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Installing The Brass Tip To The Ram Rod:

To install the ram rod into the brass I measured the depth of the inside of the brass tip to tell me how far the wood must pass into the brass tip. Using this measurement I used a metal pipe cutter to cut into the wood the depth of the brass sleeve. Then using my knife, I cut a "V" along this cut. This showed me the depth of wood I must remove from the rod in order for it to fit into the brass tip. I chamfered the end of the rod till it fit into the end of the brass tip. Now I have two indicators to show me the depth I need to go to in order to fit the wood into the tip. I use a knife to shave off the wood between the two chamfered cuts. Using a strip of sand paper with the rod in a vise, I was able to round the surface of the rod and periodically try to fit the tip onto the rod. This procedure continued with trial and error till the tip fit snuggly onto the rod. If the tip did not fully seat on to the finished cut, then removal of wood from the tip would allow the tip to meet flush with the finished cut in the rod. 

Below I used a 3/32" pin. The left mark is the tip of the rod inside the brass sleeve. On the right is half the distance between the tip and the end of the brass sleeve. This is the mark where we will put the pin. Using a #42 drill bit I drilled a hole all the way thru the brass tip and inserted the pin into the rod. I marked the excessive amount of the exposed pin, then cut it to this length. Using a counter sink bit, I counter sunk the holes on either side of the brass tip where the pin passes thru. The ends of the pins were flattened with a file. This makes it easier to peen over the ends later. 

Laying the ramrod on my vise anvil I peened both sides of the pin till the material filled the countersunk holes on the brass tip. Next I filed the pin flush. 

Now the tip is finished. The ramrod is now inserted into the pistol stock and a measurement is taken from the tip of the ramrod to the muzzle cap on the pistol. The ram rod is removed and this amount is removed from the opposite end of the rod. Rod is finished and ready for sanding and finishing.