I just know this is going to be a lively post....This is for you experts out there..What in your opinion is the best (safest) cleaning rod material. or configuration?  I have seen posted on the .22 small bore sites, their praise for polished stainless steel rods..no grit pick-up, etc.
However, there have been a few horror stories of a jag coming unscrewed, exposing front edge of rod & scratching bore!   I have seen old brass .22 rods with spiril marks whole length from "peening" on lands  over the years.  I myself have always been leary of uncoated steel & I use mostly Dewey & Bore-Stix.  In rimfire, I have a .17 coated Dewey, & a .20 Bore-Stix.
   Now in our game...there is a big difference..we don't have the luxery of a long precisely fitted rod guide as bolt guns do.  On my Ballards, that sharp edged & pointed ejector will peel a coated rod like a banana first pass if not careful...I chuck up fired case..Stingers work fine as they are plated & longer, & drill out head for slip fit on rod.  This takes care of that problem.  But what about that uncoated rod in our application..with no guide to speak of?
  I know the old master Pope made a button headed rod from ground drill rod..Has anyone used one of these?  How about one in .22?
    There is a custom rod maker (Ivy Rods) whom I spoke with, he said he could make any length or design..made up some with no threads..mainly for brushing..jag was slip fit for removal at muzzle.  Also has integeral jag turned on rod end...I am not sure on this one..a stainless steel jag..could do damage if patch crowded on one side?
On Popes, How was button profiled?  Would this be better with cotton tuft  as Pope recommended?  Sorry for long-windedness guys.  Thanks alot!

bnice wrote on Apr 1^st, 2011 at 3:39pm:


Yep!

Thats what I do. As for the rod, I find 1/4 inch hardened drill rod the best.
When I clean a barrel the rod never touches the bore anywhere.   

                      Joe. 

Like Joe I use a drilled case for a chamber guide and on the Trapdoors and garands I have bushings to fit over the muzzel. All my martinis.are drilled for the rod. I have a polished piece of .187 music wire I have used as a rod for years. When i clean I use JB bore cleaner. I do not use tight patches the JB does not require them. I use Bounty paper towels to make my patches. I use Edsred for storage lube same in my model airplane Engines.
Tom

I only have the occasion to clean .22 rifles, so here goes.

For years I have use a drilled out case in the chamber and a 1/4" drill rod or a piece of heavy trim line with a ball melted on the end with a 3/16" piece of plastic tubing.  Never had any problems.

Don G

Hung from the ceiling in my shop is a plastic pipe with at least a dozen cleaning rods. Different ones for different jobs. Stainless & Mild Steel  Surplus Machine Gun Rods. Aluminum Wood Delrin old Marbles brass take downs and who knows what else. 

I also keep a couple of pull through's in my shooting bag tied up out of 100 # monofilament Leader material. Some times at Revolver matches will take some short rods made up from Delrin and handled with fancy woods. They sell like hotcakes.

Main thing is like Westerner said don't let the rod rub the bore.  Many way's to keep that from happening. Chamber guides muzzle guides or even bush the rod out with masking tape to a tight bore fit. Use common sense and the type of rod makes no difference.

Boats

The trouble with coated rods I've had is wear to the coating when using a bore guide. They also seem to pick up and hold a lot of crap.  I never could understand how a hard steel rod could contain more embedded material than a rod coated with soft plastic. 

               Joe.

If I clean from the breach I do not use a bore guide but keep a roll of paper towels on the bench and wipe the rod every time I put on a clean patch. Makes no sense to use a clean patch with a dirty rod. Amazing how dirty it always is when you wipe it off

Hello, and thanks for replys!  This is probably a never ending discussion with good points on both sides of the coated vrs. uncoated rod.  But getting back to original post...What did Pope use?  I seem to recall reading that he used a button headed drill rod, & tuft of cotton instead of patch?  Any experts on Pope care to comment?  Thanks.