CVA Squirel Rifle ramrod

[slumlord44]

Just got a nice .36 Caliber on Gunbroker. Nice rifle. Ramrod stuck out from the barrel 2 or 3" when fully in place under the barrel. Trimmed it so it's now flush with the barrel. Just didn't look right hanging out there. Now it's on the short side for loading but will work. What am I missing here? Have a lot of CVA's and never seen this.

 

[Ames]

Sounds like a replacement rod, stock length. The owner never took the interest in cutting it down like you did.

 

[paulab]

The ramrod was hitting the front lock screw. Better a little long than too short.

 

[Tom Compton]

Original rod on our son'a now grandson's .32 CVA is aluminum. I cut a 1/4" braze rod to length w an inch or so extra. The part past the muzzle gets dirty but loading is easier.

 

[Billnpatti]

Let me give you a serious warning. If you decide to replace the ramrod, do not make the mistake of going to your local hardware store and buying a dowel rod to replace the ramrod. Dowel rods have a condition called "run out" where the grain of the rod is not parallel with the sides and "runs out" the side of the rod. This creates a condition that can quite easily cause the rod to break as you are pressing on it to seat the ball. If this happens, the dowel will break in such a way as to create a spear that can, and often has, impaled the shooters hand or wrist. If you replace the rod with a longer one, as I would recommend, do so with a hickory rod that has been split specifically for use as a ram rod or go to a stiff polymer rod or a soft metal (brass or aluminum) rod. For range use, I have brass rods that are plenty long enough to reach the breach of the barrel. Having a "T" handle on your range rod is an excellent idea because it gives you something to get a good grip on if you need to pull a ball or have a patch that doesn't want to come out when you are cleaning. Having a long range rod is a good idea. It is not intended to be carried in the thimbles under the barrel like a ramrod, it is carried separate from the gun and used only at the range. Although, some folks will carry it in their hand when shooting a woodswalk or similar activity.

Here is a source for some proper rods https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?search=rods

And another http://www.logcabinshop.com/catalog.php?path=search&filter=rods

And yet another http://www.dixiegunworks.com/advanced_search_result.php?s=1&keywords=rod

Also contact Ohio Ramrod on this forum. He makes good hickory ramrods.

 

[nwtradegun]

PRICY BUT WELL WORTH IT http://www.periodramrod.com/

 

[timothy prouty]

I just look at my rifle and it has about1/4inches pass the barrel of my36and my32is aluminum when was your rifle made there be two numbers in front of the serial numbers which would be the year it was made and if you're rifle don't shoot good with three fifties go to moose mou
:wink: ld and pick up at 355 round ball mould :v

 

[coloradoclyde]

Tear the gun apart and inspect the channel under the barrel.....
Cant remember if they had a ramrod retaining spring....but if someone removed the lock and the spring fell it would prevent the ramrod from going all the way to the bottom.

 

[timothy prouty]

YOU know I just took my two CVA squirrely rifles apart and they don't have the springs either the 32 was made in 83 the 36 was made in 89 now they should had the Springs in it :wink:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I think All mine have been removed too......

 

[Gene L]

I like the ramrod sticking out a couple of inches or less beyond the muzzle. Why, I don't know...I guess it's from watching the movie "Sergeant York."

I stabbed my hand with my .32 Pedersoli ramrod.

I've made ramrods from ramin dowels you get at the hardware store. You've got to flex them to see if they'll break. I've made arrows out of ramin and an arrow flexes way more than a ramrod with a lot of force applied to it. But you gotta flex it in all directions to see if it will break.

I don't know for sure but I seriously doubt hickory ramrods are hand-split to follow the grain (not sure hickory has that kind of grain, can't remember). Lots of hickory around here, and it makes a great selfbow.

Poplar, dogwood, Osage should make great ramrods. You have to steam and straighten them out after cutting them down and most of these woods don't have much length to them without lots of branches coming off.

 

[slumlord44]

Rod is fiberglass. I am aware of the spring. It is in place and working fine. Need to take a closer look at it. I think I could drill the stock to allow for a longer ramrod. Plan to use a range rod for most shooting. May or may not hunt with it. Made in '89 according to serial # prefix. My .32 Kit that I am stalled on again is '83 and has an aluminum rod for what that's worth.

 

[coloradoclyde]

If you put the ramrod down the barrel how far does it stick out past the muzzle.? and compared to the thimbles.....

 

[slumlord44]

2 to 3" past the muzzle.

 

[Pete G]

The ramrod should be as long as the barrel and should not hang out past the muzzle when in place in the thimbles. If it does stick out past the muzzle it is all too easily broken off if, for some reason the rifle falls on it, which makes it useless for the rest of the hunt (don't ask how I know). The best solution is to have the regular rod under the barrel and a range rod for cleaning and when you are target shooting.

 

[slumlord44]

That's what I always do anyway. May need to get or make a range rod for it and my .32. Mine is fine for .45 and up but won't fit in the smaller calibers.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Rod is fiberglass.

Sounds like a replacement rod, stock length. The owner never took the interest in cutting it down like you did.

I agree with Ames....I don't recall CVA ever putting on stock fiberglass ramrods.....

 

[Billnpatti]

I don't know for sure but I seriously doubt hickory ramrods are hand-split to follow the grain (not sure hickory has that kind of grain, can't remember).

To the contrary, when hickory ramrods are properly made, billets of straight grain hickory are used. The billets are split along the grain to yield pieces that are close in size to the desired ramrod. They are then scraped using special scraping tools to a round shape. The result is a very strong ramrod that has the grain running the length of the rod. Because it is split along the grain, it will have no dangerous run out. Keep in mind that just because the wood that a rod is made of is hickory, it doesn't necessarily mean that it was split along the grain. You have to buy from reputable makers who make their rods by splitting and not sawing them. One of our members, Ohio Ramrod, used to make split hickory ramrods. I don't know if he is still doing it or not but you might contact him to see.

In addition to using split hickory for ramrods, some folks used to, and some still do, soak the rod in kerosene for a long while to make it even more flexible and strong. Recent studies have shown that soaking in kerosene actually does nothing for making the rod more flexible and strong, but the practice still hangs on. It does no harm but it does no good, either.