Which Cleaning Rod or Kit for .17 HMR?

[Blake]

New guy, first post.

My local sporting goods store sells a .17 cal cleaning kit designed primarily for pellet guns. But the rod is made of steel.

I have a Savage .17 HMR with a stainless barrel and I am worried that the steel rod will scratch or damage the barrel over time. Isn't that why most rifle cleaning rods are made of a softer metal like brass or aluminum?

I saw a carbon fiber rod online for $40 bucks without any attachments but that is more than I would like to spend.

I already got a BoreSnake that fits but I would like a rod that I could use for running solvent and brushes for a more thorough cleaning periodically.

What do you recommend?
Thanks!

 

[hawghunter]

Go to Sinclair's web site and get a Dewry one peice cleaning rod and also get a bore guide to keep the rod straight while cleaning hope this helps Mark

 

[artbosco]

I have a Savage .17 HMR with a stainless barrel and I am worried that the steel rod will scratch or damage the barrel over time. I already got a Bore Snake that fits but I would like a rod that I could use for running solvent and brushes for a more thorough cleaning periodically.

Bore Snakes are a little more than useless.

Go get yourself a good Dewey nylon coated rod. It will last almost forever if you keep it wiped clean when using it. Don't see anything here listed for $40: http://www.deweyrods.com/cgi-bin/ccp5/cp-app.cgi?usr=DEWEY2230&pg=prod&ref=17COATED_ROD&cat=RODS&catstr=HOME:RODS

Also, purchase a couple jags, some nylon brushes, and some JB Bore Cleaning Compound for the CARBON that's going to accumulate very quickly if you don't stay on top of it.

 

[Blake]

Thanks for the link and info!

 

[K0na_stinky]

Also, purchase a couple jags, some nylon brushes, and some JB Bore Cleaning Compound for the CARBON that's going to accumulate very quickly if you don't stay on top of it.

Easy now.

Stay away from JB bore paste. There is no reason to use it. I have a Savage 93R17, and my girlfriend does also. I have shot about 200 shots (4 boxes) threw my 17 with out cleaning. There was a tight spot in front of the chamber. But it came out easily with out JB bore paste. I try to clean after every box of bullets now. But I don’t really think its needed.

Now onto cleaning, I use a Dewey stainless nylon coated road. I also have a gunslick carbon rod. Normally I use the stainless rod for the brush and the carbon rod for the jag. Reason being that the brushes I have are tight when they are new and the stainless rod is a lot stiffer. If your only buying one rod make it a stainless coated rod.

For solvents I use Gunslicks Ultra-Klenz for when I’m cleaning in the house and I use Butches Bore Shine(BBS) for when I’m outside or in the garage. BBS has a very strong smell. But cleans very well. It also cleans copper.

I have a Sinclair bore guide. I don’t clean with out bore guides.

I understand that I am way over your price limit. But if your looking to clean your gun the best way possible your going to want to buy more things then just a kit with a 3 piece rod that’s only going to last a month anyways. 3 piece rods bend and break very easily.

Just my 2 cents. It wasn’t long ago that I was in your shoes.

Links.
http://www.gunslick.com/products/accessories/cleaningrods/onecarbonfiberrod.aspx
http://www.gunslick.com/products/chemicals/cleaners_degreasers/ultraklenz.aspx
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=34045/Product/Sinclair_Rimfire_Guides_for_17_HMR_HM2
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=33064/Product/Butch_s_Bore_Shine

 

[artbosco]

Easy now. Stay away from JB bore paste.

These folks would disagree.

Here's what two very recognizable sources have to say about JB Bore Cleaning Compound:

"I personally believe in the use of JB Bore Cleaner... I use it after every yardage. 3 to 5 tight fitting patches with JB will get the powder fouling out... I do a full cleaning before I use JB and also after I use JB, to make certain I've got all the JB out of the barrel. ... Tony Boyer"

Source: The Benchrest Shooting Primer, ON THE TOPIC OF BARRELS, by Tony Boyer, Page 349, upper left.
-----------------------------------
Krieger Barrels Inc,: Q&A

Q: Will a paste-type bore cleaner such as J.B. hurt a barrel during cleaning?

