What is the best one piece rod to buy. Steel, carbon fiber, brass, etc. I was using athree piece on my .17HMR and it is bent like crazy and I'm worried it is scratching the bore.

My favorite is the Dewey Coated rods. Kind of expensive, but then again, so are guns.

I've read on here before someone saying that more barrels are ruined by cleaning rods then shooting....Don't know form personal experience but something to keep in mind...

Dewey coated rods are the cadillacs of cleaning rods.

I have several Dewey rods and like them, but I know folks that don't care for them. They feel there is a danger that particles could imbed in the coating and end up scratching the barrel. Some of those guys swear by solid stainless rods. You'd think the stainless could damage the barrel, but they feel the stainless won't hold imbeded particles like brass or coated rods will. They also won't use a cleaing rod without using a bore guide as well.

I use Dewey only in the shop.

Ditto...

I use crappy cleaning rods. The segmented kind. However I use a bore guide. I typically shoot a lot in a year and I haven't noticed any decrease in accuracy from any of my guns.

Tom

Dewey Rods and Boretech rods are the best of the best. After a brushing or during a difficult cleaning I use brake cleaner and clean off the shaft with a shop rag. I would not use a steel rod in my bore not even on a dare. YOu would have to be extremely careful using one not to cause peening on the inside of the barrel with repetitive use. I have currently 5 Deweys and some are 15 or more years old. I think the Carbon rods may be worth trying but have not had a "NEED" to purchase one. Just remember to brush out the bore once and remove the brush and repeat. Do not drag the brush backwards if you value the rifling crown. When the brush or jag is about to come out the muzzle be careful and give it a controlled push out otherwise it can ding the sides of the crown. USE WIPEOUT FOAM and you'll drastically reduce the amount of times you have to run a patch or brush down the bore.

Most of my cleanings are with foaming cleaners and a few passes with a patch using a Otis pull through cable. I use the Otis sytm most of the time, but if I need intense scrubbing or need to use JB bor epaste, I use the Deweys.