PLEASE NOTE...I am not asking about any chemicals, solvents, cleaners, lubricants, or liquids.
I am only asking about the tools I need for proper gun care. I'll be glad to buy individual items if that's what it takes.
Yeah, I know I can go on Amazon and look around and get a decent kit but I want a high quality set of gun tools.
From 22 to 45 and from 410 to 12 gauge.
Essential Tools for Gun Cleaning
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
Just using a bore snake can leave the rifling grooves dirty. I use a brass/bronze brush for the caliber wrapped with a patch soaked in cleaning fluid. I run these from the breech to the muzzle, scrubbing gently as I go. I repeat this until the patches are fundamentally clean and then I will use a bore snake or brush with solvent to finish. I always use one wipe of G96 on a patch before storing the gun.
Originally Posted by Boomer
Just using a bore snake can leave the rifling grooves dirty. I use a brass/bronze brush for the caliber wrapped with a patch soaked in cleaning fluid. I run these from the breech to the muzzle, scrubbing gently as I go. I repeat this until the patches are fundamentally clean and then I will use a bore snake or brush with solvent to finish. I always use one wipe of G96 on a patch before storing the gun.
I just use a good sturdy cleaning rod and brass/bronze brushes. Clean from the Breech end and push it all the way through the barrel then pull all the way back. If you 'scrub' back and forth you will wear out your brushes quickly. I just use gun oil on everything else. I used to use carb cleaner, but that basically melted the plastic trigger mechanism on a marlin model 60 I was working on so I stay away from that now. I make my own patches out of old t-shirts. Main thing is to have a rod and attachments that are strong enough, preferably all metal.
My gun cleaning tool box always has a thick handle, medium bristle Oral-B toothbrush.
I've got a good set of dedicated gun tools, precision screwdrivers, sight tools, etc. and some, like a Glock tool are used to disassemble for cleaning.
For cleaning itself
Bronze and nylon brushes for getting into crevices. Old toothbrushes always end up in my cleaning box. Sturdy cotton swabs.
A few bore guides - over cleaning and muzzle contact can damage a rifle's accuracy.
A couple of J. Dewey cleaning rods (ball bearing, appropriately sized for various rifles and a pistol rod)
Brass brushes in appropriate calibers. Tipton and Dewey make nice ones. I avoid the ones with a steel core, and get all brass.
Brass jags in appropriate calibers.
All available on Amazon. Brass brushes wear out. I keep a few extra on hand.
Lots of patches, rags, and of course, a wide variety of solvents and gun oils, all of which seem to work pretty well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002V0ZY2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BO6O3B0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053TVPV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IVSOQ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HS7E068/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Originally Posted by Gebo
PLEASE NOTE...I am not asking about any chemicals, solvents, cleaners, lubricants, or liquids.
I am only asking about the tools I need for proper gun care. I'll be glad to buy individual items if that's what it takes.
Yeah, I know I can go on Amazon and look around and get a decent kit but I want a high quality set of gun tools.
From 22 to 45 and from 410 to 12 gauge.
Originally Posted by Astro14
I've got a good set of dedicated gun tools, precision screwdrivers, sight tools, etc. and some, like a Glock tool are used to disassemble for cleaning.
For cleaning itself
Bronze and nylon brushes for getting into crevices. Old toothbrushes always end up in my cleaning box. Sturdy cotton swabs.
A few bore guides - over cleaning and muzzle contact can damage a rifle's accuracy.
A couple of J. Dewey cleaning rods (ball bearing, appropriately sized for various rifles and a pistol rod)
Brass brushes in appropriate calibers. Tipton and Dewey make nice ones. I avoid the ones with a steel core, and get all brass.
Brass jags in appropriate calibers.
All available on Amazon. Brass brushes wear out. I keep a few extra on hand.
Lots of patches, rags, and of course, a wide variety of solvents and gun oils, all of which seem to work pretty well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002V0ZY2Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BO6O3B0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053TVPV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IVSOQ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HS7E068/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
JHZR2
Staff member
Drive up to PA and visit bore tech outside Allentown. Great group of folks, great products.
Essential? Some q tip type swabs, some toothbrush type thing, and some patches. Essential and most robust for a pistol? Get the cheapo glock plastic rod and patch holder. Lousy? Yes. Functional? Yes. There are much nicer bearing rods and jags and patch holders. Definitely recommend moving up in time. But essential? That plastic piece will probably last forever or at least until you force it and crack it.
I also like the cheap bore snakes from amazon. On occasion I've even pulled the brush out. Just spray with a gentle, non-ammonia cleaner on the leading part, oil on the trailing part, and pull it through in a pinch. It has limitations for sure, but it's good in a pinch.
Good info, Astro.
I've been re-building a gun cleaning kit. I had some stuff back in the 90's and 2000's, but through 3 moves, 2 home sellings and time spent on other things, it appears all that stuff has disappeared, rotted or become useless.
I have accumulated about 4 white t-shirts that have become un-wearable. I'm spending some free minutes here and there cutting them up into 3" squares. I'll have enough patches made to most likely last 20+ years.
BTW, if you are a little timid about gun cleaning, taking one down properly, cleaning properly, etc.... there's some great youtube videos out there, usually for any make/model/caliber. I highly suggest spending 30-45 minutes finding some good info there and learning your tools than to take them somewhere to have them "cleaned" by someone and not learn how to take care of your stuff.
Originally Posted by Gebo
How do ya'll store all your cleaning products?
Originally Posted by Gebo
I'm looking at the Tipton bore cleaning rod and the Tipton bronze brushes and nickel jags.
I saw where you want to make sure the cleaning rod has a ball bearing handle allowing it to swivel with the rifling.
I would say buy a good set of hollow ground screw drivers. I use Bore Snakes most of the time. A good set of punches and a brass punch are a must.
Originally Posted by Gebo
How do ya'll store all your cleaning products?
1) A fexible cable. I've been pleased with these. They work very well for most guns.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/sho...patriot-small-bore/2533725.uts?slotId=12
2) One piece cleaning rods. I have a few guns where breech cleaning would require major tear down of the gun, such as a Browning BL-22 lever action. If I have to run a rod through the muzzle, I want a one piece rod.
3) A set of nylon and brass brushes.
4) A Remington Squeegee. They sure speed up the process of cleaning out the solvent.
https://www.amazon.com/Interstate-A...9XHXETEMFZT&psc=1&qid=1583451601
5) A gun cleaning vise. You don't have to spend a lot. The cheap ones work great. In fact, if you look at the reviews, the cheap ones are often rated higher than vises costing 3 times as much.
https://www.cabelas.com/product/sho...pton-gun-butler-vise/708669.uts?slotId=1
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