Cleaning Patches vs Plain Old Paper Towels

[NickC 23]

So, i got this sweet Mosin M44 from Ray Ray and have been shooting the $h1t out of it the last few days.

Which means i'm going through all my cleaning patches.

 

But i was curious, what's the down side of using just paper towels cut into squares? Am i the only cheap a$$ out there?

And before you say it... Yes, I'm to damn lazy to drive to Dick's

[Col. Mortimer 11]

Nothing wrong with being trifty. I bought some cotton bed sheets from a the thrift shop at Greystone in Parsippany. They were about $3.00 for two sheets and a pillow case. Cut those into patches and you're set for years. I think paper towels would just tear apart. The pillow case is good for cleaning lube and media dust off brass. I am not cheap, I am supporting a charity.

[papercutninja 24]

I'm sure you have an old t-shirt or two laying around that you don't wear, cut that up and you're good to go.

[RecessedFilter 222]

It's a mosin, nonetheless a bolt action. Not sure why your cleaning it so much or going through so many patches, all it is is a barrel and a bolt haha.

 

You can buy bulk packs of cheap rags that do the job well. I like Mikes suggestion of bed sheets.

[this_is_nascar 162]

Agreed with the old tee-shirts. The best for rags, cleaning, lubing, etc.

[NickC 23]

It's a mosin, nonetheless a bolt action. Not sure why your cleaning it so much or going through so many patches, all it is is a barrel and a bolt haha.

 

You can buy bulk packs of cheap rags that do the job well. I like Mikes suggestion of bed sheets.

 

Oh i'll clean everything as soon as i get back from the range.

Wrap a patch around the brass brush, dip it in solvent and run her through.

I'll do that until it sparkles.

What can i say, I gotz da OCD! I can't help myself.

[djg0770 481]

t-shirts are what I use, and socks and old tighty whiteys

[usnmars 136]

I go through about 1000 patches a month. I just order bulk from midway and keep a stock on hand. I am OCD when it comes to cleaning and I shoot a TON. For me cutting stuff up is just too much time when I am using so many.

[compujas 21]

I think paper towels would tend to leave lint and stuff behind while cotton cleaning patches don't leave nearly as much. I use cleaning patches for barrels and those blue shop towels for the rest on all my guns. The shop towels are a little more than plain paper towels I think but definitely cheaper than cleaning patches.

[Jon 264]

I go through about 1000 patches a month. I just order bulk from midway and keep a stock on hand. I am OCD when it comes to cleaning and I shoot a TON. For me cutting stuff up is just too much time when I am using so many.

 

This. Although I have had good luck finding bulk patches at other distributors through Google Shopping.

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

Just buy bulk patches. Time is money and they arent that expensive if you buy several thousand at a time. Paper towels are too flimsy. Good patches are aggresive in the bore and hold solvent well for better cleaning. If you are using a jag it is impossible to use paper towel.

[Sigman 41]

t-shirts are what I use, and socks and old tighty whiteys

 

Same here. I have a tablecloth I've been cutting up for the past couple of years. I think paper towels would rip a part.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Agreed with the old tee-shirts. The best for rags, cleaning, lubing, etc.

 

Another vote for tshirts. They are soft, absorbent and lintless. 5 minutes, a 3X tshirt, and a pair of scissors gives you a couple of hundred patches. After a bit of practice you will get the knack of cutting them to size.

 

Paper towels tear too easy and can be a bit abrasive.

[exfed2002 4]

So, i got this sweet Mosin M44 from Ray Ray and have been shooting the $h1t out of it the last few days.

Which means i'm going through all my cleaning patches.

 

But i was curious, what's the down side of using just paper towels cut into squares? Am i the only cheap a$$ out there?

And before you say it... Yes, I'm to damn lazy to drive to Dick's

 

Paper towels work fine for me, as do old cut up shirts and other fabrics.

[bbk 188]

My experience with paper towels are the annoying fibers that would be left when attempting to clean.

I use patches, but also use micro-fleece shop towels which can be repeatedly washed.

[Anselmo 87]

I use a bore snake of my guns. Can you use one on a Mosin?

[Gorilla800lbs 12]

A couple of people I spoke to on another forum swear by barrel-snakes. That variety with the cotton-y tail. Why not use those instead of patches?

[usnmars 136]

If shooting using corrosive ammo I would never use a snake. The possibility of contaminating the snake with corrosive salts and then using that snake on a different gun could cause issues. I dont like taking shortcuts so patches and brushes all the way for me.

[AnthonyG 36]

I use the "shop rags" you can buy at lowes and home depot they work well, also old under shirts.

[rdsmith3 19]

anyone use tampons ... I mean to clean your gun

[GRIZ 3,369]

If shooting using corrosive ammo I would never use a snake. The possibility of contaminating the snake with corrosive salts and then using that snake on a different gun could cause issues. I dont like taking shortcuts so patches and brushes all the way for me.

 

Generally I agree with you but I will use a boresnake after shooting any kind of ammo to clean out the big chunks and follow with brush and patches. Periodically, and always after using it to clean a gun that has shot corrosive ammo, I give my boresnake a good wash in soap and water. No sense in trying to get something dirty (a used boresnake) to clean with.

[Gorilla800lbs 12]

Generally I agree with you but I will use a boresnake after shooting any kind of ammo to clean out the big chunks and follow with brush and patches. Periodically, and always after using it to clean a gun that has shot corrosive ammo, I give my boresnake a good wash in soap and water. No sense in trying to get something dirty (a used boresnake) to clean with.

 

That's what my buddies tell me. Washing the bore-snake with dish soap takes the grime and grit out.

[Malsua 1,422]

t-shirts are what I use, and socks and old tighty whiteys

 

So if you run it down the barrel and it comes out with a brown stripe, are you sure the barrel is clean?

[hd2000fxdl 422]

So if you run it down the barrel and it comes out with a brown stripe, are you sure the barrel is clean?

 

I knew we were going to go down hill after that post...

[Malsua 1,422]

I knew we were going to go down hill after that post...

 

Leave it to me to aim it downhill and push

[Dan 177]

I have a few boresnakes, I never really got into using them. It was an extra step as I'd boresnake the bore, then wipe down the snake because I don't want to keep running a dirty snake down the barrel. At home , its easier to just use patches and throw them away.

 

The snake would be useful in a field kit for a quick cleaning, and you don't want to mess with carrying rods, jags, patches, brushes, etc around with you. Snake, rag, and some spray solvent is all that is needed. Spray down the bore, snake it, wipe the snake with rag, repeat as needed.

 

Paper towels are a bad idea. As others said, if you are being thrifty, go with old cotton clothing/sheets, etc and cut them up.