1874 Cleaning Rod Length

[1961MJS]

Hi

I don't have a really good cleaning rod to go with my Uberti Sharps.  I own a nice Bore Tech one for my .22-250 and I use it for the .270 also.  I'm concerned that the .22 caliber rod won't be strong enough to handle a .45 jag.  I plan on getting either a Dewey, Bore Tech, or Montana rod.  I have a 30 inch barrel and a long range tang sight.  The only "suggestion" I saw on Midway was that a 56 inch rod was perfect for BPCR.  That's 26 inches longer than the barrel.  My original plan was to get a 40 inch rod.  What cleaning rods does everyone own?  What do you like and dislike about them?

Thanks

[Litl Red]

KleenBore 33" steel rods work on my C.Sharps 30" barrels just fine.  I also have a different make 36" steel that does about the same job.

Fold down tang sights present a problem no matter how far they fold down.  I figured that's why they have hinge screws with big knurled side pieces.   

There have been fights for decades between the people who believe coated rods won't hurt barrels, people who think coated and soft metal rods pickup abrasive particles and ruin barrels, and people who think hard steel rods work great.   I wipe my stainless steel rods as they are used and pay enough attention with any rod I use to make sure they don't bear off line.  No real effort to do that.

Duck....

[Litl Red]

All my rods are 22.   They're stiff enough that flexing isn't close to an issue.  Especially since paying attention to what you're doing solves most bowing problems IF your rod happens not to be steel. 

[Fox Creek Kid]

http://arizonasharpshooters.com/

[Ranch 13]

 The Tipton carbon fiber rods are to be preferred for cleaning. The Delrin rods are great for wiping between shots.

[357Wheelgunner]

The Tipton carbon fiber rods are to be preferred for cleaning. The Delrin rods are great for wiping between shots.

Being a total tenderfoot to the whole BPCR  thing I just got to ask, why would two separate rods be necessary, one for wiping and one for cleaning? Seems to me a good cleaning rod would suffice for both jobs?

[Ranch 13]

Rear sight, the delrin rods will bend around it, the stiff rods won't.

[Hambone Dave]

I know the subject is rods but you could get around the tang sight being in the way problem by making a 'bore snake' out of string or leather lacing, put a loop in one end for holding patches and a weight at the other end for dropping down the breech/barrel. Just pull it thru and change patches till clean.

[wildman1]

If you are shooting a "string" you don't want to be removing your rifle from the rest to wipe between shots. wM1

[wolflobo76]

I bought a .45 cal boresnake to run through the bore between the shot strings or to use after a day of hunting. You can also get one of the cleaning rods for muzzle loaders and cut it to the length you want.

[PJ Hardtack]

I found a couple of antique jointed brass rods with rotating tips for jags. I use chamber inserts I made up from bits & pieces around the shop. This to negate rod to barrel contact.

By using a section from one rod, I have one long enough for 28" - 32" barrels. Using it on my 28" Business Rifle, the handle stops short of the folded down mid-range tang sight. I always cover the sight with a cloth during cleaning.

The shorter rod serves for my single shot carbines and lever guns.