I keep a 2x2" square of leather saddle skirt - about 3/16" thick- in my shooting bag to pad my palm when I have to drive the ball past a fowling ring in the breech. Cheap, small, and effective.
I completely agree with you on the loading method. Here's something I do for my wooden ramrods. I take a PVC pipe of appropriate diameter, glue a cap on one end. That end become " the bottom." I have a second cap that I drill a hole into the center and make a wooden plug to fit the hole. It friction fits the top of the tube. The plug is a pressure relief " valve" to help get it back off. I mix up a gallon of k1 ( clear) kerosene with a bit of boiled linseed oil. Placing the ramrod in the PVC pipe, I pour the kerosene mix in. Btw, I leave the pipe a couple inches longer than the rod. I stop filling when the rod floats up about an inch above the end of the pipe.Now I cap it off and set it aside for a couple of weeks. Take the cap off. As the rammer absorbs the kero/ linseed oil, it gets heavier and sinks. That how u know it's working. Then flip the rod over for another week. Take it out, paper towel it off, then rub it in ur hands till u can feel the heat of friction. It will not only be flexible and water proof, but will look nice. *** Most wood today is kiln dried. That makes them prone to breakage. My granddaddy was a WW1 veteran. He was also a master gardener. He KNEW about Victory Gardens. He had a 3 acre garden that fed him, my grandmother, my great grandmother, my mother and her 5 brothers & sisters thru the great depression and WW2 home front shortages. My grandmother put his produce up in jars . He told me after the growing season he filled a milk can with sand then poured coal oil and linseed oil into the sand. He would stick the wooden handles of his garden tools in this till spring. He told me wood will always draw liquids up. By kiln drying we remove the sap & moisture from the dead wood so it won't rot. But it wants to carry fluids( moisture) up...that's what God made it to do. Sap & moisture help a live tree resist breaking. By replacing the sap with coal oil and linseed oil it lets the fibers flex like the sap used to and make it not pull moisture up into the wood. *** So I applied that lesson to my gunstocks & ramrods. Still load like U showed in the video, but this makes ur rammer a tad more forgiving, and if it does break, it cracks like a tree limb not snap like a dried piece of wood.
Thanks Dwayne! 6 Minute Tech Tip just doesn't roll off the tongue. I may have bitten off more than i can chew as I can yak it up with the best of them...
I remember one thing you told me that I was doing wrong was tapping the ball down. You told me to imagine you were "throwing" the rod against the ball as I was pushing it down. That and the tapping with the ball starter was some of the best advice you ever gave me. I honestly think I get better groups using the wooden rod. Mine is wood tip so maybe it doesn't deform the ball. I've used it in many matches since. I do love the range rod better for cleaning. Good tips Bobby.
Good advice! My father also taught me how to choose a wooden ramrod and I think that is important. You could find a lot of ramrods for sale at Friendship IN, but you had to sort through them. You want a rod in which there is no cross grain. There should be as little diagonal grain across the section as possible because that is its weakest point. Best ramrods were split and then reduced using a steel plate with a series of progressively smaller holes to recuse the size. Hope this makes sense/
I recently bought a T.C, Hawkin... a sad little pile of parts that wants to be a rifle. Cracked stock, total sewer pipe for a barrel, stock , brass fittings all scratched, beat and gouged badly. I'm working towards a resurrection day so we can get to the range. I've ordered a new barrel so the project should be ready when it arrives. I'm learning as much as I can so I can have fun and not blow my face off with that first shot, so...I come to class every time I'm on you-Tube and find your channel. Thanks for helping the newbies... we don't know what we don't know!
I have a proper steel range rod with muzzle protector I use for target use and cleaning. Prior to that I made dedicated range rods with dowels from Lowes close to bore size and attached handles to them. No problem using the guns rod when in the field. Good video and advice Bob.
Me to. The only one I ever broke was years ago, it was a new .36. The rod was dark stained and I didn't notice the 8" of grain runout right in the middle. Loaded it at about 5 degrees one winter, got her halfway down and she let go easy as you please. I got splinters along the top of my hand, that's how close it came to running me through.....
Good info. I can't imagine taking a range rod to a woods walk or a Seneca run...yet, I see that often. That long rod is just one more thing to carry I don't want to keep up with. Ramrods only for me my friend, thanks for posting.
I've got a 50cal muzzle loading plains rifle and a 20g muzzle loading double. For both of these I've made two new loading rods out of fibreglass rod with a .223 case glued and pinned, and then drilled and tapped to screw on any tips. They're very strong and won't break, and I've still got the wooden ones for when I sell the guns. English blackpowder shooter.
