impregnated wood ramrods

[Anthropy]

Its been about 12 - 14 years since I bought one, but they were epoxy or resin impregnated wood rods. Anyone know if they are still around and where one might find them.

I don't like the idea of a fiber glass rods and I did at one time have one of the synthetic limp noodle rods.

On a side note, anyone know what the Hunter unbreakable rods that Dixie and Cabelas sells are like?


Tom

 

[longcruise]

This doesn't answer your question, but I toughened up the "business" end of some cedar arrow shafts by impregnating them with MinWax Wood Hardener. Made a big difference in durability. Wonder how that would work out on a wood ramrod? :hmm:

 

[roundball]

Its been about 12 - 14 years since I bought one, but they were epoxy or resin impregnated wood rods. Anyone know if they are still around and where one might find them.

The only ones I ever knew of were those made by Thompson / Center Arms as the under-barrel ramrods that came with their rifles. Then the big fire at their NH plant destroyed that facility and when the on hand inventory was depleted, that was it.

I thought they were great, everything else I've seen hasn't come close to them...then as I began changing barrel lengths longer than TC's standard 28", impregnated rods didn't exist and I began having solid brass rods made.

Strong as an Ox, seat a ball with a single stroke, no worry about breaking, or ends pulling off, etc...liked them so much I replaced all my standard barrel TC impregnated rods with brass rods also...

 

[Anthropy]

Yep, I do believe that TC did make them. They will break if you abuse them enough by having them stick past the muzzle of the rifle and then shoot off about a dozen 100 gr 3fg blanks during a certain 4th of July.

I see that Fastenal carries 3/8" brass rod in 1/2 hard ASTM B16 & 464 naval brass ASTM B21. The naval brass is about 2x the cost of the 1/2 hard.

Not sure what one would be better to start with.
Where do you get your brass rams made? I am thinking strongly of trying an experiment using a blank hickory or birch rod and soaking it in some Deft brand Danish oil which is linseed oil and urethanes. However, I am strongly drawn to the brass ram.

Tom

 

[roundball]

I get mine cut to finished length by owner John at October Country...D/T 10/32" on both ends...he adds a nice non-slip cross hatch pattern etched into the first 1.25" of rod under the muzzle for a sure grip when pulling it out of the thimbles.

800# is on the website: [url] www.octobercountry.com[/url]

 

[Robert Egler]

You might make an unbreakable ramrod if you want. I made one from brass tubing.

After breaking 2 wood ramrods (for different, but equally stupid, reasons) I made a darn near unbreakable one. I used a brass tube of the same diameter as the original wood ramrod. On both ends I inserted about 2 inches of solid brass rod, which I pinned and silver soldered in place. On the one end I hollowed out a little depression to seat the rod on the ball, and profiled the last inch and a half as if it were a regular ramrod tip. At the other end I drilled and tapped a hole for the rod accessories to screw into.

I mixed a small bit of powder with some powder solvent, soaked some paper towels, and wrapped them around the whole thing for 24 hours. That made the whole rod rather dark. Then I polished the brass at both tips, about an inch and a half. From 5 feet away it looks like a wood ramrod with brass fittings. It is a bit too shiney for wood, unless you have a polished wood ramrod, but not much. I think as time goes on the dark part will darken even further from use in cleaning the bore.

This made a really strong ramrod but without all the weight that you’d have with a solid brass rod, since most of it is hollow.

Now you’re thinking “Where did he get the brass tube?”, and I’ll tell you. I got it from the pile of stuff in the garage that I’ve collected over the years with the idea it would be good for something, sometime. :wink: Unfortunately, that doesn’t help you much, sorry about that. :shake:

Hopefully someone here knows of a source for brass tubing.

 

[roundball]

FYI, October Country makes outstanding brass ramrods...both solid and tubular...the tublar rods have .060" walls, glued & pinned ends, and are very rigid / strong...have several solid and tubular from them...but I keep them shined up as I use them on TC Hawkens which already have brass furniture and they really blend right in, look great

 

[rich pierce]

I didn't know you could impregnate ramrods. That don't seem right. Do they then give birth to baby ramrods? Are the little ones good for pistols and how long does it take for them to grow up? :rotf:

 

[Anthropy]

It takes a special kind of ramrod to be impregnated you see. One that has been chosen for just the right traits and specifications.

Seriously, one can infuse epoxy into the fibers of any piece of wood, provided you have the correct equipment. The Smithsonian in DC has a special vacuum chamber that they use to force epoxy resin into the wood museum pieces so they never have to worry about rot. I saw it once on a Nova special and it was pretty cool.

Why could not someone create a ramrod made in a similar way to laminated longbows. I had a back flex reflex longbow once that was very strong,very flexible, and very light weight. I wonder how well it would really work.

Any bow makers around?

 

[horsesoldier03]

I guess I should have read some post before I jumped on and posted my question on the cracked ramrod, but I honestly didnt see this post. It seems to me that you should be able to take a hardwood ramrod and soak it in an oil that would make it a bit more limber. "Strong enough to bend" so to speak. I seen someone spoke of linseed oil but I thought that was mainly a sealant like varnish.

 

[bucktales]

I went with solid brass on my rifles. Makes them a bit more nose heavy, which I prefer anyways.

 

[roundball]

Yes, I like the extra weight too...also improves my accuracy a little as the front sight just hangs on the target...less muzzle wander.

I'd bet if the average guy/gal who normally uses a flexible rod, used a 3/8" solid brass one for a range sssion, they'd never go back to a flexible one again.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

This is what I bought


After braking two hickory rods this year.

Tell next year if this one stands up to fort shoots.

 

[rich pierce]

Looks like a keeper. I've never broken a rod.

 

[longcruise]

Broke my first one in 32 years this year while hunting with my Wife's "little .50". It's a Traditions Deerhunter and has this little 24" rod with aluminum tips on each end. Got over exuberant and cracked it. That little gun looked a bit funn for the rest of the day wearing a 32" rod from one of myother guns! :redface:

Why could not someone create a ramrod made in a similar way to laminated longbows. I had a back flex reflex longbow once that was very strong,very flexible, and very light weight. I wonder how well it would really work.

Any bow makers around?

The way we make those is to lam up several layers of wood (usually hardrock maple in years past but there is no end to the variety of lams out there today) with the glass lams on the outsides. You could do rods this way if you started with about a 7/16" final thickness to your lamination.

There are two problems. first one is fiberglass as in the outside lams. These are abrasive and would be hard on your barrel. The next is the time and expense of doing this type of work just for a ramrod. The lams are expensive and so is the glue. Usually the lams area cured in an oven which is another expense.

OTOH You could still use this same laminating technique to put wood-only lams with your choice of wood species. Using 1/8" or 3/16" lams and an epoxy glue that cures without heat. Your press could be wider than the typical 1.5 to 2.0 press used for bow limbs which would allow you more cuts from each run. Once you have square blanks, you can take them down with a small plane and a grooved board to hold the square stock. Once it's down to 16 sides sandpaper will do the rest.

Would not be unbreakable, but would be much stronger than the parent wood, especially if grain direction was reversed with each lam.

 

[Slamfire]

I bought one on Auction Arms a couple of years ago. The seller may still advertise them there. I did notice that I couldn't withdraw it when the barrel wedge was in place, it must be thicker than the plastic, flexible, original. Sure is pretty though, and I haven't hunted with the gun, so my range rod does all the duty.