Cleaning Rods???

blopez50

New member
So what's the deal with cleaning rods?!

I've just been using the little multi piece one that came with my cleaning kit years ago. With my new SD upper on the way I want to do it "right". Everything I've been reading says you've GOT to use a one piece rod. I'm ok with getting one, I'm just curious why???

Thanks!
 
Question. Will the brass or aluminum three piece rods damage a barrel? I don't think so as the rod metal is softer than the barrel steel. Just curious.

Tony
 
I use all coated one piece rods my self with bore guide for rifle and cal.

Buy good quality rods cal. specific and you wont go wrong and they will last forever if you don't screw them up by bending them.

I make heavy PVC tubes for mine so they wont get damaged.

I bought one of those cheap coated rods from B I Mart and found out the bearing in the handle aint for squat.

DAB
 
Originally Posted By: RTLOF18918B Question. Will the brass or aluminum three piece rods damage a barrel? I don't think so as the rod metal is softer than the barrel steel. Just curious.

Tony

1 - Aluminum rods will ruin your barrel... Aluminum gets covered with an oxide that is almost as hard as diamond (google it), and you cannot get rid of it... and multi-piece rods are the worst.

2 - " I don't think so as the rod metal is softer than the barrel steel." - Engine makers learned many (many many) years ago, that when hard and soft metals are moving against each other in a dirty environment, the soft metal will wear the hard metal - they had soft piston rings running against iron cylinders, and the cylinders wore out (Huh???).
Then they discovered that what happened was the "grit" that was hard, got squished between the ring and iron cylinder wall, and pushed into the softer metal - the ring - there, it continually rubbed against the iron cylinder wall, and wore it out.

They switched to chrome plated rings (MUCH harder than the iron cylinder walls), the the rings wore out first.

This is not "my opinion", it is fact that any motor head can verify.

---

The best rods are one piece - steel is OK... plastic is good ONLY if you keep it absolutely clean.


Meow
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Originally Posted By: markleyi use a tipton carbon fiber rod. i really like it. wont scratch the barrel.

#1
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I use either Tipton carbon fiber or Pro Shot stainless. Both have excellent smooth rotating ball bearing mounted handles. One piece of course.
 
Originally Posted By: markleyi use a tipton carbon fiber rod. i really like it. wont scratch the barrel. Same here.
Also get yourself a good bore guide and use it every time you clean.
 
I just picked up my fourth Pro Shot steel cleaning rod, so apparently I like them...Not saying they are better than any others, but they are my preference...

I have one for my .17M2, .22lr, .223 Rem, and .308...Ditto on GC's comment about their ball bearing swivels and I don't have to worry about the rods splintering due to age deterioration as I've heard about in some carbon fiber rods...(I understand that the shards can be really painful when imbedded in one's hand)
 
Another thing I like about the Pro-Shot rod is that the handle isn't so large it hangs up on the stock. Some rods handles are large enough that there isn't much room for the handle and your knuckles along the stock line. Not a big deal, just one of those little things that makes the cleaning chore more pleasant.
 
Originally Posted By: blopez50Looks like a trip to sportsmans is in order... Im limited to their selection. I could order online but I just dont see that shipping going real well....

Think something like this will work?
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sport...03447/cat100064

OR this one?
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sport...05899/cat100064

Of those two personally I would take the carbon fiber rod. I'm not a big fan of the nylon coated rods. That nylon coating can also embed grit and grind it into the bore. Also in the case of a .22 rimfire the .22 caliber Dewey rod I had was too large for the bore and shaved nylon off the rod unless you had it very exactly and tightly centered. I think after using it once I trashed it for gun cleaning.
 
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