A: No. There is nothing that we can find that shows that it will harm the barrel provided you use a rod guide and refrain from exiting the muzzle.
--------------------------------------

Instructions received from Krieger along with my Krieger barrel: Break-In and Cleaning, Under Cleaning:

"Abrasive cleaners work well. They do not damage the bore, they clean all types of fouling (copper, powder, lead, plastic), and they have the added advantage of of polishing the throat both in 'break in' and later on when the throat begins to roughen again from the rounds fired. One national champion we know polishes the throats on his rifles every several hundred rounds or so with diamond paste to extend their accuracy life."

Note: NBRSA Benchrest Hall of Fame Inductee Standings as of September 2010.

TONY BOYER 142
ALAN EUBER 47
LESTER BRUNO 46
GARY OCOCK 34
ED WATSON (D) 28
DON GERACI 26
TOM GILLMAN (D) 25
RON HOEHN 26
LOWELL FREI 25
PERRY MORTON 22
WAYNE CAMPBELL 21
CHARLES HUCKEBA 20
WALT BERGER 19
JEF FOWLER 18
DON POWELL 18
LEE EUBER 17
RUSSELL BOOP 17
JACK DEMMING 16
JIM STEKL 16
PAUL GOTSCHALL 16
JOE KRUPA 16
JACK NEARY 16
L.E.(RED) CORNELISON 15
SMILEY HENSLEY 15
BILL FORRESTER 15
RICHARD MARETZO 14
FERRIS PINDELL 14
WARREN PAGE (D) 14
P.J. HART 14
JIM BORDEN 14
ALLEN ARNETTE 14
MYLES HOLLISTER 13
ED SHILEN 13
DAVE HALL 13
TOM "SPEEDY" GONZALEZ 13
FRED HASECUSTER 12
REX RENEAU 12
PAT BYRNE 12
FAYE BOYER. 12
GERALD MASKER 11
RICHARD BAKER 10
JOHN BROWN JR. 10
DWIGHT SCOTT 10
BOB SCARBOROUGH JR. 10

 

[K0na_stinky]

Outdoorsman. Go shoot your guns. Its getting worm out side now when its sunny out. I'm not going to argue. I don't see a need to use it. So I dont use it. Let this person find out if he needs it or not.

nufff said!

You should delete your post and put a link to the thread on the main message board to the "bored people in the winter arguing about stupid things thread."

Thanks

 

[mc223]

I'm not one of those

recognized sources

either but I agree with K0na_stinky.

 

[RichinKansas]

If you ever use a borescope you will see fine scratches in the chamber and bore. Whether or not they are left from tooling or brush I don't know. Anyhow I stopped using a brush on all my rifles 4 years ago. Nylon brushes and pull-throughs do nothing. Bronze brushed work but need to have bronze center also. I switched to Iosso bore paste and have been very satisfied. It is alot like JB. And it works for both lead and copper bullets, powder, primer and carbon fouling. I use a patch with TSI-301 to remove loose fouling, then the Iosso in the chamber area a few times on a patch then push out the muzzle. Remove its left overs with another TSI-301 patch and repeat until the borescope shows clean. I also have JB and am using it up on my sporters . I have four Dewey coated rods. Don't see any need to spend more as they are great. I use bore guides on all my rifles I can get them for. The others I try to keep the rod centered in the action the best I can. Neither the Iosso, JB or TSI-301 have an odor and can be used indoors.

