# where can I order a wooden ram rod?



## Roadking65 (Oct 24, 2016)

My story,
Sunday morning of BP week, a medium sized doe walked out about 65yds. I took aim and fired. I thought I had missed her altogether. Saw her trot away like all was well.
I was too curious to wait like I should have (mistake No.2 the 1st. mistake was forgetting my pietta pistol). I slowly walked to the spot she was standing. There was a small bush behind her splattered with blood!

I should have sat right there for 10-15 minutes, but I got so excited I looked for more. There it was right where she walked away, more blood! A little further it looked like someone poured red paint out of a quart can and made a line in the leaves!!

A bit farther and THERE IN THE THICK BRIARS!!!!
the tell tale sign, a deer rear end laying on its side!!!!
I walk twords her thinking she had expired. All of a sudden 10 feet away there she was sitting up staring right at me.

I froze, reached for my pistol CRAP! Not there! I didn't reload my rifle which was back 100 yds now in the ground blind.

After about 4-5 minutes of me squatting and looking at her and noting the shot placement was high and forward on her shoulder, she rose to her feet very wobbly, blood staining her right inside leg red. She slowly walked away pushing thru the thick stuff.

I scampered back to my rifle and began to reload. Powder in 1st, them hold patch over barrel then ball. Started ball with bullet starter no problem. Went to ram it down the barrel and it got hung up 1/3 of the way down. No matter what I did she wasnt going down any further. I finally heard the "Crack" of the rod. Yup its now in 3 pieces.

I tracked the doe onto our neighbor's pasture. We have written permission to track wounded deer so I proceed with no weapon. The blood trail stopped. I went and got help. Found more blood but not much. 4 of us searched for 3 hours never found her.

I feel bad about it. Its the 1st deer I've ever shot and couldn't find. I know it happens and she prob bled out and died somewhere, and the cyotes or what finds her will have a feast.

Problem is I would like to find a wooden ram rod to replace my orig one. I have an aluminum one and it saved the hunt. For I harvested a 190lb 7 point that wednesday, and a 160 lb 5 point friday evening. A very sucessful 1st BP hunt!! But that doe haunts me.

I was able to remove the stuck ball back at camp no problem (made sure the primer was removed). Then I put primer back in and shot/burned off the powder charge.

I now carry my cleaning rod and a few patches to run thru the barrel just in case I need to reload fast. I am using .495's and FFg Black Diamond powder. So I guess it is a tight fit with powder residue.

I placed a large hook on the back of my camper's door where I hang my pistol in the holster so I remember to bring it. I could have shot the doe at 10 yards easy.

Someone mentioned TOW website but all I get is tow trucks or tow services. Guess I have no clue about that website.

Any suggestions would be much appriciated!
Thanks for reading my story. Once I fix my crashed computer at home I'll post pictures. I took a close up pic of the doe as she lay there looking at me.

RK


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## leoparddog (Oct 24, 2016)

That stinks.  Good luck with a better ramrod.

track of the wolf = TOW
https://www.trackofthewolf.com


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 24, 2016)

Yep. Track Of the Wolf usually has them. And I have learned the hard way over the years myself, to always have another bullet headed back down the barrel as soon as one comes out.


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## Darkhorse (Oct 24, 2016)

Track sells both Ramin, a foreign exotic wood, and Hickory.
Track says it prefers Ramin but I prefer Hickory. Having said that I have 2 Ramin  ram rods and have used them a number of years with no problems.


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## Roadking65 (Oct 25, 2016)

OK Thanks Leopard Dog!
I like that TOW Website! I bought some .495's as well as a Hickory Ram Rod. Also I saw a fouling cleaner. Never saw one and for the price I figgerd what the heck.

RK


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## Anvil Head (Oct 26, 2016)

Need to practice more with your rifle before shooting at live things.
The re-load jammed because you don't really know your weapon. Replacing the ramrod will not "fix" the problem. You'll just keep breaking ramrods until you get it figured out or quit. 
Shooting/haresting a living thing should not be taken lightly.
It's your responsibility to get things right before considering taking the life of another living thing.

Yes I hunt & fish and enjoy both.


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## Roadking65 (Oct 26, 2016)

Ouch.
Anvil Head you assume a lot Sir. I appriciate your input, but I respectfully choose not to say anything negative. For your information I have put over 200 rounds thru the Hawken I used.
I've never ever had a round jam on me, it was the first time.

