Cleaning

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I always cleaned my rifles with a wooden cleaning rod. A few months ago I got a steel cleaning rod, and since then I've been noticing a black material coming from the bore when I was swabbing to dry the bore, some of it looks as though the bore is still fouled. It's not black powder residue as it only appears at the drying stage.

The last time out I used my old wooden rod to clean and no black residue while drying. Nothing changed but the rod.

Could this be some kind of reaction to the stainless steel rod?

[bob in the woods]

What are you using to clean the bore with?     If you are now using a st st rod, does it have a new ie different jag ? ie different diameter ?
Maybe the black material was always there, but the wood rod combination just wasn't getting it out ?

[moleeyes36]

Stainless steel is pretty non-reactive.  I don't see how a rod made of it could be the cause of this residue.  There must be something else at play there other than the rod.

Mole Eyes

[P.W.Berkuta]

I also use a stainless steel rod with a brass jag to clean my rifles and single shot pistols and never have seen the residue you are talking about. I could not imagine what is causing your issue.

[Standing Bear]

I also use a stainless steel rod with a brass jag to clean my rifles and single shot pistols and never have seen the residue you are talking about. I could not imagine what is causing your issue.

x2
TC

[William Worth]

I have seen the black residue that appears on drying.  I believe it is a more persistent residue that is being scrapped out by the more "grabby" action of a drying patch.  Seems to me like a really wet bore and patch encourages the patch to ride along without picking up the residue. 

[Dphariss]

I always cleaned my rifles with a wooden cleaning rod. A few months ago I got a steel cleaning rod, and since then I've been noticing a black material coming from the bore when I was swabbing to dry the bore, some of it looks as though the bore is still fouled. It's not black powder residue as it only appears at the drying stage.

The last time out I used my old wooden rod to clean and no black residue while drying. Nothing changed but the rod.

Could this be some kind of reaction to the stainless steel rod?

Trust me its not the rod. Maybe you are cleaning to better. The "black stuff" will convert to brown iron oxide if allowed to set on a shelf for a few days.
I have been getting this for decades and when I use a metal rod a I always do its 303 stainless and it does not oxidize much and certainly not black iron oxide.
If its NOT iron oxide then the bore has issues that makes it hard to clean. Have you used "replica" powders by any chance?

Dan

[Daryl]

That was my first guess, Dan.

[hanshi]

So far, ss rods are all I use for cleaning and I never experience anything else wiping out as long as the bore is actually clean.  Occasionally toward the end of a cleaning session a bit of gray will appear on the patches which means (to me) that I'm 98% finished.  Another patch or two after that and voila, finished....except for the Barricade.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Maybe I was doing something different with the steel rod. Dunno.

It's the same jag with the same patches and the same warm water with a drop of dishwash. The only difference now that I think about it may have been I used Hoppes 9 Plus for a patch lube while shooting instead of my usual spit patch. It feels the same loading but maybe it leaves less fowling in the bore. Haven't used it very much, it's just so slippery.

I'm going to do some more testing with the Hoppes, and try the steel cleaning rod after a day at the range shooting Hoppes.