Rifle Rods/Safe-Need suggestions

2SAM22 · Nov 10, 2016

I'm looking for an alternative to the plastic rods with velcro on top that can hold rifles upright in a safe.

I've made my own with wooden dowels with a coat of BLO and some JB weld for shotgun sized bores (pictured) and they work great, but w/AR type rifles wood isn't an option because the diameter would make them at least as flexible as the plastic rods.

Any ideas?

Hawkeye · Nov 10, 2016

Could you make your own similar to the wooden one there but with sections of (coated) cleaning rod?

2SAM22 · Nov 10, 2016

Hawkeye said:
Could you make your own similar to the wooden one there but with sections of (coated) cleaning rod?

My only idea was maybe plastidipped aluminum rod. Not quick but would be effective. I was just wondering if anyone has tried anything else.

jimbobborg · Nov 10, 2016

How about a section of plastic pipe to go outside the barrel?

Pinecone · Nov 10, 2016

Carbon fiber rods from kite store.

GolfR · Nov 10, 2016

Is your issue that the plastic ones are too flexible? I ended up building a small wooden shelf on one side of my safe to raise up the shorter ARs to be closer to the same height as the rest of the rifles so the rods don't bend as much. Gives me a little more storage space under the shelf for ammo too.

cap6888 · Nov 10, 2016

I just started looking at rifle rods for my safe. They didn't look too expensive. I guess the store bought ones aren't very sturdy?

MacGuns · Nov 10, 2016

As GolfR mentions, the lower down on the rod you go, the more it bends. I have been thinking of building a shelf as well to solve that problem. In the photo below, the ones on the left are at the lowest level of the rod, so they tend to shift easily. The tall milsurps stand nice and straight and don't move. Other than that, I have been very happy with them. My 24 gun safe can now fit 26. Before the rods I was only able to fit about 16 or 18.

Melnic · Nov 10, 2016

GolfR said:
Is your issue that the plastic ones are too flexible? I ended up building a small wooden shelf on one side of my safe to raise up the shorter ARs to be closer to the same height as the rest of the rifles so the rods don't bend as much. Gives me a little more storage space under the shelf for ammo too.

That's what I did sort of. My ARs sit on top of boxes of Greek HXP 30-06 ammo.
The Garands/1903a3 are in a different safe.

thin fiberglass rods is a good idea. Or take a cheap aluminum sectional rifle cleaning kit from walmart and then use the aluminum rods as is

davsco · Nov 10, 2016

jimbobborg said:
How about a section of plastic pipe to go outside the barrel?

now there's someone thinking "outside" the box...

Flametamer · Nov 10, 2016

DIY option:

deerhtr · Nov 10, 2016

use a rod thats bigger than the diameter on the flash hider cut/sand down a smaller portion just big enough to fit the flash hider but not go in the barrel.

Boom Boom · Nov 10, 2016

Flametamer said:
DIY option:

I've tried that. I strongly advise against it. Heat shrink tubing is easily damaged by barrel rifling. Not worth the risk for multiple reasons. The coating on rifle rods is much more robust.

2SAM22 · Nov 10, 2016

deerhtr said:
use a rod thats bigger than the diameter on the flash hider cut/sand down a smaller portion just big enough to fit the flash hider but not go in the barrel.

Possibility, some good ideas here!

cap6888 said:
I just started looking at rifle rods for my safe. They didn't look too expensive. I guess the store bought ones aren't very sturdy?

Depending on the rifle they work great. I have a few that tend to bend to rods.

GolfR said:
Is your issue that the plastic ones are too flexible? I ended up building a small wooden shelf on one side of my safe to raise up the shorter ARs to be closer to the same height as the rest of the rifles so the rods don't bend as much. Gives me a little more storage space under the shelf for ammo too.

Yes too flexible. This could work if I make one side of the safe for the "shorties."

Pinecone said:
Carbon fiber rods from kite store.

This is a great idea, just not sure how easy they would be to find. I'll have to check it out.

jimbobborg said:
How about a section of plastic pipe to go outside the barrel?

Hmmmm

Sticky · Nov 10, 2016

Pinecone said:
Carbon fiber rods from kite store.

You can also get some pretty small diameter carbon fiber arrow shafts. I have some competition shafts that are probably small enough for a 223 rifle, never tried.

Most of my rifles wear optics, so I arrange mine with the shorter (AR's, etc.. ) ones on one side of the safe with a lowered shelf above and the longer guns go on the other side with a taller shelf to accept the added length. It minimizes the bend on the rods. The other thing I do it stand the rifles so the optics are resting against one side of the safe to help support them and minimize rod bend. The standard OP rifle rods work well for me..

jimbobborg · Nov 11, 2016

davsco said:
now there's someone thinking "outside" the box...

Yeah, unlike shotguns, do you really want to stick something inside a rifle barrel?

Pinecone · Nov 11, 2016

Carbon fiber rods are very available. Kite shops are a good place to look, also hobby shops (they are used as spars and supporting in RC model aircraft).

And of course, online.

Bolts Rock · Nov 11, 2016

Boom Boom said:
I've tried that. I strongly advise against it. Heat shrink tubing is easily damaged by barrel rifling. Not worth the risk for multiple reasons. The coating on rifle rods is much more robust.

You probably used cheap commercial heat shrink. Try clear kynar next time or get the mil-spec weatherizing type with the goop layer inside.

2SAM22 · Nov 11, 2016

I have an archery shop and a Hobby Lobby fairly close by (but not to each other). I'm not an archery person but do you think the commercially available carbon fiber like at Hobby Lobby would be as stiff as an arrow rod?

Doitsouthstyle · Nov 11, 2016

What if you used a large size diameter dowel from ceiling to a couple inches above barrel end and drilled and glued the right size dowel to fit into barrel would greatly decrease flex from narrow size running the distance and jump it up to a 5/8" to 3/4" dowel.

Rifle Rods/Safe-Need suggestions

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