I do not like my ram that came with my Shenandoah rifle and I been thinking about building one. The reason I don't like it is it won't stay in the ram rod channel if I tip my gun over it falls out but the ram rod for my ky long rifle fit perfectly so i thought about making one and using the tips from the one I don't like any ideas? Thanks
-
This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.
Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades -
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
making a ram rod?
- Thread starter jrbaker90
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2004
- Messages
- 14,767
- Reaction score
- 313
You might locate the "keeper" spring in the ramrod channel, and try bending that a little to put a better grab on your ramrod. Might be the easiest and best fix.
Of course, if you like making stuff, ramrod building is fun too. Just be sure to get one that's slightly larger in diameter than the original, or you're right back in the same boat.
Check Track of the Wolf for ramrod making supplies. I'm betting the tips are cheap enough, there's no sense trying to salvage the one from your original.
Of course, if you like making stuff, ramrod building is fun too. Just be sure to get one that's slightly larger in diameter than the original, or you're right back in the same boat.
Check Track of the Wolf for ramrod making supplies. I'm betting the tips are cheap enough, there's no sense trying to salvage the one from your original.
thatoneguy82
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2013
- Messages
- 197
- Reaction score
- 0
You might actually be able to re-use the tips as cutters for the new ramrod. The first ramrod I made I bought a few extra rod tips and filed teeth into two (one with a chamfer to center it on the ram rod, and one with a squared end to make a 90deg shoulder for the new tip to seat against) and turned it by hand. Brass ones work but require periodic sharpening, iron ones are vailable and might work better for this operation. This is all of course after you have selected and fitted a ramrod to fit in your channel and thimbles.
jamesthomas
70 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2009
- Messages
- 4,111
- Reaction score
- 13
I just ordered 6 ram rod blanks and tips from Muzzleloader Builder Supply. $12.00 for a ramrod with tip installed, but the blanks are $2.50 and the tips are $2.50, I'll make my own ramrod for $5.00 vs $12.00 for a completed one.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Are those hickory blanks?
jamesthomas
70 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2009
- Messages
- 4,111
- Reaction score
- 13
Yes it is. :thumbsup: good price. I can't believe they are asking $12.00 for one. Track of the Wolf wants $14.99 for them :youcrazy: .
Lots of places have them for that $. Problem is 95% of them will have grain runout, unless you can go there & hand pick them.
One year at Friendship I went to 7 dif venders & each one had a barrel of RR blanks. I found 5 good ones with no runout, out of dozens & dozens of them I went thru. Most of the vender just buy them in bulk & they are what they are..... :idunno:
The best RR blanks are from Steve Bailey. You have to get 10 at a time, but they will be all good with no runout. He hand picks them all. I have bought over a hundred from him & have never been disappointed in any of them.
Keith Lisle
One year at Friendship I went to 7 dif venders & each one had a barrel of RR blanks. I found 5 good ones with no runout, out of dozens & dozens of them I went thru. Most of the vender just buy them in bulk & they are what they are..... :idunno:
The best RR blanks are from Steve Bailey. You have to get 10 at a time, but they will be all good with no runout. He hand picks them all. I have bought over a hundred from him & have never been disappointed in any of them.
Keith Lisle
frogwalking
45 Cal.
- Joined
- May 6, 2013
- Messages
- 691
- Reaction score
- 4
The last time I visited Tip Curtis, I bought three without special election, and all three are useable. Dixie Gun Works used to have better than average rod blanks. Stay away from TOW's Ramin blanks. Ramin noodles, ok, ramrods, no good.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Only have to look at the pics of the MBS rods to see that all three pictured have run-out! :shocked2:
How does one get in touch with Steve Bailey?
How does one get in touch with Steve Bailey?
Wish someone would try Osage orange RR!...anybody?...would pretty tuff.....
I will say fellas, I got a oversize rod, and spent a hour scrapeing her down to proper barrel size, leaving a larger end....pretty neat stuff.....but ALOT of work.....now, just waiting one the cabin creek boys to send a end.....we'll see how she does...
