So first I did some searching and found this http://www.njgunforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2124 but I'm still at a loss here. What exactly is needed in a cleaning kit? Which is better to go with? A premade kit or a little homebrew kit? I've seen a mention of brake cleaner, q-tip brand qtips, hoppes 9, mobile1 synthetic oil, etc etc.

 

On a side note I think a sticky thread that contains the must haves for noobs would greatly help in the future.

My must haves include:

 

surgical grade tweezers

picks

cut up white cotton t-shirts, excellent for patches or whatever

Q tips - if you fluff the ends nicely they make a pretty good 22 cal 'cleaning patch'

brake cleaner or gun scrubber - don't use on plastics

Hoppe's #9

ammonia and water for de-corrosive-izing my Mosin with a 30 cal mop

RemOil

Silicone cloth

Well, I think once you get into this sport a little more, you will learn new tips and tricks and a lot of personal preference.

 

I think most of us started out with the little kit from hoppes, and then added and subtracted things until we found what we like.

 

It's kind of hard to give you a definitive answer. You basically need a solvent and a lube (or a 1 step combining two of these.. like clp).. and stuff to get the dirt/carbon out and the cleaner/oil in.. lol

 

I can tell you what I use primarily:

 

Bore Snake

Rem-Oil spray can

Synthetic Motor Oil (Mobil 1)

Old Toothbrush

Lots of Butch's twill patches

Hoppes Rod with brushes and jag to fit

Q-tips

Mom's "Bad" Towel to cover work surface

Old undershirt for a rag.

 

I got plenty of stuff laying around for those "abnormal" circumstances too.

 

Sorry I can't give you a perfect answer.

to echo what djg and csj have already said, a solvent and/or lube (I use break free CLP myself) and some kind of bore brush/bore snake at the minimum. I'd recommend the Hoppes package to start with, and go from there. Its true, you'll learn your own way of cleaning

If you want a small kit you can take with you to the range, but still has all the essentials, check out the Otis cleaning kits. I just picked up one from Midway for about 30-35 bux the other day. Only thing missing is some sort of brush to get into nooks and crannies. It even comes with a little instructional video.

I started with the hoppes kit that you can get at walmarts/dicks for like $15.

 

added more patches, brake clean, lots of qtips, towel/mat to clean on.

 

and lots of latex gloves. =P

and lots of latex gloves.

 

Excellent for preserving skin and not leaving fingerprints - forgot that I have them too.

ron many different opinions on this topic. I like MPro7 because it is nontoxic and odorless. If you have other people in the house this is a good product.

I go the other route. Buy a top quality Dewey rod or similar and get a brass jag for each caliber needed. Solvent in your choice (many good ones), patches, lube (I use left over Mobil One oil), grease (I prefer Rig and Rig Stainless Steel Plus P). Little by little you will add items. Those starter kids are OK for handgun classes and we give them out to new recruits but for long term get quality.

 

You can find everything needed through Brownell's http://www.brownells.com/ or Midway http://www.midwayusa.com/.

 

Brownell's tends to be better for smaller and less available tools.They also have a small package mailing rate.

too add what i saw missing.

 

pipe cleaners

 

an old tooth brush

Don't forget the infamous EDS RED....

Never saw the perfect kit. I like Dewey rods and various brass brushes and jags. Swabs are especially good for revolvers for cleaning all the chambers. Like others have posted, lots of Q-tips on-hand are good, latex gloves are nice, cheap toothbrushes are good to have and paper plates too. I use old oven trays to clean parts on with paper plates to make small puddles of cleaning solvent or oil to work with, always gives you a clean surface to lay parts down on and makes cleanup a breeze. I also have a vertically mounted paper towel rack on the wall next to my bench, vertically mounted makes them easier to tear off when your hands are full. I have a hook overhead to hang plastic shopping bags on and throw my spent patches and whatever in it, also makes for safer and easier cleanup. I even installed a small utility exhaust fan (180 cfm fan from Home Depot) over my bench and ducted outside for ventilation.

 

If you or anybody have some questions, always feel free to post or pm me. Happy to help.

Are we talking rimfire? Rifle or pistol?

 

For rimfire, heres a good one: http://patchworm.com/

 

There is no need to use a brush on a rimfire unless you have lead deposits which should not be happening. For lead fouling in center fire, use a Chore Boy all-copper pad, cut up and wrapped around a small brush or nylon brush. Use an ammonia based cleaner for copper fouling. I use Barnes. MidwayUSA has customer reviews for products and I find them helpful.

get Hoppes Elite its non toxic and good for the environment!

DJG, what do you use the tweezers for? Maybe I should add them to my kit??

 

Ron, allow me to add:

 

an old cell phone charger with aligator clips, a metal rod, and some heat shrink tubing. Works incredibly well for stubborn .22 lr lead.

DJG, what do you use the tweezers for? Maybe I should add them to my kit??

 

Ron, allow me to add:

 

an old cell phone charger with aligator clips, a metal rod, and some heat shrink tubing. Works incredibly well for stubborn .22 lr lead.

 

Hey Chad, could you elaborate on this one? Sounds like a kinky torture device..

Ron, you can probably use it for that also. lol

 

Here are a few articles that cover this process in detail. . .

 

 

this one uses a flashlight for power

 

here is some more info

 

here is another one with batteries

 

I just took an old cell phone charger with the same output as a couple of batteries and put alligator clips on both ends. The metal rods are available at home depot or lowes or most hobby shops, they call it piano wire.

 

Once the solution is filled to the top of the bbl, and the thing is plugged in, you'll be amazed at how much black / brown gunk comes out of the bbl (even after you just cleaned it with brushes and patches) , it starts foaming and stuff, its pretty cool.

DJG, what do you use the tweezers for? Maybe I should add them to my kit??

 

Cheap Harbor Freight model, stainless steel, made in India - sorry I didn't see your question earlier, I just assumed you were trying to derail another thread

MEEEEE??? Derail a thread???? NEVER! lol

 

What are the tweezers used for? (besides when matt has to go peepee)

What are the tweezers used for?

 

 

stuffing patches into tiny corners and cleaning out crud, pulling qtips out of 22 barrels, holding tiny springs, I even use the handle part to depress the spring retainer on my 1911 with FLGR so I can rotate the bbl bushing.

Good idea....I will be picking a pair up for my kit. They sound useful.

For a new guy with rifles i would recommend the following.

 

1pc cleaning rod. (the jointed aluminum ones in the kits are bad ju-ju)

ballistol(for general cleaning)

Sweets 7.62(to remove heavy copper deposits. I use about every other cleaning)

bulk patches

brake cleaner

Mobil one synthetic 30wt

Balistol is great cause you can use it for Blackpowder also....

Ron, you can probably use it for that also. lol

 

Here are a few articles that cover this process in detail. . .

 

 

this one uses a flashlight for power

 

here is some more info

 

here is another one with batteries

 

I just took an old cell phone charger with the same output as a couple of batteries and put alligator clips on both ends. The metal rods are available at home depot or lowes or most hobby shops, they call it piano wire.

 

Once the solution is filled to the top of the bbl, and the thing is plugged in, you'll be amazed at how much black / brown gunk comes out of the bbl (even after you just cleaned it with brushes and patches) , it starts foaming and stuff, its pretty cool.

 

SCIENCE!! :mrgreen: