle-Loader?

Bob Hatfield said:

Invent a paper frying pan and you'll get rich

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I can boil an egg in a paper cup - is that close enough?

Ain’t to hard to boil in paper, bark, green skin. But frying in paper is only good if your serving your food flambé

Black Hand said:

Kinda' defeats the purpose. A rammer should have a little flex but not so much that it is floppy.
I still don't understand this irrational fear of Hickory rammers...

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Amen Blackhand...I don't understand it either. There's limitations to the capability of equipment, just about any equipment. When those capabilities are exceeded, things break. To prevent breakage, use that equipment within it's capabilities, respect it's weaknesses, and use it in a safe manner respecting potential fail points. Why that's so hard for some to understand...I don't know.

I use wooden rammers so I guess I'm living on the edge.

Bob Hatfield said:

Invent a paper frying pan and you'll get rich

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I've cooked bacon strips & sunny-side-up eggs in a brown paper sandwich bag on the coals. About as close to a paper frying pan as you can get...

The early Thompson Center ram roads were terrible. They splintered and left splinters in the hands. Little barely there, majorly aggravating hard to see glass splinters. And those old ones did wear the muzzles. Things have changed a bit in 40 years. There are carbon fiber rods, coated steel rods, even coated firberglass rods. I would not use a fiberglass rod unless coated. My first choice for a "artificial" material would be a delrin road. A type of plastic that holds up well unless your gun has tiny ram road thimbles. Then they get to flexible. I had a 7/16 delrin road on my 54 Cabelas Hawken. Left it about 3/4 inch longer than the barrel for gripping purposes. Never had a problem with it.

Most people whom snap wood rods do so as they use them wrong. They don’t choke up on it but try and slam the ball down with one push, gripping high on the rod. Bad form.

Black Hand said:

Kinda' defeats the purpose. A rammer should have a little flex but not so much that it is floppy.
I still don't understand this irrational fear of Hickory rammers...

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It was an exaggeration. Maybe one would try, but it wouldnt be me. I buffed the wooden one down and rubbed it with six coats of Tru oil. I keep it for looks, when I want to show the gun. Have no intention of using it. It puts the authentic look of our forefathers on the rifle. I like that. When shooting the rifle, I use the Delrin. My other rifle has an aluminum rod. Its a modernized flintlock so I dont care about looks. Nobody will look at that rifle and think its an authentic antique. It is good to be aware that fiberglass will wear rifling but I dont have one, probably never will.

The issue is the rationalizations behind not using a wooden rod. For something that has been successfully used for centuries, there are too many people that are convinced that a wood rammer is going to bite them if they even think about using one. This is by definition irrational...

The look, model, age, color or any other characteristic of the gun itself is irrelevant to the discussion. It's the irrational fear of wooden rods.

I've used wood rammers for 20+ years with no problems and in that time, have broken 1 rammer at the junction between the rod and the threaded metal end.

I feared my wooden one getting all scratched up and looking like manure.

flntlokr said:

exposed glass fibres

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Those exposed fibers can do a very bad number on your hands. I know from experience. I won't touch fiberglass without gloves. Local boat factories use a lot of fiberglass and they send workers to the ER on a frequent basis. Bad stuff with little redeeming value.

Livbucks said:

I feared my wooden one getting all scratched up and looking like manure.

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I can't tell if you are serious or not...(I truly hope you are joking).
Use it and make another wood one if it isn't pretty enough for you.

I can tell you are a purist. Nothing wrong with that. Im just not that dedicated.

Livbucks said:

I can tell you are a purist. Nothing wrong with that. Im just not that dedicated.

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Purist or not has nothing to do with it. A fear of wooden rods is irrational - they work fine, but when used STUPIDLY, don't work quite as well...

Black Hand said:

It's the irrational fear of wooden rods.

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I think it's the epitome of the "nanny state". The irrational fear causes over protection instead of education and proper use..

The ramrod is probably the least dangerous thing on a muzzleloader.
I've pinched fingers on locks and trigger guards.
I've bruised cheeks and shoulders on stock and butt plates.
I always protect my eyes because I'm not a total idiot.
I've cut fingers on flints and caps.
I've dug cap fragments out of my cheek.
I've been powder burned.
I've been gouged by front front sights and hammer spurs.
What comes out of the muzzle is lethal.
Lead and substitute powders are toxic.


I've broken about a half dozen ramrods in 40 years on over 50 guns, Zero injuries.

If I applied the the same irrational fear to things that have actually injured me, I can't even imagine what my gun would look like.

Wooden ramrods are an integral part of what traditional muzzleloaders are.

This is the equivalent of saying that tires on a car shouldn't be used because they can leak or go flat with normal use and blow-out when worn/abused...

Black Hand said:

This is the equivalent of saying that tires on a car shouldn't be used because they can leak or go flat with normal use and blow-out when worn/abused...

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I've had many 'Blow outs", some were spectacular. I still drive and use rubber tires. I also carry a spare.

Carbon 6 said:

The ramrod is probably the least dangerous thing on a muzzleloader.

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Maybe not.
From my research of late 18th Century to 1812 era forts, It seems some soldiers were in quarters engaging in a heavy round of horse play. A loose musket rammer was leaning against a bunk. One of the soldiers tripped fell face forward and landed on the rammer; with the iron rod entering his skull right above the eye, killing him.

So here is a case of an iron ramrod just sitting there minding it's own business and then suddenly.....killing a guy.

We need to outlaw all materials except for nerf.

It's for the children.

Black Hand said:

This is the equivalent of saying that tires on a car shouldn't be used because they can leak or go flat with normal use and blow-out when worn/abused...

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Im quite fond of tires! I do have an irrational fear of wood spoke wheels though. I mean, my forefathers used them successfully for centuries.

Back when I still shot rifles, I held my FG rod like a fiddle bow and sawed it back & forth across one corner of the oct. flats.
A chainsaw file cuts a mite faster but the FG rod left a polished semi -circular divot.

Tried a Wonder Rod (nylon?) and they are too limber, like trying to push a tight patched ball down the barrel with a licorice whip.

Seem less steel tubing works well for me in my fusil,not as heavy as solid steel or FG, nor as apt to fall out if carried muzzle down.

If I get a 28 ga smoothbore built it will have a 7/16" hickory rod, aesthetics be damned!
Dave

Noting previous discussions, many state that it is difficult to find good hickory ramrods. That combined with the inherent variability between wood rods, lead me to conclude that they will have a higher failure rate than, i.e. Delrin. Hardly an irrational fear for those that don't have access to good hickory ramrods or the ability to correctly measure their worth.