Ramrod Pipes Question?

[wetzel]

Hi everyone, I've been following the forum for a little while but am a new member.  I have built a few rifles and am putting together another project.  I want to build a .45 caliber rifle into a Jacob Dickert.  My question is whether it matters if I use sheet brass pipes or cast brass?  Is there any reason why one would be used over another?  I know they were both used, but wondered about what would influence ones choice.  Thanks!!

[David Rase]

I prefer sheet brass pipes because I want to make them myself.  I personally think the cast pipes are too thick and bulky and the tabs are usually too short to fit up flat against the barrel after inletting, which I again perfer so my pipes do not rock when pinned with one pin.
DMR

[flintriflesmith]

By far the most common on period longrifles, and civilian arms in general, were those made from sheet. Casting a brass pipe required the ability to do a "core casting" and that was probably beyond the technology available in most American gunshops. (Modern cast pipes are lost wax castings which was known and used by sculptors and jewelry makers but not at all common in the 1760-1840 gunshop.)

Cast pipes are more common on military arms like the Brown Bess.

Gary

[LRB]

  How thick Gary? 1/16", or less?

[Dphariss]

Hi everyone, I've been following the forum for a little while but am a new member.  I have built a few rifles and am putting together another project.  I want to build a .45 caliber rifle into a Jacob Dickert.  My question is whether it matters if I use sheet brass pipes or cast brass?  Is there any reason why one would be used over another?  I know they were both used, but wondered about what would influence ones choice.  Thanks!!

Unless I need some fancy entry pipe I make them all. I can make a far better pipe than I can buy.
I think casting would take far longer than making from sheet. Especially if there was an apprentice around who needed practice making them.
Dan

[bgf]

1/16" is going to be too thick generally -- I did some using it, and there was much unnecessary trouble and filing involved; makes the entry pipe in particular a pain.  1/32" will work for plain pipes, but may dent easily and might not hold as much file detail as you want.  Something in between should be just right.

[Randall Steffy]

I personally find 0.045" brass sheet stock to be ideal when producing rr pipes. The challenge has been finding that thickness. Some decorative brass door plate stock fills the bill. 0.050" is a more common sheet, but I find the heavier stock that much harder to form, regardless that the brass has been fully annealed, and annealed...

[keweenaw]

You can make almost any pipe you want from 1/32" brass.  the original pipes I've seen were made from brass that thin or thinner.

Tom

[Swampwalker]

Wetzel, 0.032 to 0.04 inch is the most commonly used thicknesses.  The 0.032 (1/32) is a pleasure to work with, but remember to anneal it.  Look in the tutorial section on how to forge in the flats and end rings so you're not having to remove as much stock with the file on the thinner brass.  Give it a try, it's easy!

[wetzel]

Thanks you guys, I came with a question about which ones to buy and now I'm going to make my own.  Just barely a member and you guys are already a bad influence on me   I really appreciate people's comments and advice, and am excited to try making my own. 

Wetzel

[bgf]

Here's a couple of good tutorials:
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10156.0
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=687.0
It's not rocket science .  Have fun and when you're done you'll take pride in what might otherwise be a barely noticed part of your rifle, because you made it instead of bought it.