I would appreciate some expert comments. I have a problem finding anything but take-down cleaning rods here in Sweden. I now intend to buy a completly new cleaning kit (different thread gauges) including patch holder tips and bronze brushes from Cabelas or any other US outfitter.
Could you give me tips on high quality full length rods, preferably with swivelling handles.
I have been reading somewhere about carbon fiber rods, but would easily settle for brass.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to use a carbon fiber rod yet. I do have several coated steel rods, by Dewey, and like them really well.

That being said I will know metal rods are prone to get dropped or bumped or something and get bent. Bent is a bad thing for a cleaning rod.

Carbon Fiber rods won't get bent. They will flex for sure but they they won't get permantely bent without breaking. And that's a good thing. If I do buy another rod it will be Carbon Fiber just for the assurance that if it isn't broken it will be straight.

DEWEY!

Carbon fiber rods have worked great for me. Have used them in 17 to 45.
Good luck.

I have 3 Tipton carbon fiber rods.

They appear to be of good construction and quality. The double ball bearing handle is very nice. They have all remained dead straight.

They're pretty new so I can't comment on durability yet but I'm very pleased so far. Nothing negative to say about them.

quote:

Originally posted by Two tone:
I have 3 Tipton carbon fiber rods.

They appear to be of good construction and quality. The double ball bearing handle is very nice. They have all remained dead straight.

They're pretty new so I can't comment on durability yet but I'm very pleased so far. Nothing negative to say about them.

I have got a couple of these also and just love them!
These ones at this place!

riflemen use pro-shot cleaning rods

I've tried them all and keep going back to Dewey.

Thanks everybody! Especially to smedley for the pointer towards MidwayUSA. Now I know where to get them as well.

Boulder, I live in Sweden too! www.staffansvapen.se sell Pro Shot stainless steel one-piece rods, I have several myself.
There is another company that sells Dewey coated one-piece rods: http://www.vapenvardsbutiken.se/

Urban

I first want to begin with the statement:

I am not trying to start a


I have read a couple of articles, I know someones says blah-blah-blah and we take it as gospil, that talked about the effects of metal cleaning rods in barrels.
1) When the rod exits the muzzle you have metal to metal contact on the crown.
2) When you "bow" the rod pushing through, you have metal to metal contact.

It sounded like some pretty sound ideas so I went with the Tipton carbon fiber.


Just a thought.

If you want a one piece rod and only 3 piece rods are available then epoxy a 3 piece rod together to make a permanent one piece rod.
Just sand the joints so they are smooth. It works

Pro Shot stainless rods are pretyy good in my opinion
regards
Dan

I bent my Dewey 17 cal rod. Ouch, about $20. Also, if you drop a Dewey on the handle you can munch the bearing. Nevertheless, they are far beter than 3 piece.

Don't forget rod guides.

Whatever rod you use you will need a set of pliers to tighten the cleaning piece.If you hand tighten it will become loose and you will damage the rifleing.Those sinclair pliers are light-weight and good to use.

On small cals .17 for example,you can push a patch with heavy(.130)weed trimmer line. On cals large enough to get a doubled piece of small(.065)weed trimmer line through,you can put a patch in the loop and drag it out. You can use a much tighter patch this way. A small length of weed trimmer line is easy to carry in your pocket.

For the .17, I use a Patchworm, much better than a rod in the tiny bore.

www.patchworm.com

Thank you for all comments and suggestions.
Right or wrong, to me there is something unsound in pushing a steel rod through a steel barrel so I have ruled out Pro Shot rods (sorry to all enthusiasts of them) and I will buy two Dewey here in Sweden (thanks to utk alias Urban) and also order a set of Tipton rods, jags and from bronze brushes from Midway.
I already have the Finnish Forrest anti- copper foam (large can) and a big bottle of Shooter's Choice powder solvent! I believe I will be able to pull off top cleaning jobs in the future. Thanks again for all support.

Boulder,

When you get the Deweys and the Tiptons, how about giving us your impressions of each?

I'd find that interesting.

Thanks.

Boulder,sounds like you'll never be a shooter!

Sinclair International has Bore-Tech rods. They are tops IMO in the larger diameters. Large handle. The pliers idea is bullshit and a waste of money. First of all they are nocking pleirs for archery tackle, they are not ment for that job.Crimping not gripping. Finger tight is all that is needed. I do not drag a dirty patch back down my bore. So I check for tightness on the jag when I put the new one on. The old patch expands enough to catch on the muzzle and fall off.

+1 on the Bore-Tech rods, I have 3 of them and I like'em.

The problem with coated rods like Dewey,or graphite rods like tiptons is that they are not ridgid enough for the large bores.They might be alright for small bore or benchrest calibres but they bend too much when cleaning .308 calibres and up.

