Frugal (cheap) cleaning rod.

[moosehunter]

Heres an idea for an inexpensive coated cleaning rod. Take your $7.00cdn. aluminum rod and screw it together with lock tight or bedding coumpound. Get sections or one piece shrink tube that just fits over and there you go. Maybe not quite as good as the $50.00 one but only $9.00 bucks total. I set some pieces of tube in Hoppes#9 and an ammonia mix for a couple days with no ill effect. So far its working great. Any other doller saving ideas lets have them.

 

[Ian M]

Moosehunter,
Nothing wrong with saving a buck - but I would be concerned about grit imbedding in the shrink wrap and then scratching hell out of my barrel. That is why there is a big arguement as to which rod is better - coated vs stainless steel. Will you ever get any grit particles embedded in the rod that are hard enough to scratch a bore - who the hell knows, maybe never.

I would also be concerned about getting a slightly tight patch into the throat and the aluminum not being strong enough to get it through the bore or back out. Also would question if it would be strong enough to drive out some of the stuck cases that I have seen (and created myself, I hate to admit - but that was back in my magnum days before I saw the light and switched back to the .308 non belted, non Ultra-mag, non short-mag Winchester).

I am afraid that your aluminum rod will not stand up to fairly heavy use - have never seen a jointed rod yet that was any good.

I believe that a person has to spend good money on rods, chemicals, brushes, bore-guides, patches etc.if you really want to keep a Lilja, Hart, Rock, Krieger, Pac Nor or whatever shooting to its potential.

 

[BountyHunter]

The absolute top of the line Bore Tech rod costs $35 in any length up to 60". Compare that with replacing a $500 chambered barrel. Two things to not scrimp on is a very good cleaning rod and a good bore guide. Saves the expensive custom barrels and chambers. That rod is used by 75% of the 1000 yard shooters and we clean more often and use the longer barrels. You will find that the 52" works extremely well with barrels up to 30" and over that go to the 60" rod.

Strictly suggestion, use what you want, but look at what is proven and really works day in day out and will not cause damage.

 

[moosehunter]

Ian, I'm sure my aluminum rod will not stand up to punishment so if you get a stuck case go ahead and beat the hell out of it. It only cost me $10.00 bucks. Thats my point. Its cheap so to what you will with it.

 

[PrimeTime]

Another way is to just make your own. I order rod from a metal supplier and then throw it in the lathe to thread it. Most anyone with a little shop experience can do it. I've used brass, aluminum, and stainless steel. With the ss, I too added the shrink wrap and it works well.

 

[rjf3]

I use Dewey's they are under $30.00 , and very nice.

Russ

 

[moosehunter]

Case in point. I have never seen a Dewey's and if its $30.00 US it would be closer to $70.00Cdn if we could get it. Improvise people.

 

[rjf3]

http://www.sinclairintl.com/

They sell both the Dewey, and Bore Tech.

I would not risk damaging one of my guns, to save a few bucks. It is always more pleasant to work with high quality tools.

JMHO

Russ

 

[MontanaMarine]

I've got a Dewey and a Bore-Tech. They sure give a better "feel" of the bore, especially with a bore guide.

I agree that it is not wise to fret about spending an extra 10 or 20 bucks on a quality cleaning rod, after putting real money into having a quality barrel fitted.

I spent $35.00 for the bore-tech from the company website, and $23.00 for the Dewey from Iron Brigade Armory.

MM