Wood ramrods

[Al Lapp]

I broke my ramrod at the range on sunday. Had a heck of a time getting the slivers out of my hand. So I need to make myself a new rod. Seeing as the only place I seem to be able to find hickory is track, I visited our local Home Depot and picked up some doweling that appears to look like mahogany. My question is could I use this to make a new ramrod, or should I try to find some hickory? I made myself a range rod out of drill rod with a brass muzzleguard. But that is awkward to carry on the trail. Any help would be appreciated.

Also I looked up ramrods in the search but didn't come up with the information I needed.     Al

[Levy]

Try to stick with Hickory.  I bought some dowels that were Ramin wood and they broke too easily.

James Levy
 

[LynnC]

Agreed - ramin makes a poor RR
I make my own rods from hickory tool handles by splitting and scraping.  That way I can taper them and leave a swell at the business end.  Lota work but not impossible. .
I think it was Dennis Glazner selling hickory RR blanks a while back.
You got options........Lynn

[Black Hand]

I broke my ramrod at the range on sunday. Had a heck of a time getting the slivers out of my hand. So I need to make myself a new rod. Seeing as the only place I seem to be able to find hickory is track, I visited our local Home Depot and picked up some doweling that appears to look like mahogany. My question is could I use this to make a new ramrod, or should I try to find some hickory? I made myself a range rod out of drill rod with a brass muzzleguard. But that is awkward to carry on the trail. Any help would be appreciated.

Also I looked up ramrods in the search but didn't come up with the information I needed.     Al

Either buy a hickory ramrod from a reputable source or make you own from a hickory plank purchased at your local lumber store.  I fear that using the unknown wooden dowel as a ramrod may result in additional and perhaps worse damage to you.....

[Dave K]

You need a new hunting rod for the gun, but you need a new rod for the range. Many of the companies handle range rods. Don't forget the muzzle guide as well. On the hunting rod, be sure to pin the ferrules, on as well as glue them.  IMHO a range rod is just as important as the gun. You don't need a rod if you don't have a gun. If you have a gun, how are you going to clean it and shoot it?

[SCLoyalist]

There's a product called the 'virtually indestructable ramrod'.   It's a wooden exterior with a steel rod for a core, brass or steel tips on each end, and can be ordered tapered to desired length and diameter for your thimbles.    http://www.periodramrod.com/

If you can't find a blank suitable to make your own, you might look at this as a substitute.

[smylee grouch]

I think The Log Cabin Shop used to sell blank hickory ramrods.   Gary

[Buckscoshooter]

Good info guys. Yelp, I too have broken dowled ramrods and it is hard to fing Hickory close by when ya need it as well.

[Roger Fisher]

I have seen the snapped/splintered wood rod more than a couple of times.  That is another reason that I put a wood rod down the bore only when I must.

The wood rod described with the metal center is a good one, I use one in my smoothy.  But;;;; They break also if you get too wild and crazy with it.  I broke the outside layer of wood during a Seneca run more than a couple of yrs ago at Union County Pa. I suppose I was too excited and got tooo strong since I was doing well till about 3/4 of the way through.  That finished that bit of fun.  

The rod got shorter and the use of epoxy at the critical area enabled me to continue it's use til now.

[hanshi]

Yep, hickory for the woods and a good range rod for practice.

[bob in the woods]

I use ash,split and tapered. Same as used for snowshoes. Haven't broken one yet.

[Simon]

I broke my ramrod at the range on sunday. Had a heck of a time getting the slivers out of my hand. So I need to make myself a new rod. Seeing as the only place I seem to be able to find hickory is track, I visited our local Home Depot and picked up some doweling that appears to look like mahogany. My question is could I use this to make a new ramrod, or should I try to find some hickory? I made myself a range rod out of drill rod with a brass muzzleguard. But that is awkward to carry on the trail. Any help would be appreciated.

Also I looked up ramrods in the search but didn't come up with the information I needed.     Al

I ordered some from an ad in Muzzleloader mag.  Call days 573- 547-4540.  A 10 piece minimum at $3.00 each.  He combined sizes for me in the 10 minimum.  When I received them they were better than I expected.  There is very little run out,  most  had none.  They are slightly over size and need to be sanded.  I will order again.


Mel

[Dphariss]

I broke my ramrod at the range on sunday. Had a heck of a time getting the slivers out of my hand. So I need to make myself a new rod. Seeing as the only place I seem to be able to find hickory is track, I visited our local Home Depot and picked up some doweling that appears to look like mahogany. My question is could I use this to make a new ramrod, or should I try to find some hickory? I made myself a range rod out of drill rod with a brass muzzleguard. But that is awkward to carry on the trail. Any help would be appreciated.

