You can’t get better than hardwood dowel but it must be bore size. Smaller diameter will have room to flex and break. Jacked bullets are worse if wrong diameter rod is used first. I’ve never run across a squib I couldn’t knock out easy if right size rod is used. Unfortunately they only show up after Bubba and all his range friends try everything they can fit in barrel. Using steel rod can damage bore, using undersize rod will end up trying to go between bullet and bore, sticking in worse. In general a 3/8ths brass rod will handle 38 to 50 cal handguns. Don’t peck when taking out squib
hit it smartly.