Good stuff Bob. I've only ever broken 2 rods... Both my fault not the rod itself. First one I tried to long stroke and it cracked, luckily didn't break all the way and jab me. Second one I broke the end off of my .32 rod... Trying to swab with a bone dry patch. Hung up and I pulled too hard, snapped off in the bore. Bad day. I radiused the crown on my 45 so I can start a patch/ball (.018 ticking, .445 ball) with the flat butt end of my knife and then short stroke the rod to seat it... Don't have to carry a ball starter anymore... Less crap to keep up with while afield. I tried going to a .020 patch but it was so tight I had to go back to using a starter and would ding up the face of the ball bad enough I think my accuracy actually suffered. Love the videos. Keep em coming. Mike
The method that you show for the wooden rod seems like common sense. Like most things in life, you mess things up when you're in a hurry. Practice a fast reload when not in the woods. You will have your method down pat and be successful. Happy shooting. 👍
Thanks Bob! Video went by fast! I personally like to use my wooden ramrod for every shot, range or hunting. I only use my range rod for cleaning. Consistency is important. My process is to seat the wooden rod and attempt to bounce it(ensuring its seated) until it barely bounces. Usually 1 or 2 attempts. When I use my brass rod, just the weight of the rod, which seems to assist in seating, seems to seat it to tight. Well at least tighter then my wooden rod. This seems to create different pressures which changes my point of impact. For me, I’ve seen huge differences.
When I made my short starter I let the long end of the short starter be detachable (never glued it in). After removing the long end of the starter the hole left in the handle is about the same size of the ramrod. This makes a pretty good "make do" handle that easy on my ramrod as well as my hand when the ball is being stubborn about being seated in those last few inches.
Thanks for another good video Bob . Heck it only seemed like it lasted a minute . Glad to see the ol' Soddy in your hands . Think i may have mentioned it before but that rifle is my favorite , it speaks to me .
Until the other day, I had always used my range rods for loading my guns. The other day I used the ramrod that came with a gun. I did not have any problems, but I have now learned, don't grab high. Thank you.
@@BlackPowderTV, and now that I have finished a Jim Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle kit, I had to order a range rod since I did not want to chance breaking the rod attachment by having too snug a fit for cleaning. I took the gun to the range for the first time and came up with a 1-3/4 inch three-shot group at 25 yards. The bore actually got hard to push the ball down by the 4th shot and I had nothing with which to clean it. However, I recall somebody having a video on making a wiping rod. I guess that is going to be the next project.
Yes, keep your hands close to the muzzle and use short strokes to guide it down. Even with a .58 caliber 3/8" hickory rod, you need to use the same procedure. Good point to know how far it should down.
I appreciate the knowledge, as far as the 2 minutes. Just keep the knowledge flowing, I rather watch a 14 minute video of quality knowledge over a 2 minute missing too much knowledge
I use the original hickory rod on my Brown Bess with no issues. Since there is no rifling, there is far less stress on on the rod than on a rifle, and the rod on the Bess is heavy and strong. Even fouled, ramming the Bess's 75 cal. ball doesn't take a lot of force. Technique while ramming does a lot to prevent breakage. If my rod breaks, I'll just make a new one.
Interesting advice! A point in favor of smoothbores over rifles I'm guessing (And probably how musket manuals could get away with such seemingly effortless ramming motions)
I only shoot at the range, but I also only use the ramrod to seat the ball. It is as much for the ritual of loading. Once the ball is short started, I just automatically reach for the ramrod and when the ball is fully seated, I automatically replace the ramrod. After shooting this way for years it is so ingrained that I could not do it any other way. I use the range rod when I swab the bore and when I clean the gun, but that is the only time I use the range rod.
I think that’s a great way to do it! I find using the wood ramrod certainly feels a whole lot more right, as having to be careful of the rod is a historical part of shooting these old guns. Thanks for the great comment!
@@BlackPowderTV When you get a chance .. I have a jaeger rifle with set triggers and I don't know how to adjust them. The second trigger is very heavy and the first is way too light.
Interesting. Does it have a tiny set screw in the bottom of the plate? I would take them out and see how they engage when set by the rear trigger and how they disengage when the front trigger is pulled. The rear trigger is normally fairly heavy. Does your front trigger fire the lock regardless of the rear set trigger being set?
@@BlackPowderTV There is a tiny set screw just behind the front trigger. The front trigger does fire the lock. I just would like for the rear trigger to be lighter and the front trigger heavier. I don't want to mess with the set screw without knowing if I should move it clock wise or counter clockwise.
@@alanmcconnaughey2698 Got ya. So, the best thing to do for your own experience is to remove the triggers so you can see how the two trigger bars interact. Basically inside the trigger mechanism each trigger has a large bar. The rear trigger's bar has a notch that when pulled, engages under the front trigger's bar, setting the front trigger ie making it a hair trigger. Screwing the set screw in will push up on the bars reducing the contact point until at some point they trip from the screw being almost all the way in. If you get to that point and back the screw out a full turn you will have about as light a front trigger pull as possible with your triggers. if you screw all the way out you will have the most engagement of the two bars. Moving this screw will not lighten or stiffen the front trigger pull per se but it will mean you must move the front trigger back more to trip the triggers. Likewise with the set screw all the way out the rear trigger has more engagement and will feel heavier. Like I said this is best done with the triggers out so you can see what they are doing as all triggers are slightly different in design. You can usually also loosen the large spring that holds the rear trigger forward which will also lighten the rear trigger, but this can only be done with the triggers out. You can also file the rear trigger spring a bit to reduce the rear trigger pull but you're getting into a bit of gunsmithing there. Get those triggers out and take a look at what you have and don't be afraid to adjust that tiny set screw.
