Cleaning Kits

[nevermore5702]

Hello all, and my apologies if this isnt in the right forum.

I recently purchased my first handgun..an XD 45 4"
I then made my second purchase a couple days later, and bought a Taurus 38 for the missus

Ive been looking around for a good cleaning kit, but there seem to be about a thousand of em out there. Can anyone recommend a good one. I dont want to spend 200 bucks on a kit, but without a doubt want something that will keep my guns in top shape over the long haul, and if a 200 dollar kit is what it takes, then so be it.

I'm off to the range Saturday, and hope to go at least ove every week or two, and plan on cleaning them after every trip.

Also, any tips on cleaning? aside from ensuring its not loaded of course

Thanks!

 

[strat81]

I bought the cheapo Hoppes cleaning kit for 38/9mm when I bought my 24/7 for about $13 or so. It is sufficient for now. The rod heads (is that the correct term) are plastic, not brass. You'll deplete the patches and solvent quickly depending on how often quickly and how thoroughly you clean your weapons. I was very happy with the purchase, and it's small enough to keep in my range bag. I've since replenished it with some cotton patches from Walmart and a quart of #9 from Cheaper Than Dirt. The only other thing I recommend that isn't in the kit are a bunch of Q-tips which are great for tight spaces and applying lube to the rails and such.

 

[Croyance]

You don't need a whole kit.
You need: brush and jag for each caliber
A handle that it fits on (screw fit)
Cleaning fluid
Gun Oil
cotton patches
An oily cloth (no bits of anything, your finishes will be ruined) or silicon impregnated cloth.

I'd be surprised if that ran you $50 if you got the extra large bottles of fluid.
I don't like kits, they aren't all well made and often have stuff I won't use.

An old toothbrush is nice to pick at spots like the top strap of that revolver. A bronze brush for the more difficult things.
I find Q-tips handy too.

A small screwdriver set can be handy, about 1/8" or 3/16" across and narrow.

 

[wooderson]

Otis makes a good line of cleaning kits (can't remember the web address) - the 'tactical' kit is about $50 from Midway and will cover your caliber and any future calibers.

I'd also recommend purchasing a boresnake - very, very helpful for those times when you don't want to do a full cleaning after a range session.

 

[nevermore5702]

Thanks for the replies! Gonna take a look around tonight at your suggestions.

Thanks again!

 

[308win]

Check out the Otis and also boresnakes for quickie cleanup.

 

[brett30030]

Where are you seeing cleaning kits for $200? I would be interested in just what someone thinks makes them worth that!

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I normally have the seperate pieces, but my wife surprised me with this one once. It's pretty complete, though you'll have to resupply it with patches and oil, cleaner, etc. Cheap too.

http://www.ltdcommodities.com/home/...=381&Kwd=Gun cleaning&Item=403056-5GCK&Page=1

 

[Croyance]

That is one thing about getting kits - if you clean much, you will soon be buying more cleaning fluid and patches.

 

[Ops Officer]

I really like the heavy duty cotton flannel patches and wool swabs I get from Brownell's. The best bore cleaner so far has been Blue Wonder unless heavily fouled. But two applications are enough to rid lead and copper. I tweaked my cleaning routine slightly based on tips from another forum. I apply a very light coating of grease and oil floater on the rails of my autoloaders. I would go very light on the oil. And don't leave oil in the bore. Also, have Q-tip brand cotton swabs, which are more durable than most others. Have some pipe cleaners handy for those really hard to get places. BTW, I also have an XD45 Tactical, which is one fun gun. I slapped a TLR-2 light/laser on it, but I don't use it much. It is so reliable I use it for HD. My SIGs are for range and carry. My H&K USP45 Expert is a range gun.

 

[nevermore5702]

thanks for the links

brett, the 200 kits Ive seen are so called deluxe kits, fancy wooden box, etc. Heres a link to an almost 300 one
http://secure.armorholdings.com/kleen-bore/product147.html

seems like you pay more for the box than anything, but thought there might be something I was missing

 

[rockstar.esq]

Holy Cow that kit is expensive!

Personally I'd just buy
a stainless steel pistol length cleaning rod
a bore brush
a caliber specific jag
a pair of bent nose hemostats
(they sell them in the fishing section of most stores)
a stiff nylon brush
Hoppes #9 or Butches bore shine
a can of Kroil
a copper scouring pad

I've found the square patches work just as well as the round ones plus they fold easier for cleaning with the hemostats.

The copper scouring pad can be torn up a bit and laced into the bristles of the bore brush to quickly remove leading from the bore. That is provided you shoot lead through your XD of course!

Kroil + copper solvents = nice and clean!

 

[trickyasafox]

a dental pick is handy for getting some stubborn powder residue

 

[Monkeybear]

A cheap plastic tool box, $8 at walmart
A bottle of non aresol Brealfree CLP
A bottle of Hoppes #9
A .45 jag(bronze, the plastic ones dont hold up as well) and brush(anything but stainless steel)
A .38/9mm jag and brush
A rod for your jags and brushes
A bag of patches
A bag of medical(regular ones dont hold up so well and leave cotton lint in your gun) cotton swabs
A Hoppes silicone cloth
A stiff nylon brush

Put it all in the box and there you go.

seems like you pay more for the box than anything, but thought there might be something I was missing

As far as small wooden $200 boxes go, that ones pretty crappy.

 

[fattsgalore]

This is easy.

First just buy a cheapy GunSlick cleaning kit. They sell them everywhere. For about 10 to 15 bucks.

Also purchase a bottle of BreakFree CLP.(cleaner;lubricant and preserve) If you buy it in the aerosol can it's literally, spray and walk away.

All you'll need after that is a bore brush for what every caliber the gun kit isn't and your good to go for a little over twenty bucks.

Modern cleaners really take the leg work out of cleaning guns these days.

No fuss, no muss.
Good luck.

PS an old tooth brush works wonders on the slide

 

[wooderson]

Nice of 'em to throw in the $3 silicon cloth in that $200 kit.

 

[mcwjr13]

Cleaning Kit

I also use old electric toothbrushes and those cans of compressed air for computer keyboards.

 

[GRIZ22]

As others have said just go out and get everything in the cleaning kit separately. If I'm travelling and carrying for protection I have one of the kits Otis sells in a round nylon case that will fit in one hand. Good for wiping down the gun and cleaning the dust from the bore as needed.