All posts tagged 50 Caliber

Storing cleaning kits with a firearm

I remember all of the Russian SKS rifles I got back in the early 1990’s came with cleaning kits and I always thought that was neat.  I’m still not sure how to use them properly because the rods that they came with didn’t go fully into the barrel, but that is something I’ll have to research later.  It’s  nice to be able to keep all of your gear stowed in the places where they are easiest to access and if there is a combat firearm that needs to be cleaning more than any other it’s the M16 rifle.   Everyone I know that was issued an M16 was issued a cleaning kit that went in the buttstock.   Oddly enough, I don’t know many guys with AR15 rifles that have them in their guns.

One option to consider when you are getting all of your gear together for SHTF or for a training class is to have your cleaning supplies in order.  Probable the most practical Otis gun cleaning kits is the Otis 5.56 buttstock cleaning kit.   This kit comes with various tools that will come in useful and are specific to the M4 or AR15 style rifles.   You will be able to scrap off carbon build up in the hard to get to areas and with such a compact device, you’ll be able to stow it in your butt stock and not have to worry about packing one up every time you take it to the range.

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Time to get your gear in order and your gun cleaning supplies

There’s a certain point where a gun owners really can waste enormous amounts of time if they aren’t keeping there gun cleaning supplies in order.   There are lots of cleaning tools that will speed up your cleaning time and reduce the amount of money you’ll spend on cleaning pads and cleaning fluids.  I must have the same bottle of Break Free CLP gun cleaning and lubrication that I had 5yrs ago.   I hardly go through gun cleaning solvents because the tools that I am using now are so good at getting the debris and grud off the guns that solvents really only get used for cleaning the bore if I am using lead bullets.

Last year I got an Otis gun cleaning mat from my wife for a Christmas present and it’s really helped keep me from losing parts and messing up my living room rug. Otis gun cleaning kits are compact, versatile and easy to use on various firearms.   I’ve had a few issues with bore snakes and some of my semi-auto rifles and the Otis cleaning kits were great companions for people that want to clean a firearm on a firing range or on the road.   The tools that fit in some of the kits are great for the AR15 style firearms because some can be stowed in the grips or butt stocks.

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Some guns were not designed to be cleaned very well

My first semi-auto was a Russian SKS which was when they were going for under $100.   The Russian SKS is a very well thought out semi-auto because in my opinion, I like the operation and disassemble more than the M1 Garand.   I think the Garand is  a fine rifle and far more accurate than an SKS, but the stripper clips and lighter ammuntion is better suited for WWII combat although it was not introduced that early.   The AK ended the short adventure of the SKS much in the same way the M16 shortened the life of the M14.   They were all very well designed and reliable firearms, but they were not modern enough for combat.   One gun I have found that I still enjoy shooting and operating with is the FAL.   The triggers on these guns are a little hard to drop in weight, and the mounts on them really need to be locked in place with something other than just a screwdriver.   The .308 caliber will do a number on scope mounts especially exposing any operator failures to properly “lock it down”.

One thing that made me a fan of the DSA FAL I own is that it was designed to be easy to operate and maintain.   I’ve heard many firearm instructors that I respect say that the M16 does not need to be cleaned as much as people think and lubrication is more important than scrubbing every spec of carbon off the firearm.  I still enjoy cleaning some of my firearms just because I like inspecting the geniousness of the designs.   I literally can clean and FAL with gun cleaning supplies like the Hoppes bores snakes.  The Otis gun cleaning kits aren’t necessary on one of these guns and more appropriate for more complicated designs.  The FAL is hands down the simplest battle rifle to clean.

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Boresnake life span, are they worth it?

Are they worth it?  Do they hold up to heavy use?   I have the same 22 caliber bore snake and it has been used in 22LR rifles, AR15 rifles, M4 Carbines, AK74 and Mini 14s.   The same bore snake is approximately 6yrs old and probable gets used about  50 times a year.   I usually run the snake through the gun about 2 times.   I may only need to do it once, but i’m use to using cleaning rods and just get in the habit.   I almost only use Break Free CLP on my firearms, and the occasional grease application, and gun cleaning is now simple.

Cleaning revolvers is probable easier than some semi-autos because there is nothing you really need to disassemble.   I have been using the Hoppes boresnakes for rifle the majority of the time because handguns just don’t seem to be that much of a hassle and I’m really not that worried about how clean the barrels are for any particular accuracy reason.    When it comes to cleaning out a bolt action rifle like a Winchester M70,  It sure does make a difference in cleaning time when you do a one, two, and then just wipe the gun down and put it away.   If you clean the guns often, from my experience there is very little worry about hard to clean areas.

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If there is a faster way to clean a revolover…

Please show me how I can clean a revolver faster than if I were using a boresnake?   I’ve got several boresnakes that are showing a good bit of wear, but they are still getting the job done on cleaning my rifles and I don’t even think they have gotten to their half life yet.   Just wash them in the wash machine if they start to show signs they are getting too slimy.   The only difference between the pistol and rifle bore snakes is the length and although you can still use a rifle boresnake but it may flop around a little too much.

