What's the Mosin Cleaning Rod really for?

[maintenanceguy 510]

I bought a 91/30 a couple of months ago.  I just realized to day that the rod that threads in place under the barrel is shorter than the barrel.  It's got a hole in the end to accept a patch but a cleaning rod shorter than the barrel doesn't seem like it's going to do much cleaning.

 

What is it really for?

[JT Custom Guns 959]

Dipstick?

[JT Custom Guns 959]

Actually, it's not all that uncommon to have surplus rifles come with wrong parts.

I'm not a Mosin expert, but possibly the cleaning rod is from another model wit h

a shorter barrel?

[djg0770 481]

 

Additional explanation here: http://www.shootersforum.com/ex-military-rifles-cartridges/47731-clean-rod-mosin-nagant-m44.html

 

The rods of two or three rifles were typically joined together to make a rod of sufficient length.  Similar to how the US military issued each GI a "half tent" kit.

[GRIZ 3,369]

 

Cleaning rods for many bolt action military rifles were assembled from several rifles as dig0770 described. Mausers among them.

[MosinRob 1]

you have to add the other pieces to it to make it the right size like djg shows. I don't recommend using it because a steel rod will wear out the end of the barrel if not used carefully and properly. also i have had shells from surp ammo crack and expand in the chamber. take the rod and throw it down the barrel and it busts it out. 

[HuntingPaper 62]

To roast marshmallows on a bonfire...

[302w 83]

To clean out your barrel with some diesel fuel after you're done fighting Nazis/Finnish/Chinese/Bolsheviks/Communists/Afghans/whoever else, because the five people who used your rifle before you that day probably didn't clean it.

 

Also, I don't see how the rod can be connected to another rod.