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What do you have for a cleaning kit?

blindndead

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I'm still using my K-mart cleaning kit from 35 years ago just a simple wooden box, rod, brushes, nothing fancy but looking to update seeing my brushes are turning green, missing some patch guides. what is everybody using in 2020 I have seen some multi tool looking screwdriver kits that everything stores neatly in the handle or bore snakes the way to go? it the box kit still the way to go to keep it simple? Thoughts/ Product recommendations.
 
I added so many items (fiberglass rods to not scratch bores, chemicals, brushes, etc.) that most of it fits in a large plastic toolbox from HD or Lowes. What I found that works much better than brushes is these o-ring cleaning jags.
 
i have a tool box full of misc crap...brushes, jags, patches, hoppes, sprays, toothbrushes. i recently, as of a couple of years ago started using otis cleaning kits for both pistol and rifle...and ballistol as well. works just fine. any collection of cleaning paraphernalia will work just fine if you put in the effort.
 
I'm still using my K-mart cleaning kit from 35 years ago just a simple wooden box, rod, brushes, nothing fancy but looking to update seeing my brushes are turning green, missing some patch guides. what is everybody using in 2020 I have seen some multi tool looking screwdriver kits that everything stores neatly in the handle or bore snakes the way to go? it the box kit still the way to go to keep it simple? Thoughts/ Product recommendations.
I made my own and store it in a long rectangular Rubbermaid food container. It contains two T-handled aluminum multi-section cleaning rods, bronze brushes and slotted patch tips for 12 gauge, .22 caliber and .30 caliber, along with with a jar of Hoppes #9 and Break-Free CLP. I cut my own cleaning patches from worn-out skivvy shirts. Save some $$ that way. My kit is certainly not fancy, but it is practical and serves us well. We only have three shotguns and five rifles at our home here in MA to maintain. I am sure that others at NES have a lot more than that to take of.
 
I added so many items (fiberglass rods to not scratch bores, chemicals, brushes, etc.) that most of it fits in a large plastic toolbox from HD or Lowes. What I found that works much better than brushes is these o-ring cleaning jags.
Interesting didn't know there was such a thing. Thanks.
 
I own two complete cleaning kits. One is a Beretta kit that I use for any 9x19 pistol. The other is a King Competition 12-gauge kit. I really like these two.

For rifles, and also my 16-gauge shotguns, I use bore snakes, Hoppe's, RemOil, and a collection of random tools I've acquired.

Edit: if we're including cleaning rags, white t-shirts FTW except for optics. Optics cleaning cloths.
 
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I have a case of M-Pro cleaner, love the stuff. Mobil-1 for lube. I'm also big on the bore snake. Dental picks, q-tips, toothbrushes. And the silicone rag. Big fan of that last step.
 
I don't know what a cleaning kit is... I own Glocks




















Just kidding.... I have WAY more cleaning gear than I need. Mostly just end up using a good amount of CLP, rags, brushes, etc. I have some high speed crap but I mostly just do what I learned in the Marines. CLP + elbow grease + time = clean
 
I keep it simple. 2 bore snakes, small wire brush set, toothbrush, small bottle used motor oil, whatever cleaner is around (car brake cleaner works well for grime on bolts/barrels), CLP. That's literally it. Nothing fancy.
 
Same one I used in the army, in terms of the CLP and the toothbrushes and a dental pick I found somewhere. Instead of a cleaning rod with brushes and patches, though, I use boresnakes. That's it. It helps that I can now buy my own guns, meaning I'll never again need to clean an AR.

I clean every time I shoot. If you keep them clean, you'll never need to make them clean.
 