RK


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## Darkhorse (Oct 26, 2016)

Roadking, What lube did you end up using? A different lube might cut through that hard fouling a little better.
When you seat a ball with your rifle's ramrod there is a technique to it. You should hold your ramrod about 7 or 8 inches from the end of the barrel and try to keep the rr as straight as possible when seating the ball. After you seat that first 7 or 8 inches choke up the same distance and seat that. By seating in increments it keeps the bend and stress on the rr to a minimum so there is less chance of breaking it.
If it is always so difficult to seat the second ball I would buy a bottle of Lehigh valley original patch lube and lube the second shot with that. It is an excellent patch lube but not good for hunting because it drys out to quick.
You probably have time to run a LH valley soaked patch down the bore before loading your second shot.
We do what we have to do. When I first began shooting my new Rice .40 barrel seating the second ball was almost impossible. I had to use the LH valley lube to be able to load a second shot at all until the barrel was well broken in.


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## Fire Eater (Oct 26, 2016)

Traditional muzzleloading supplies can be had a Deercreek Gunshop in Marietta...lots of neat stuff there.


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## leoparddog (Oct 26, 2016)

Yes that second shot can be a challenge especially when the adrenaline is pumping.  I'm not going to knock you for busting your ramrod. On opening weekend after I shot my buck, I tried to run a patch through the barrel with my ramrod before reloading.  The patch came off the loading jag and stayed in the bottom of the barrel.
I got lucky that I didn't need that shot.  It happens.  Next time I'll use a larger patch since I'm not carrying a cleaning jag with me.


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## Anvil Head (Oct 27, 2016)

Simply put, with or without that kind of experience, there is no excuse for leaving a wounded animal to suffer.


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 27, 2016)

Hey, none of us are perfect, I'm sure not. I have been shooting and hunting with muzzleloaders for over thirty years. I have also shot a couple deer that I couldn't find in that time, and a couple years ago, I jammed a bullet halfway down the barrel of a rifle that I've shot thousands of times and killed I have no idea how many deer with. It sure wasn't from lack of experience or not being familiar with that rifle.  Stuff happens. Just the way it is.


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## Darkhorse (Oct 27, 2016)

Anvil Head said:


> Simply put, with or without that kind of experience, there is no excuse for leaving a wounded animal to suffer.



After a reasonable search, not being able to find a wounded deer is excuse enough. If you can't find the deer then you can't end it's suffering.
If one hunts long enough then experience will teach a hunter such things happen. Shooting many rounds in an effort to become a better marksman will decrease the number of these incidents, but it won't prevent them all. Developing tracking skills also helps but it takes years to develop them.

RoadKing, I always load first thing after taking a shot. And I carry my loaded rifle anytime I check out the hit.
I knew a guy who replaced all his wooden ramrods with brass ones. He said you could actually use the rifle as a hammer by knocking  the brass ram rod against a tree on a stuck ball.
There has been a few times when I wished I had one.


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## Roadking65 (Oct 28, 2016)

Thanks guys.
Me and 3 other hunters searched for the doe for 3 hours I stayed for two hours more alone. Its was the first time I lost a deer. Yes I made a few mistakes. I didn't break the rr during the initial load attempt. Only after trying normally (I use the choke method ie. short lengths bc of wood rr.) I now carry an aluminum rod broke down(unscrewed in 3 lengths) in my pack as standard equipment. 

I have been using pre lubed patches yellow in color purchased from Bass Pro. However I will look into carrying some of the Lehigh valley or something to add a bit more lube for a second shot. I also thot about carrying one .490 ball for a second shot, since I'm using .495's. I set it up in a well marked tube in my possibles bag. Options are always good.

Thanks to Fire Eater. I have heard of a that place but couldn't remember the name. I would like to go see what they have.


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## leoparddog (Oct 28, 2016)

Roadking,
I don't think carrying a smaller round ball for a second shot is really needed.  A quick spit patch, swab or lubed patch before the second load will solve the sticky reload problem and reduce logistic complications of multiple projectile sizes.


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## Darkhorse (Oct 28, 2016)

Most of the time you have time after a shot to swab out the barrel before loading another one. This also gives you a little time to calm down. But I also carry a loading block with .530 balls and prelubed .015 patches. This is a quick, easy loading combo, and I carry it for those rare times when I might need a follow up shot immediately. My first load is the .530 ball and .018 patch and this is way too hard to load for follow up shots.


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## gemihur (Nov 6, 2016)

Anvilhead, you must have a great view from that glass house!


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## donald-f (Nov 6, 2016)

After all of the shaming of not finding the deer, his question was where to find another ram rod. I would get in touch with the manufacture of the weapon to find a proper replacement. Who knows it may come at no charge.


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## Roadking65 (Nov 10, 2016)

I ordered a new ram rod from track of the wolf. It fit perfectly!
Got some .495's as well. 

Thanks for all the responses!!!!!

RK


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