Sorry if this is off-topic... I have a very good stainless cleaning rod, and want to know what I can use to coat it with to protect my bore. I was thinking of (1) some of that painted-on plastic you put on tool handles, or (2) some very thin brass or copper tubing.

(edited part) After cleaning it carefully with ether or some such, of course!

Go to an electrical supply store and get some heat shrink...They sell it in 3 foot lengths and different  colors.

Great idea, hadn't thought of heat shrink tubing. Does it withstand the kinds of chemicals we use to clean the bore?

Thanks again for the idea!

Yes very easily and its cheap....

Well... tried the shrink tubing, it ended up larger than the bore of the rifle... had to strip it off. Any other suggestions?

It worked on the wal mart rods I bought...
I used them for .30 cals without problems...Won't work on .22's..
What caliber are you using and what rod???

I dont think your going to find any coatting out there for a 22 rod, where it would be coswt effective vs just buying a Dewy.

Mic your rod, them you know how thick the coatting has to be.

Don't remember the brand of the rod, its a nice one... ball-bearing handle... plenty long. It's not quite a 'snug' fit in my .223 AR. I may just spray it with some kind of plastic or something.

You're better off using a stainless rod as is rather than coating it yourself.  Soft materials will embed abrasive particles and wear the bore.  Coatings on commercial rods such as Bore Tech and Dewey use a hard coating (probably nylon) that won't embed grit.  Be sure to use a bore guide (I prefer the one from Sinclair <http://www.sinclairintl.com/>) and you'll be OK with your rod.  There is an eternal debate over coated vs. uncoated rods similr to the moly-coated vs. naked bullet debate; both sides have their points and you'll have to make up your own mind.  If you buy a coated rod, I'd recommend a Bore Tech as the handle and bearings are much better - I usually find the best price at Lock, Stock and Barrel <http://www.lockstock.com/>.