I never use a range rod for the very reason you mention and demonstrate. I follow the old saying, you will fight as you've trained. You're out at the range all day or over a period of a couple of days, weeks etc. using a range rod and muscle memory as well as your brain gets wired to load with the range rod. Then you go hunting and grab your wooden rod and it's a recipe for disaster. Now before someone spouts off about you have to be dumb etc. I have a genius level IQ. It's not about being intelligent, it's muscle memory. But hey, you do you. Good video Bob. Keep up the good work.
Here's something to consider. Wood is designed to carry moisture up the tree. It will do this even when the wood is dead. We kiln dry our wood to prevent moisture from rotting the wood, then shellac it to keep moisture out. Silly. It's FASTER, but not better than the old school way. Buy a long pvc pipe, glue and cap one end. You want enough space in the pipe for plenty of free play between the rammer you will insert into the pipe and the pipes' interior dimension. Drill a small hole in another cap and make a wood plug for it. It will help u get the cap off. Don't glue it on, it needs to be removable. Insert your rammer, then fill the pipe with coal oil....kerosene. The rammer will float. Put the cap on it and let it sit for a few weeks. After a couple weeks, take cap off. You will notice the kerosene level has dropped, it been absorbed into the rammer. If the rammer does not float, the weight of the kero in the wood is heavier. Flip the rammer over and top off the kerosene. Recap and give it another week or two. If it's not floating now, it's ready. Now, wrap the rammer in paper towels for a day to allow it to " sweat out" the excess kerosene. Now, roll up ur sleeves, rub some boiled linseed oil in ur palms , and rub it into the rammer till u feel the friction heating up. After awhile, you will have a rammer that is more flexible, and not as PRONE to breakage. It's not breakPROOF, but you've restored the lubrication inside the wood that moisture provides a living stick. Which is more prone to break, a dry old bone or a moist, wet bone just carved from a hunk of meat? Same principle.
Many years ago I was told to soak my wooden rod in kerosene for a couple of weeks to help prevent it from breaking. Same rod for 30 years but I do short hand it when loading so how much the kerosene helped is a guess; never had termites though 🤣.
I just bought a Traditions Kentucky rifle and the wooden ramrod it came with is practically worthless. No threads on the tips to put a jag on for cleaning, pulling patches or balls, or other items. It barely clears the end of the barrel so I can hardly hold a couple of fingers on it when loading it all the way down with powder, patch, and ball. I bought a range rod for those reasons and pack it with me when I shoot. I will probably buy new threaded ramrod tips for it so it will be usable but also need a longer length rod for it.
Great stuff. My pistol has a beautifull ram rod that is a bit too loose on the holders, it may fall off if Im in the woods. Is there an "official" fix for that? Thanks !
I use the range rod only because it is annoying taking and putting the rob back in the gun every shot. even with the range rod I go hand over hand when seating so the muscle memory will be the same regardless of what gun or rod i have that day.
I read around some forums, apparently some years ago there was a guy making steel-core wooden ramrods. The people who had one swore by it for looking like basic wood but being nigh on indestructible. Unfortunately the website where they were sold no longer exists, plugging in the URL just brings you the page to buy the domain.
Just came from my first time at the range with a muzzleloader pistol, by chance I heard your advice on marking the ramrod... sure enough ! after 5 or 6 shots I noticed the problem, by the 10th shot I had to ram the rod againt the table for the last 1/4 inch. I'm training for competition, here in France the rules say I have to shoot 13 shots in 30 min. NO CLEANING ! Is there a way to soften the buildup "with out cleaning" ? Thanks for your advice it preventer a possible accident.
How hard or soft your lube gets over a course of fire has to do with the lube itself. I’ve found adding a small percentage of bees wax or grease will keep it soft and manageable. I’ve also had luck with 30% liquid lecithin mixtures. I haven’t however had much luck with commercial compounds.
Where do you get your ramrods? I had one break, at my very first shoot with my Pedersoli blue ridge rifle, ( to add insult to injury it happened right in front of Frank House who's comment was" what was that thing made of, China wood? ") I've used a range rod ever since, even for loading the first round on a hunting trip, saving my wood rods for ultra primitive events where modern range rods are not permitted, my area lacks muzzle loading specialty shops so supplies are really difficult to come by, I once saw a item in the Dixie gun works catalogue that suggested soaking rods in kerosene before using them, what do you think of that practice?
I have and use a brass range rod at the range and my wood rod in the woods (or I have with my cap lock rifle). I do want to pick up a better quality rod then what came on my flintlock rifle. Should I stick with a wood of some sort or is a fiberglass rod a better option?
