Cleaning rod Length

btc624

Member
I need to know which dewey rod will be better for my 22" barrel using a lucas bore guide the 36" 40" or 44" action is bat ds which i belive is around 7". Should i go 36" with less flex in the rod or do i go 40 or 44 to ensure that it will be long enough with my bore guide.?
 
Install your bore guide then measure. You want the shortest rod that will clear the bore with your rod guide installed.


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Thanks Jerry i should have mentioned that i have neither my gun yet or the bore guide. My lucas bore guide is going to be made in the coming weeks. I was just wondering whats the shortest rod i could use on my 6ppc 22" barrel starting from scratch.
 
Thanks Jerry i should have mentioned that i have neither my gun yet or the bore guide. My lucas bore guide is going to be made in the coming weeks. I was just wondering whats the shortest rod i could use on my 6ppc 22" barrel starting from scratch.

On a Panda, which is certainly no shorter than a BAT, with a Lucas bore guide and a 22" barrel the over all length is 33-1/4".

With a 36" Dewey rod, the bare rod extends about 1-1/4" from the muzzle.

If you are planning a PPC and a BR barrels, you will need a bore guide for each since the BR case is larger diameter.


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Just as a note, the single most important thing about a cleaning Rod is to get into the habit of stopping it the instant it clears the bore.

I see shooters at matches going to town with a brush, using big long strokes, allowing that rod to lay down on that bore for 4-5 inches of stroke after it clears the bore.

You can ruin a barrel doing that.
 
Good point Jackie, I'll be sure to keep that in mind and again as always thank you everyone who replied, I know these are simple questions for you guys and with me being new to this i appreciate all the help i can get.
 
First off I both enjoy and agree with Jackie's posts 99.9% of the time, but this is that tenth of a percent. With the Dewey rod aforementioned in this thread, Assuming the rod was wiped clean between passes and the brass jag was fitted correct and both rod & jag free of scuffs and scares. How pray tell could this damage a bore?... I fully agree its a great habit to stop as quick as the patch clears the bore. Now with a steel rod I will totally agree, "wouldn't want it falling and whack my bore either.My old travel pardner Bless His Heart. in my opinion used rods not fit to clean a single shot shotgun barrel with, coating wore off in many places, dipped his brushes right into the solvent bottle, dirty or not. The solvent looked like asphalt paving compound.He soaked it rammed on it and and hardly ever wiped a chamber out or a lug raceway.A half dozen chamber swaps and dental rolls lasted for years.. But the fact remained he shot as good as everyone else every match every time and his barrels lasted just as long as ares did with the carefullest of care....... PS, and Id like to add he used a bore guide if and when he thought of it or took the time...
 
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It is simple enough to put stop on the rod when it just clears the muzzle.

If you cannot make a stop some tape does the job.
 
Get the 44 inch rods so your stock won't get in the way.

You'll thank me for this advice someday. :)

Good shootin'.

Gene Beggs
 
First off I both enjoy and agree with Jackie's posts 99.9% of the time, but this is that tenth of a percent. With the Dewey rod aforementioned in this thread, Assuming the rod was wiped clean between passes and the brass jag was fitted correct and both rod & jag free of scuffs and scares. How pray tell could this damage a bore?... I fully agree its a great habit to stop as quick as the patch clears the bore. Now with a steel rod I will totally agree, "wouldn't want it falling and whack my bore either.My old travel pardner Bless His Heart. in my opinion used rods not fit to clean a single shot shotgun barrel with, coating wore off in many places, dipped his brushes right into the solvent bottle, dirty or not. The solvent looked like asphalt paving compound.He soaked it rammed on it and and hardly ever wiped a chamber out or a lug raceway.A half dozen chamber swaps and dental rolls lasted for years.. But the fact remained he shot as good as everyone else every match every time and his barrels lasted just as long as ares did with the carefullest of care....... PS, and Id like to add he used a bore guide if and when he thought of it or took the time...

Ok, true story.

Back in the Early 2000's, I built my Son a Benchrest Rifle, and it shot quite well. It was based on one of those actions Lester Bruno marketed for a few years.

After a few matches the barrel just stopped shooting. We were at Denton, and I noticed his cleaning, using those long strokes with the brush, allowing that rod to ride on the bore for quite a bit after the brush cleared.

That week, I pulled the barrel, and took a good look at the muzzle with a 10x loop, and you could plainly see the worn spot as much as 3/8 inch into the barrel. I chucked it up, and my "tenth" indicator could easily pick it up.

It's not the rod, but what's on it. The brush breaks all the bad stuff loose, it mixes in the solvent, and makes a pretty good abrasive compound.

I cut 1 inch off the barrel, and it came back to life.

I'm just speaking from experience.
 
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I hope so!

Length means nothing if you don't use it correctly.
We're still talking about cleaning rods, right?

i like the 42-44" rods as the patch or brush just exits the muzzle before the handle starts to ride up onto the stock. Just work your brush or patch down the bore slowly. Speed kills. for my last 3 barrels, shooting bare bullets, I usually only clean at the end of a match. Those three barrels have shown no particular preference for constant cleaning or even any during a match. 30BR shooting score.
 
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I clean my 30BR after a Grand Agg. And even then, there is no more fouling in the barrel than if I would have cleaned it after every target.

Maybe the slow 18 twist has something to do with this.
 
The 36" might hit the stock before exiting the barrel depending on the length of the barrel and stock like Francis said. One other thing, I'm a pretty short guy with short arms and the 44" rods are to long for me. I really have to stretch to pull them all the way back.

Joe Hynes
 
I clean my 30BR after a Grand Agg. And even then, there is no more fouling in the barrel than if I would have cleaned it after every target.

Maybe the slow 18 twist has something to do with this.

No doubt, we do over clean.

Plus, when the barrel is cleaned it takes about 3 shots for it to settle back in.

Mild loads require more frequent cleaning than hot loads. Back when every one was shooting in the 3025-3150 range is probably where this clean after each target mindset came from. Remember the days we only neck sized?


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Cleaning Rod length

Had my Rifle out today cleaning the barrel using my 36 inch rods. decided to take some photos. The first picture shows the rod handle making contact with the bore guide. The stock boot prevents any damage from rod handle contacting stock.


The second picture shows the the rod extended past the muzzle with jag installed. The amount of bare rod extended past muzzle is about 3-1/2 inches.

Both lengths work fine for me. 36 and 44.

I prefer the 36,especially in loading areas where space is limited.

You decide which is best for you.








Glenn
 
If you've got enough money to buy extra cleaning rods to "just fit" every rifle, then that's what I'd do. Conversely, if you're broke like me then buy the longer rods. In either case, make your cleaning rod caddy/holder/doodad long enough to fit the longer rod.
 
it is very easy to put a stop on a long rod, really hard to stretch a short one.
 
The best rod stop I have found is a piece of 1/4 inch i.d. rubber hose. You just have to measure how long you need and cut so your jag or brush just exit the muzzle. Slip it on your rod and it dosen,t bump the stock.

John
 
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