Range Rod Extension

[Shooey]

I have an aluminum range rod that is 3/8 in. in diameter and in three sections. It is not marked and I cannot remember what "brand" it is. It has a nice T handle.

Does anyone know where I can get an extension for it so I can use it in a longer barrel? Thank you.

 

[ohio ramrod]

What thread does it have? :idunno: Any machinist could make a straight extension! :hmm:

 

[roundball]

I have an aluminum range rod that is 3/8 in. in diameter and in three sections. It is not marked and I cannot remember what "brand" it is. It has a nice T handle.
Does anyone know where I can get an extension for it so I can use it in a longer barrel? Thank you.

If it's a typical shotgun type aluminum cleaning rod, every one I've bought over the years have unique size/shape threaded ends and threaded seats for each section to join together.
The only way I've solved the problem is to buy additional 3-piece rod sets and use sections from them to make others longer...fortunately, they're pretty inexpensive.
The threaded end for accessories is usually the small size 8/32" but easy to enlarge and re-tap to handle the larger/stronger 10/32" accessories

 

[Shooey]

It is 10/32 and it is a muzzleloader range rod, it is not a shotgun rod. I just can't remember the manufacturer. Thanks for the help.

 

Shooey,
As RamRod said; any machinist can make a straight 3/8" extension with a 10-32 threaded end. Or, have it drilled and tapped for a 10-32 and put in a short piece of 10-32 all thread. Mine are made of brass and work on either wood or stainless range rods.
Mark

 

[roundball]

It is 10/32 and it is a muzzleloader range rod, it is not a shotgun rod. I just can't remember the manufacturer. Thanks for the help.

Sorry...so used to brass and stainless range rods, when you said aluminum, I made the wrong assumption.

RMCSports, Ramrods and Accessories, scroll half way down...they have 3/8" brass and aluminum extensions...6" and 12".
http://www.rmcsports.com/catalog.htm

 

[garandman]

My concern with this setup would be bending at the unions. I have my doubts a sectioned ramrod is a good idea.

This is just my personal choice / opinion. Others may vary.

 

[roundball]

My concern with this setup would be bending at the unions. I have my doubts a sectioned ramrod is a good idea.

Just for some feedback, I've used them for years...both brass and aluminum rods.
When I join two sections together, I use the same strong threaded steel pieces that come with the good quality jags, pullers, etc...and include a drop of Loc-Tite on each end when I join them.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My concern with this setup would be bending at the unions. I have my doubts a sectioned ramrod is a good idea.

This is just my personal choice / opinion. Others may vary.

Same here. Rod breaking is not something we need. Can be very dangerous.

 

[Deadeye]

Same here, solid, no joints.
Deadeye

 

[roundball]

Guys...I appreciate anyone's own personal opinion of what THEY might decide to use for themselves.

But let's get real...we're not talking about some cheap wooden ramrod with grain run-out that might break...for which they are the ONLY accidental rod breakage that we hear about.

The facts are that 3, 4, 5, 6 piece rods have been made and used all over for decades...steel, brass, aluminum, and Track of the Wolf even sells fancy wooden ones with metal re-enforced tips.

And rod extensions have been made and used for all of them for decades as well...properly machined and joined multi-piece rods have no history of being a problem, and I've personally used them heavily for 20 years myself.

But to each their own of course...

 

[Rifleman1776]

The facts are that 3, 4, 5, 6 piece rods have been made and used all over for decades...steel, brass, aluminum, and Track of the Wolf even sells fancy wooden ones with metal re-enforced tips.

That may be but might be only half of the story. The only sectional rods I have ever seen, new made or in presentation cases of old guns, have been for shotguns. Those are much thicker and do not take the loading stresses as with rifles.

 

[ohio ramrod]

While sections rods can be strong the section joints are a weak point. I have made and sold over a hundred rods and the only one that broke was a sectioned rod that was broken in shipping at the joint.! :idunno: :idunno:

 

[garandman]

I tend for all my tools to be far more robust than they need to be. Sectioned ramrods may well work, but I don't like my tools to have "weak points" engineered into them.

 

[freekforge]

i thought you didnt want to use aluminum because aluminum oxide is abrasive

 

[Rifleman1776]

While sections rods can be strong the section joints are a weak point. I have made and sold over a hundred rods and the only one that broke was a sectioned rod that was broken in shipping at the joint.! :idunno: :idunno:

For many years I was the "fix it" guy on the ranges where I shot. That was why/how I got started having and carrying a large number, and variety, of rods to a match. As many as two dozen. I now only take about a dozen. But, if yer at the range with me, I'll be happy to rescue ye when yer rod fails. :wink:
BTW, also no longer keep a vise in my box or the other various wrenches (all heavy cast iron antiques) and tools. Box got to point I couldn't lift it anymore.

 

[garandman]

Coincidentally, I ran across a sectioned ramrod at a local gun store the other day. It looked very stout, with strong unions, prolly almost 0.375" in dia.

Still, I'll opt for the one piece, non-wood rods.

 

[BrianL]

My concern with this setup would be bending at the unions. I have my doubts a sectioned ramrod is a good idea.

This is just my personal choice / opinion. Others may vary.

Bending at the union would be an indication of poor mating surfaces or other than linear forces. If the sections seat properly together and reasonably straight linear forces are applied, bending is not a problem.
But.....except for a 15 gauge fusil, I make my own solid aluminum and brass range rods.

I am considering packing a three piece solid rod in my hunting bag :idunno: :hmm:

 

[paladin]

My rifle should arrive Monday, so I am very new and the question might be dumb. If I were to use a ball puller and it didn't work, would I be able to unscrew it from the ball without unscrewing the joints of a jointed rod?

Jim

 

[ihuntsnook]

The best solution here is not to use a ball puller -- in my experience they are mostly ineffective. With a percussion gun you can remove the nipple, trickle in some power, replace it and shoot the ball out. With a flintlock you can remove the vent liner and do the same. If you don't have a vent liner and have to resort to a ball puller I would want to make sure the patch was really wet by flooding the bore with something like WD 40 before making the attempt.