I got a blackpowder rifle from my dad. I am trying to clean it up as it has some rust in the barrel. I realized that the ramrod is way too short. I may have to buy a jag for the end of it or get a wooden dowel and make a new one.
For carrying on the rifle if you are not too concerned about "authenticity" a carbon fibre or glass fibre rod works fine if you can find the right diameter. They are very strong....
Hey Cody, yea, that's a tough one. ballisticproducts.com carries a limited line of non toxic roundballs under the IXT brand. You'll see the link on the bottom left of their homepage. I have heard of some folks using ball bearings quite a bit smaller than their bore patched with leather to keep the steel off their rifling. I think it'll take some imagination but can be done, assuming IXT doesn't have your caliber. Let me know what you come up with. Sounds like a great idea for a video....
@@BlackPowderTV thank you. Really have enjoyed your content. I know what a pain it is as I do very simplistic self filming of deer hunts and do no editing. Keep up the great work.
trackofthewolf.com sells hickory ramrods in 3 diameters. You may need to use a piece of sandpaper to custom fit it for your gun but it’s pretty easy and takes less than a half hour. Measure yours and get the one of the same or just over diameter. 👍🏻
Yeahhhh, I grab mine low and still broke my wood ramrod. I now own a range rod lol. Barrel eventually gets dirty, needs cleaning, balls may get stuck, some balls hard to push down and eventually rod wears out and snaps when your are having fun. Hunting I use the guns ram rod. Range, I use range rod. For everything else, there's master card.
The ball starter, (because all starting is short), swages the ball/patch combo into the space of the bore. A good radius on the crown really helps with snug/best combinations. If you'll put a small divot/hole into the knob of your ball starter, then you can use that to cover the end of your rod and give it a good open-palm smack for anytime there's a snag, or every time for load compression consistency (a key to accuracy). Powder first! I'll never not have a marked rod once the load is developed that best suits the gun. A thin knife mark is plenty.
I never understood the use of a separate range rod. You're gun literally comes with a rod, and if used correctly, you don't have to worry much about it breaking. That's how they did it for almost 400 years.
We see lots of period references to a separate wiping stick. And we have several paintings of oldtimers with an extra stick in their hands. I use a good hickory rod with the gun, but just plinking a wiping stick is handy. That’s all mine is is a 7/16 rod, no handle or extras.
Used correctly, a good wooden ramrod will not break. A good Hickory rod is damn near indestructible. Do not use a wooden rod if the ends are not pinned on. That's a bad lesson to learn.
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
I keep a 2x2" square of leather saddle skirt - about 3/16" thick- in my shooting bag to pad my palm when I have to drive the ball past a fowling ring in the breech. Cheap, small, and effective.
Super idea. Thanks!
Feeding the algorithm. More people need to see this channel.
I completely agree with you on the loading method. Here's something I do for my wooden ramrods. I take a PVC pipe of appropriate diameter, glue a cap on one end. That end become " the bottom." I have a second cap that I drill a hole into the center and make a wooden plug to fit the hole. It friction fits the top of the tube. The plug is a pressure relief " valve" to help get it back off.
I mix up a gallon of k1 ( clear) kerosene with a bit of boiled linseed oil. Placing the ramrod in the PVC pipe, I pour the kerosene mix in. Btw, I leave the pipe a couple inches longer than the rod. I stop filling when the rod floats up about an inch above the end of the pipe.Now I cap it off and set it aside for a couple of weeks. Take the cap off. As the rammer absorbs the kero/ linseed oil, it gets heavier and sinks. That how u know it's working. Then flip the rod over for another week. Take it out, paper towel it off, then rub it in ur hands till u can feel the heat of friction. It will not only be flexible and water proof, but will look nice.
***
Most wood today is kiln dried. That makes them prone to breakage. My granddaddy was a WW1 veteran. He was also a master gardener. He KNEW about Victory Gardens. He had a 3 acre garden that fed him, my grandmother, my great grandmother, my mother and her 5 brothers & sisters thru the great depression and WW2 home front shortages. My grandmother put his produce up in jars .
He told me after the growing season he filled a milk can with sand then poured coal oil and linseed oil into the sand. He would stick the wooden handles of his garden tools in this till spring. He told me wood will always draw liquids up. By kiln drying we remove the sap & moisture from the dead wood so it won't rot. But it wants to carry fluids( moisture) up...that's what God made it to do. Sap & moisture help a live tree resist breaking. By replacing the sap with coal oil and linseed oil it lets the fibers flex like the sap used to and make it not pull moisture up into the wood.
***
So I applied that lesson to my gunstocks & ramrods. Still load like U showed in the video, but this makes ur rammer a tad more forgiving, and if it does break, it cracks like a tree limb not snap like a dried piece of wood.
Cool thanks! And I wouldn't worry about cutting it down to two minutes. With good info it goes by fast!
Thanks Dwayne! 6 Minute Tech Tip just doesn't roll off the tongue. I may have bitten off more than i can chew as I can yak it up with the best of them...
I miss your videos and really hope everything is well with you and yours. You helped me get into flintlocks so much and i definitely appreciate it.
