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Replacement Traditions ramrod

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ky_man

40 Cal.
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OK, so I broke my ramrod at the range, nearly skewered my hand. Luckily, the only thing hurt was my pride. Anyways, I'd like to procure a more sturdy replacement rod than the stock hickory stick Traditions ships with these rifles. I have a Kentucky flint, 35" barrel.

Can anyone suggest anything that would fit? I have a 3/16" ramrod. I've seen rods with a threaded tip that I can switch jag and tools. It doesn't have to be a direct fit, I'm not afraid of cutting, etc.

Also, I guess they undersize these rods slightly as new? My pipes are 3/16", but if the ramrod were the same size it wouldn't fit. Do they allow for this, or do they have to be sanded down to fit? I threw the old rod away, I wasn't satisfied with the hardware Traditions stocked the rod anywyas, so it wasn't worth saving.

Also, I've heard soaking a hickory ramrod in kerosene or linseed oil can make it more sturdy...can I just buy some iron pipe, fill it, insert rod, cap it, and put the rod in the tube for a few months? What's the best way to go about it?
Thanks
 
Hey Ky Man, :hatsoff:
I've got a Great Plains 50 cal. capper that I bought new and is about 10 years old. Its had an easy 200-300 rounds a year, but while I've replaced the nipple several times, it still has the original ramrod. It does tick my bro-in-law off as he has broken 7-8 ramrods in assorted guns in the same 10 years.

All I did was take some cpvc 1/2" water line, glue a cap to one end and fill it most of the way with Tandy Neetsfoot oil and soak the rod in it when the gun is in the gun case. Just put a cup or dish under the tubing, in case of overflow when you put it in the first time. When you pull it out, wrap a piece of paper towel around it when you do because some of the oil will cling to the rod when you pull it out. Until it soaks up good, you will need to put more Neetsfoot oil in occasionally. After your next cleaning time put in back in the tube.


My ramrod is not as flexible as one of those fiberglass things, but the oil really helped with the flex and durablilty. It's finally wearing around the flared end from bumping the lip of the barrel when I load so I've stocked up on some replacement blanks and ends from Log Cabin Shop in Lodi Ohio. Also for a range rod I bought one of Log Cabins solid brass ramrods. He's got them sized for the different guns. It is heavier than the wood rod, but it fits right in the pipes of the gun. Its also great for that extra ummph when you have to pull a ball out the hard way. I also bought one of those fiberglass things but its too slick for my taste.

I'll make my next one but I'll probably install the brass end I got from Dixie Gun Shop. It's got a drill bit and a screw built in that are conceled under the jag.

Have a good one!! :thumbsup:
Grumpy Bear
 
TOW and Dixie have hickory dowels that you can make your own with. You might also check[url] www.periodramrod.com[/url]. They are sponsors of this fine board and they custom make some interesting rods that have steel in the middle to make the "virtually indestructible". I have yet to try one, but I'm about to order one for my New Englander.
 
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If I was going to soak I would use kerosene or linseed oil, neatsfoot oil is for leather. Dilly
 
I have a Traditions Kentucky Rifle. I needed to replace my ramrod ( 23/64 ) so I went to October Country and ordered a Brass ramrod. Works Great.
 
The "virtually Indestructable" rod looks like a winner, does anyone know the dimensions of the Traditions KY rifle ramrod?
 
Ky_Man said:
Anyways, I'd like to procure a more sturdy replacement rod than the stock hickory stick Traditions ships with these rifles.

I seriously doubt that any factory made rifle comes equipped with a hickory rod. Hardwood...of some sort, but probably not hickory.

Real hickory rods and blanks are available, as are other types of rods. I would avoid aluminum, fiberglass, and probably brass rods. The aluminum and brass rods are soft and will pick up grit that will embed in the rod. Aluminum is especially bad about embeding grit and acting like a sanding stick to abrade the bore.

Brass is not so bad, and can be kept clean. Wood rods should also be wiped down periodically to prevent grit from being embeded in the wood.

It's always a good idea to have a few extra rods on hand. Never konw when you might need one.
J.D.
 
Ky. Man: Did you learn anything by breaking that ramrod? You were obviously using the rod wrong, or it would not have been so easily broken. Don't grab the rod at the opposite end and try to drive it down the barrel in one stroke. Instead, do a hand over hand approach, spacing your hands about 6 inches apart over the muzzle. Use only your fingers to wrap around the ramrod, leaving your thumbs clear. If you ever were to have a charge go off under that ramrod, the body's reaction to fingers being burned is to open the fingers instantly. If you wrap your thumb inward around your fingers, your body's reaction to pain will be to make a fist, and that could cause the ramrod to pull one of your thumbs right off your hand! YOu can survive a skin burn to your fingers if that ramrod takes off; you can't do without that thumb.