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My cleaning kit is basically two small cardboard boxes full of shit, and an old cigar box filled with brushes, jags, patch holders, and allen wrenches, and 4 different cleaning rods, 2 long ones, one with a bore guide one without, and a short alumium pistol cleaning rod and then another larger one with a bigger handle thing on it I think that is brass. One box of shit has cleaners and oils in it, the other one has my arredondo mag brush, other mag / gun / tooth type brushes and a pile of boresnakes. Usually there is enough space in the chem box to stuff a roll of paper towels and a bag of large patches in there too, as well as some Q-tips. I think there are a couple of dental picks floating around in a box too. Also a box of nitrile gloves. I don't use them just for one gun, but if I am cleaning up a ton of stuff or something exceptionally dirty, they come in handy. I replenish worn brushes as needed etc. I have a few junker skinflint cleaning kits downstairs too that I steal stuff from occasionally, but the rods and some of the other stuff are junk in those things.
 
A few one piece rods and all kinds of assorted junk I've collected over the years. Some brushes, picks etc. I have a bunch of patches and some cleaning rags (mostly old t-shirts). I just bought a couple of bore snakes to try them out. I have a bunch of SLIP 2000 stuff, enough to last a lifetime. When they were sponsoring the MA States they would send me hundreds of the sample packs a year. Way more than I needed and I used to leave the stuff out for free at matches and practices still had stuff left over. I keep all of it in an old Craftsman toolbox I got when I was in HS.
 
Dewey coated cleaning rods in various sizes, Shooters Choice bore cleaner and CLP for gun oil.
I like one piece rods and have bore guides for my custom rifles.
Otis kits and old school USGI kits for range use if needed.
I don't mind cleaning guns and have a lot of stuff I use to do so.
 
Otis Tech pull through kit with an addition of ProShot brass jags. Combination of G96 oil and Mpro-7 cleaner.
 
I’ve been using bore snakes more often than not lately. most of the firearms I’ve been shooting this summer I can’t run a cleaning rod through from the chamber. Yeah AK’s and lever actions!! otherwise I have a stupidly large collection of cleaning rods a few Tiptons, a bunch of Deweys. assorted from 6, 12, 18” up to 36” for the long bores. i’ve waffled between nylon brushes and brass. Oh and crap tons of Qtips and old tshirts for rags and making patches. Will have to try that Oring Jag it looks interesting.

my go to solution is Ballistol for cleaning or Kroil for the heavy carbon deposits. I also have rem oil and a couple types of grease with TW25 my usual go to for the heavy contact points or cold weather use.

I use an ultrasonic cleaner for stainless steel suppressor baffles. haven’t put anything else in there yet too afraid of messing up the part or finish.

get a good size tool box or fishing tackle with some small compartments. moving between 3 houses I can tell you consolidating all the gear into a single container plus the rods will be a godsend.
 
Never seen a good kit, will try to spell out brands if I have time later, but you can pretty much get very well by as follows:

I like cleaning patches that are the slick highly compressed type, not the cloth type that frays and leaves bits. I buy them in a 2x2 shotgun size, cut them down for smaller calibers, use 2 or 3 for larger.

Cleaning rods - single piece quality coated versions, a .17 size for .22lr, a .22 size for all other calibers is fine. A little piece of a junky old kit is fine for pistols.

I use loop style patch holders, aluminum or brass for 5.56 and under, plastic for everything else.

A rubber rest, ie designed for bench shooting with a small and large size, is good for holding any rifle or upper on a bench while you run a rod through it.

A short piece of a junky rod with a plastic chamber brush, a small pair of vice grips on the tag end, great for spinning in AR and similar chambers to free up debri.

Gun scrubber, Remington spray oil, hoppes solvent, and tetra. Then whatever oils and greases you use on your guns..

Big wide mouth glass jars, one full of clear kero for soaking parts, one to catch solvents running out of barrels and such when you spray them out.

Gun scrubber, spraying barrels, tubes, and parts out to remove loose debri, lubricants, and cleaners. Hoppes for normal cleaning purposes. Tetra for problem areas, heavy duty removal. Remington spray oil I spritz patches with for that last couple swipes to leave a light coat of oil in the barrel.

Bore brushes, whatever you like for whatever you own..

Nitrile gloves.

A bore light can also be helpful.
 
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