Help on ram rod ID

[moosedog]

Hello. Kind of new to your Forum and have been reading for a while. Friendly and informative group, I like that.
I recently picked this ram rod up with some other items and am not sure what it goes to. It's 40 inches long, non slotted and no threads on the opposite end. Thanks for your help.

[hwaugh]

That rod is often found on Whiitney 1863 style rifle musket he produced. These arms are often found with Springfield condemed or surplus parts sold at auction. Whitney's 1863 rifle musket looked just like a Springfield 1863 with the following exceptions: many parts will be found blued, stock will have a large Whitney panoply of flags stamped on the right side of the stock down by the butt plate and the rod many times will be as you pictured in your post. I have seen some 1863 Whitney with the straight shanked tulip head rod also.


Harry Waugh - 3731- Terry's Texas Rangers

[Muley Gil]

Hey Moosedog,

I told you the folks over here would ID it for yo.

[John Holland]

I agree with what Harry Waugh has said, because I have also seen this rod show up in numerous Civil War muskets over the years. However I have a different thought on this rod. The fact that none of these rods ever have threads on the end makes the rod useless for military purposes! The head design, with its shape and two-piece construction, is identical to later period Remington Rolling Block cleaning rods. I am of the belief that these are unfinished Remington cleaning rods (not threaded or slotted) acquired by an entity such as Bannerman's for use in muskets needing a ram rod. In the dusty corners of my memory I believe I had seen these rods for sale many years ago. Just my thoughts, and not worth a cup of coffee!

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

I agree. I bet the rod is a small dia. way under .58 Cal ............. What do you mean....... you get free coffee from me.

[moosedog]

Yes Gil, you were right as rain. These people are great.
All my muskets have correct rods, so I'm going to either have to buy a gun to fit it or find a value on it.

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

who was right?? 43 spanish??

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Don't know what the rod diameter is, and not that Flayderman's Guide is always reliable. But he illustrates a very similar rod with his Remington Model 1867 Navy Cadet Rolling Block Rifle (5E-084), and also with the Remington-Hepburn No. 3 Long Range Military Rifle, fancy grade (SE-112). That your rod was tinned suggests it may have been used by the Navy?

I agree with John. These other examples all have shorter barrels, though the Remington Rolling Blocks had barrels from 30" to 39", this 40" long rod may have been a factory overrun or surplus?

[moosedog]

Thank you very much. The tinning makes sense.