Newbie... Cleaning Supplies??

[Jsig29]

I just ordered a Sig P220 Elite Stainless and was wondering what are the best cleaning supplies for regular cleaning... So far I have come up with the following:


BoreLight
Bore Snake .45
Phospher Brushes (3)
Nylon Brushes (3)
Patches .45
Rag
Hoppes #9
Lubricating Gun Field Wipes
Break Free

I have noticed that No.9 and Break Free come in a variety of applications (spray, liquid, aeresol etc.). Which is best? What other supplies do you recommend for an all stainless gun. Also, the grips will be changed to black aluminum most likely, how do you properly clean that? Thanks

 

[Quack]

i prefer cleaning rods, brushes & jags over a Bore Snake.
i keep a Bore Snake in my range bag for quick cleans.
i use liquids, Hoppes #9 for cleaning and FP-10, Wilson Ultima-Lube, or Militec for lube

 

[Oro]

I'm with Quack.

Since the '70s, we've used Outer's cleaning kits that came in rectangular plastic cases. Great for pistol or rifle. Need a new caliber, get a $2 brush at the store. I noticed in a sporting good store last week they now have the same product in a retro-style metal case for about $18. It will have 1/2 that stuff including nice metal rods.

A bore light is not necessary for routine maintenance. You can just hold the chamber towards a light source, stick your finger in it and it will reflect enough light to see all you need to see. A bore light IS useful if you go to gun shows and look at lots of rifles, but otherwise is not terribly useful. I have both acrylic ones and battery operated ones and rarely ever use either.

Then get some BreakFree or M Pro 7 CLR and you should be set. I've never found bore snakes to do a great job, but some really like them.

$20/$25 should thus give you enough to clean your pistol for years and years. Don't waste money on cleaning do-dads and accessories. It won't help a lot. DO waste $$ on ammo and range time and professional instruction. That will help a lot.

 

[Shadan7]

Yup, what Quack and Oro said. I do like the boresnakes for quick cleaning at the range (and we used them during our tests to standardize protocols), otherwise things get cleaned with rods & brushes at home. I'm fairly old-school, and clean after each shooting session - but you don't have to obsess over a 'detailed clean' every time.

Welcome to THR & shooting!

Jim D.

 

[bigfatdave]

Don't worry about the bore light, add a jag to your list and get patches in 2 or more thicknesses (I like the cotton ones and the really thin ones you find super cheap).
You may want to drop the bore-snake and toss in an Otis-style kit, unless you want to be running a metallic brush every cleaning. Personally, I get so much crud out with a jag that I don't run a metal brush more than 1 cleaning in 5 or so ... and the bore-snake has a metal brush at the head. A bore-snake gets pretty nasty fairly quickly, and takes up a surprisingly large amount of room, the Otis kit is admittedly more expensive, but it can be wiped down and it does a LOT more than a snake.

 

[nerfsrule2]

I put down an old towel to do my work at the laundry room table...When my Grandfather was in the Army they used hot water and Soap...(Oil After).. #9 works great and the smell is AOK... I tried some Butches Bore Shine..Great for removing copper from the bore..(but the smell was ..well..er..Bad)

 

[MichaelK]

I've been using homemade "Ed's Red Bore Cleaner" for about a decade now with excellent results. Here's the on-line description and recipe.

http://www.kuci.uci.edu/~dany/firearms/eds_red.html

I use the version with acetone and lanolin added, so when to solvents evoporate, there's a ultra thin layer of grease over everything. You can make a gallon of this for the same price as a pint of Hoppe's.

I shoot a lot of cast lead loads and use nothing more than Ed's Red and tight cotton patches, usually just a recycled t-shirt. Nothing fancy, but it keeps my guns completely clean, and lead free.

 

[Fremmer]

All you really need:

a cleaning rod for a pistol (skip the bore snake);
A slotted patch holder (some like jags, some prefer slotted patch holder)
A brass brush
A million patches
Some q-tips
Hoppes No. 9
Gun oil.

You can use the Hoppes to clean the grips (as well as the rest of the gun).