The best wood.
- Thread starter Skinny 1950
- Start date
The rod that goes with the rifle is about 4 inches too short to clean the bore. It is long enough to load but wont reach the breach end. I might thread an adapter on the end to make it usable for now and make a new one later.
I agree that hickory and ash are great choices, but what I personally do for cleaning rods and loading rods or wiping sticks is to go to the hardware store and fish around in the 48" dowel bin and look for the appropriate diameter in maple or birch. If you pay attention to the way the grain runs, you can find some really nice looking and very strong rods for way cheap. I once found a maple one that was so flamed it dazzled the eye. My 2 pence.
That is a good way to go. If you don't wish to make one there are commercial products available, but I would be wary of the all brass ones. I have seen them break at the threaded portion with very little side force. One I made for a friend has a steel rod carrying the threads with a brass tube epoxied over it to protect the bore. It works well as a short starter too.
It can be irksome finding a decent piece of wood to make a ramrod with the grain and strength to resist breaking at the wrong time. Splinters in the hand really suck. What I have heard of some fellows doing is using phenolic rod from plastic supply houses--it is very similar to micarta and is very tough.
