Pistol cleaning kits

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Bat22

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My semi-auto should be arriving soon - after over two weeks :mad: - so I'm very eager to know:

What brand [or combination of brands] do you guys use to clean your pistols? What are your thoughts on other brands as well?
 
Hoppe's cleaning and lubricating products. Benchrest #9 copper solvent and #9 gun oil. DAC Gunmaster cleaning rods and adapters...Various jags, old T shirts for patches and gun rags and bronze brushes in various calibres.
 
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No kit. Just a quality rod (I use Dewey) and jags/loops/brushes in various calibers. Plus lots of cotton patches, Hoppes #9 and BF CLP.
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The choices and endless and mind boggling.
I use a Hoppes BoreSnake most of the time and a nylon toothbrush for cleaning the hard to reach places.
I like M-Pro 7 Cleaning solvent from Brownells and Tetra Gun Grease for lubricant.
 
I don't use a "kit".

I'd opt to purchase all the components seperately. Here's what I use.

1) Rod(s) I use a plastic rod for patches that came from a service holster. Built in jag, just push the patches through. When I need a brush, I use the one that came with a Springfield 1911.

2) Patches. Old t-shirts work as well as the store bought patches. All they are is a non-abrasive thing to hold solvent or oil on its way down the bore.

3) Solvent. I like Shooters Choice. Used to use Hoppes, but the recipe changed about a decade ago and I no longer think it works well.

4) Brushes. Nylon works for both the bore and toothbrush style for small parts.

5) Lubricant. A good oil and a dab of grease for some autos. The only oil I've deliberately avoided is RemOil because it tends to get too sticky in cold weather.
 
Your first gun I assume?

I would backup the Hoppes kit, or a Kleenbore kit, whatever your local gun shop has in stock for your caliber pistol, should suite you well. The starter kits will likely serve you for several months of single handgun cleaning.

I'd get that plus a box of cotton swabs, and some extra cloth towels. I use some very clothy blue shop towels a lot.
 
The rod is important, you should spend the $ for a rubber-coated rod.

Many a fine pistol has had it's accuracy degraded from over-aggressive banging of a metal cleaning rod damaging the muzzle of a gun.

Here's another cleaning suggestion, when using brass brushes, I like to use one size-larger. (if 9mm -buy a .40, if .40-use a .45, if .45-use a .50 diameter). It doesn't harm the bore and I find that it does a better job scrubbing the fouling out.
 
I would also suggest getting one of these little collapsable mini-kits at Wal-Mart for about $5. It all stores in the handle, which is about the size of a C and D cell battery, stacked on top of each other. This is not your primary cleaning stuff. Keep it in the range bag, your glove box, or trunk along with a small squeese or pump bottle of solvent ($3). That way if you ever get in a bind at the range you at least have SOMETHING. I have one in my bag. Never used it, but it's there. Also in there is a multi-tool - a knock-off Leatherman. I use it for everything from adjusting sites to pulling slivers out of my fingers. I also have two 10" pieces of dowel rod, just in case I (or another shooter) gets a squib.

Those three things, IMHO, belong in any range bag. Nothing worse than getting to the range, paying your fee, shoot three or four cylinders only to have something happen that ruins your trip because you can't fix it right there - but could if you had the tools!

Q
 
I use a standard Hoppes kit with #9 solvent for all my guns, augmented with a few extra tools that I like - two-headed nylon brush, Q-tips, RemOil, paper clips, and Bore Snakes.
 
Thank you everyone for your prompt feedback. Yes, this is my first gun and, in the $900 range, I darn sure wanna make it last. :eek: I'll take each of your experiences to heart.
 
"Where's Charles "The Hammer" Martel when you need him?"
1911 Guy: where, and when, did you meet Charles Martel? And did you pass George Patton on the way?
Cordially, Jack
 
1911guy wrote:

5) Lubricant. A good oil and a dab of grease for some autos. The only oil I've deliberately avoided is RemOil because it tends to get too sticky in cold weather.
Click to expand...

Huh -- interesting. I wonder if that's why my XD was a bit recalcitrant when I tried to shoot it in some very cold weather. RemOil is my most used cleaning supply -- I hope the promises on the can to clean and lubricate are accurate ;) http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=260746
 
yhtomit, I'd definately try swapping lubes since it worked fine before and nothing, presumeably, has been changed. With only 200 rounds on it, it's way too early to be looking at spring failure.

jaydubya, I've met them both in several places. They're called "books". As a history buff, I've read a few and looked at the pretty pictures in a lot more.
 
Kit?

I don't clean barrels. Will Shuemann is correct.

I do chambers, extraction and that is all I concern myself about, and mags.

Auto Parts store has these wire brushes, with a loop on the end, smush loop to through barrel "if" choose to shove through with a patch.
Twist and turn to clean chamber.

I most times use the one bent, like a shotgun chamber brush, and rack slide, twist and turn chamber, hit the extract and use a drop of Kleen-bore Formula 3 from out of a itty bitty Tabasco sauce bottle.

Pipe cleaner and that itty bitty bottle means I don't have to use that brush.

Fits in a pill bottle, handy, works, and this and glass pill bottles, or old shoe tins are what we did , mentors did in the mid 50's when I was born.

We got guns to shoot, not clean.
We'd run 500 rds a day or more , each day of the week, cleaning cut into shooting and reloading time.

Gal of Formula 3 we had to go to, as Browning quit making them tin cans of their oil we liked for clean and lube.

Shooting lead means Lewis Lead Remover or brass wool, copper wool and punching through chamber.
Get the lead load right, and not even worry about lead ...
 
Progress report: I tried cleaning my pistol with my brother's general kit that he uses comfortably with his shotgun. The rod's attachments were decent enough but the rod adapter was about as big as the barrel and it took a while of rubbing for it to finally sink in. :banghead: I'm currently using my custom assortment. A fishing tackle box works very well with the items. I'm trying out Hoppe's solvent and lubricant - but also have Remington wipes - a nylon Dewey rod with a few Pro-Shot accessories, Outers patches, ear-tip cleaners, and a couple soft-bristled toothbrushes. All in all, I guess it looks professional enough while I get used to the motions. :scrutiny:
 
OOh, sorry to hear about the shotgun rod episode. Hope you didn't gugger up your barrel, as most I've seen are knurled.

The stuff you've got on hand now should do the job just fine. Since you've got a tackle box, toss in a rag or two to clean up spills and wipe your hands.
 
I use BreakFree CLP. It Cleans,Lubes, and Protects all in one. Works great, and comes in a handy spray bottle. I use nylon brushes, lint free rags that you can get at Home Depot paint section, gun cleaning patches, a toothbrush. When I'm done cleaning I wipe the gun down with a silicone cloth. It protects the finish and shines it up nicely. Has anyone tried the ultra-sonic cleaning offered by some gun shops? Think I read somewhere it was a good thing to do periodically.
 
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