 

[K0na_stinky]

If you ever use a borescope you will see fine scratches in the chamber and bore. Whether or not they are left from tooling or brush I don't know. Anyhow I stopped using a brush on all my rifles 4 years ago. Nylon brushes and pull-throughs do nothing. Bronze brushed work but need to have bronze center also. I switched to Iosso bore paste and have been very satisfied. It is alot like JB. And it works for both lead and copper bullets, powder, primer and carbon fouling. I use a patch with TSI-301 to remove loose fouling, then the Iosso in the chamber area a few times on a patch then push out the muzzle. Remove its left overs with another TSI-301 patch and repeat until the borescope shows clean. I also have JB and am using it up on my sporters . I have four Dewey coated rods. Don't see any need to spend more as they are great. I use bore guides on all my rifles I can get them for. The others I try to keep the rod centered in the action the best I can. Neither the Iosso, JB or TSI-301 have an odor and can be used indoors.

He is asking about cleaning rods. Not techniques.

 

[Forum Boss]

The info re JB and Tony Boyer is somewhat out of date. He now uses Carb-out and a LOT less of the JB routine. Keep in mind that is is also unusual for Boyer to shoot a barrel with more than 800 rounds through it.

At the risk of starting another JB discussion -- use it only as needed, and don't try to get a mirror bore finish. I have a tub of JB. I haven't touched it in 4 years. If you have a good-shooting barrel, the last thing you want to do is change the interior dimensions.

 

[SS427]

I would not recommend a carbon fiber .17 caliber cleaning rod. I have one and it makes me nervous every time I use it. I've read posts of them breaking. I also have a larger diameter carbon fiber cleaning rod, and use it without hesitation. Claims have been made that carbon fiber rods are abrasive, but I've not found that to be true so far. If I was to buy another one, it would probably be a coated stainless Dewey or Bore Tech, although there are critics of coated rods as well. It is hard to decide what to believe without someone doing a controlled scientific study of them, which I've never seen.

 

[artbosco]

I would not recommend a carbon fiber .17 caliber cleaning rod. I have one and it makes me nervous every time I use it. I've read posts of them breaking.

That's why Dewey makes this suggestion: "Due to tight bores on the new .17HMR rifles, we suggest using our new pistol length brushes, model# B-17P(bronze) and B-17PN(nylon). They require 1/2 the force to push through the barrel."

On this page: http://www.deweyrods.com/cgi-bin/ccp5/cp-app.cgi?usr=DEWEY2230&pg=prod&ref=17COATED_ROD&cat=RODS&catstr=HOME:RODS

 

[artbosco]

The info re JB and Tony Boyer is somewhat out of date. He now uses Carb-out and a LOT less of the JB routine.

We both stand corrected.

It looks as if Carb-out is no long his carbon cleaner of choice.

It appears he's now using Iosso, using an amount or volume the size of a bullet, within his 1 and 2 step process, that he implements every aggregate, or after approximately 60 shots.

Source: The Book of Rifle Accuracy by Tony Boyer, First Edition 2010, Chapter 17, Page 203, under Additional Cleaning.

I've used both JB and Iosso. I stayed with JB because, for me, I felt it took less effort to remove the JB completely, than it did to get all the Iosso out of the barrel.

 

[RichinKansas]

Kona stinky sorry to see your having such a bad day. Maybe you will be in better spirits tomorrow. I do think I agreed with you on the Dewey rods. But what ever.

 

[K0na_stinky]

Kona stinky sorry to see your having such a bad day. Maybe you will be in better spirits tomorrow. I do think I agreed with you on the Dewey rods. But what ever.

I just hate to see something like JB pushed on some one that is new to the whole cleaning game.

 

[SS427]

Outdoorsman - thanks for "pushing" the idea of trying the pistol length brushes on me. I will give them a try since I'm not able to decide for myself what Internet advice I take and which I ignore.

 

[K0na_stinky]

Outdoorsman - thanks for "pushing" the idea of trying the pistol length brushes on me. I will give them a try since I'm not able to decide for myself what Internet advice I take and which I ignore.

Ok ok I get it.