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Choosing a Gun Cleaning Rod

  • tetragundirect
  • Apr 23
  • 2 min read

If you are getting ready to clean and lube the inside of a gun barrel, which is accurately referred to as the bore, you want to first make sure you get your hands on a decent gun cleaning rod.

Tetra Gun Prosmith Premium One Piece Cleaning Rod
Tetra Gun Prosmith Premium One Piece Cleaning Rod

Secondly, know or quickly learn how to use it correctly.


And third, work with the right accessories to go with it, including:

  • Attachments like the bronze brush or nylon brush, brass jag, cotton mop and certainly a patch holder.

    • Selecting the right caliber accessory is very important since you want solid contact between that and surface of the bore.

  • Apply the accurately sized cotton gun cleaning patches.

    • Square or round, the measurements are important.

    • There is some subjectivity involved but you want a good fit.

  • Gun oil, a semifluid type firearm lubricant or a cleaner, lubricant, protectant (CLP).


IMPORTANT TIP: There could be a threading / sizing issue so make sure you are universally using the same measurements for the rod and what you want to screw into it. For standard .22-.45 caliber rods and accessories, what they call 8/32 is most common, so its a safe choice. Threading for .17 and .204 uses a smaller thread while shotgun calibers like 12 gauge, 20, 28 and 410 feature a much larger thread size. Makes sense, right? Even if it doesn't, you will find out soon enough.


Firearm Cleaning Rod styles:


  • T-shaped handle

  • Barrel style handle

  • You see some other concept? Proceed with caution or avoid.


NOTE: All decent rods should have spinning handles because it ergonomically works between handling and the need to let a brush go down the bore without rotating.

  • The exception is the chamber cleaning rod, which ideally has a fixed handle.


GOOD ADVICE: Do your best to run the rod a straight down the bore as possible. If you come in on an angle you can scratch the throat of the barrel against the rod and leave you with a rod with a finish that's been removed.


* You want to find a coated rod made of steel and not an uncoated brass design, for example. Coated steel is the best because it protects both surfaces.

  • If you apply too much pressure when pushing the rod, you could bend and then warp it. Resistance means stop pushing. Maybe you have too large a patch on the other end. So, don't force it though I know some people just can't seem to show a little finesse.


I hope this gun cleaning rod guide has provided you with enough instruction to get you through it on your own. Gun cleaning instructions do vary out there but how to use a firearm cleaning rod should be fairly universal.


 
 
 

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