Why don't they make wooden cleaning rods?

Wooden rods have their own problems - biggest is that they will hold dirt and grit that is almost impossible to get out. A dirt/grit impregnated rod can cause all kinds of bore damage. Also, if the wooden rod breaks in the bore you can have the mother of all obstructions - a big reason not to use a wooden dowel to clear something from the bore.
Old time shotgun rods were often wood but of a large diameter to fit the shotgun bore.

Unless well cared for, they will warp too. I believe old high dollar custom rifles/double rifles cam with cleaning kits with wooden rods...

Modern wooden shotgun rods are also large in diameter, typically made of rosewood

Consider this. Muzzleloaders were supplied with wood loading/cleaning rods. They wore out the rifling at the muzzle from repeated use. Many barrels were freshed out over and over to a larger caliber until the barrel walls were to thin to be safe, then at that point barrels were shortened approx 2 inches at a time to remove the worn out rifling. All because of wood rods.

Best rods out there are the hardened steel, highly polished rods. Not to promote a rod manufacturer but one does come to mind, Ivy Rods. This is my opinion of course but if still wondering as a Benchrest shooter for his recommendation.

Anything small enough for a 22-24 caliber would break pretty easily. Might work reasonably well with shotguns and big bore rifles.

As stated above, they become loaded with abrasive grit over time and become bore wearing rods, not bore cleaning rods.

And the breakage thing is another big problem.

When wood breaks, it doesn't break with clean 90 degree edges.
It breaks into two thin pointed wedges on the ends.

Get one stuck beside the other wedge and try to drive it out and you have a bore obstruction to be reckoned with.
It is the mother of all bore obstructions.

rc

Because we have better materials now days.

I have never needed a cleaning rod. Bore snakes do the job better and faster.

There may be a rough spot in the barrel that needs the particular attention of the rod tip, but it must be some historical tradition that makes men believe they have enough time on their hands to continue the use of rods and patches. Perhaps someone here has a purely scientific reason to use rods.

AZ_Rebel said:

Also, if the wooden rod breaks in the bore you can have the mother of all obstructions.

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rcmodel said:

It is the mother of all bore obstructions

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Well there you have it... its unanimous!
(Sorry rc... could not resist!)

Sorry about my plagiarism AZ Rebal!

It just popped in my head while I was typing.
Must have been stuck in my subconscious from back when you said it.

It is the best description I have heard of for a wedged wooden rod though.

Perhaps someone here has a purely scientific reason to use rods.

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Or perhaps some of us use nylon brushes with copper solvent, bore lapping compound with tight fitting jags, and like to properly clean bottleneck rifle chambers with an oversize bore or chamber brush.
Bore-Snakes can't do any of those things.

rc

Perhaps someone here has a purely scientific reason to use rods.

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There are some purly scientific reasons not to use a bore snake.

First trip thru the bore with a snake its dirty, second trip its even worse. I know of no one who uses dirty patches to clean their firearms bore.

Yes I know one can wash out a bore snake, but then the question is why when rods are available. Plus, if washing a snake in the washer, you distribute lead residue thruout the rest of the cloths.

Then there is the chance of a bore snake getting stuck in the bore, yes it has happened, may not be the "mother of all obstructions" but close to beings the mothers sister.

Some of the wood rod fears are more speculation than fact....I've used these Pakkawood rods for years, they don't hold grit/dirt or get impregnated in the wood. Have to wonder how anyone could possibly break one while cleaning. I can understand not using wood rods for rifle calibers with small diameters.

Some of the wood rod fears are more speculation than fact....I've used these Pakkawood rods for years, they don't hold grit/dirt or get impregnated in the wood. Have to wonder how anyone could possibly break one while cleaning.

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Shotgun rods. Subjected to nowhere near the stresses of a rifle rod.

And way bigger around too!!

rc

Have to wonder how anyone could possibly break one while cleaning.

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Heck, there's folks out there that can break a carbon fiber rod, bend a hardened steel rod, they sure can break a wooden rod, no matter what wood its made of.

You and I more than likely never would, but, and there is the funny little 3 letter word that explaines it all.

Steel works better I think. Safer for those of us who may be prone to break or get stuff stuck. And I'm trying to avoid having to drive to rc's neck of kansas with a stuck bore snake and beg for help, lol!

Well, if I did help, we'd have to use one of my stainless steel cleaning rods for sure!!

rc

jcwit said:

There are some purly scientific reasons not to use a bore snake.

First trip thru the bore with a snake its dirty, second trip its even worse. I know of no one who uses dirty patches to clean their firearms bore.

Yes I know one can wash out a bore snake, but then the question is why when rods are available. Plus, if washing a snake in the washer, you distribute lead residue thruout the rest of the cloths.

Then there is the chance of a bore snake getting stuck in the bore, yes it has happened, may not be the "mother of all obstructions" but close to beings the mothers sister.

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This mirrors my thinking almost completely. I can maybe see the reason for packing a snake if on some sort of backpacking hunt, but I just can't see why anyone would want to keep dragging the same increasingly fouled patch down the bore over and over.

I guess you could reserve some sort of container just for washing bore snakes....but how is that in any more convenient than the conventional method?

About wooden rods for shotguns: scratches and wear on a shotgun bore have dramatically less impact on accuracy than on a rifle. Other than for corrosion prevention, is there any reason to clean a shotgun bore unless you're shooting slugs?

Lol the irony ...

(I think I used the term correctly, but I can mangle english as well as I can mangle what was a perfectly good rifle before I futzed with it. )

I can maybe see the reason for packing a snake if on some sort of backpacking hunt,

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I can't.
Ever try to push mud out of a clogged muzzle, or a stuck case out of a chamber with a string??

If you ever need a jointed cleaning rod, you will need it then for sure.

rc

rc beat me to it. I was hunting with a buddy a few years ago, and he dropped his rifle into a muddy/icy patch, completly plugging his bore of a .30-06. All he has was a bore snake, and we tried to blow the muddy ice out of the bore without success, finally had to walk about 3 miles back to the house to get my steel rod to drive the now frozen ice out of the bore.

Sometimes you just need a good rigid cleaning rod and nothing else will work.

One time a friend brought a .36 caliber muzzleloading rifle over with a jammed broken hickory ramrod The sucker was in there tighter than Dick's hatband from him pounding on it trying to get out.

By using a oxy/acetylene torch to keep three 5/16” steel rod ends white hot, it didn't take very long to burn the jammed part of wood out.

We drilled one out for a friend using a ole telephone mans wire drill bit they go down to 3/32.

Cleaning rods (and ram rods) used to be made out of wood because that was all they had at the time. Back then most everything was over .50 caliber and wooden rods did a reasonably good job because they could be thick enough to be sturdy. With modern small bore rifles that usually range between .22 to .30 caliber wood is just not practical. It would be impractical for cleaning a modern sporting rifle like an AR-15 or 7MM Magnum because it would just be too thin and break easily. Wood still might work with shotguns like the kit pictured a few posts above because you could use a 3/8" or thicker rod.