Ramrod hole size

[ottawa]

Building a half stock .45 cal getting ready to drill the ramrod hole in the front of the stock. so what is the proper size 3/8ths or smaller, bigger I have plenty of 3/8 stock on hand and some 1/4 in. round to make the bitt just need a size. the original that I am using for ideas is a .32 .

Thanks  Ben

[Keb]

I'd go with 3/8" for a .45 cal.

[Dennis Glazener]

so what is the proper size 3/8ths or smaller, bigger I have plenty of 3/8 stock on hand and some 1/4 in. round to make the bitt just need a size. the original that I am using for ideas is a .32 .

The last 45 that I built had a 5/16 RR hole. I used a supposedly 3/8 rr that mic'ed about .355 I tapered the end of the rod to tightly fit the 5/16 rr hole and made the thimbles to fit the finished rod. I liked the way the rod looked and it fit the thimbles better than using regular 3/8 thimbles.
Dennis

[P.W.Berkuta]

For a half stock I would use a tapered 3/8" hickory rod something like Nate suggested.

[E.vonAschwege]

I second what Dennis suggested, 3/8" rod for the exposed part, taper to 5/16 for a 5/16" ramrod hole.  Standard 3/8" ramrod thimbles are about a 32nd larger than 3/8.  I've noticed a trend today to use much larger ramrods than you usually see on originals - 3/8" ramrods look huge compared to many fine original 5/16" or smaller rods - the up side is they don't break as often  . 
-Eric