Ram Rod needed

[Molly]

Got myself a "new" 32 cal rifle recently.  It came with a very nice ram rod but I would like to have a second "range rod" to preserve the one which came with the rifle.  So I ordered one from Track OTW.  Smallest they offer and said for a 32 cal.  5/16 ths. diameter.

But it's too big, although not by much, and would need to be forced into the barrel...not going to do that.

Anyone know where a appropriate sized rod can be purchased.  I guess I can get a metal cleaning rod but I'm looking for wood.

[longcruise]

A 1/4" stainless steel or brass or plain steel can be made into a range rod pretty easily.  A hardwood ball for a handle.

[sqrldog]

Try Tip Curtis or Rush Creek Round Balls. The folks at Tennesse Valley Manufacturing will probably have one or make what you need. Tim

[Pvt. Lon Grifle]

What make of barrel do you have? It seems odd to me that your barrel will not accept a 32 caliber rod. Just wondering.


Lon

[EC121]

5/16" is .3125".  That should fit a .32, but the wood is probably a bit oversize.  I would order a stainless steel .25" rod.

[little joe]

Utility knife used as a scraper and some sand paper possibly a 20 min. job at the most.

[smokinbuck]

Agree with Joe,
Sand on it, whisker it and sand again. I'd put a sealert on it also. If the 5/16 rid does'not fit, does a .32 jag go down the barrel? I have a very small "unbreakable" rod with tips on both ends. It's real flexible, not wood.
Mark

[EC121]

I just tapered one from .375" to .3125".  Woodcraft sells a round scraper with a bunch of semicircles of various sizes in the edge of it.   I added a .3125" semicircle in the edge and worked the rod down.  Sure makes a lot of curly shavings.  
   Because I didn't trust the .25" wooden rod on the rifle.  I also tapered one of the plastic rods from .3125" to .290" to make a bench rod to fit a .30cal.  Used a piece of metal with a saw-toothed edge hole in it and an pushed the rod through the hole while turning it with an electric drill.  Then I tapped the end with no metal tip for 8-32 threads in the plastic. The turning really made a mess, but it worked fine.  

[Molly]

It's really odd.  5/16 = .3125 so why the problem??

I shot with a .031 ball and .010 patch. That combo shoots well but does seem a little lose going down.  Once I double patched.  Much tighter but did not see any difference in how it shoot.  I also have one of the flexible synthetic rods from TotW and it works OK, except I want rigid wood.

I do think the metal end tip of the wooden rod is slightly larger that the wood (or so it looks) and I also understand that the wooden rods are not perfectly straight.  As it goes down the barrel I can see that being not straight would cause it the tip to bend and bind up.  It goes in about an inch or two then gets tight.

I have 32 cal jag, scraper, brush and ball puller.  All fit with no issues so it's just the rod.  It was purchased with a very nice ram rod and it works fine but I can easily see that it is smaller than 5/16ths.

Don't know who made the barrel and while it may be marked on the underside I'm not going to take it off just to see.

Looks like a trip to woodcrafters is in order OR just get out some sand paper and cut it all down.  Won't take much.

Appreciate all the tips.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Got myself a "new" 32 cal rifle recently.  It came with a very nice ram rod but I would like to have a second "range rod" to preserve the one which came with the rifle.  So I ordered one from Track OTW.  Smallest they offer and said for a 32 cal.  5/16 ths. diameter.

But it's too big, although not by much, and would need to be forced into the barrel...not going to do that.

Anyone know where a appropriate sized rod can be purchased.  I guess I can get a metal cleaning rod but I'm looking for wood.

Go "on line" and order a 9/32" dia (.282") S.S or steel rod use this to make your rod with. Make sure you order it long enough for a handle to fit on.

[Molly]

I think maybe I got this figured out and am on the way to a solution.  First, I filed down the front of the brass tip to take the sharp edge off.  I noticed the one that came with the rifle was rounded at the end as well.  Secondly, I have sanded down the rod wood somewhat which seems to have helped.  I think the problem is in the bow in the wood.  As it goes down the barrel it was putting pressure on the leading edge of the tip and causing it to bind into the bore wall.

