1841 Ram Rod Length?

[m-g willy]

Just got my 1841 Mississippi rifle in the mail today,,,I noticed the ram rod is theaded on both ends,,,one end has the ramming tip but the other end is just bare threads...Also noticed that the ram rod when inserted in the barrel is about 1/2" shorter than the barrel...And it is loose enough that if the rifle is held muzzle down the rod will fall out!,,what gives??????

 

[Artificer]

If the large end of your rod has a brass trumpet head tip, that is correct. The other unthreaded end was for use with a separate Worm and separate Ball Puller that each threaded onto that end. It is completely correct/common the rammers were that short, because the space in the bore taken up by the powder and ball would leave the rammer still long enough to ram them home. The Worm or Ball Puller made the rammer length long enough to use them as well.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

BTW, many reenactors/skirmishers use a separate longer rammer/cleaning rod when cleaning their muskets, because the original rammers were that short and the longer length makes them easier to use.

Here is a link showing some rods that are used for cleaning muskets, even though they are not HC/PC.
http://www.lodgewood.com/Cleaning-Rods_c_86.html

Gus

 

[m-g willy]

Thanks for the reply,,,I thought maybe I had the wrong ram rod,,,I learned something today,,,thanks :bow:

 

[Artificer]

Sorry, not sure why I wrote "the unthreaded end" of the rammer when I meant the BARE threaded end of the rammer was for using the Worm or Ball Puller. Sheesh. :redface:

You are most welcome.

Gus

 

[Odentheviking]

I do not know the M1841 Rifle very well, but I have owned many, many M1822 thru M1863 Muskets and rifled muskets, original and repro. With all of these the rammer was about a half inch to an inch longer than the bore.
There is a command to "Spring Rammers", were you place the rammer down the bore,(bare threads up), so that the Sgt. can see that the musket is unloaded. The Sgt. then will lift the rammer about 6 inches, using thumb and finger, and drop it. If it rings it is clean. Then the command comes to "Return Rammers", where you also grab the rammer by the inch showing and return it home. It would not be possible in the line of formation to turn your musket upside down so that the rammer could fall out. The men are just to close together.
On some new repro's and originals I was restoring, the rammer would not fully return home. So I had a friend make me a drill bit on a long rod. I just hand turn slowly to clean out whatever is down there or wood chips on new repro's.

 

[hawkeye2]

The ramrod should be 33" long. I can't speak for the .54 cal. Mississippi but there are several variations for the tip of the rammer on the Mississippi as modified to .58 caliber. There were more different conversions of the Mississippi than any other rifle in US service and you will need to research which conversion you have to get the correct rammer. A brass tipped trumpet may be correct or may not. The particular Mississippi I replicated when I modified mine used an all steel trumpet tip rammer. The rammer that came with most of the repros over the years was not correct. Here is a link to one that would be a good choice:

http://www.ssfirearms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=41S102

Your ramrod should be retained by a spoon in the stock and visible in the barrel channel when it is removed. There will be a hole from side to side about 3 or 4 inches ahead of the lock for the pin that holds the spoon.

 

[Artificer]

There is a command to "Spring Rammers", were you place the rammer down the bore,(bare threads up), so that the Sgt. can see that the musket is unloaded. The Sgt. then will lift the rammer about 6 inches, using thumb and finger, and drop it. If it rings it is clean.

I very much agree that was a period test to see if the barrel was/is clean and almost always works, but not every time.

I was mortified one time when I brought my old Brown Bess Carbine to sell/trade at a Fort Frederick Market Faire years ago. That barrel was spotless (I had actually pulled the britch plug and thoroughly cleaned/polished it and the barrel before bringing it), but when the person who checked guns asked me to spring my rammer, it just made a dull thud like the barrel was dirty. I actually went back to my vehicle and got a flashlight and bore reflector that goes down the barrel to prove it to the Inspector. I have no clue why that rammer did not spring like it should have. Probably should have thought about carrying the flashlight and bore reflector anyway and it did help sell the gun rather quickly.

Gus

 

[Odentheviking]

Very true Gus!
If the rammer does not ring, as some of my musket will and some won't, the inspector will often remove the rammer and ask you to hold out your hand. He will then touch the rammer end to your hand to see if it makes "the mark of shame"! Most times it's just a laugh but can be very belittling at parade when you are wearing white gloves!

 

[m-g willy]

Thanks again to all you that replied,,,The ram rod would fall out if the rifle was held muzzle down with just a light jerk on the rifle,,,I took the barrel off and removed the spoon ,, put a slight bend in it,,,(couple tries till I had enough bow in it) and now you can feel when the rod goes past the spoon,,and it stays in !!!,,,The more I handle this rifle,,the more I like it,,,still have to get some ammo to see how she shoots. :idunno: