The Crimean War was the first to utilise the Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle. It was equipped with the first pattern of rod having a traditional 'mushroom' head and a 'swell' a few inches down from the head to hold it in the stock. However, it was reported that soldiers with cold, or sweaty or greasy fingers from the bullets had difficulty grasping the head to remove the rod from the stock for loading. This resulted in the ramrod being changed by providing it with a 'jag' head which also had the advantage of aiding the cleaning process.This was replaced by the final or 3rd pattern on which the 'swell' was abandoned and replaced by Burton's 'spoon' spring set into the barrel channel with its 'spoon' end bearing on the rod.These ramrods are in very clean condition which suggests they saw little, if any, service. The 2nd pattern rod has the maker's, J. M. and the Birmingham inspector's stamp; the 3rd pattern rod has the Birmingham inspector's stamp partly over-stamping the contractor's mark of T & C Gilbert. Unfortunately the lengths takes them just over standard Royal Mail sizes, hence the 'oversized' note!