Help me pick some cleaning gear

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Soybomb

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I've been using the $5 walmart cleaning kit for a while and I don't feel like I'm doing my 9mm and .38spl guns any favors. The patches and jags don't seem to fit well, the rod is wobbly, the brushes look like they might have a different metal retaining band that could scratch....I'd like to treat them a little better and hopefully get them cleaner easier in the long run. I think I'm good on solvents and lubes but I could use some advice on the hardware.

Here's what I'm looking at
rod: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/Search.aspx?5=y&s=y&k=234322006
nylon brush: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/Search.aspx?5=y&s=y&k=084420137
regular brush: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/Search.aspx?5=y&s=y&k=084142137
jag: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/Search.aspx?5=y&s=y&k=234801038
patches: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/Search.aspx?5=y&s=y&k=084668003

I know some of the dewey threads and everything are weird or need adapters. That looks like it should work together. I thought I'd see if I missed something that won't work together or if maybe you think someone else would work better.

Thanks all!
 
http://www.silencio.com/htfiles/cleankits.html
http://www.silencio.com/graphics/products/r358.jpg

I am personally not a fan of , nor do I believe in coated rods, or graphite rods.
I prefer quality steel rods.
RIG makes a good steel rod, as does Pro Shot.
These companies also make very fine brushes and other accessories.

Using the above linked kit for example, one can simply add RIG grease to protect the externals.
RIG+P is proven for high pressure areas like slides on semi-auto, and works great for hinge pins on shotguns.
RIG 44 Bore Cleaner is very very good btw, and so is RIG #2 oil.

Chemicals - Hard to beat Hoppe's No. 9 which can be bought locally. Oil, again, seems everything keeps changing and just a matter of what is local.

If concerned about non-toxic Ballistol is great.

Kleenbore makes a 3 pc "GI Rod" IIRC #S170
The handle can be locked into a "T" and using one of the sections is great for twisting and turning to get chambers clean on semi-auto handgun barrels and shotgun barrels.

On a semi-auto, often just the section without a handle and push through from chamber to muzzle, great for when using a Lead-a-way cloth from shooting lead.

Truth is, there are no "complete" kits.
Pipe Cleaners are a must! Q-Tips are handy, and Baby/Toddler Toothbrushes are smaller and fit places a regular toothbrush does not.

Pull through systems such as Otis are handy, just they primarily concern themselves with barrel cleaning.
Patchworm pull through system is handy , again just dealing with barrel.

I do not believe in and never have believed in or used a Bore Snake.
(1) They get stuck (2) Makes no sense to keep pulling a dirty something through a bore.
If I am going to put something through a bore, I go one direction only, I do not go back and forth. Since all I do is clean a chamber most of the time anyway, I just use a patch to go down the bore to remove what debris I may have removed in the chamber

Me, I concern myself with chambers, extraction, and magazines.
I don't worry about cleaning a bore, I subscribe to Schuman's take - except when shooting lead, or when gun has been exposed to mud, snow and the like.

Under the stocks/ grips is one area folks do not think about RIG , just a very fine coat, prevents rust from under stocks, even in the hot humid summers of the South.


I currently do not own a cleaning kit of any kind, I do have a pointy stick from Popeye's corn on the cob.
No solvent, and I "think" I have some Singer Sewing Machine oil around here somewhere...

I carry a dirty gun, and when I assist with folks, friends, they clean my guns if they need it.
Mentors did this to me...just passing forward and they passed to me.
:)
 
I just picked up a kit from Gander Mountain (my first kit was slowly deteriorating), came in a metal box all neatly sorted out. It's decent, but it has no oils / solvents. It _does_ come with a handy dental-pick like tool (made of plastic) for getting in the crooks 'n nannies of the guns.

I use Hoppes, occasionaly Gun Scrubber (although sparingly), and some Shooter's Choice for certain types of fouling. Other than that, q-tips, old t-shirts, and Boresnakes complete the set.

It all works pretty well.
 
I am personally not a fan of , nor do I believe in coated rods, or graphite rods.
I prefer quality steel rods.
Click to expand...
How come? It seems like the hardness is just asking for me to damage my bore or crown?
 
Soybomb,

Now don't share this tip with just anyone...

Auto Parts Store / Hardware Store.

Bristle brushes of black nylon-ish bristles. These come in various diameters from ~ 32 cal on up.
They have a twisty metal handle with a loop on the end.

Take a pair of pliers and "smush" (highly technical term) the loop so it fits easily into bore.

<looks over shoulder to make sure nobody is listening>

Insert a Patch into the loop.

Now you can take that clean dry brush, clean a chamber on a semi by twisting and turning the bristle end, poke on through and patch removes any debris.

Done.

I use these on revolvers as well.

Mums the word...;)
 
Don't listen to Steve. He doesn't clean guns. Makes other people do it for him. Has no idea what he's talking about.

:D
 
I disagree with sm, the Boresnake shouldn't be the only tool in your kit, but for daily cleaning it's a great tool.

Anyways once a week I do an in depth cleaning and for rods I use a Kleanbore Pockit, works great on most handguns and is pretty cheap, it also comes with a jag puller, and a bore brush.

When I buy bore brushes new I get the nylon ones from midway. I also use a nylon brush for my scrubbing of other items, you can get those from midway also, they are called the Tipton Milspec nylon brush, they are pretty cheap and last quite a while.

Beyond that the jag pullers don't concern me much, and patches, I only use three sizes a 30 cal type for my 380, 9mm and 40, a 45 cal, and a 22 sized one. Oh q-tips and a medicine dropper work great. I use the medicine dropper so I can buy my cleaner in bulk and use it to apply it.
 
Well I have to say I'm surprised. I thought I'd see alot positive comments about coated bearing rods, and tighter jags, etc....it seems like maybe budget gear is the way to go after all!
 
I have two Dewey cleaning rods and I wouldn't trade them for anything less.

Beyond that I use Hoppes #9, RIG and/or CLP; bronze bore brushes, jags and patches. For general purpose gun lube I mix synthetic ATF and Mobil 1 @ 1:3. Q-Tips are essential as is a full size toothbrush and one "juvenile" or baby-sized toothbrush. Denatured alcohol from Home Depot makes a good all purpose degreaser or you can use dechlorinated Brake Cleaner from the auto parts store.

Throw everything into a tackle box and you're good to go.
 
sm said:
Using the above linked kit for example, one can simply add RIG grease to protect the externals.
RIG+P is proven for high pressure areas like slides on semi-auto, and works great for hinge pins on shotguns.
Click to expand...

I've used RIG+P on all my guns for over a decade, and it has never failed me.
Love the stuff!
 
For pistols, get an ultrasonic cleaner and an air compressor. Field strip and remove grips. Drop parts into cleaner with mineral spirits...when done "blow dry".
 
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