ramrod extensions interfere with accuracy?

[curly]

Most all of my rifles have ramrod jags screwed on the ends of my ramrods. They extend past the muzzle considerabley. Does this, in anyway, have an influence on the accuracy of the shot?

           Curly

[Magungo1066]

If the ball strikes nothing as it leaves your barrel, it will have the same accuracy regardless of the situation with your ramrod. The ramrods extending past the barrel, will have absolutely no bearing on the accuracy of your shot.

[OldMtnMan]

However, it looks goofy.

[Daryl]

I understand you are thinking of the changed muzzleblast having an effect on the shot.  I don't know if that will effect a shot just as an angled muzzle definitely will.
I would say however, whatever effect it has, will be replicated each shot.
I also happen to think that a rod sticking out past the muzzle and having a jag attached, looks goofy. 😶

[Timberdog]

There must have been a reason to look goofy (ramrod past end of barrel) As most of the old pictures and rifles I see from back in the day had long ramrods.  I have extras that are “long” for a lot of my rifles.  Just to play with why they did it. I found it catches every leaf and branch in the woods. But I would think we would all agree they were intentionally long because they actually used their ramrods full-time, And didn’t have to put them in cases to put in the truck etc.

But I don’t notice an impact difference when shooting and can’t think why it would matter.

[Hungry Horse]

 I think some of these old wives tales may be the key to being remembered  long after you’ve taken the proverbial dirt nap. I heard this one almost fifty years ago. I went to the range and after spending a delightful afternoon testing the theory found it to be pure bunk.
 The biggest reason for the ramrod extending past the muzzle of the gun, is the ramrod hole wasn’t bored deep enough. Several kit guns back in the day had this problem.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

And it looks like $#@*.  However, the crooked filed muzzled were a quick and cheap(dirty) way of regulating SxS rifles.
Even Colt did that with their early SxS rifles. However that was the actual muzzle, not something hanging down and ugly under it.

[smylee grouch]

I suppose a guy could shoot 10 shots with the rod in and 10 more with the rod out and see for your self hopw it works in your gun. 

[Nessmuck]

So....are we supposed to  screw..and the Un-screw the jag after each shot, so we don’t look goofy ?

[OldMtnMan]

So....are we supposed to  screw..and the Un-screw the jag after each shot, so we don’t look goofy ?

I do if i'm swabbing. For just loading I have a pinned brass fitting with a cup on it to fit the ball.

For swabbing I screw on a tow worm.

[JBJ]

Take a careful look at pictures of old southern mountain rifles. I think that you will see many of their owners used their rifles with ramrods protruding multiple inches beyond the muzzle of the rifle. Being raised over on the Tennessee side of the Appalachians, it never struck me as odd to see the long ramrods. That's just the way things were!
J.B.

[OldMtnMan]

To me it always looks like the ramrod is falling out.

Not sure I ever saw a Hawken with a long rod.

[Marcruger]

I don't recall seeing protruding ramrods as a "thing" other than in the Appalachians.  I don't care for that as I cut patches at the muzzle, and don't want to continually cut into my ramrod.  God Bless,  Marc

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ...  most all the old hog rifles I ever saw had ramrods sticking out about a hand's length past the muzzle,.. and all hit their mark,... might be a mountain thing in east  Tennessee and N. Carolina,..?? ... I don't think it looked funny,... is just the way was supposed to be,...!!! ... Don't think i would have told Big Will Walker his gun looked "goofy",....

[Daryl]

Yes, it was an Eastern Mountain "thing".
Each to his own - do it if you want. Now as far as shooting without the rod in the rifle, testing would have to be done to see if the accuracy is disturbed.
As I use a short starter for loading, if the rod stuck out past the muzzle, I would have to revove it (and lay it on the ground) before starting the ball.

[OldMtnMan]

Yes, Big Will. It looks goofy.

Let's ask this question. Why is it too long?

[Daryl]

I'll bite.
It sticks out past the muzzle and looks goofy. That's what's wrong with it.
It destroys the symmetry of the rifle.
Whether "it was done" & that is enough reason for "you" is OK "for you".
When I first saw the movie about Alvin York I thought the rod sticking out past the muzzle  looked goofy. I was a kid then.
My opinion has not changed.

[Ezra]

I doubt, that while literally hunting to survive, in between fighting Indians, British and/or Le Francais that many cared about looking “goofy”.  But then, that’s just me.


Ez

[OldMtnMan]

I'll bite.
It sticks out past the muzzle and looks goofy. That's what's wrong with it.
It destroys the symmetry of the rifle.
Whether "it was done" & that is enough reason for "you" is OK "for you".

No, not why does it look goofy. That's obvious. I mean why is the rod too long? Why not have it end at the muzzle. My thought is it's a poor design and a ramrod that ended at the muzzle would be too short to work as it should in the barrel.

[Daryl]

Like I said, if it's ok with you, then fine.
Carry a goofy looking rifle.  

[smylee grouch]

I have seen some of those pictures of those old mountain shooters with the rod past the muzzle and i wonder if those shooters are using a hickory RANGE rod to use at over the log/chunk gun style matches. That extra long rod is a lot easier to get a grip on and the size of some of the rifles pictured tells me they didn't go out hunting but just to shooting matches

[Daryl]

None of my rods stick out past the muzzle & they all work perfectly.

[Daryl]

I had that thought as well smylee grouch.

[smylee grouch]

IIRC Walter Cline had several of those pics of some of the old time match shooters with just such ramrods. I have a small tin sign with three or four of those old time shooters, that I think I bought from Hobby Lobby.

[hanshi]

I noticed I have a couple of rifles that have the rods a tad longer than the barrel, maybe 1/4" to 1/3".  But I sometimes switch rods among rifles and "stuff" happens.  I don't use a jag on the rod when hunting the bush.  At the range I may or may not use one.  But at the range I normally load with the ramrod, seldom reinserting it back into the rifle between shots.  Once out it is likely to stay out for the duration.  Something like this is more common.


It may look like this in the safe/wall/rack, but then, it's for show.