A cleaning rod is a

firearm maintenance Firearm maintenance (or gun care for short) is a series of routine preventive maintenance procedures aiming to ensure the proper function of a firearm, often with the use of a variety of specialized tools and chemical solutions. Typically such ...

tool that can be used to clean the inside (bore) of a

gun A gun is a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting tube (gun barrel) to launch projectiles. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns/cannons, spray guns for painting or pressure washing, p ...

's barrel, and is made in different sizes for use on different barrel lengths, calibers and

gauge Gauge ( or ) may refer to: Measurement * Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments * Gauge (firearms) * Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire ** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, ...

s. It is a sturdy, long, thin, straight rod typically made of metal, rigid plastic or

carbon fiber Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...

, and usually has a handle at one end for gripping and threadings at the other end for attaching cleaning accessories. It is used to push brushes, mops and cotton patches through the bore to deliver solvents and scrub away

fouling Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted material on solid surfaces. The fouling materials can consist of either living organisms ( biofouling) or a non-living substance (inorganic or organic). Fouling is usually distinguished from other sur ...

s, or to physically remove any obstructing objects such as a

squib load A squib load, also known as a squib round, pop and no kick, or just a squib, is a firearm malfunction in which a fired projectile does not have enough force behind it to exit the barrel, and thus becomes stuck. This type of malfunction can be e ...

. Commonly, a breech-end extension tube, known as a bore guide or rod guide, is also used in conjunction with the cleaning rod to prevent cleaning solvent from spilling out into the receiver, and to keep the rod supported and centered inside the bore in order to minimize potential damage to riflings. Similarly, a muzzle guide or muzzle guard might be used if the cleaning rod is to be inserted from the muzzle end of the firearm in order to protect the crown of the muzzle from mechanical damage. A cleaning cord is an alternative gun care tool to a cleaning rod. A cleaning cord is a flexible fabric cord with a tapered thin end that has a weight attached to it, in order to help the initial feeding of the cord through the breech end of the barrel. When the thin end has been fed throughout the other end, the rest of the cord is then dragged towards the muzzle, scrubbing the bore along the way. A cleaning cord often has one or more integrated brushes to help clear away more stubborn contaminants, and may also be used to apply lubricants.

Thread sizes

The screw thread sizes and "genders" used for attaching brushes to the rods vary between different calibers and manufacturers. Some of the most common threads and genders for rods/cords are listed below.Troubleshooting Tips for Cleaning Rod Accessory Threading - Tetraguncare.com
/ref> Corresponding brushes and other accessories will have the opposite gender. Rods for .17 to .204 caliber (4.4 to 5.2 mm) * #5-40 UNC female Rods for .22 to .50 caliber (5.56 to 12.7 mm) * #8-32 UNC female (more common) * #8-36 UNF male (less common) Rods for shotguns (including 12, 20, 28 and .410

) * #12-28 UNF male * 5/16-27 UNC female

References

Cannon with cleaning rod - detail of Reinier van Persijn - Portret van Christian Martin Anhaltin - 1659 (cropped)

Firearm maintenance

Thread sizes

See also

References