I remember one thing you told me that I was doing wrong was tapping the ball down. You told me to imagine you were "throwing" the rod against the ball as I was pushing it down. That and the tapping with the ball starter was some of the best advice you ever gave me. I honestly think I get better groups using the wooden rod. Mine is wood tip so maybe it doesn't deform the ball. I've used it in many matches since. I do love the range rod better for cleaning. Good tips Bobby.
Thanks Champ! 😉
Good advice! My father also taught me how to choose a wooden ramrod and I think that is important. You could find a lot of ramrods for sale at Friendship IN, but you had to sort through them. You want a rod in which there is no cross grain. There should be as little diagonal grain across the section as possible because that is its weakest point. Best ramrods were split and then reduced using a steel plate with a series of progressively smaller holes to recuse the size. Hope this makes sense/
Right you are!
I recently bought a T.C, Hawkin... a sad little pile of parts that wants to be a rifle. Cracked stock, total sewer pipe for a barrel, stock , brass fittings all scratched, beat and gouged badly. I'm working towards a resurrection day so we can get to the range. I've ordered a new barrel so the project should be ready when it arrives. I'm learning as much as I can so I can have fun and not blow my face off with that first shot, so...I come to class every time I'm on you-Tube and find your channel. Thanks for helping the newbies... we don't know what we don't know!
I have a proper steel range rod with muzzle protector I use for target use and cleaning. Prior to that I made dedicated range rods with dowels from Lowes close to bore size and attached handles to them. No problem using the guns rod when in the field. Good video and advice Bob.
Good information. I've been using the same wooden rod in my 32 for 30 years.
Me to. The only one I ever broke was years ago, it was a new .36. The rod was dark stained and I didn't notice the 8" of grain runout right in the middle. Loaded it at about 5 degrees one winter, got her halfway down and she let go easy as you please. I got splinters along the top of my hand, that's how close it came to running me through.....
Good info. I can't imagine taking a range rod to a woods walk or a Seneca run...yet, I see that often. That long rod is just one more thing to carry I don't want to keep up with. Ramrods only for me my friend, thanks for posting.
Yep! Thanks Mark!
I've got a 50cal muzzle loading plains rifle and a 20g muzzle loading double. For both of these I've made two new loading rods out of fibreglass rod with a .223 case glued and pinned, and then drilled and tapped to screw on any tips.
They're very strong and won't break, and I've still got the wooden ones for when I sell the guns.
English blackpowder shooter.
Great tips Bob. Im a big believer in train like you fight or hunt. You need to be proficient with the kit you take in the field. Thanks for posting
Thanks Kurt! I'm the same way. Train like you fight. Right on the nose.
Love the channel!
Excellent video! Just got my first rifle. Thanks for the info!
Thanks for all of the good instructional videos!
Good stuff Bob.
I've only ever broken 2 rods... Both my fault not the rod itself. First one I tried to long stroke and it cracked, luckily didn't break all the way and jab me. Second one I broke the end off of my .32 rod... Trying to swab with a bone dry patch. Hung up and I pulled too hard, snapped off in the bore. Bad day.
I radiused the crown on my 45 so I can start a patch/ball (.018 ticking, .445 ball) with the flat butt end of my knife and then short stroke the rod to seat it... Don't have to carry a ball starter anymore... Less crap to keep up with while afield. I tried going to a .020 patch but it was so tight I had to go back to using a starter and would ding up the face of the ball bad enough I think my accuracy actually suffered.
Love the videos. Keep em coming.
Mike
Thankee Mike. Glad she didn’t poke you. 👍🏻
The method that you show for the wooden rod seems like common sense.
Like most things in life, you mess things up when you're in a hurry. Practice a fast reload when not in the woods. You will have your method down pat and be successful.
Happy shooting. 👍
Thanks Bob! Video went by fast! I personally like to use my wooden ramrod for every shot, range or hunting. I only use my range rod for cleaning. Consistency is important. My process is to seat the wooden rod and attempt to bounce it(ensuring its seated) until it barely bounces. Usually 1 or 2 attempts. When I use my brass rod, just the weight of the rod, which seems to assist in seating, seems to seat it to tight. Well at least tighter then my wooden rod. This seems to create different pressures which changes my point of impact. For me, I’ve seen huge differences.
Thanks Gene! I think your way is a great approach. 👍🏻
When I made my short starter I let the long end of the short starter be detachable (never glued it in). After removing the long end of the starter the hole left in the handle is about the same size of the ramrod. This makes a pretty good "make do" handle that easy on my ramrod as well as my hand when the ball is being stubborn about being seated in those last few inches.
Excellent idea Chet! Love it. A buddy of mine does similar. He drills a hole in his starter ball for the same purpose.
Friend uses a top section of fiber glass fishing rod brown coloured and its great job.
That’s an interesting idea Nigel. I’ll have to dig through my old poles. 👍🏻
Thats some solid advice, Hope you n yours had a blessed Christmas.
