In terms of pure accuracy and the variables that have an effect on a projectile as it's leaving the barrel, could a jagg on a ramrod that's extended an inch or so past the barrel have any effect on accuracy? Maybe I should just put the gun down and go get some rest. :D

In terms of pure accuracy and the variables that have an effect on a projectile as it's leaving the barrel, could a jagg on a ramrod that's extended an inch or so past the barrel have any effect on accuracy? Maybe I should just put the gun down and go get some rest. :D

Remember some tests in an old text...may have been Mann, may have been some other wirter....would have been very long ago. Idea was to test the belief that if you fired a rifle right alongside a flat surface, the blast would deflect the bullet .

As far as the test went, until the bullet acutally touched the flat surface (and they were shooting down the length of a plank) there wasn't any deflection.

Guess we can take the same information and apply it to rod tips. Most of mine are sticking out 1/2 to 3/4" and don't interfear with accuracy...although I have one rifle that shoots better with the rod removed, but that's due to some pressure it exerts to the sotck and not about gas deflection.

Depending on the rifle, I make all brass ramrods for my rifles and usually incorporate a cleaning jag into it. For my hawken it sticks out around an inch and gets quite black from firing. For a new englander I cut the rib and made the rod the same way, it tucks under the bbl and no interference. The big plus is when I make the part I drill and tap the jag for 3/8 nf and thread the rod when together I drill and tap for 10-32 and then use a ball faced mill to shape the end of the rod near to the round ball size. When doing this I also make a short starter out of the same stock the same way sans the 10-32 in the end. The short starter does make the sprue look real nice after ramming it home with a patch starter which is seperate from the short starter which the opposite end doubles as a hammer for starting the ball and the sprue at that stage looks almost non existant.