Originally Posted By: OldTurtleI prefer Pro-Shot rods personally, while there is nothing wrong with the Dewey rods, the Pro-Shots seem to have a better grade of bearings in the handle..The handles are also smaller so you are not scraping your knuckles on the buttstock or applying sideway pressure to the rod due to lack of clearance...
Measure your upper from muzzle to the rear of the upper receiver and add at least 12" to the actual usable rod length...While shorter ones will work, you may want to obtain a bolt action in .204 later and this length will work for both...I made the mistake of buying one just for my AR and wound up having to buy a second one later...
You do need a bore guide to help in keeping from damaging your bore throat from either the rod going at an angle or bending under pressure while running the rod through the bore...There is quite a bit of distance between the rear of the receiver and the chamber on an AR and controlling the rod flex with tight patches or brushes by hand is almost impossible...
This is a group of test loads out of my custom .204 upper with a match grade barrel...39gr SBKs at 100 yards..
Awesome freakin group... I'm really looking forward to getting this upper finished!
As far as the bore guide, MidwayUSA has a Wheeler brand guide listed for 223/5.56/204 ruger... but I've got a bunch of stuff I'm ordering from Brownells this evening and would like to order one from them. They don't have one specifically listed for an AR15 in 204 ruger. I chatted with one of their specialists, and he informed me a 223 bore guide should work just fine as long as I use my 20 cal rod.... and if by chance it didn't work, I can return it for full refund.... so.... can anyone back this up? It makes sense to me that it should work, I just want to be certain.