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Loading Rod (Read 4524 times)

ledball Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1015 Location: syracuse, ohio Joined: Nov 20^th, 2009	Loading Rod Mar 16^th, 2018 at 8:20am	Print Post
	I want to make a loading rod for a Stevens Pope muzzleloader, could someone share some pictures that show, the end of rod, knob on other end, and it must have had some sort of a stop, thanks for any and all help. Ledball


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40_Rod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Extremism in the persuit of accuracy is not a vice Posts: 4285 Location: Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 20^th, 2004	Re: Loading Rod Reply #1 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 10:02am	Print Post
	Leadball The loading rod head is kind of shaped like a drawer pull. The flat on the bottom is the stop. the other end is simply cut off there is no ferrule or end on it ,it just stops. Remember all of Popes bullets have a flat at the top. The rod is almost as large as the bore so it can’t be cocked in the barrel. That is why Pope cautions that the rod should be withdrawn slowly so as not to suck the bullet back up the bore. These are a pain to make the rod is made from Hickory when you order the hickory shafts order a dozen or so one of them might be straight. 40 Rod


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16724 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Loading Rod Reply #2 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 11:46am	Print Post
	Don't forget to also make up a proper starter to get the bullet into the bore a few inches. Without a well fitted starter, the rod wont be able to push the bullet down the bore accurately.

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Tom_Trevor assra life no.71 Oldtimer Offline Tom Trevor Posts: 702 Location: Granada Hills Ca. Joined: Jun 16^th, 2004	Re: Loading Rod Reply #3 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 12:58pm	Print Post
	Marlinguy, Here is the lower end of the rod with my Stevens Pope rifle. From an earlier post. I will go get a picture of the other end in a bit and post it. Note the upper end has a hard felt washer that when removed changes the rod length for the lighter 185 grain bullet. Is it original form Stevens ?? Do not know.


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Kurt_701 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1023 Location: Missouri Joined: May 20^th, 2004	Re: Loading Rod Reply #4 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 12:59pm	Print Post
	This is my Pope tools for my Pope 28/30 Highwall. The hickory rod is used to seat the bullet. It is numbered to the barrel.

	M-14 3rd Battalion 27th Marines RVN 68'69'
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Tom_Trevor assra life no.71 Oldtimer Offline Tom Trevor Posts: 702 Location: Granada Hills Ca. Joined: Jun 16^th, 2004	Re: Loading Rod Reply #5 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 1:09pm	Print Post
	Here is my rod with washer. The other rod is a loose one from and old local collection. I suspect you will find many different style ends to pick from.Kurt Nice rifle.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16724 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Loading Rod Reply #6 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 4:09pm	Print Post
	Thanks Tom and Kurt for the great pictures! It appears Pope (or whoever built his rods) didn't have a standard type knob on the end. Similar, but different.

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Flatlander Oldtimer Offline Posts: 622 Location: Warm Arizona Joined: Apr 24^th, 2004	Re: Loading Rod Reply #7 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 7:19pm	Print Post
	The knobs almost look like drawer pulls. Why make something someone already has at a reasonable cost? Just thinking out loud. Flatlander
	« Last Edit: Mar 22^nd, 2018 at 9:30am by Flatlander »
	NRA Life ASSRA Member 3197 Charcoal Burner
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Tom_Trevor assra life no.71 Oldtimer Offline Tom Trevor Posts: 702 Location: Granada Hills Ca. Joined: Jun 16^th, 2004	Re: Loading Rod Reply #8 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 10:13pm	Print Post
	Flatlander, You are likely correct at the time a dozen could be has for a few cents. The story on the Pope powder measure top is they are cans he picked out of trash cans walking to his shop from home.


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BP Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 8039 Location: Westside Joined: Aug 27^th, 2006	Re: Loading Rod Reply #9 - Mar 16^th, 2018 at 11:13pm	Print Post
	Doesn't the adjusting nut tool for Pope's tang sight look very similar to a #3 bronze ring eye fishing hook that has had the bend cut off of the hook shank?

	There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest who have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves. Proud Noodlehead
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RSW Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1221 Location: Arizona Joined: Sep 8^th, 2006	Re: Loading Rod Reply #10 - Mar 17^th, 2018 at 12:39am	Print Post
	ledball Below is a drawing of how to make an adjustable loading rod for muzzle loading. With a fixed loading rod length, you are limited to loading one bullet length. With an adjustable rod, you can experiment with different bullet lengths to find which gives the best accuracy in your rifle. Make sure the tip of your loading rod is squared off and not cupped. You don't want to suck the bullet back up the bore as you withdraw the rod after seating a bullet. I made my adjustable rod from a metal muzzle loading cleaning rod that came with a brass bushing to protect the rifling crown during cleaning. I got the idea for making an adjustable rod from westerner so I named it in his honor. If you can drill and tap a hole, you can make one and it works great.

	Randy W ASSRA 10211 - ISSA 125 There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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Lefty38-55 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 366 Location: New England Joined: Sep 11^th, 2013	Re: Loading Rod Reply #11 - Mar 21^st, 2018 at 1:22pm	Print Post
	40_Rod wrote on Mar 16^th, 2018 at 10:02am: These are a pain to make the rod is made from Hickory when you order the hickory shafts order a dozen or so one of them might be straight. FWIW I build custom matchlock smoothbores & flintlock muskets/rifles and I have a source for ramrod blanks up to 60” in length and 1/2” diameter ... of the straightest grain hickelory you’ll ever see! I even GAVE UP trying to find the grain runout on a few blanks I had purchased recently to go w/ my 1727 Tulle contract Fusil de Chasse. That needed a 1/2” diam 48” blank cut down to the 41 early French ‘pieds’ (inch) units, where the rod starts w/ a bulbous 1/2” end for 3+ pieds then rapidly tapers to 3/8”, with a consistent taper to 1/4” by the time you hit the other end. Hey ... at least they’re single shots !

	All of my single shots shoot one tiny ragged hole with cast bullets ... it's just the following shots that tend to open up my groups ...
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KFW Oldtimer Offline Posts: 575 Location: Powell Wy. Joined: Dec 18^th, 2016	Re: Loading Rod Reply #12 - Mar 21^st, 2018 at 2:25pm	Print Post
	lefty 38-55 please share your source for the nice hickory rod blanks. thanks kw


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Lefty38-55 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 366 Location: New England Joined: Sep 11^th, 2013	Re: Loading Rod Reply #13 - Mar 21^st, 2018 at 6:47pm	Print Post
	KFW wrote on Mar 21^st, 2018 at 2:25pm: lefty 38-55 please share your source for the nice hickory rod blanks. Done ... posted as new post.

	All of my single shots shoot one tiny ragged hole with cast bullets ... it's just the following shots that tend to open up my groups ...
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