So if you scrape one....you can make a snug fit.....
Marc
I will say fellas, I got a oversize rod, and spent a hour scrapeing her down to proper barrel size, leaving a larger end....pretty neat stuff.....but ALOT of work.....now, just waiting one the cabin creek boys to send a end.....we'll see how she does...
So if you scrape one....you can make a snug fit.....
Marc
mikemeteor
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2008
- Messages
- 660
- Reaction score
- 3
marmotslayer said:
He runs an ad in the back of every Muzzleloader magazine.
http://www.muzzleloadermagazine.co...e&id=5&zenid=59714429b916cd4080f01fafbd55caec
Scroll down to Shooting Supplies and see the Hickory Ramrods item.
Last edited by a moderator:
longcruise
70 Cal.
Thanks!
I will one day when/if I get a decent piece of OO for the job. I'm not going to pay the price and shipping of a billet from Kansas that is cut to make long bows from. It should be good stuff.
Pete G
76 Cal.
If the only problem is the rod being loose you could just put a slight bend in it. Lay it across the backs of two chairs and put a weight in the middle. A little bit of heat and/or moisture should hasten the process. It doesn't need much.
jamesthomas
70 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2009
- Messages
- 4,111
- Reaction score
- 13
I received my ramrod blanks from MBS today, out of 7 blanks all 3/8ths blanks are very nice with no "runout" the one 7/16th blank has some runout but since you should run the ball down in 6 inch or so increments it should be no problem and being a 7/16 its not like having a 5/16 or 1/4 inch ramrod with "runout".
Not to change the subject....I always searched for the straightest ramrod I could find but then the thought occurred that a ramrod not perfectly straight may stay in the ramrod hole a lot better and it probably won't hurt the bore if you keep grit off of it. In any event, just wondering about this issue...if a slight bend to a ramrod is good or bad?
And of course this is one time to SPEND money and get a split ramrod without grain runout.
And of course this is one time to SPEND money and get a split ramrod without grain runout.
galamb
58 Cal.
You can almost use a 7/16" rod as a telephone pole :rotf:
WRT the warped rod. Yes, it would stay in place better but I would be more concerned about it rubbing up against the bore on the way down.
Rods pick up skin oil, dirt, grit etc - can be almost as bad as sandpaper in some cases - not sure I would want that warped rod rubbing down the bore on the way down/back up.
Just a thought :idunno:
WRT the warped rod. Yes, it would stay in place better but I would be more concerned about it rubbing up against the bore on the way down.
Rods pick up skin oil, dirt, grit etc - can be almost as bad as sandpaper in some cases - not sure I would want that warped rod rubbing down the bore on the way down/back up.
Just a thought :idunno:
galamb said:
If using a bore guide contact would be negligible. Even without, I'm not sure there would be any signficant wear. Enneybody ever do tests?
The reason I asked is some cleaning rods for modern rifles are one piece stainless steel. The logic is that the stainless steel is less likely to pick up and hold grit (than soft aluminum) and is therefore less likely to wear the bore.
Using the same logic (which is dangerous) one could figure a crooked ramrod would wear the bore more than a straight but when I ram down a ball I often use enough force that I am flexing the ramrod so even a straight ramrod is probably picking up grit and rubbing the bore.
Now when I speak of a non-straight ramrod, I'm not talking about a ridiculously bent shape, just a tad- enough to compensate if you have a ramrod hole and pipes that aren't holding the ramrod that well.
As I said, right now I've always picked the straightest ramrod I can find but maybe I'm over doing things.
Using the same logic (which is dangerous) one could figure a crooked ramrod would wear the bore more than a straight but when I ram down a ball I often use enough force that I am flexing the ramrod so even a straight ramrod is probably picking up grit and rubbing the bore.
Now when I speak of a non-straight ramrod, I'm not talking about a ridiculously bent shape, just a tad- enough to compensate if you have a ramrod hole and pipes that aren't holding the ramrod that well.
As I said, right now I've always picked the straightest ramrod I can find but maybe I'm over doing things.
