How does the cleaning rod release work on a type 99 Arisaka?

[S.B.]

My first so I'm not familiar with these. Is it suppose to extend below the wood or be flush with the wood?
Steve

[Deano41]

There are two cleaning rod "releases". One is square, and the button extends a bit below the square housing. Pushing the square button releases the rod.
The other is round, and it is not a release button. The short cleaning rod screws into the round button.
Which do you have?

[S.B.]

What's the length of a short cleaning rod? Mine has the round button.
Steve

[Deano41]

There were two types of short rods. The first thing you need to know is which arsenal and series your rifle is. Here is a website that will help you with that information. http://www.gunboards.com/sites/banzai/DataSheets/M99/M99Data.htm#Model_99

The rods are different sizes. Don Schlickman makes excellent repros, but you have to tell him which rifle you need the rod for. They are not interchangeable. I notice he lists them by series number.
http://members.shaw.ca/tju/donspartslist.htm

The round button is held in by the front band screw. The rod screws into the round button. Your rifle would be in the "transition phase" of the type 99 production.

As a side note, each arsenal was assigned a block of series numbers. The serial number, to the right of the series stamp, was in a block of 100,000, and the same serial numbers were repeated in each series. The series number is the key to dating the production run.

[Guamsst]

May require twisting, jiggling, tapping with a wood block. The square button should be flush when you remove the rod. THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT BUBBA OR HIROKI SAN DID TO THE ROD BEFORE PUTTING IT IN.

If the rod is correct and won't come out, I just leave them. Makes em harder to lose that way.