👍🏻 Hope you had a great Christmas!
love the show, great info
Thanks for another good video Bob . Heck it only seemed like it lasted a minute . Glad to see the ol' Soddy in your hands . Think i may have mentioned it before but that rifle is my favorite , it speaks to me .
Thanks Dan! It speaks to me too and I imagine it'll be the one I have when all the others are gone.... I love it.
Good video, thanks.
Thanks!
Great info. Thanks for the info
Thanks so much RP!
Good info!
Thanks Unc!
Until the other day, I had always used my range rods for loading my guns. The other day I used the ramrod that came with a gun. I did not have any problems, but I have now learned, don't grab high. Thank you.
Awesome. Yep, you have to be more aware but it is much more satisfying to use the wood. 👍🏻
@@BlackPowderTV, and now that I have finished a Jim Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle kit, I had to order a range rod since I did not want to chance breaking the rod attachment by having too snug a fit for cleaning. I took the gun to the range for the first time and came up with a 1-3/4 inch three-shot group at 25 yards. The bore actually got hard to push the ball down by the 4th shot and I had nothing with which to clean it. However, I recall somebody having a video on making a wiping rod. I guess that is going to be the next project.
Good advice
Thanks Aaron!
Yes, keep your hands close to the muzzle and use short strokes to guide it down. Even with a .58 caliber 3/8" hickory rod, you need to use the same procedure. Good point to know how far it should down.
Thanks TC! I use the same procedure on all prb calibers. I like one good habit! Excellent point!
Black Powder TV I just just started flint thisvyear, and am hooked. I watch you, maniac, and duelost1954 mostly.
Great to hear! I know Mark personally and I think Mike is awesome. I watch both their videos. Every one. Thanks!
Great video, thanks
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Good one, thanks.
Thanks Banjo!
Sound advice and if listened to will save on a ton of grief.
Thanks COR!
I appreciate the knowledge, as far as the 2 minutes. Just keep the knowledge flowing, I rather watch a 14 minute video of quality knowledge over a 2 minute missing too much knowledge
I use the original hickory rod on my Brown Bess with no issues. Since there is no rifling, there is far less stress on on the rod than on a rifle, and the rod on the Bess is heavy and strong. Even fouled, ramming the Bess's 75 cal. ball doesn't take a lot of force. Technique while ramming does a lot to prevent breakage. If my rod breaks, I'll just make a new one.
Interesting advice! A point in favor of smoothbores over rifles I'm guessing (And probably how musket manuals could get away with such seemingly effortless ramming motions)
I only shoot at the range, but I also only use the ramrod to seat the ball. It is as much for the ritual of loading. Once the ball is short started, I just automatically reach for the ramrod and when the ball is fully seated, I automatically replace the ramrod. After shooting this way for years it is so ingrained that I could not do it any other way. I use the range rod when I swab the bore and when I clean the gun, but that is the only time I use the range rod.
I think that’s a great way to do it! I find using the wood ramrod certainly feels a whole lot more right, as having to be careful of the rod is a historical part of shooting these old guns. Thanks for the great comment!
Nice presentation of knowledge all newbies can learn from. (and some of us who think we know better)
Thanks for the kind words Alan! I'm always learning something new myself! It keeps life interesting!
@@BlackPowderTV When you get a chance .. I have a jaeger rifle with set triggers and I don't know how to adjust them. The second trigger is very heavy and the first is way too light.
Interesting. Does it have a tiny set screw in the bottom of the plate? I would take them out and see how they engage when set by the rear trigger and how they disengage when the front trigger is pulled. The rear trigger is normally fairly heavy. Does your front trigger fire the lock regardless of the rear set trigger being set?
@@BlackPowderTV There is a tiny set screw just behind the front trigger. The front trigger does fire the lock. I just would like for the rear trigger to be lighter and the front trigger heavier. I don't want to mess with the set screw without knowing if I should move it clock wise or counter clockwise.
@@alanmcconnaughey2698 Got ya. So, the best thing to do for your own experience is to remove the triggers so you can see how the two trigger bars interact. Basically inside the trigger mechanism each trigger has a large bar. The rear trigger's bar has a notch that when pulled, engages under the front trigger's bar, setting the front trigger ie making it a hair trigger. Screwing the set screw in will push up on the bars reducing the contact point until at some point they trip from the screw being almost all the way in. If you get to that point and back the screw out a full turn you will have about as light a front trigger pull as possible with your triggers. if you screw all the way out you will have the most engagement of the two bars. Moving this screw will not lighten or stiffen the front trigger pull per se but it will mean you must move the front trigger back more to trip the triggers. Likewise with the set screw all the way out the rear trigger has more engagement and will feel heavier. Like I said this is best done with the triggers out so you can see what they are doing as all triggers are slightly different in design. You can usually also loosen the large spring that holds the rear trigger forward which will also lighten the rear trigger, but this can only be done with the triggers out. You can also file the rear trigger spring a bit to reduce the rear trigger pull but you're getting into a bit of gunsmithing there. Get those triggers out and take a look at what you have and don't be afraid to adjust that tiny set screw.
