1863 Springfield Ramrod

[Miker91]

I did. Couldn't budge the trigger assembly.

 

[Miker91]

I may risk tapping it gently with a rubber mallet.

 

[Miker91]

Many thanks Sergeant Major and to others trying to help me.

 

[FiremarshalBill]

A bit off topic, but can anyone tell me what is the length of an original Austrian Lorenz M1854 ram rod?

 

[3rd North Carolina]

also what it could be is that dirt and debris got inside the ramrod channel that might have to get cleared out

 

[Miker91]

Thanks again. I was able to remove the trigger assembly but didn't see anything blocking the channel. Also tried tapping the ramrod with a rubber mallet on the muzzle end to no avail.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

There is some dust or dirt or other crud that has fallen down into the ramrod hole. There is a ramrod spring visible if you take off the barrel (not the trigger guard), but that's not blocking the ramrod, and it can only be removed by driving out a pin from one side of the forestock to the other - that will likely bust off a sliver of wood or make the hole for the pin enlarged - don't do it, it will not help.
Don't try to take anything apart. You'll end up buggering the screws up by trying to take things apart.
A professional repair guy will have long, long drill bits that will be 48 inches or so long, and a quick turn of that bit will loosen that junk.
If you want to try yourself, don't take anything apart. Draw the rod out. Whatever is down there will be easily loosened and fall out if you can get a long rod with some sort of screwdriver type flat blade on the bottom that can act as a scraper when it is at the bottom of the hole. I'm meaning a rod longer than the ramrod by six inches or so, that will fit down that ramrod channel / hole. If you have a flattened end, it will scrap that crud at the bottom of the hole when you rotate it.
Rotate the rod, scrape that crud loose, remove the rod, turn the musket barrel down, and tap with a rubber mallet (or just bounce the end of the musket barrel on carpeted floor,) and the dirt / dust / crud will fall out.
Some muskets were made so that the ramrod did extend a bit beyond the barrel - often the Lorenz rifles are this way.
Anyway, don't cut off part of the bottom end of the ramrod so shorten it! That happened to many a thousand muskets hanging over the mantle!

 

[Miker91]

Thanks Jeff. At this point I'm inclined to let a professional take a look at it. The musket is in nice condition and I want to keep it that way.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

By the way, there is a flat metal plate inserted into the stock from the bottom (covered over by the trigger guard when it is in place) so that the ram rod can't go too far in - that means that a long drill bit or a rod can't go in too far, so you can't cause troubles by trying to loosen that stuff in the bottom

 

[bobinwmass]

I had the same problem with my Massachusetts flintlock musket and here is what worked for me. Didn't have a long thin rod, but didn't need it as the ramrod channel is open most of the way. I cut wire coat hanger and straightened out about 16 inches. The cut left a sharp edge with sight bend. I inserted the flexible wire into the channel where the lower ramrod ferrule enters the wood and just began twisting back and forth. Each time I turned the gun upside some more dirt came out until I heard I was hitting metal. At least got it cleaned out so button of ramrod and end of barrel are flush now. Cut another coat hanger to show what I did. May also work for you as the ramrod channel is open on the 1863 also.

 

[Miker91]

Thanks bobinwmass. Sounds easy enough. I'll give it a try.

 

[Booner]

At our local farm and home hardware store, you can buy either threaded rods or brass rods of a small enough diameter that should be long enough to do what you want.

 

[Don Dixon]

A bit off topic, but can anyone tell me what is the length of an original Austrian Lorenz M1854 ram rod?

They are a nominal 37 inches.

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[Package4]

Seems the ramrod is held in by friction. Is that correct ?

Yes, there is a spring, sometimes called a spoon that will look like these:

 

[Banjo Pete]

I bought an original M1861 contract musket online once which came with an original ramrod. All looked good in the pix. When I pulled the rammer out I found it had been cut off a few inches at the threaded end. Rats!

I sent the musket off to Lodgewood to have an unrelated crack repaired in the stock and also asked for a repro rammer. Turns out the ramrod channel had an obstruction of grit which took Lodgewood a great deal of effort to get out. Ergo a previous owner decided, rather than clear the blockage out, to cut the ramrod short so it would sit flush with the end of the barrel and look nice over the mantelpiece ! Argh !

 

[Package4]

I bought an original M1861 contract musket online once which came with an original ramrod. All looked good in the pix. When I pulled the rammer out I found it had been cut off a few inches at the threaded end. Rats!

I sent the musket off to Lodgewood to have an unrelated crack repaired in the stock and also asked for a repro rammer. Turns out the ramrod channel had an obstruction of grit which took Lodgewood a great deal of effort to get out. Ergo a previous owner decided, rather than clear the blockage out, to cut the ramrod short so it would sit flush with the end of the barrel and look nice over the mantelpiece ! Argh !

Terrible, it only takes a little time and patience to gradually remove the debris, thus saving the original ram rod, which by the way are becoming increasingly more rare and expensive.....try finding an Enfield ram rod today!