Ramrod Drills

[Eric Smith]

Chapter 2, page 14, Recreating the American Longrifle

 Quote: "gunsmiths often taper a rod to fit a smaller diameter hole in the lower forestock, for example a 3/8 inch rod tapered to fit a 5/16 forestock hole."

  I am using a 45 cal. barrel therefore a 3/8 ramrod.I do not yet have a ramrod drill. Is it better ( I would think ) to get a 5/16 drill and taper the ramrod as they suggest, or a 3/8 drill. What works the best for most of you?

[AndyThomas]

I use a straight 3/8" hole, but a 5/16" RR tip and tapered rod. The first rifle I built used a 3/8 rod in a 3/8 hole and when it rained the rod would stick in the hole. Since then, a 5/16 tip has been used, and the rod tapered from 5/16 at the tip to about 3/8 at the rear thimble.

Andy

[Dphariss]

Chapter 2, page 14, Recreating the American Longrifle

 Quote: "gunsmiths often taper a rod to fit a smaller diameter hole in the lower forestock, for example a 3/8 inch rod tapered to fit a 5/16 forestock hole."

  I am using a 45 cal. barrel therefore a 3/8 ramrod.I do not yet have a ramrod drill. Is it better ( I would think ) to get a 5/16 drill and taper the ramrod as they suggest, or a 3/8 drill. What works the best for most of you?

If you drill a 5/16 hole the rod must be smaller.

I use a 3/8 hole for 45 caliber. Then taper the rod slightly to free it in the hole.

If you need to buy a drill get one of the gun drill types from TOW. This way you can drill a straight hole and not worry about its hitting the barrel or running out or interfering with the front lock bolt.
Just be sure the rod groove follows the bore centerline cause the drill will go exactly where its pointed once properly started.

Dan

[mattdog]

Chapter 2, page 14, Recreating the American Longrifle

 Quote: "gunsmiths often taper a rod to fit a smaller diameter hole in the lower forestock, for example a 3/8 inch rod tapered to fit a 5/16 forestock hole."

  I am using a 45 cal. barrel therefore a 3/8 ramrod.I do not yet have a ramrod drill. Is it better ( I would think ) to get a 5/16 drill and taper the ramrod as they suggest, or a 3/8 drill. What works the best for most of you?

First avoid a rookie mistake by checking the inside diameter of your ram rod pipes    Ram rod pipes dictate the largest diameter of your rammer.  A smaller diam. hole with a tapered rod can save you valuable space for a slimmer forearm and/or to miss the forward lock screw in a tight space. 

[Pete G.]

3/8" is fine and much more versatile. A 5/16" hole will let you shape the fore end a tiny bit better, but probably won't really have much affect in the long run. I find the advantage to a 3/8" ramrod that tapers to 5/16" is that it drops back through the pipes like it has eyes. Put a 5/16" tip and shape the lower part of the rod to fit.

[Bernard]

Peter Alexander taught me the basics of rifle building and we used a 3/8 RR hole. Using a 5/16 hole will only earn you 1/32nd additional clearance under the barrel, the bottom of the fore stock or the lock mortice. I've tried several different drills with varying degrees of success/failure. Most commercially available drills will not drill a straight hole as deep as is required for a ram rod, 10/12 inches. I eventually made a drill like the one shown on Page 36 of the Recreating book, illustration (D). This was not hard to do but if you don't have machine tools available just go to your local machine shop with the drawing and ask them to make one for you using a piece of water hardening drill rod about 49 inches long. Then you'll have a drill that will work for barrels up to 48 inches long. Your friends will come begging you to drill their RR holes. You will become wildly popular.

[Bob Roller]

Drill rod usually comes in 36 inch lengths and the likelhood of finding a 48 inch length is remote. I bought 3 different sizes in 12 foot lengths a few years ago and made ramrod drills out of them. For the light duty job of a ramrod hole,ordinary 1018 will suffice and if need be,can be case hardened, I made some long drill a couple of years ago for a contractor from 7/16 diameter 1018 and they worked fine.He wanted to be able to stand on the floor and drill vertical holes with out going up and down a ladder all day and the 60 inch drills did the job.

Bob Roller

[Dphariss]

The last one I made was from a 4 ft piece of 3/8" mild steel rod from Ace Hardware. For the same reason Bob Roller gives.



Drew out the rifle on the blank and sawed the stock to final rough dimension before drilling.



Drill was held in the rod groove with 2 wood blocks, it ran perfectly in line with the rod groove as they always do.


Dan

[porchdog48]

McMaster Carr has A2 Air Hardened drill rod in 6 foot lengths  5/16-$17.24    3/8-$23.64  The trick is getting shipped and it is still straight when it arrives.

[DB]

TOTW has 48 inch rods. Are they good ones?

[Dphariss]

TOTW has 48 inch rods. Are they good ones?

Yes they should work fine, they are the proper design.

Dan