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Author Topic: Tapered Ramrod Diameters  (Read 2880 times)

Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Tapered Ramrod Diameters
« on: March 15, 2010, 05:29:08 AM »
Ok, So it seems that most precarves, and for that matter many contemporary guns built from blanks are drilled for a 3/8" ramrod. I would almost say it seems that the standard is 3/8".

Now, when looking at 18th century PA rifles it seems to me that most of them have RR closer to 5/16" which  helps make their slender figure.

So what do you attribute this modern standard to?  Do you have blanks drilled for 5/16"?

Inquiring minds want to know......  ;D
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Marietta, GA

Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others. – William Allen White

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Offline rich pierce

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Re: Tapered Ramrod Diameters
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2010, 05:39:01 AM »
Maybe a couple factor have played into this.  One might be that most ramrods today are dowel stock, not split, and are more likely to split when thin.  Maybe it's the tight ball/patch combination most target shooters use.  Maybe it's a carryover from the Hawken era and after using 7/16 rods, 3/8 seemed puny.  Other ideas?
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eagle24

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Re: Tapered Ramrod Diameters
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2010, 06:17:50 AM »
Tim,
This is probably flying right over my head.  I would hope if one were buying a precarve to build, say a .32 to .40 cal it wouldn't be drilled for a 3/8" rr.  I built my first from a Tigerhunt precarve that I had drilled 5/16" (it was a .50cal).  I did use a 3/8" rr that I slimmed and tapered to fit the 5/16" hole.  I am starting a .45 from a blank that I sent to Dave Rase to have the barrel inlet and the rr hole drilled.  I had it drilled 5/16" as well.
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: Tapered Ramrod Diameters
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2010, 06:30:32 AM »
I agree Greg, I would do that as well, however it seems the precarves over .40 seem to come 3/8".. While even larger bore originals seem to be 5/16"    I don't have hard numbers, but from a small sample that is what I have seen. Original RR seem to be a lot slimmer than contemporary..........

So I thought it would be interesting to see how many use 5/16" or 3/8", for what calibers and for what reasons????

Maybe I will bring my calipers to CLA this year ;) ;)
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Marietta, GA

Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others. – William Allen White

Learning is not compulsory...........neither is survival! - W. Edwards Deming

Birddog6

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Re: Tapered Ramrod Diameters
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2010, 02:48:27 PM »
Unlike others, I want a 5/16 in calibers up thru .40, .45 & up to some .58  I want a 3/8 some .58 & over I want a 7/16.  I don't like a flimsy RR's & I don't want a tapered RR, regardless of what the old ones were. I want something I can get a hold on & it not be fragile.  First thing I do when I get a blank with the RR hole drilled, is to drill it out larger, & I drill it out 1/64 to 1/32 larger than it came in. 
Course I build hunting rifles, not show rifles, so they have to be durable in the woods, and I want all the wood I can get in that rod & yet it still look proportional to me.
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