Next is to do a little more sanding, then I plan to soak the rod in water to get it good and wet and put it in a jig to see if I can take the bow out.  Might be hard but maybe enough to make it all work.

Thanks again for all the tips.

Love messin' with these "problems".

[hudson]

Just a thought you can size a wooden rod using a plate step drilled and counter sunk. pass the rod through from larges  down to the size you need, a metal end would not go. If warped that is another problem. For a range rod I prefer stainless. Hope this helps some.

[SCLoyalist]

Next is to do a little more sanding, then I plan to soak the rod in water

Wouldn't soaking it in water cause the wood to swell, negating the diameter reduction from sanding?   I run into a similar problem as I think you're describing with arrow shafts sometimes not being as straight as desired.   Here's 3 links that show shafts being straightened, and the techniques should be applicable to a ramrod.

http://www.stickbow.com/FEATURES/ARROWMAKING/straightening.cfm



  (That one is straightening river cane shafts using heat, but should work for hardwood, too)

[Molly]

I recognized soaking it might cause it to swell but I figured it would dry and return to the smaller size.  Fact is I did not have anything long enough to soak it and then really did not have the patience to let it soak, then let it dry so I turned to the heat approach.  Got the old propane tank fired up and worked it that way.  It has proved pretty effective.  Actually, almost easy but have to take care not to create a bend that was not there before.  After heating I just worked it by hand with leather gloves and am very pleased with the way it's coming along.  Goes almost all the way down before binding.  But when you add the cleaning jag and patch it works fine.  I'm considering this problem solved!

[moleeyes36]

Go "on line" and order a 9/32" dia (.282") S.S or steel rod use this to make your rod with. Make sure you order it long enough for a handle to fit on.

Exactly.  A range rod gets a lot of use, and sometimes abuse.  This is the way to go instead of a small diameter wooden one which is bound to break eventually, and probably at a most inconvenient time.

Mole Eyes

[Gun_Nut_73]

I have the same situation with my .28 and .31 rifles.  Here is what I am doing:

Went to local lumber yard and bought 4' of 1"X6" tongue-and-groove flooring.  I cut a small section of "tongue" and glued it in the end of the "groove" to form a stop.  Clamping the board in a vice, I put the ramrod over the groove, and hold it in place with a bunch of rubber bands.  I paint the ramrod with a magic marker, and then use a small spoke shave to remove all the magic marker.  When the rod is shaved enough to fit, I use sandpaper to smooth everything out.

[P.W.Berkuta]

As a range rod why would you use wood -- you would think that a metal rod would be the way to go . So simple to buy a S.S. or steel rod of a diameter that would fit down the bore - put a handle on it and tap for a jag . There is zero chance of breakage 

[Daryl]

It's really odd.  5/16 = .3125 so why the problem??

I shot with a .031 ball and .010 patch. That combo shoots well but does seem a little lose going down.  Once I double patched.  Much tighter but did not see any difference in how it shoot. 

Molly- one usually needs to shoot more than one shot to see a difference in shooting ability.
Len and I used my .32 for the squirrel rifle shoot at Rendezvous BC last week. it has a .32 bore and very narrow, .008" deep rifling. I used.320"X.320" balls from a DC Lee mould marked .319".

We used an .018" patch.

Just for a lark, I thumb started it into the bore, but used both thumbs on the starter bulb, with the short peg swaging and pushing the patched ball some 1/4" below the crown. LOL

Unlike many of the rifles used here by ALR members, this one likes tight combinations along with 35gr. 3F GOEX with a water based lube (WWWF+NOil), and .40gr. 3f with an oil base, like Track's Mink Oil or Neetsfoot Oil.

After loading and shooting 52 shots, the rifle loaded as easily as the first - once into the bore- 2 fingers only needed on the rod to push it down to the powder.

It NEVER needed wiping of any sort.

I used to use both the .311" Lee mould ball & the .320" ball with a .0235" mattress ticking patch but we've run out of a source for that patching and I am hording it for my .45 rifle for use with .445" balls.
 Tight loading (& NO wiping) is VERY easy with smaller sized small balls - compared to moving lead in a large one like a .684". with tight combinations and large balls, more strength is required as MORE lead is being moved when forming to the bore and grooves.