ramrods

[jonnywim]

I'm building a kentucky CVA perc. from a kit, and would like to know what others have done for ramrod ends. I'm looking to be able to pull the rod out and load, without flipping the rod around, i.e. the tamping end would go down into the stock. Any thoughts on this, concerning historical accuracy?

[Dogshirt]

I personally have never seen this. Many originals had tapered rods with the end going into the stock much smaller than the "loading end". Most  loading ends I have seen have a cupped end to somewhat fit on the ball. This is just my experience, others may differing views.

[Papa]

Jonny,
Tapering a ram rod to fit into the fore stock is not difficult and you could then fit a piece of brass tubing onto the tapered end. Make it a flush fit and leave the end open. Take a ball tip, like a Dremel, and make the rod concave inside the brass tube. It will protect the end of your rod and seat the rod on the ball.
Mark

[jonnywim]

Thanks, I think I'll give that a "shot" . If I use your idea for final, I'll give you the credit. It makes  sense , since the wood would be even softer seated onto the ball with the tubing keeping it from splitting.......Then the end that you see when it is stowed in the ramrod channel would be a standard jag with threads inside, and look just like an older model loading end

[Tim Ault]

Easy fix for some tubing if you have them laying around for a 3/8 rod is a fired 38 special or 357 mag casing. U could even pop out the old primer and D/T the hole 10 or 8/32 for your jag if you don't won't the rim on it just file it off . A 30 carbine is also perfect fit for a 5/16 rod end.

Tim

[Hanshi]

Cartridge cases do work extremely well as rod tips.  I've used them to put tips on several rods.  Just slice off the case rim with a Dremel tool.  Don't forget to pin that tip onto the rod as well as gluing.

[smr40cal.]

 +2 on the pinning you don't want the tip to come off while your pulling a dry ball or a stuck patch. That being said I need to pin a couple of mine that I have, kinda forgot about them till now glad I checked on this Topic  .

[hotfxr]

I have made several different rods for the .45 cals that I have. .357 or .38 work perfect. I use a countersink bit on the primer hole and solder up the hole. Use a 9mm on the back, hit it with a wire wheel until it clears the channel and thread the primer hole for jags or extentions. Free & easy. This is "on the cheap" don'cha know.

[Baldy]

As long as we are on the topic of ramrods, does soaking them in #2 fuel oil or kerosene or whatever really make them more flexible and less likely to break?  Or does it just make them look darker and smell bad?  Urban myth or fact?

[William]

As long as we are on the topic of ramrods, does soaking them in #2 fuel oil or kerosene or whatever really make them more flexible and less likely to break?  Or does it just make them look darker and smell bad?  Urban myth or fact?

It does absolutely nothing but make them smell and stain them darker.  For the rest of you guys, the answer is "no", I'm not going to spend time searching for the study that proves this to be nothing but urban legend and then post it.  I've read it too many times and I don't care what your great grand nephew's uncle always did with his ramrods back in the day.

[Red Badger]

As long as we are on the topic of ramrods, does soaking them in #2 fuel oil or kerosene or whatever really make them more flexible and less likely to break?  Or does it just make them look darker and smell bad?  Urban myth or fact?

It does absolutely nothing but make them smell and stain them darker.  For the rest of you guys, the answer is "no", I'm not going to spend time searching for the study that proves this to be nothing but urban legend and then post it.  I've read it too many times and I don't care what your great grand nephew's uncle always did with his ramrods back in the day.

It does however keep the insects from eatin on it if u use it to prod a termite hill 

[William]

 -bwahaa-haaa!

[Hanshi]

Mine never darkened after being soaked for weeks.  As for smelling bad, I just let them air out a few days and there's no smell at all.

Now, does it make them flexible?  I don't know if it does or not as I'm not about to test one and risk breaking it.  Does it hurt them?  No it does not.  The question as I see it is whether or not it is worth your time going through the process.

[Hawken50]

  Ok i know i am old and should know the answer but here goes. I always heard you should soak a ramrod in coal oil. Now is coal oil and kerosene the same thing or is there a difference?

[beowulf]

Are Coal Oil and Kerosene Oil the Same Thing?

BUMGARNER OIL EXPERT SEPTEMBER 2, 2013 ABOUT OIL-BASED FUELS

Sometimes the terminology used in relation to different fuel types and their raw materials can be very confusing. Take, for example, the terms "coal oil" and "kerosene oil." Some people use these terms interchangeably, which just adds to the confusion. In fact, coal oil and kerosene oil are distinctly different substances, although they can both be used in similar ways as a fuel source.

In simple terms, the main difference between coal oil and kerosene oil is in their origins; coal oil is extracted from a type of soft, oily coal called cannel coal (or sometimes candle coal). Cannel coal is a specific type of soft coal that contains bitumen, a form of petroleum. It is from this substance that the coal oil is refined.

Kerosene oil, on the other hand, is refined directly from liquid petroleum (crude oil). Historically coal oil was sometimes referred to as kerosene, so older records and stories can cause confusion. In modern times, though, the term kerosene is generally accepted to mean an oily substance obtained during the refining and distillation of petroleum. In some countries, kerosene oil is also referred to as paraffin.

In recent times, there has been renewed interest in extracting fuel from coal rather than petroleum for environmental and cost reasons. There is particular interest in this process in parts of the U.S. as well as developing nations that have significant coal reserves but little or no petroleum of their own. The resulting fuel, however, is not the same thing, as coal oil is generally made from harder coals via a chemical process rather than distilled from soft, bituminous (black) coal.