Cleaning Rod question

[rck281]

I have a steel cleaning rod that came out of a box for a 1951 K-frame gun that I think is original. I thought all rods after WWII were aluminum. Were some of the steel rods used as late as 1951?

Shown with an aluminum rod on top.

 

[gjamison]

could that be a colt rod?

i always thought they where aluminum...

 

[rck281]

I doubt that it is Colt. It's from a 1951 K-22 that is in the gold box. It was wrapped in tissue with the blued steel screwdriver, brush, and mop. All look original to me.

 

[jaketurtle]

I have same thing going on...

I have a smith 1953 k22 also that has that same steel cleaning rod. I got it at a gun show over 20 years ago so I don't know if it was orginal to the gun. (I hope not, because I have a few pre 1950 smiths that I'm trying to complete the box with) I can't find them anywhere (maybe because I'm searching for S&W cleaning rods if it is from an other company....) or maybe it is for the 1st or 2nd model K22 that the dealer just placed in the box that is pre-war.

I don't know but I too would love to know the answer to this.
-Matt

 

[Doc44]

I bought this set of cleaning tools from Roy Jinks in 2000 (they are for a .357 caliber handgun). At the time I bought them, he indicated they dated from 1946 to around 1949. The tools were wrapped in brown tissue-like paper. However, S&W never threw anything away and if they found a few steel cleaning rods in the early 50s, I am sure they would have shipped them with revolvers.

Bill

 

[handejector]

I bought this set of cleaning tools from Roy Jinks in 2000 (they are for a .357 caliber handgun). At the time I bought them, he indicated they dated from 1946 to around 1949. The tools were wrapped in brown tissue-like paper. However, S&W never threw anything away and if they found a few steel cleaning rods in the early 50s, I am sure they would have shipped them with revolvers.

Bill

I have seen these blue rods a few times.
They have always been with guns from the "gold box" era- late 40's, very early 50's. I am talking about pristine packages with matching boxes, leading me to believe no tampering or "marrying" had occured. As I recall, blue screwdrivers were also present every time.

I have never seen a reliable indicator that they predate the war.

My SUPPOSITION-
remember that in WW II, we see this looped handle appear on rods supplied to the Brits with a COPPER finish. I do not know if the US Gov was also supplied with them. All I have seen had labels for "38/200".
Anyway, it would seem a logical transition to dress them up with a blued finish after the war and include them with the guns. It would not take the factory long to realize unfinished aluminum was cheaper than blued steel.

 

[gunlovingirl]

That's a really nice set Bill! I'd love to have a set just like that for my '48 K-22!

 

[rck281]

The set I have is identical to Bill's except for a 22. It is in the brown tissue paper with a blued screwdriver, mop, and brush. As I said in the original post, mine if from 1951.