Which is better or what do you guys use. I have a couple of each but couldn't tell you which was better.

`I certainly think that a coated rod would be less abusive in a barrel than any non coated rod.

Aluminum and coated rods can pick up abrasive particles that steel will not. The steel used is still softer than barrel steel.
All that being said, now they have carbon fiber rods that I have to check out.

I prefer a coated rod that is wiped down between trips down the barrel.
SS, how do you figure the steel in the rod is softer than the barrel steel, do you know what they are made of? It may be but I certainly would not take it for granted.

You don't need a hardness tester,you can check the rod with your pocket-knife, but you might not want to scratch your barrel with your pocket-knife either.
If you use a coated rod and clean it carefully and store it carefully it should be fine.

ss - Take your stainless rod and beat it on the side of your barrel. Even though it may be softer than your gun metal, it will leave a mark. Now picture this on the inside of your bore and you will understand why so many folks use coated rods.

The only caution associated with coated rods is you need to keep them clean. As Bob stated, wipe them between trips down the barrel to avoid any abrasive collecting on the surface.

While a bore guide is suppose to keep the cleaning rod from contacting the bore, under pressure they can distort. I would much rather have a soft coated rod contacting my lands as opposed to a stainless rod.

The problem with carbon fiber rods is they distort more than coated rods. Not sure this is an improvement - more like a marketing ploy...

Cleaning rod steel had to be quite hard to keep from flexing inside the barrel. Lot of you guys seem to agree that the rod material is softer, but I am of the opposite opinion, barrel stiil is really quite soft as anyone that chambers knows. I should clarify this by saying S.S. barrels as I have never chambered a moly bbl.

I use Deweys rods but I am going to look at a Carbon fiber rod next go around..That may be the best of all worlds.

A steel cleaning rod will distort less(a coated rod has to be made smaller dia. inside coating) and clean off better( no abrasive will implant in the soft coating) than a coated one.
Zero Drift, tell me more about this new way of cleaning the bore. Here, all this time I have been pushing patches up and down!

As far as barrel hardness is concerned they are soft!! I have ported many and drilled and taped 1000's of holes in them. They cut like butter. I also like the Sinclare bore guide they work good. Oh....I use stainless rods.(I almost forgot the question)

Wherever possible use a bore guide and clean only from breech to muzzle. Push all of the fouling, etc. out the bore, push rod, whatever the rod material,in one direction only. Back and forth with the rod/patch/brush,etc. only reintroduces the bad stuff back into the bore. Plus, over time, pushing one way only will develop a "lay" of the steel in the bore and only contributes to the "sweetness" of the barrel everyone is searching for.
That muzzle/crown is critical and to be protected at all times. It is almost impossible to wear out the muzzle with shooting. Barrels wear out in the throat area. Watch many times shooters cleaning from the muzzle going back and forth with the rod from the muzzle and that will sure as hell ruin the barrel no matter what the rod is made from.
Coated rods do need to be wiped down as well as raw steel ones, and yes there are times with stubborn barrels that you will have to "scrub" w/ brush, JB compound, etc. and go back and forth, but when this is done it is certainly best from the breech and with a bore guide. Just a suggestion.

I used to be a huge fan of the SS cleaning rods then I bought a 17 Remington and this all changed after my brand new SS cleaning rod after the first trip to the range was about as straight as a road in the Colorado Rockies! I went with a Tipton carbon rod and have since canned all my SS cleaning rods and went with the Tipton carbon rods (they will straighten back up) Later,

Kirk