shooter choice cleaning rod woes

so after 20 years my old hoppes 3pc aluminum cleaning rods have about had it. decided to join the band wagon and had my local shop order me in a 1pc coated rod. went with shooters choice for 1 there 100% usa made and 2 they are made in my home state. once i got it home and checked it out i had some issues, rod was bent and had pitting in the coating down to the stainless. called them up explained what i had found and even though i didnt buy direct through them they are sending me a new rod free of charge. will see how this one is when it gets here, if still no good what you all recomend?

I've had very good luck with my Bore-Tech V-Stix. Also made in the USA (Quakertown, PA).

I like Dewey rods

I have been using Tipton one piece cleaning rods. I have no complaints.

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Originally Posted by hambandit

I like Dewey rods

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Another vote for Dewey.

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Originally Posted by yobuck

Another vote for Dewey.

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Make it three votes and I've been using them for a couple decades.

I use Tipton carbon fiber rods and a Bore Tech Bore Stix coated steel rod. I can recommend both.

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Originally Posted by Bill2905

I use Tipton carbon fiber rods and a Bore Tech Bore Stix coated steel rod. I can recommend both.

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Tipton is superior to Dewey in every way.

I have a couple Tiptons and have had no problems with them.

not to kean on the carbon rod idea. one nick in the outer layer n snap just like a carbon arrow. plus they will wear just like a carbon arrow, stuff is hard but once through the outer layer. ot scrapes off like break dust

Evidently you've never used a carbon fiber rod before. I've owned at least one of every brand of cleaning rod made, and the carbon fiber rods have outlasted all the others. Carbon fiber will not kink like steel rods, which is very important if you have small calibers like .17 and .20. There is no coating to peel or strip off, and I've never broken one. There is no "outer layer", it is solid. The Tipton rods also have sealed ball bearings.

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Originally Posted by sharpshooter

Evidently you've never used a carbon fiber rod before. I've owned at least one of every brand of cleaning rod made, and the carbon fiber rods have outlasted all the others. Carbon fiber will not kink like steel rods, which is very important if you have small calibers like .17 and .20. There is no coating to peel or strip off, and I've never broken one. There is no "outer layer", it is solid. The Tipton rods also have sealed ball bearings.

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If you spin a tipton and then spin a dewey :o

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Originally Posted by sharpshooter

Evidently you've never used a carbon fiber rod before. I've owned at least one of every brand of cleaning rod made, and the carbon fiber rods have outlasted all the others. Carbon fiber will not kink like steel rods, which is very important if you have small calibers like .17 and .20. There is no coating to peel or strip off, and I've never broken one. There is no "outer layer", it is solid. The Tipton rods also have sealed ball bearings.

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no i havnt, have alwaysed used cheap 3pc rods. like i said i just got my first 1pc and it wasnt good new out of the box

I make my own out of 3/16 brass rod and wood file handles.

new rod came today, as soon as i seen the package i knew it wouldnt be good. pulled it out and it was bent in a U. took pics of the box and rod, sent it to the company and called them. sending yet another to me

Cancel the order and go for the carbon Tipton. I guarantee it will not show up bent ;-)

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Originally Posted by celltech

Cancel the order and go for the carbon Tipton. I guarantee it will not show up bent ;-)

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as hard of a hit this rod took in travel, a carbon rod would have been broken. this mishap is totally on fedex and not the company nor rod. just bad luck i guess

I dunno. I could tie my brass Dewey in a knot. The Tipton takes some force without bending or breaking.

I guess if a 3 pc aluminum rod lasted the OP for 20 years, it would be a safe bet that any decent 1 pc rod would be an improvement.
Weve got quite a few Deweys hanging on the wall and have never had any issues with them.
Still have a couple Parker Hales also that belonged to my father in the 50s.
But just like anything else, something better is always showing up.

I've read about coated rods peeling or collecting debris for years, yet none of my Deweys have. I do wipe the rod after every series of passes and would do the same with any quality rod. Only complaint I had was the earlier Dewey rods had a machined groove in the plastic handle for the bearings. I had one like that and so did my son, both handles have been replaced with the new style. I can spin the handle upstairs and it will still be spinning by the time I get to my reloading room downstairs.

Maybe next time I need a new cleaning rod I'll try a dual bearing carbon Tipton, and although it's simply personal preference, I don't care for their handle design.