You didn't give the caliber of your gun. If you will check the suppliers who have links here, you can find good Hickory ramrod stock that has straight grain, and shows no run out of the grain to the side of the stick. You don't need to soak the hickory stick in anything to make it supple. By its nature, it has enough flex for any reasonable use. You do want to both glue and pin the ferrules on the ramrod, and you will have to file and sand down the rod to fit your gun and ferrules and the channel in the forestock. In most cases, the rod has to squeeze past the forward lock bolt in the action, so you have to really thin down that other end of the stick to make it fit.

Used properly, you won't break another ramrod again. The new rod will last you your lifetime.
Oh, you can use the one hand on the rod to REMOVE THE ROD from the barrel, but you should use the hand-over-hand method when seating the PRB on the powder charge. People almost never break a rod withdrawing it from the barrel. Its always when they are using gross muscles to run the ramrod home that they end up breaking them. Take it easy, take your time, and in this case, spare the rod!

paul
 
I always load hand over hand with the ramrod, but I suppose this particular rod was weak. From what I remember, it looked as if the rod split along a grain boundary, at about a 60 deg. acute angle. The stock rod made it half way down the barrel when it broke in two. My rifle is .50 caliber, BTW.

I have an Aluminum range rod I used to finish my shooting match, but let me tell you a smooth aluminum rod is no fun to load with in the rain!
 
Traditions' rod thimbles are undersized for 3/8ths ramrods. My Track catalog doesn't list a replacement 'unbreakable' rod in 35" length, and their 48" fiberglass rods are either 5/16ths or 3/8ths".
If you go with hickory, you can soak it in neatsfoot oil or kerosene for flexibility. (Neatsfoot. Its not just for leather, anymore) :grin:
Consider replacing your thimbles so you can use a rod that's closer to bore sized. I put larger thimbles on my .50 so I can hang a 7/16ths" thick hickory rod on the gun.
Moose
 
I suppose I could sand a 3/8" rod down until it fits, then re-finish it. I'll disassemble the gun tonight and take a look at the feasability of replacing the thimbles. What about the ramrod channel groove and the hole in the stock? Did you have to enlarge these as well?

I emailed the gentleman who runs the 'unbreakable ramrod' and he says he can make me one any size I want for $40 shipped.
 
Make a scraper for that ramrod. Take a piece of steel obtained from junk. and cut a "V notch in it that resembles the v between your index and middle finger. Round the bottom to the smallest diameter you might need to fit a ramrod under or behind, or around a lock plate screw. Bevel the front side of the plate.

To reduce the diameter of the ramrod to fit in the stock, draw the rod through this groove turning it as you pull in strokes, beginning with short strokes until you get the hang of it. As the wood is reduced in diameter it will go further down in the notch. When you reach the bottom, that "U " shaped curve will help you insure that the rod is fairly round at the smallest end. You can whittle down a ramrod in a couple of hours doing this mindless activity. Just rotate the stick with each stroke so you remove stock from all points of the compass around the stick. Using this device, even though its home made, will also allow you to make sure the reduction follows the grain, and does not produce a lopsided rod that has grain run-out. Or you can send the guy his $40.00.
 
haha! that happened to me too on my traditions kentucky flintlock, errr... twice actually. They sent me a free replacement and i broke it a week later trying to load a home made ball. Buy yourself a synthetic ramrod when you are at the range or hunting and save the wood for show.
 
haha! that happened to me too on my traditions kentucky flintlock, errr... twice actually. They sent me a free replacement and i broke it a week later trying to load a home made ball. Buy yourself a synthetic ramrod when you are at the range or hunting and save the wood for show.
I just ordered a traditions Kentucky flintlock and the online manual says that tradition's ramrods are threaded. However, the picture of the wooden ramrod doesn't look like there is a seam for a thread. So my questions is, are the wooden ramrods threaded to accept 10/ 32 threads or did I just waste money on a ramrod accessory kit???
 
I too broke a ramrod once. I also use the hand over hand method. Mine snapped as I seated the ball. I use a home made nylon palm saver that has a 3/8x 3/4 hole drilled in it for the ramrod end to sit in. I've had this palm saver for years. Works great. Well. The time in question, I must've torqued the rod a little with some side pressure. Not realizing until it snapped about an inch above the muzzle. Luckily enough of the rod was sticking out for me to grab with pliers. The palm saver did it's job too, as no injuries.

So, even using proper techniques, you can still break a rod. I like traditional materials for my rods, so just ordered some blanks and made a few more. I always have a spare lying around.
 
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