Ramrod ends - Steel or Wood?

Rifleman1776 said:

??? Nebber heerd of it. Watizzit? A type of brass or some other metal that got that name?

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Maybe what we call German silver??

What a magnesium tipped rod ? Will that spark a lot ? Lol

I frequently use cartridge cases. Just fit them to end of the rod and then grind off the extractor groove and drill out the primer tap that for 10-32 glue and pin it on. Works well. Some times you can still read the headstamp but I can live with that. I usually use 30 carbine or 357 mag. When I am done here I will wash my mouth out with soap for using those bad words.

I still use fiberglass ramrods on all of my front stuffers. Ive broken too many wooden ramrods.. generally the ones that came with guns or kits. I will wipe down the fiberglass ram rod whenever I clean the gun its on. Id rather have a green or odd brown rod than have all the problems noted in the posts above. I generally hunt with my guns, and needing second shot to put down a crippled boar and having the ram rod break off in my hand is not something I ever plan to have happen. A buddy had that happen once, and I wound up having to shoot the hog again to put it down. (I also went to a larger caliber. Few hogs will withstand a 54-58 caliber mini through the front shoulders. Ive had a couple hogs eat up 50 caliber slugs. It would kill them but in my opinion, not humanely.
I have as yet not had a hog shrug off a 54 or 58 caliber ball or REAL bullet. Usually DRT.

brass...so i can change tips as needed

Got my track of the wolf package today and installed.

Toneloc said:

Got my track of the wolf package today and installed

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Nice clean installation.

Certainly no professional work but here’s what I did to my Jaeger kit. I cross pinned a threaded brass end to my hickory ramrod and made a bone piece to slip over and hide it using epoxy to keep the bone “sleeve” on place. I think it looks kind of Jaegerish. I keep the brass loading/cleaning jag in the patch box unless I’m shooing. And yes, I know my work is not up to par but she shoots like a dream.

Jaeger, looks great to me. Neat idea.

rkg1 said:

I frequently use cartridge cases. Just fit them to end of the rod and then grind off the extractor groove and drill out the primer tap that for 10-32 glue and pin it on. Works well. Some times you can still read the headstamp but I can live with that. I usually use 30 carbine or 357 mag. When I am done here I will wash my mouth out with soap for using those bad words.

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Yep, I made my starter using 9mm casings. Punch out the primer, trim a 3/8 dowel just a bit and JB weld it on. Take a proper size drill bit to make the head concave and finish it off with sandpaper over a ball. Not very traditional but free and it works!

....tapered ramrod , large on the loading end and brass tip on the other ....

Beautiful @Rob M.

Brass tip on both ends one threaded 8/32 the other 10/32. The 8/32 end is tapered smaller than the other for easy pipe entry and I'll say it you can yell at me later but I often use a 30 carbine or 32-20 case for the tip and grind off the extractor groove. There is enough brass to hold any cleaning jag but would not try to pull a stuck ball.

ColonialRifleSmith said:

Well, if I put a metal end on my ramrods, I use either brass or german silver. I only use steel if the customer insists. Steel against steel can spark. Can ruin your whole day. Have I ever heard of it happening, yes. Have I ever seen it happen, no.

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Military muskets used steel rods. It couldn't have been too much of a concern.

ohio ramrod said:

I make my ramrods with brass tips on both ends, One end sized for patches and radiused for the caliber and threaded, the other end straight and threaded. This allows me to use a "T" handle to pull stuck patches or dry balls, as if I would ever dry ball!

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Are you still making those to sell?

ColonialRifleSmith said:

If there's any minuet possibility at all, why would one take the chance. To each his own. Keep using your steel rod tip. Let me know when you count your finger and you come up a few short.

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There is no minute chance. Been shooting muskets for 40 years and it doesn’t happen.

Dang, missed the topic anniversary two days ago. Interesting all the way through.

Concur with curved brass ends. Two ends, two different size threads.
Works out real nice to have one on each end

Tumbledown said:

Military muskets used steel rods. It couldn't have been too much of a concern.

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In a battle, probably the least of your concern. But the military was all about cost. People are expendable.

Steel rod tip sparking in the barrel and setting off the charge LOL give me break

Edited to remove curmudgeon response; I'm sorry I said it. Caution is good. Nothing wrong with caution. (giggle)