I never use a range rod for the very reason you mention and demonstrate. I follow the old saying, you will fight as you've trained. You're out at the range all day or over a period of a couple of days, weeks etc. using a range rod and muscle memory as well as your brain gets wired to load with the range rod. Then you go hunting and grab your wooden rod and it's a recipe for disaster. Now before someone spouts off about you have to be dumb etc. I have a genius level IQ. It's not about being intelligent, it's muscle memory. But hey, you do you. Good video Bob. Keep up the good work.
Thanks brother Rich. 👍🏻
Thanks for the advice. Is your Soddy 36cal
Yes sir.
Here's something to consider.
Wood is designed to carry moisture up the tree. It will do this even when the wood is dead.
We kiln dry our wood to prevent moisture from rotting the wood, then shellac it to keep moisture out. Silly. It's FASTER, but not better than the old school way.
Buy a long pvc pipe, glue and cap one end. You want enough space in the pipe for plenty of free play between the rammer you will insert into the pipe and the pipes' interior dimension.
Drill a small hole in another cap and make a wood plug for it. It will help u get the cap off.
Don't glue it on, it needs to be removable.
Insert your rammer, then fill the pipe with coal oil....kerosene.
The rammer will float. Put the cap on it and let it sit for a few weeks.
After a couple weeks, take cap off. You will notice the kerosene level has dropped, it been absorbed into the rammer. If the rammer does not float, the weight of the kero in the wood is heavier.
Flip the rammer over and top off the kerosene. Recap and give it another week or two.
If it's not floating now, it's ready.
Now, wrap the rammer in paper towels for a day to allow it to " sweat out" the excess kerosene.
Now, roll up ur sleeves, rub some boiled linseed oil in ur palms , and rub it into the rammer till u feel the friction heating up. After awhile, you will have a rammer that is more flexible, and not as PRONE to breakage. It's not breakPROOF, but you've restored the lubrication inside the wood that moisture provides a living stick.
Which is more prone to break, a dry old bone or a moist, wet bone just carved from a hunk of meat? Same principle.
Many years ago I was told to soak my wooden rod in kerosene for a couple of weeks to help prevent it from breaking. Same rod for 30 years but I do short hand it when loading so how much the kerosene helped is a guess; never had termites though 🤣.
I just bought a Traditions Kentucky rifle and the wooden ramrod it came with is practically worthless. No threads on the tips to put a jag on for cleaning, pulling patches or balls, or other items. It barely clears the end of the barrel so I can hardly hold a couple of fingers on it when loading it all the way down with powder, patch, and ball.
I bought a range rod for those reasons and pack it with me when I shoot. I will probably buy new threaded ramrod tips for it so it will be usable but also need a longer length rod for it.
Great stuff. My pistol has a beautifull ram rod that is a bit too loose on the holders, it may fall off if Im in the woods. Is there an "official" fix for that? Thanks !
I use the range rod only because it is annoying taking and putting the rob back in the gun every shot. even with the range rod I go hand over hand when seating so the muscle memory will be the same regardless of what gun or rod i have that day.
That's a good practice and if you do all your shooting at a range, the range rod is definitely the way to go!
I read around some forums, apparently some years ago there was a guy making steel-core wooden ramrods. The people who had one swore by it for looking like basic wood but being nigh on indestructible. Unfortunately the website where they were sold no longer exists, plugging in the URL just brings you the page to buy the domain.
What was the old link to that page if I may ask?
Just came from my first time at the range with a muzzleloader pistol, by chance I heard your advice on marking the ramrod... sure enough ! after 5 or 6 shots I noticed the problem, by the 10th shot I had to ram the rod againt the table for the last 1/4 inch. I'm training for competition, here in France the rules say I have to shoot 13 shots in 30 min. NO CLEANING ! Is there a way to soften the buildup "with out cleaning" ? Thanks for your advice it preventer a possible accident.
How hard or soft your lube gets over a course of fire has to do with the lube itself. I’ve found adding a small percentage of bees wax or grease will keep it soft and manageable. I’ve also had luck with 30% liquid lecithin mixtures. I haven’t however had much luck with commercial compounds.
@@BlackPowderTV Thank you for your advice !
COOL - THANKS!
😎👍
Are you resting the but on your foot, or on the ground?
Usually on my foot. 👍🏻
Where do you get your ramrods? I had one break, at my very first shoot with my Pedersoli blue ridge rifle, ( to add insult to injury it happened right in front of Frank House who's comment was" what was that thing made of, China wood? ") I've used a range rod ever since, even for loading the first round on a hunting trip, saving my wood rods for ultra primitive events where modern range rods are not permitted, my area lacks muzzle loading specialty shops so supplies are really difficult to come by, I once saw a item in the Dixie gun works catalogue that suggested soaking rods in kerosene before using them, what do you think of that practice?
That was a good 5min. 2 min. Tech tip ! Lol time is no problem for good info
🤣 It's hard to get em down to two minutes! I'm working on it!
