can an aluminum cleaning rod damage the bore/crown of a finnish m39?

[jc89]

im using a 3 piece aluminum cleaning rod to clean my m39 and since its made of aluminum shouldnt it technically not be able to damage the bore/crown since those are made of steel? i was cleaning it from the breech end for the first time with a new cleaning rod from the hoppes 30 caliber cleaning kit. thanks.

 

[Ash]

Yes and no. Yes, in that if you get too aggressive with it, you will. No, in that if you are gentle with it, you are probably okay. In any case, clean from the breach and you should be fine.

Ash

 

[PTK]

PLEASE go buy a one piece coated rod (Dewey brand is good) to clean that, and clean only from the chamber. There's just no excuse on a M39 - they're simple enough to take the bolt out of.

Uncoated aluminum rods are bad, they have grit embedded after a use or two, and three piece (sectioned rods of any kind) are liable to flex more and touch the bore, along with other problems. The cash a good Dewey would run you is worth it.

 

[Ash]

Keep in mind the Finns cleaned theirs with steel rods from the bore.

Ash

 

[PTK]

And they used bore guides and proper technique. We now have wonderful things called Dewey rods, why not make life easier?

 

[Ash]

Yeah, it would be good to replace what he has. But he has what he has at the present, so in order to use what he has, he should clean from the breach and not be aggressive. He'll be okay in the short run.

Ash

 

[FieroCDSP]

See my sig-line. It says it all. Though a coated rod can't hurt.

 

[kcmarine]

Uh oh. A cleaning rod thread... here comes trouble...

 

[jc89]

i wasnt extremely aggressive while cleaning, but i did use about 7-8 patches while pushing the rod clean rather quickly through the barrel.

 

[Ash]

No biggie. Down the road, a coated one-piece rod is preferred. But for the present, be sure not to be too harsh as you clean. You don't have to wear gloves or anything, but don't be Conan with the rod, either.

Ash

 

[jkingrph]

Wipe clean the rod before each pass through the barrel so as not to carry any dirt or abrasive grit on the rod. That dirt is what has the potential to do the most harm, embedded into a soft rod, not the rod itself.

 

[mp510]

And they used bore guides and proper technique. We now have wonderful things called Dewey rods, why not make life easier?

And some of us use appropriately sized dowels for pushing patches.

 

[JesseL]

I've always considered a one piece steel rod ideal.

Coated rods get more grit stuck to them.

Aluminum rods get grit stuck to them and have a surface layer of aluminum oxide (9 on Mohs hardness scale ).

 

[KI.W.]

When I came in Finnish army, we recruits cleaned with steel roads our rifles, because we din´t like those long and heavy ugly things. My gun at home was Sako L-46 .222 Rem Mannlicher stock and original Sako-hunting diopter.

 

[stubbicatt]

Aluminum when exposed to the atmosphere will oxidize. Aluminum oxide is a powerful abrasive used in industrial and other applications.

The steel rod is better if you wipe it down each time you run it through the bore.

The coated Dewey rod that is recommended by others is the best choice of cleaning rods.