The Tipton handle has a retainer that protrudes from the rear, and drags on your palm when push it because it rotates with the rod. I fixed mine by cutting the retainer down so it is below flush with the handle.

i was raised around guns and taught by my grandfather. as wise as he was"rest in peace" he had that old school thought and simple mindedness to fire arms. swab the bore a few times and oil it and put away till next season. he took plenty of deer turkey pheasant grouse ect.. dosnt mean his method was wrong, but for us new age shooters and hunters it isnt perfect. for years i did what i was taught, all my guns shoot great and are in great condition. but as i got older and bought more guns and shot more than i ever have. i started looking more into a proper cleaning. old dogs can truly learn new tricks. like i said i have used 3piece aluminum rods for years but they are wore out now. wanted a 1 piece rod because from what i have read they are better for the bore. found shooters choice made 100% in usa and about 2hr north of me in NY state. 1st rod was a dud second rod was not there fault. they sent a 3rd should be here by this saturday. they have stood by there product and gave A+ customer support. if the 3rd rod is not to my exspectations i might look else wheres. like i said im new to this whole proper cleaning game. when i bought the new rod i picked up my first bore guide. i also tried a new solovent besides hoppes#9 (bore tech) and i couldnt believe the difference. i do thank you all for your suggestions

just recieved new rod. packaging was perfect, but can spin it and still see a wobble in it. am i asking for to much? to me it should be strait as an arrow, even more so for spending 50 bucks on it

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Originally Posted by caleb90

just recieved new rod. packaging was perfect, but can spin it and still see a wobble in it. am i asking for to much? to me it should be strait as an arrow, even more so for spending 50 bucks on it

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Could it be that we were all better off when we weren’t so well informed? Lol

Great customer support does not equate with quality.(Thinking Vortex, except their higher end products) Two separate things in my mind. The damage could have happened during shipping.... exposing the quality of this particular product. I want my exposure to customer support between almost never and never.

i asked for a refund.. looking into montana extream rods. as they are coated spring steel

I like the Pro-Shot micro polished rods. Just my 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by PhilC

I've read about coated rods peeling or collecting debris for years, yet none of my Deweys have. I do wipe the rod after every series of passes and would do the same with any quality rod. Only complaint I had was the earlier Dewey rods had a machined groove in the plastic handle for the bearings. I had one like that and so did my son, both handles have been replaced with the new style. I can spin the handle upstairs and it will still be spinning by the time I get to my reloading room downstairs.

Maybe next time I need a new cleaning rod I'll try a dual bearing carbon Tipton, and although it's simply personal preference, I don't care for their handle design.

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I’ve got a bunch of Dewey rods also. One fell over on the shop floor and got sand embedded in the coating. It cleaned up but took a small blade to pop the little bits out. Makes me wonder about the stuff I can’t see that gets embedded in it. I’ve switched to carbon fiber. Store them in a piece of 1/2” pvc pipe.

i am sure the carbon rods work well. but if one snaps and goes into your hand its going to get nasty.

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Originally Posted by caleb90

i am sure the carbon rods work well. but if one snaps and goes into your hand its going to get nasty.

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What?!?!? It is not a carbon fiber arrow under hard acceleration from a compound bow. It is a cleaning rod. You are scaring me man.



https://external-content.duckduckgo....jpg&f=1&nofb=1

You couldn't break a carbon fiber rod without a hammer.....

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

What?!?!? It is not a carbon fiber arrow under hard acceleration from a compound bow. It is a cleaning rod. You are scaring me man



https://external-content.duckduckgo....jpg&f=1&nofb=1

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Well to tell the truth, that’s what has kept me from bow hunting all these years. Lol

I still use wood arrows (Douglas fir). ;-)

Come to think of it, the rammers on my flintlocks are wood as well.

https://www.reel-adventure.com/blog/...2/bent-rod.jpg

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

https://www.reel-adventure.com/blog/...2/bent-rod.jpg

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Rodney Rodholder to the rescue. Yet again.
The guys a wimp, He should be standing up holding the rod like a real man. Lol

For $hits and giggles I just took my Bore Tech V-Stix and rolled it across the top of our electric kitchen range (glass top). No wobble that I could detect, and sighting down it I see straight to a semi-trained eye.

Now, the old five-piece brass rod with rosewood handle that my grandpa (b. 1879) cleaned his .22 with that I still have . . .

I guess auto mechanics could have the same type discussion over what brand wrenches should be used, and god help the poor guy who had a box full of Craftsman stuff.
The bigger question might be how often do the things even need to be cleaned.
I have stood and watched those guys at Williamsport feverishly trying to wear out their barrel with a cleaning rod.
And most of them never win anything anyway.

im sure the carbon rods work good.. most of the time. a quick review search on them show alot of them snapping or bent rod ends or the rod tip coming completly off. if you have had goo luck with em then great! but im not sold on the idea. i have lost a few carbon fiber noodle rods to a few big salmon n steelhead mostly due to a knick or cut in the outer layer. not puttin it down but i dont think they are for me. Plus they are made in the not so great country of CHINA

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Originally Posted by yobuck

The bigger question might be how often do the things even need to be cleaned.

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Me Pappy taught me that the sun never sets on a dirty bore. Been my policy right along.

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Originally Posted by Stumpkiller

Me Pappy taught me that the sun never sets on a dirty bore. Been my policy right along.

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That seems to be the policy many people have, but that doesn’t relate to the question.
Small bore shooters tend to let the target remind them when it’s time to clean the bore.
Im not so sure thats the wrong approach with any of them.