After a lot of issues I ended up with the following to clean my .17 caliber rifles. I use a Mike Lucas bore guides in all my rifles.
I clean my .17 Remington and my .17HMR using a Tipton Carbon fiber rod. I've been using the same rod for a couple of years and it works fine as long as I don't abuse it by using too heavy a patch on it. I use the Tipton Jag with Outers 1" x 1" bulk patches (package part number 42351). I use a Tipton loop that I only pull patches through the bore with to coat it with solvent. The loop won't push patches through the bore but it will pull them through.
I use WipeOut foaming bore cleaner or BoreTech eliminator after I've used SLIP2000 or GM-TEC to get the carbon out.
I tried Dewey rod but it bent and took a set about the third stroke so I threw it away.
The .17 rods are the exception to the rule - I've not had good experiences with carbon fiber rods in .22 caliber and up rifles or handguns - but in my .17 they work best of all.
I use coated Dewey rods exclusively for my .270 and up rifles. I use a cleaning rod from the folks that developed WipeOut for all my .22 caliber rifles
http://www.sharpshootr.com/rods%20jags%20patches.htm.
I have routine use of a borescope and I've seen more rifle barrels ruined by cleaning with a bare rod and no guide than any other cause. Most of the time the rod wears a literal groove in the side of the throat because it bends and rubs when pushed. The bare rods can also peen the inside of the barrel and batter the lands in the throat reigon which destroys accuracy.
Rifles that are cleaned with coated rods pushed through bore guides have bores that fail due to thermal errosion from being shot so much - i.e. they are just plain worn out through normal wear and tear.
Fitch