TFB's 5th Day Of Christmas: Cleaning Kits
Every time I lament cleaning guns after a range trip, I think about the regiment that black powder shooters have to undergo to avoid corrosion. Specifically, how I am able to use cotton patches and my choice of CLP rather than a bucket of hot water and dish soap.
I own and use all of the products listed here (and more). Gun maintenance products are a lot like holsters and mag pouches – as shooters we are constantly searching for the holy grail that does everything well. Instead, it’s probably best to have a variety of implement and solvents that fill different roles and work better on different platforms.
Speak up in the comments section if you have a kit or product that you like and it’s not listed here on TFB’s 5th day of Christmas.
RamRodZ Barrel Swabs – $9
Disposable cleaners have tightly wound, low-lint cotton heads that wipe away all kinds of fouling and powder residue without leaving any fibers behind. Heads are designed to expand into rifling grooves and conform to barrel walls for maximum cleaning. Designed not to splatter and splash solvent onto you or your gun’s finish. Also great for cleaning inside slides, chambers, receivers and magazine wells. Flexible bamboo handle won’t snap under pressure and helps you get into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
The PatchWorm Tactical Field Kit is our most comprehensive cleaning kit – and it still fits handily in a pocket. J-B Bore Cleaning Compound and super-intensive felt buttons are now included to tackle the toughest fouling. Ballistol Wipes provide easy clean-up and protection for all other surfaces. Offered in the following calibers:
.22 / .223 cal or 5.56mm
.30 cal or 7.62mm
.38 / 357 cal or 9mm
.40 cal
.45 calIncludes:
– PatchWorm cleaning rod (rifle, pistol or combo)
– caliber-specific cleaning head
– dozens of dry and wet cotton patches (with Ballistol Sportsman’s Oil)
– super intensive felt buttons – 5 pieces
– J-B Bore Cleaning Compound
– packet of Ballistol Wipes
– rugged plastic hinged-lid storage container
Hoppe’s BoreSnake – $15 (est)
Hoppe’s BoreSnake is the fastest bore cleaner on the planet. One pass loosens large particles, scrubs out the remaining residue with a bronze brush, then swabs it all spotless with a cleaning area 160x larger than a standard patch.
Add a few drops of Hoppe’s No. 9 Lubricating Oil or Hoppe’s Elite Gun Oil and your gun’s ready for storage.
The world’s quickest, three-step bore shine.
Extremely packable.
Available for rifles, shotguns and pistols.
Brass weight on the pull cord is stamped with the size.
Machine washable.
Patented one-piece design.
Otis Technology Cleaning System – $60 (EST)
Originally used by Special Forces, rifles chambered in 300 AAC Blackout (7.62x35mm) have quickly gained popularity among hunters and shooters. So whether your rifle is for combat or competition, shoot with confidence with a well-maintained rifle. Specifically designed to clean 300 AAC Blackout rifles.
– 8” and 30” Memory-Flex® cables for effective and correct Breech-to-Muzzle® cleaning
– Bronze bore brush and Mongoose® brush remove deposits and other fouling
– Chamber brush for cleaning star chamber area
– Specialized precision tools for complete breakdown and fine cleaning of all critical and hard to reach areas of your firearm
– Optics cleaning gear for care and maintenance of scopes, rangefinders and more
Ballistol – $30 (est)
For more than a hundred years, consumers have trusted Ballistol to lubricate, penetrate, clean, protect, and preserve their firearms, leather gear, wood, metal surfaces, and more. With an astonishingly wide range of applications, this environmentally friendly multi-purpose oil has become an essential tool for shooters, hunters, fishermen, and handymen all over the world.
Safariland Break-Free CLP – $20 (est)
Break Free® CLP® is the gold standard solution with only ONE STEP to clean, lubricate and protect your firearm. CLP is more than a superior lubricant, CLP actually cleans firing residue and other contaminates from the bore, moving parts and exterior of firearms while simultaneously reducing friction and protecting from corrosion.
Carbon fiber is well-suited to the tough tasks assigned to cleaning rods. It combines the best features of stainless steel and coated cleaning rods, then adds valuable properties of its own. Carbon fiber can’t scratch your bore like stainless steel, and they won’t embed like coated rods. Plus, Carbon Fiber rods can be bent to an extreme degree and return to their original straightness. Feature an ergonomically designed handle that spins on two sets of ball bearings – the result is a cleaning rod that smoothly follows the rifling both pushing and pulling, even while under pressure. The “shank-through” construction also allows the user to apply “reasonable” hammer blows to the end of the cleaning rod to get a tight patch through a bore.
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Note snakes are worth their weight in gold imo... Though that could be because of how light they are.
After going through 2 patchworms I can confidently say that they aren't worth the money. They break too easily.