How to Make Ramrods.—Ramrods are of two forms, the straight rod used for rifles, and the tapered rod used for shot guns. The wood that is most in use is hickory, which is split and then turned into shape. The other woods used are ebony, redwood, snakewood, rosewood, etc. Rifle rods are generally made of sizes from three-sixteenths inch to half-inch diameter. Shot gun rods from one-half inch to three-quarters inch in diameter. The measurement of the shot gun rods is at the largest diameter.

One way of making rods for rifles is very similar to that in which screws are made. A hollow tool is used with cutting lips, three are enough, and the rod is passed through this tool, the tool being turned very rapidly during the cutting. The operation may be reversed and the wood being rotated while the tool is held in the hand and is passed along as it cuts.

A better kind of tool is made like a wheel about two inches in diameter, and three-quarters of an inch thick. A hole of the size of the rod is made through the diametrical centre, and one side of the circumference is cut away so that a tool partaking of the nature of the gouge and finishing chisel is so held by a screw, that the gouge portion advances and roughs out the rod, while the chisel shaped part following it shaves the roughness and leaves the work smooth and nice. The hole through the tool must be of the size the rod is to be made, and the cutting tool set so as to allow the work to pass through the hole easily. Only one size rod can be made with this tool, and different sizes must be made for different sized rods; except the cutter which must be of steel, it can be made of cast iron.

To make rods by hand, the wood is split out as straight as can be and then rough shaved into form with a drawing knife. It is then planed square with a carpenter’s plane and then the square corners are taken off, leaving the rod of octagon form. A few strokes of the plane will then remove these corners and it will be nearly round. A new file and sand-paper will finish it true and even. After the rod has been planed square, the best way to hold it for removing the corners and make it octagon form is to have a V groove made in a piece of hard wood of the length of the rod in which to lay it. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to hold while using the plane.

Round straight rods can be finished with a tool like a moulding plane, and if this tool be of the proper form, and the work be turned around two or three times during the operation, a good rod can be made very expeditiously.

When wood is cross-grained it cannot be planed very well and must be finished with a file and rasp. To hold the rod while being worked, get a piece of hard wood about three-quarters of an inch thick and about four inches wide; in one edge have a groove made a quarter inch wide and three-eighths deep. Rest the rod in this groove, holding it at one end with a hand vise so as to turn it while filing, and reduce first with the rasp and then finish with a file. To finish easily with sand-paper, wrap the sand-paper around a piece of wood shaped like a file, and use as if filing.

Pieces of broken window glass may also be used to advantage in reducing rods, and then finish with fine sand-paper.

How to make a Wiping Rod.—Take any straight rod, a ramrod for instance, but be sure that the wood be strong and tough, and cut one end like the form shown in Fig. 62. By folding a rag over the end, doubling it so as to fill the bore of the gun, it will be found that it can be used in muzzle-loading guns without pulling off when the rod is being withdrawn. The rounded end prevents the end of the rod being pushed through the cloth, and the deep notch receives the folded sides so that it presents no inequalities to the bore of the gun. The square shoulder prevents its being pulled from place on being withdrawn from the gun.

An iron rod may be made in the same way, but a rod made of good hickory wood has no equal.

A wiping rod may be made of an iron rod having a slot or mortice cut through one end, and through this a rag is drawn. It may be used in breech-loading guns where it can be pushed in at one end and drawn out at the other, but in a muzzle loading gun it cannot well be withdrawn on account of the rag being folded upon itself in attempting to withdraw it.

If a wiping rag be put in a gun and cannot be withdrawn, it may be sometimes relieved so as to be withdrawn by turning a little warm water down the barrel so as to saturate and soften the rag.

Wiping brushes should not be thrust down the bore of a muzzle-loader as they cannot be readily withdrawn, and in instances where they are of larger diameter than the bore, the gun must be unbreeched to have the brush taken out. These brush wipers are very nice for that class of breech-loaders where they can be inserted at one end and withdrawn from the other. In using them in this class of guns, insert at the breech and remove from the muzzle, and then there will be no dirt or debris thrown among the breech mechanism.