Need Help Finding Pistol Range Rod and Stand

I need range rods for .45 and .36 caliber pistol. The barrels are 12", so I'm thinking a 14-16 inch rod would be about right.

I also need a bench stand for a Thompson Center Patriot. No, I don't want to make one. No time, no tools, no workbench at home.

Can anybody tell me where I can go and just buy these pieces of equipment? Been all over the internet and can't seam to find a range rod shorter than 21". I can't find a single pistol stand for a single shot black powder pistol.

Need help :surrender:

Thank you

as for a range rod, I just purchased a hefty commercial pistol cleaning rod. Already has the handle and threads for the attachments.

There have been some nice pistol loading stands for sale. Here a couple times and once in a while on gun broker. It really doesn't take much to make one. There a web site or two on making them. Maybe call the author and ask to have one made.

look down the page for DR101. I use this one for my 32 through 45 caliber pistols:
http://secure.armorholdings.com/kleen-bore/onepiecekits.html

I use a piece of delrin rod for the loading and cleaning of my .45 cal Patriot. The rod has a simple wood handle with a short starter stub in the handle. When I load, I hold the pistol in my hand and don't let the butt come into contact with anything hard. That saves the stock... no cracks. :thumbsup:

You can find the delrin at TAP Plastics or maybe at the hardware store. It is fairly cheap and won't scratch your pistol. You might get by with the same rod for both pistol barrels. :idunno:

I use delrin rods for wiping in my Black powder cartridge rifles and it will take the bluing off your soule long range sights or muzzle in quick order which means it allows fouling solids and other debris to impregnate it plus it will coil up like a noodle if one has to really lean on it.
Brass will also allow grit to impregnate it but not if it is kept clean and an in bore muzzle protector is used.
A range rod that is one piece stainless rod stock with an in bore muzzle protect is the best I know of to this point. MD

An acquaintance of mine found a source of heavy extra long shank phillips screw drivers for a few dollars each. He takes the temper out of the ends and then threads them for jags etc. He made the cleaning rod for my 10 ga and 1 inch cannons that way. With a 3/8 tempered steel shank you can really lean on them. The shanks are 14 or 16 inches as I recall. I haven't seen him in a few years.

Chris - shoot me an email; email in profile. We have some talented folks at the Club.

I use delrin rods for wiping in my Black powder cartridge rifles and it will take the bluing off your soule long range sights or muzzle in quick order which means it allows fouling solids and other debris to impregnate it plus it will coil up like a noodle if one has to really lean on it.

Click to expand...

I used to make an sell Delrin rods and I still use it for my own or friends.
I'm wanting to stay polite in disputing your comments. Is "bull butter" too offensive?
They are your findings so I'll accept as YOUR experience but am certain no one else would ever have similar experiences.
Delrin is soft and non-abrasive. It will bend and, I suppose, if too small a diameter rod were tried it might not support heavy pushing. e.g 1/8" in a .50 caliber.
Except for being non-PC it is probably the ideal material around for a ramrod.

Difference of opinion is all, but I have both bought and made long delrin rod bore wipes as big of diameter as will fit the bore and use them in my black powder cartridge rifles for wiping between shots. I don't like how they take a bend set after some time and use as well. Still for this they work better than anything else I have found to date but for cleaning or loading muzzle loaders they are way back on the preference list in my opinion. I much prefer a good stiff rod that will remain straight, cannot embed grit and is stiff enough to stay off the crown, leade and land tops when one has to lean on it.
Delrin turns quite well in my lathe and I have used it for bullet blocks, handles and other accessories useful in muzzle loading. MD

If you are interested, I just measured my loading rod/ short starter for my Patriot. The OAL is approx 11 1/2". The delrin is approx 9 1/2" to 10" long, 3/8" dia, with an 1 1/2" +/-, brass tip, threaded for jags and brushes. The brass tip is pinned and epoxied to the delrin. The rod is epoxied and seated in a maple knob approx 2 5/8" long and 1 5/8" dia. I have a 3/8" dia brass stub in the side of the knob, that protrudes maybe 3/8".

I get very little flex with the rod because it is relatively short and stout. It is not like the longer rods of delrin that sometimes flex more than I care for. As for picking up debris or being abrasive, I have not found it to be abrasive at all. It does get slightly dirty, but what doesn't when you are shooting? I just wipe it off with a rag. No problems at all. It cleans up easily and has served me for many years. Delrin is used for bearings in some machinery, or at least it used to be. I know the rod will never wear out in my lifetime, and it will never wear out my barrel.

Works for me. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thank you guys. I'm not keen on building a range rod. I just don't have the tools or inclination to bother with it. Sorry, thats my attitude. :idunno:

Would rather just go buy one that is stiff and stout.

As for the pistol stand - I am pretty sure that is a requirement for any pistol not pointed down range - it has to be stored in the upright position and secured when on the loading bench.

Sent a mail to gifford. Hopefully a club member will build a stand for me.

A stand is fine for setting the pistol in between relays. I suggest loading in hand. Seen to many cracked stocks, many of them Patriots, that the common factor was a loading stand.
Jon D

Huh,could be, I've only had my Patriot three years and haven't cracked it yet from stand loading. I would think it has a great deal to do with how well the stand supports and immobilizes the pistol when loading it.
Logically if it will stand the impact of recoil without cracking it would seem to follow that it ought to be able to stand the pressure of loading it.
I was thinking over tightening the lock removal screw from the off side escutcheon was what was cracking them.
Probably wouldn't hurt drilling the grip length wise and inserting a dowel or steel rod and epoxy it in places and glass bedding the hooked breech, barrel and lock plate.
I did that on the .54cal horse pistol and it has never budged.MD

range rod....

I have several....
a few with billiard balls for the handle
and my favorites use an old metal door knob.
I use a 3/8 oak dowel and fit a rod end on it.works for me and my compadres!

Did I say I was going to load it on a stand? :shake:

I said it was a club rule that pistols had to be in a stand, pointed vertically and secured when not pointed down range.

Just thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth.
For Christmas, my son decided to build me a Pistol Stand; he had enough material left over to build a second, out of Pine. He got the pictures by a web search "Pistol Stands Images"; tons of photos there.
In addition, my pistols have either roughly 10 1/2" barrel, of a 9" barrel. I went to my local dollar store (the one my son manages, ironically), and found a package of 6 x 7/16" wood dowels.
Also, went to local "big box" hardware store and picked up a steel rod, 3/8" diameter. I covered the rod with duct tape, so it would not scrape or produce sparks.
I am trying all this afternoon; will advise later how they work.
I know your barrels are 12" long, but I am sure you can get wood dowels and cut them; and get a steel rod about 18" long. Good luck!

Chris - Jethro helped me out with this one a few months ago when I bought my first BP handgun.

Go to Track of the Wolf. Look under "short starters" & "Pistol Loading Rods"

I got one for my .45 just shy of 11"

I'm just cheap and needed several short starters for my C&B rifles (I also needed one for cleaning the pistol) so I went to the big box store (Home Depot) and bought some aluminum 3/8 rod. I drilled and tapped the end 10-32 cut to length and epoxied a wooden ball on the end (drill a 3/8" hole in the wooden ball first).

I already had the epoxy and wood. The overall cost ended up being about $7.00 for all four.