Steel Horse Rider
Member
Dry out the ramrod and use it again without alteration.
I really like the Delrin rods from TOW. They look good and they don't break. Most of my muzzleloaders have them. I gotta get one for my Great Plains rifle. You really can't go wrong with one.
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 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.A novice shooter came to me looking for advice on shooting blackpowder rifles since I was the only guy in the area using them. I showed him the ropes and he shot a bit behind the house. He was getting the hang of things when suddenly he said, “uhoh.“ He was so excited about shooting the next shot that he launched his ramrod down range towards my hundred yard frames. Somewhere over a hundred yards of sage and rabbitbrush never to be seen again…
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.It was 24 hours since it was fired. Where is all the rust and corrosion?
I've had just start rusting walking back to the truck using pyrodex,
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.
Hawg with those shots hitting at the same elevation I'd say you haven't been leaving that thing sitting around dirty very much.
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.Those were the first three shots after being built. I did clean it 24 hours later.
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?
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.I just use a one piece dewy to clean between shots but like a wood rod to settle powder and bounce on the ball.
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.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.
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.
Get a piece of pvc long enough for the whole rod........fill it with kerosene and soak that rod for a few days...........done right you can darn near tie a bowtie with it.
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 .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.
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.
Those are really really skinny. Might work for a .32"!I have some of those fiberglass pop up tent poles around here somewhere left over from a scraped tent.
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?... One day I roamed a junk yard and collected a bunch of good gearshift knobs. That makes a good strong range-rod.