Sorry shootaway, I call BS on that last statement.
I got a 300 and a 338 that I use the Tiptons on, and yes they may bend but they will still shove a patch through. When they get done and come out they are still straight.
I have tried to stuff to large a patch in the 25-06 and really bowed the crap out of em and they still straighten out.

Calling from behind the plate,you can't push on a rope.You will never damage a bore with a polished steel rod,you will if you can't properly clean your bore.

Boulder, Midway Sweden are outrageously expensive. Try www.vapex.se instead. They might have rods, or they can probably get them...
Urban

I'm overwhelmed by the many good suggestions and comments. Yes shootaway, I am only your average re-loader and hunter. Not much of a rifleman and never will be with my 300-400 practice shots per annum.

But I will give you a report of my impressions when I have used the new rods! The Tiptons report might take a while as they will be hand carried to me from the US.

I also disagree with the statement that a cleaning rod tip will necessarily come loose if pushed through the bore without tightening by pliers. With a right-hand twist barrel, which most U.S.-made barrels are, pushing the patch through the barrel tightens the jag, it doesn't loosen it. If the jag moved very quickly with enough force, it would loosen it, but as it moves relatively slowly, it just holds the tip ever tightly against the rod body. The whole rod then turns in the ball-bearing handle. Left hand twists tighten the jag, whether moved slowly or impossibly fast.

It IS true that a BRUSH may come loose if you drag it back through the bore from muzzle to chamber. A person likely shouldn't do that anyway, as the brush will be loaded with carbon bits and other garbage, some of which are much harder than the barrel steel.

Honestly, now that the subject has been raised, I'm surprised no enterprizing manufacturer has introduced a "bayonet-type" mounting for brushes and jags. That would make it very simple and quick to remove brushes at the muzzle end, and not have to slowly unscrew them, or drag them back through the bore.

To avoid pulling the brush back through the bore I made a short adapter that goes between rod and brush. It screws into the rod but the "brush-end" has the threads drilled out so that the brush just falls off the rod when it is pulled back. Saves me from having to unscrew the brush each pass through the bore.

quote:

Originally posted by utk:
To avoid pulling the brush back through the bore I made a short adapter that goes between rod and brush. It screws into the rod but the "brush-end" has the threads drilled out so that the brush just falls off the rod when it is pulled back. Saves me from having to unscrew the brush each pass through the bore.

I like that!!!

Thanks for the tip utk!

quote:

Originally posted by utk:
To avoid pulling the brush back through the bore I made a short adapter that goes between rod and brush. It screws into the rod but the "brush-end" has the threads drilled out so that the brush just falls off the rod when it is pulled back. Saves me from having to unscrew the brush each pass through the bore.

You cheated!! You used your brain, not just your cleaning rod!!

Sounds like a great idea to me, and so dead simple, too. I _gotta_ copy that and give it a whirl....

Thanks!!

AC

I have some of all the rods mentioned. If I only had to keep one type, and I rarely use but one type anymore, it would be/is the Tipton carbon fiber rods. Just great, and it works perfectly on .338 and .375 and .416 cal rifles I have, as well as anything else, down to .17!

was is a clean barrel to some is a dirty barrel to others

I have Dewey and Bore Tech rods. I like the Bore Tech better. I store/carry them in PVC pipe with caps on each end to protect when taking them to the range in my truck

DEWEY

For what it is worth I think the actual rod is less important than how it is used.

Personally I use the Pro Shot rods but can understand the comments re pushing a steel rod through a steel barrel.

The type of jag is also important and in my opinion the spear tip type would be less harsh on the rifling than the loop type.

Living in a country where there is less selection on gunshop shelves finding a rod that you can get accessories and spares for easily is also important. Buying on line from USA usually works but freight can kill the cost compared to retail in a local shop for small items. Postage can be more than the item!

I wont clean any rifle without using a bore guide and think this is more important than the rod used.

Personally I like the StonyPoint ones as they fit several rifles and I can get different bushes for other actions.

Boulder
Because I'm cheap I bought two small bore and two large bore cleaning rods from Midway. Forgotten the name brand, but they were the bottom end stainless steel rods.
I got a 42 inch section of 2 inch PVC pipe capped one end, put a screw off cap on the other end, to store them in.
They work beautifully. You can spend more, but I doubt they will clean any better.
Jim

I'am trying out the Dewey and getting good results.I might stop useing the pro-shot if I buy a bore scope and find that the steel to steel contact is damaging the lands.

If you have a one-piece rod, I seriously doubt that even a steel rod will cause any damage to the bore. At the worst, it will only be a sliding contact with the bore if the rod bends slightly under pressure.
A joined rod, on the other hand, can have sharp ends that might scratch the bore, esp if the joints have partially separated.
In that case probably a brass joined rod would be better?

I've got 4 BoreTechs...couldn't be happier. Never tried the Tipton Carbon Fiber rods....read a few of the negative comments on midwayusa.com about quality control issues they were having.

Of all the ones I've tried, BoreTech is best in my book.