How many Hunt with their Ramrods in place?

[billyboy*]

In All my years of using Muzzleloaders I have Never Left the Ramrod in the thimbles while shooting at the Range / Sighting In. I was Extremely Fortunate to take (8) animals this Season with my Muzzleloaders ((2) were Antelope, rest were Deer). The Only Miss I had this Year was when I forgot to remove the Ramrod??? It was Only 63 Yards & granted there were some small branches in the vicinity. Is this All in my Head? I guess I will Experiment this Year to see what the Point of Impact & Accuracy difference really is.
Other's Experiences would be Greatly Appreciated.

 

[Scotts98rt]

Always leave ramrod in gun. 30 plus yrs longest lasered kill 170 yrds. Never a problem for me. Last few years all tagged out in bow season so I haven't been to much a doe killer.

 

[fishdfly]

Ram rod in the thimbles or not has no impact on anything.

 

[Ninering62]

In All my years of using Muzzleloaders I have Never Left the Ramrod in the thimbles while shooting at the Range / Sighting In. I was Extremely Fortunate to take (8) animals this Season with my Muzzleloaders ((2) were Antelope, rest were Deer). The Only Miss I had this Year was when I forgot to remove the Ramrod??? It was Only 63 Yards & granted there were some small branches in the vicinity. Is this All in my Head? I guess I will Experiment this Year to see what the Point of Impact & Accuracy difference really is.
Other's Experiences would be Greatly Appreciated.

I practice like I hunt, with the ramrod in its place. I mostly hunt from a self climber treestand & havin the ramrod in place is a benefit there

 

[jims]

I always have the ramrod out but I am not still hunting on the ground.

 

[sabotloader]

Personally I always the ram rod in under the barrel.

 

[fishdfly]

Harder to lose it if it's left in place. If I set something down, it's apt to get lost.

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

Have always hunted with it in...

 

[deermanok]

I never thought much about it till now. When I'm at the range, the ramrod is usually out because I use it as I don't have a range rod.
It's just easier to leave it on the table.
Always in place when hunting. To my eye, the POI doesn't change.
If I've missed a shot, it's on me, not where my ramrod is.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

If your ramrod is causing a poi change then you def need to fix that problem. But i would bet its something else. Always practice the same way you hunt.

 

[Slingingslugs]

If ramrod in or out on one of my guns changed my poi I would make sure that the gun found a new owner. Maybe it would behave better for them. I have no room for disobedience...

 

[ENCORE50A]

At 63yds, the ramrod in or out didn't make any difference. Now had that been 200yds+ it could have.

 

[Fyrstyk]

The only reason I can think of for a change in bullet impact with the ram rod in place would be if the ram rod fits tight towards the lock area. Then it could be that the ram rod is exerting pressure against the lock bolt or the breech plug which may cause a change in impact.
As for me, like a previous poster said, I practice with the gun like I use it when hunting. The ram rod is in the thimbles.

 

[Ninering62]

If your ramrod is causing a poi change then you def need to fix that problem. But i would bet its something else. Always practice the same way you hunt.

Absofreakinlutely!

 

[gle3105]

So my thoughts and practice.
At the range using a rest. Ramrod out.
Once load is dialed in, ramrod back in and load confirmed.
Hunting.
Stalking not a question . Ramrod in.
Watching on the ground. Ramrod out. Like propped against a tree or such. Along with speedloaders.
Treestand or such.
Ramrod in. Don’t want it to accidentally fall.
I do carry a collapsible ramrod . ASG made.

If an accuracy issue, I’d check to see if ramrod is binding the barrel / stock when inserted.
Maybe forearm needs a forward shim.

 

[Harley469]

I actually don't keep mine in the thimbles simply because I have lost too many getting hung up in overhanging branches. I do quite a bit of trekking through some pretty thick stuff and lost a few over the years like this, so now I have a collapsible model (same company I think that makes the spin jag).

 

[LHR]

Why wouldn’t you? I don’t understand this?

 

[ENCORE50A]

 

[rugerbh103]

I'd say practice as you hunt. I leave mine in. I only use it to reload in the field. At the range I use a heavy brass range rod.

 

[sheriffjohn]

Dove hunting from one spot I had my ramrod out once. Went looking for a bird. Had a Dickens of a time finding it back (wrong tree). Nylon (?) rod in my old Jon Browning kept falling out, but no ...never noticed any difference in accuracy. I might want to use this as an excuse, however, next time my shooting sucks and someone's watching.