Steel Horse Rider
Member
Dry out the ramrod and use it again without alteration.
Kibler range report
- Thread starter hawg
- Start date
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hawg
Member
I actually did have a Delrin rod for my .50 cal. I broke the rod that came with it. I'm not sure that rod was hickory tho. It taught me not to grab the rod too high and try to ram the ball down all at once. It broke off and the end almost went through my hand, I never did like the Delrin rod. It looked fonky but back then I wasn't so uptight about what I used.
FWIW I like the uptight me better than the don't give a dead rats furry butt about what I use me.
When I cleaned it I loosened up the internal lock screws and it is easier to cock now. Next time out I'll see if it's any faster. If not I'm going to crush some 3F and try that for priming powder and see how it goes.Acorn Mush
Member
Say Mr. hawg, just a thought about that ungrateful ramrod that hid out from you and spent the night in the rain. After you have taught it the error of its ways, how about giving it a very heavy coat of beeswax and applying gentle heat to the rod with a hairdryer (or some such) to help the wax penetrate the wood? Might prevent, shall we say future "size excursions" in humid conditions.
Glad you were able to get even a little shooting done with your new rifle. Something tells me you will be having lots of fun with it when the weather is more favorable.
On edit: I like the design for a "stop" for your hand on the handle of your new ramrod. Great idea.
Glad you were able to get even a little shooting done with your new rifle. Something tells me you will be having lots of fun with it when the weather is more favorable.
On edit: I like the design for a "stop" for your hand on the handle of your new ramrod. Great idea.
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hawg
Member
Say Mr. hawg, just a thought about that ungrateful ramrod that hid out from you and spent the night in the rain. After you have taught it the error of its ways, how about giving it a very heavy coat of beeswax and applying gentle heat to the rod with a hairdryer (or some such) to help the wax penetrate the wood? Might prevent, shall we say future "size excursions" in humid conditions.
Glad you were able to get even a little shooting done with your new rifle. Something tells me you will be having lots of fun with it when the weather is more favorable.
On edit: I like the design for a "stop" for your hand on the handle of your new ramrod. Great idea.
I turned it back down and oiled it up. Hopefully I won't leave it out in the rain again. The weather hasn't been favorable since. I don't use it for a ramrod, it's a cleaning rod only. The threaded tip is too narrow to use as a ramrod. Besides to use it as a ramrod I'd have to carry it with me all the time. The handle shape wasn't a forethought or even an afterthought. I just used what I had.
Ugly Sauce
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I read an "historical account", of a battle during the civil war. The author stated that after the first couple of volleys, the fortifications (or "ramparts" I forget) were "bristling with ram-rods". I think it also somewhat common to find original 1861's with Enfield ram-rods, and visa-versa. But no, like the Hawg, I've never fired a ram rod down range.
Ugly Sauce
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Well I've told the story before, of the 1851 a friend of mine shot six times, decided cap-n-ball revolvers were not for him, and put it in his underwear drawer without cleaning. Six months later he sells it to another friend, and I go with him to check it out. Looked just like it had been fired the day before. Not a spot of rust. But, for sure, I never go longer than the day after before cleaning.
troy fairweather
Member
I've had just start rusting walking back to the truck using pyrodex, now I keep a little bottle of soapy water and some toothpick for when I'm walking back.
I know a guy that hit a deer with a ramrod, he was going over a rock wall a bumped his muzzle in to a tree good enough he felt to check his ball, when doing so a deer jumped up and pulled up and fired.
I know a guy that hit a deer with a ramrod, he was going over a rock wall a bumped his muzzle in to a tree good enough he felt to check his ball, when doing so a deer jumped up and pulled up and fired.
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hawg
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I've gone nine days without cleaning after using Pyrodex with no sign of rust or corrosion.
Eyrie G. Dogg
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Well, the anti-Pyrodex crowd really is kind of a cult. I’ve used
Pyro P for decades and burt a ton of that stuff and never had a problem, but nine days man, time to clean that gun.
Pyro P for decades and burt a ton of that stuff and never had a problem, but nine days man, time to clean that gun.
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hawg
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I did lol. That was close to 20 years ago. I very seldom clean the same day and it's frequently two or three days no matter the powder.
OS/N
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I have to clean right after use or I'll get side tracked and forget. The humudity may come into play. I only see a difference in performance of pyrodex and black but not much - either seems to eat iron equally.
This thread reminded me, I need another ram rod for my side lock. Didn't shoot it out though it just broke in the grain - cheap rod. I just use a one piece dewy to clean between shots but like a wood rod to settle powder and bounce on the ball.
Hawg with those shots hitting at the same elevation I'd say you haven't been leaving that thing sitting around dirty very much.
This thread reminded me, I need another ram rod for my side lock. Didn't shoot it out though it just broke in the grain - cheap rod. I just use a one piece dewy to clean between shots but like a wood rod to settle powder and bounce on the ball.
Hawg with those shots hitting at the same elevation I'd say you haven't been leaving that thing sitting around dirty very much.
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hawg
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Those were the first three shots after being built. I did clean it 24 hours later.
OS/N
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Do you use olive oil regularly. I haven't tried that. Putting some in a diner style katsoup bottle or maybe a small squeeze type remoil bottle could be handy.
I've been using lard kept in a primer tin or shoe polish tin but it is messy. I don't hunt though just shoot paper. Like to stay protine based. Does olive oil breakdown with soapy water easy like pig fat?
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hawg
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Yes I use it regularly. I don't use it wet. I let it dry first. Dawn breaks it down.
Ugly Sauce
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I use a dowel (good ones if I can find them, they are out there, not the balsa wood-like ones from some jungle in Indonesia) that is close to bore diameter. Then attach an old gearshift knob on one end. One day I roamed a junk yard and collected a bunch of good gearshift knobs. That makes a good strong range-rod.
Patocazador
Member
I am a charter member of that cult. I never used the stuff for years when I started muzzleoading in the 70s but I got some in the late 80s and had several ignition failures. That was enough for me. Now it’s pure black and Blackhorn 209 with a Magspark.
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hawg
Member
I've never had an ignition problem that wasn't cap related.
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hawg
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You mean a few months. Days won't do it.
.38 Special
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I think it was Muzzleloader that ran an article about the practice, and determined that no amount of kerosene soaking had any real effect. It may depend upon the individual piece of wood, but since reading that article I have consigned the idea to the scrapheap of muzzleloading lore.
OS/N
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I have some of those fiberglass pop up tent poles around here somewhere left over from a scraped tent. A section of one may make a good range rod and maybe glue one of those cheap pool balls on the end for a handle. By the time I find em I could probably walk two states over and back
. Next time I go by the hardware store I'll see if they have some decent dowels - heat treated and oil varnished it should last awhile and I can likely use the original ends to finish out better than the new one was 30 yrs ago. Fiberglass is going to be too heavy I think. Hickory or Maple shouldn't be too hard to find.
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hawg
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In the Dixie Gun Works catalogs in the early 70's Turner Kirkland said to soak them for about three months and had a picture of himself holding one bent almost double.
Ugly Sauce
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Those are really really skinny. Might work for a .32"!
Acorn Mush
Member
Did you find the 4-speed, 5-speed, or 6-speed shifter knobs? Would you use a 4-speed knob on the rod for a flint lock and save the more modern 5- and 6-speed knobs for (more modern) percussion rifles? How about one of those old Hurst shifter handles (aluminum, I think) with the finger grooves? All kidding aside, your idea is interesting. Hope you don't mind a bit of fun.
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hawg
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Billiard balls would be another option.