Also I looked up ramrods in the search but didn't come up with the information I needed.     Al

You will likely need to buy 8-12 to get 2-3 that have straight grain long enough for a rifle.
The ramrod MUST be straight grained or you end up with pieces stuck in your hand. I learned this the hard way over 40 years ago.
Have not had it happen since. But I am very careful of grain flow.

Dan

[RonT]

You may find one good stick of Ramin out of 10 inspected, probably not.   Speaking as a primitive/Traditional archer, I've made many arrows out of other than Port Orford Cedar, and a few self bows out of other than Osage Orange.  Ramin is the lower end of the frindge.
Now, speaking of ramrods...Hickory is the best choice due to practicality and availability.  Red Elm, hackberry, Ash, Oak also will make a decent Ramrod.  I prefer Hickory, splitting my own out of staves.
When I follow the grain, which is reasonably straight, I get no runout on the finished rod except for the "swell" that I like to put on one end.  Any crookedness is removed with a heat gun and a pair of cotten gloves by counter bending against the bend.  It ain't rocket science.
Cheers,
R

[LynnC]

I've seen hackberry mentioned on two diff threads on RRs.  The hackberry here in the south is a very brittle tree known for breaking or splitting in storms.  Would not consider it a RR wood.  Maybe we're talkin different trees........Lynn

[RonT]

Most likely the same.   How does it break?  Straight across or splinter?  If splinter (follow the grain) then I stand pat.   I've made a few selfbows out if it and have yet to see it shear straight across.  Following the grain (no runout) is the key in either case. 
Repeat the word "decent".  A serviceable RR can be made out of those mentioned. Repeat the word "serviceable".  Hickory just simply splits so nice (follows the grain) and can be heat straightened to get the grain to look like a set of railroad tracks. 
I wouldn't use Ramin on a bet.
Cheers,
R

[doug]

I broke my ramrod at the range on sunday. Had a heck of a time getting the slivers out of my hand.

     If you push the ball down in a series of short taps so that your hand is never more than 6" or so from the muzzle, you should avoid getting splinters in your hand.  I have heard some horrific stories of people driving wooden rods through their hand when they were pushing with their hand a couple of feet from the muzzle. 
     Home Depot sells oak doweling unless I am mistaken and it should work ok. 

cheers Doug

[Al Lapp]

Problem solved, Thanks for the great replies. I will definately go with hickory. Also Doug it was the last less than a foot to go when it broke. The broken end is less than 5 inches long

[LynnC]

Hi Ron - our hackberry snaps off similar to the ramin

For everyones futher study is a pretty good artical in Muzzle Blasts online - vol 2 no. 1 - just google "Ramrod Rights and Wrongs"
Table 1 is a comparison of many different woods one might try as a RR
At any rate its an interesting read

[Daryl]

Did the British not use Greenheart, and Purple Heart?   Both are somewhat similar to Ramin in grain structure, I fear, but I also think,  considerably stronger.

A good hickory rod is an incredible rod and give the least abrasion in my test with various materials on a chunk of barrel steel.  Nylon was in second place. Fiberglass was like using a fine file.

[VAshooter]

Track of the Wolf has hickory ramrod blanks and Wayne Dunlap has hickory blanks as well.

Back when I was in the Navy I hand selected and bought about 20 really nice hickory blanks from Wayne but when I got back from a cruise I found my wife had used them to stake up the tomatoes in the garden. She still doesn't understand why I was angry.

VAshooter  aka  Doug

[Roger Fisher]

Track of the Wolf has hickory ramrod blanks and Wayne Dunlap has hickory blanks as well.

Back when I was in the Navy I hand selected and bought about 20 really nice hickory blanks from Wayne but when I got back from a cruise I found my wife had used them to stake up the tomatoes in the garden. She still doesn't understand why I was angry.

VAshooter  aka  Doug

Almost as bad as when a certain young blonde gal decided to 'help' by wiping //down alllll the rifles and guns in the 'attic' w/a rag wet with clorox...... :

[VAshooter]

Roger,

That clorox really gets the mildew off them old rifles.

VAshooter

[frogwalking]

I have had good luck with Hickory rods from Dixie.  So far they seem to be better quality that what I have received from TOW.  I still always order a couple or three so I can select the best one to use.  If you truly stuck a broken one in your hand, then you understand why the extra expense is worth while. 

I plan on buying an old Fro and cut a good straight hickory to make my own splits.  I did this once when I was a young lad.  I have time now, but not so much energy.

[Hawken62_flint]

Cain's Outdoor in WV has hickory rods that I believe come from a mill in PA.  They will ship via UPS and the rods are rather reasonable.  The will even pin whatever tip you want on them. Visit them at www.cainsoutdoor.com or call 304-375-7842.