Lol...yea... Ramrods are a big subject... Lol less than 6 minutes...you sir, have my respect for keeping it that short lol
I do my best.🤣
Remake my ramrods with arrow shafts. Since I also use traditional archery supplies. Stronger than stock.
I have and use a brass range rod at the range and my wood rod in the woods (or I have with my cap lock rifle). I do want to pick up a better quality rod then what came on my flintlock rifle. Should I stick with a wood of some sort or is a fiberglass rod a better option?
I got a blackpowder rifle from my dad. I am trying to clean it up as it has some rust in the barrel. I realized that the ramrod is way too short. I may have to buy a jag for the end of it or get a wooden dowel and make a new one.
You can order one from trackofthewolf.com as well. 👍🏻
I use a fiberglass range rod. Works really well
For carrying on the rifle if you are not too concerned about "authenticity" a carbon fibre or glass fibre rod works fine if you can find the right diameter.
They are very strong....
Yes they do work fine! Thanks for the great comments!
Any suggestions for us in california. We can't use lead for hunting. I could use a inline but I want to use my flintlock
Hey Cody, yea, that's a tough one. ballisticproducts.com carries a limited line of non toxic roundballs under the IXT brand. You'll see the link on the bottom left of their homepage. I have heard of some folks using ball bearings quite a bit smaller than their bore patched with leather to keep the steel off their rifling. I think it'll take some imagination but can be done, assuming IXT doesn't have your caliber. Let me know what you come up with. Sounds like a great idea for a video....
@@BlackPowderTV thanks for the tip. Love your vids
Thanks Cody!
Drilled a hole in my ball starter, and of the ramrod fits into 90 degrees to my short starter
Any recommendations on a range rod. Ha e my first flintlock coming in a month fro. Gobblers knob down in TN. 62 caliber hawken half stock
Trackofthewolf.com. They call them cleaning rods I think. 👍🏻
@@BlackPowderTV thank you. Really have enjoyed your content. I know what a pain it is as I do very simplistic self filming of deer hunts and do no editing. Keep up the great work.
@@kevinfoerster5510 You’re welcome. Yea, it’s tough to do, that’s for sure. Thanks brother!
I have bent metal rods loading my cva wolf grabbing the rod up high .what type of dowl makes for a good wooden rod ?
Hickory. Find one with zero grain runout and it'll be perfect!
@@BlackPowderTV where do i purchase such an item ? Id like to make my own but would also purchase a premade version
trackofthewolf.com sells hickory ramrods in 3 diameters. You may need to use a piece of sandpaper to custom fit it for your gun but it’s pretty easy and takes less than a half hour. Measure yours and get the one of the same or just over diameter. 👍🏻
@@BlackPowderTV thanks will do
Yeahhhh, I grab mine low and still broke my wood ramrod. I now own a range rod lol.
Barrel eventually gets dirty, needs cleaning, balls may get stuck, some balls hard to push down and eventually rod wears out and snaps when your are having fun.
Hunting I use the guns ram rod. Range, I use range rod. For everything else, there's master card.
I often use a range rod on the range as well. Can’t go wrong. 👍🏻
@BlackPowderTV you have yours break using it like you're supposed to or only when you grabbed it up high?
Or, use a fiberglass for trail walk targets. Save the original for looks.
That is definitely a good option! Thanks Roger!
I use a ball starter?
The ball starter, (because all starting is short), swages the ball/patch combo into the space of the bore. A good radius on the crown really helps with snug/best combinations.
If you'll put a small divot/hole into the knob of your ball starter, then you can use that to cover the end of your rod and give it a good open-palm smack for anytime there's a snag, or every time for load compression consistency (a key to accuracy).
Powder first! I'll never not have a marked rod once the load is developed that best suits the gun. A thin knife mark is plenty.
Hey Wade, right you are on all counts. I mentioned drilling the starter ball ala Daryl S on a comment below. Such a good idea. 👍🏻
@@BlackPowderTV Just runnin' my mouth off, you're doing a good job of shedding iight into the corners for the newcomers.
My range rod is an electric fence stake.
I never understood the use of a separate range rod. You're gun literally comes with a rod, and if used correctly, you don't have to worry much about it breaking. That's how they did it for almost 400 years.
It's amazing how many people a flat afraid to use the wood ramrod! Hopefully this will get a few of them to give it a try! Thanks Kyle~
We see lots of period references to a separate wiping stick. And we have several paintings of oldtimers with an extra stick in their hands.
I use a good hickory rod with the gun, but just plinking a wiping stick is handy. That’s all mine is is a 7/16 rod, no handle or extras.
Used correctly, a good wooden ramrod will not break. A good Hickory rod is damn near indestructible. Do not use a wooden rod if the ends are not pinned on. That's a bad lesson to learn.
Honestly, I feel like it's fine if your "2 minute tech tips" run 5 minutes or so. Really.
That’s pretty bad you think? I’ll try to keep them closer to 2 mins for you. 👍🏻