Ramrods

[flintster]

Hi guys,  I have a question regarding ramrods. Were the ramrods from the 18th century made as we see so many made today with the business end of the rod at the muzzle so that the rod has to be turned around 180 degrees to ram a ball down and reversed again to put it back in the gun? This seems like a lot of unnecessary action when your life was on the line . Or were they made so that one could withdraw the rod and immediately ram a ball home without the added effort swapping ends to load the gun. Also, were ramrods from this period tapered or mainly straight. Thanks for any info.

[Daryl]

My rods come out of the tube and down onto the ball - no twirling of the rod in the air to swap ends.  I used to do that, but do not any more.

Hatchet-Jack turns his rod to ram the ball down his smoothbore while I don't when loading my rifle.  Both using patched round balls, loading is fairly even, time wise. Neither one of us is rushing- just normal loading.
The tapered or not, is a good observation.  The rod I am using is not tapered, while his is. The grossly tapered rod for my 48" .50 barrel is tapered, from 5/16" to 7/16".  I do not turn it around when loading, but I do choke up on it for short strokes so I don't break it.  48" flawless hickory rods are not easily acquired here in the North.

[P.W.Berkuta]

For my take on this is that the web thickness between the bottom of the barrel and the front lock bolt will be a tight fit for a full diameter ram rod so the end of the rod going into the forearm will be smaller that the end towards the muzzle plus the ram rod will have a flaired end to seat on the ball during it's way to push the ball down the barrel. My two cents worth here .

[hanshi]

I taper my rods so I'm a "twirler".  They are usually tight enough so it requires a little too much effort to pull them out unless they are tapered.

[bones92]

My limited observation of original rods is that many are tapered, with the thick end at the muzzle when stowed, and the rod is flipped around because the thick end is stronger for starting the ball.

[conquerordie]

My limited observation of original rods is that many are tapered, with the thick end at the muzzle when stowed, and the rod is flipped around because the thick end is stronger for starting the ball.

This. Look at originals with worms on the end. I don't think they were using that small twist of metal to ram a charge down. Or button heads on metal rods, or brass and iron caps on earlier military muskets, or small metal discs on the end of rods dating to the seventeenth century. Pretty sure it was common to twirl do load.
Greg

[Mark Elliott]

I'm a "twirler" too for all the reasons already given.

[flintster]

Thank you guys for the info, I also twirl the rod.

[Daryl]

I don't - waste of time.  If I used tight loads, I'd probably have to twirl the rod as well. LOL

[draken]

I don't remember when I stopped "twirling", but arthritis hadn't set in yet.   
My ramrods start out at 3/8" and taper down to 5/16" with a brass or steel ramrod tip for starting the ball.

Choke up on the rod and push the ball down with short strokes and you won't break the rod.