What is the best cleaning rod or system? Right now I have a 1 piece and a 3 piece, but they both have permanently attached handles, so I end up having to feed the rod in from the end of the barrel, in order to pull from the chamber out. Every time I do that I wince, thinking of throat erosion, not to mention they're made out of stainless steel, which I don't get either (isn't that a pretty hard metal). I think I need a better system, but what's out there?

I'm not sure I ever heard of a SS cleaning rod. However, if you have them, consider a muzzle guide.

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/971821

I believe they were originally invented to handle rifles which cannot be cleaned from the chamber end, such as the M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbine. Midway has models for AR-15 HBARs and for those which have flash suppressors.

I use a one-piece teflon coated rod made by Dewey. I always feed it from the chamber end after removing the bolt carrier. Bore guides also exist for use from the chamber end for those who are adamant about avoiding barrel damage.

I also use bore snakes, especially while at the range. I always put a wet coating of CLP in my bore as a final cleaning step, and I use the bore snake to clean it out before I commence fire. While some believe they do not do as good a job brush-wise as a rod and brush, I find them handy when I'm spending a lot of time at the range and want to do a periodic quick cleaning. The big advantage they do have is the incredible amount of soft material area, something like 40 or 50 patches worth, which you get in one shot. To keep them clean I just run them periodically thru the dish washer in the plastic basket for small items on the utensil rack.

It is ALWAYS far better to clean a rifle barrel from the chamber end than from the muzzle end, if at all possible. I would also use a bore guide as it centers the rod and keeps solvents from going down into the trigger well. There are many different cleaning rods out there, coated and uncoated and of course stainless steel. Dewey, Bore Tech and several other companies make good rods. A one piece rod is a must and I prefer it coated. Cleaning rods will NOT induce or agravated throat erosion, they will ding a muzzle crown and make your accuracy go out the window. Throat erosion is caused by the hot burning gases from the gun powder eating at the steel in the throat area, cleaning will not cause throat erosion unless you are cleaning with acid.

Dewy.

A LOONG time ago I was introduced to Dewey rods by the precision rifle gang I was thrust into by my own curiosity.

Long story short, Dewey, Bore tech, Sinclair.
(If Sinclair handles it, it's good stuff!)

If it all possible always clean from the chamber forward.

Stainless rods are out there and have been for a while.
What is interesting is their composition.
Some are "Soft" and suffer the effect of being succeptable to being imbedded with abrasive particles. others are "Hard" and are preferrable.

Dewey rods in either the coated or stainless are safe bets.

Bore guides are cheap insurance.

Call me an old curmudgeon, but Dewey products and Fred Sinclair have been good to me.

S-28

Dewey - 'nuff said. Just picked up a pair of Bore Tech for the BR rifle ..... heard their coating wears off, but we'll see soon enough.

YMMV, but I doubt it.

Another vote for Dewey.  Just be sure to get the male threaded one and not the female threaded one.  The only thing is that I don't care for the jag that comes with it.  I prefer the Parker-Hale style, but that's more of a preference issue.  

Female threaded jags, loops, and brushes are available from Brownells so you don't have to use the adapter.

EDITED TO ADD:
I've never used a Bore-Tech, but I've heard good things about them.

I use a dewey rod at home and have an Otis Buttstock kit or pistol grip kit for each rifle.  I was at a gunshow this weekend and found the buttstock kit for $20.00 and the pistol grip kit for $15.00, I asked (stupidly ) if the price was correct.

Quoted: I use a dewey rod at home and have an Otis Buttstock kit or pistol grip kit for each rifle.  I was at a gunshow this weekend and found the buttstock kit for $20.00 and the pistol grip kit for $15.00, I asked (stupidly ) if the price was correct.

+1 and a number of Bore Tech rods.

I have Dewey and Tetra plastic coated rods , with Dewey Jags in all the calibers I own . The Dewey Rods are nice but the Tetras come with a bore guide already on the rod . I also have the Otis pull through and a bag of Boresnakes .

I'm a firm believer it not over cleaning so the Boresnakes get used the most .

Dewey and an Otis system for the field.

Dewey coated rods all the way.Been using the same rods for the last five years and they are still going strong.Dewey also makes the best bore brushes on the market IMHO.
For field cleaning I use the Otis buttstock system or an Cleenbore SACS.Really like the SACS...fast easy to use.
Raymond