I have always liked Hoppes boresnakes, but I recently dug out a Ruger GP100 that was a rack queen and took it to the range for a day.   I didn’t put that many rounds through it, but after spending years of range time with Glocks, XD’s and Sigs, it was fun to break out a .357 magnum and do a range  report.  The Hoppes Boresnakes that I have for my handguns have not been used that much, and when it came time to clean the gun, i popped open the cylinder, rang the bore snake through each hole, then the barrel and was trying to figure out what else I needed to do.   That was it!

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Keeping it simple, but still wash your hands

I’ve often found it difficult to clean my firearms while wearing gloves, this gets right back to the problem that I have often come across when handing the AR15 rifle with them on.  There are smaller parts to take apart on the M4 Carbine and even though I have to get my hands dirty, I can’t get to all of the parts with gloves on.   There have been times I only fired less than 20rds through a rifle and I wasn’t in the mood for a full firearm disassemble.   If I have a firearm that has gone on a camping trip like my Marlin 336 lever action or a Winchester Model 70 bolt action, I still clean them after every trip even if they have not been fired.   Moisture can get to these types of firearms and I have had many wars with rust in the past.

There are traditional cleaning kits that may work for you, but since I have bent rods cleaning firearms, I strongly recommend against anything but a once piece rifle cleaning rod to prevent damage or issues.   Boresnakes will speed up the process of cleaning your bore and avoid the problems of putting cleaning patches, but you still need to use lube and wash them on occasion.   Otis gun cleaning kits can fit in a rifle stock, your pistol grip or your butt stock depending on how many tools you think you want to store there.

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Keeping your guns clean and preventing rust

There has  been much improvement in synthetic lubrication in recent years and I’m hoping that the older toxic gun cleaning materials that I have in my home will eventually get used up and cleaned out.  I’m not going to push Green Energy or some environmental issues on  you, but I have often wondered if I should have been more cautious in the way I cleaned some of my guns and my exposure to some of it.   I’m aware that good ventilation is important, but there are many times when I have attempted to use gloves while cleaning, but it’s very hard to get some parts back into place when you are  using them.

There was a time when I had large containers of Hoppes gun cleaning liquids and those were some of the harshest.  I’ve moved towards using Break Free CLP for most of my gun cleaning, but in recent years I have been using Mobil One synthetic oil for most of my lubrication.  Gun cleaning supplies are becoming easier to use and the old cleaning rods of the past can become your newest rack queen.   I use pistol cleaning rods fairly often, but I rarely use my one piece cleaning rod and mostly use Otis gun cleaning kits or boresnakes for my semi-auto rifles.   The less you have to touch your firearms or the dirty gun patches or cleaning brushes the better you’ll be.   Long exposures to toxic materials does catch up to you.

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Extensive gun cleaning and gun supplies

I recently did a walk through at a Dick’s Sporting goods store and I was recently at a Cabela’s here in Pennsylvania.   The gun cleaning kits that I had when I first got my own rifle are still being made, but I just don’t have the urge to give something like that as a Holiday present to family members.  I’m not sure exactly what is going on, but I have so many family members getting their first firearms and it’s been a lot of fun getting them setup with targets, joining gun clubs and helping them take apart and clean the guns.  It’s also been a learning experience because I  didn’t know how to do everything until I did a little research.

I still highly recommend that people have atleast one strong one piece cleaning rod for a rifle or handgun around, but that is only for clearing any bore obstructions.  Boresnakes are the easiest thing for a new shooter to use because not everyone has young eyesight and can see clearly inside the gun to know that everything has been cleaned.  For anyone getting an AR15 or knowing someone getting an AR, the Otis gun cleaning kits are probable the best gift you can give them.    Make sure you get the M16 kit because it has special brushes and tools to get into areas that a cleaning rod just won’t touch.

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Advanced gun cleaning for the obvious idiots

I don’t read gun boards very much anymore.  I have had good experiences with some of them and I know some people just like to bash the BS that they see, but not talk about the good.   I have met many people from the forums  in the Northeastern United States and found the vast majority to be above average in intelligence and responsibility.   I say this because I just read some of the dumbest stuff about gun cleaning and think that it may be time for some of these people to turn in their firearms due to showing since of being on the lower level of human evolution.

When you are choosing the cleaning tools for your rifle, make sure you match the cleaning brushes and cleaning patches to the caliber you are using.  If you are using a 22 caliber firearm like an AR15, do yourself a favor and use 22 caliber bore snakes.   I know that may not be common knowledge, but there are idiots out there that  may try and jam or pull a 30 caliber bore snake through the barrel, and guess what, it won’t fit.   You can mess a barrel by doing something as stupid like this, but it happens.  I’ve had pistol cleaning patches get stuck, but I was smart enough to dump a bunch of CLP into the barrel to loosen it up and then back it out, there’s your advanced gun cleaning tip of the day.

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Old School vs. New school cleaning

otis gun cleaning kitsotis gun cleaning kitsI have the original bottle of Hoppes gun cleaner that my first 22lr cleaning kit, I’ve kept it as a time capsule as to how long ago it was that I first got into shooting.   I remember the first time I got a cleaning patch stuck in the barrel and when I bent the 3 piece rod and ended up going out and picking up a larger and stronger cleaning rod.    We learn most of our wisdom from trial and error and putting large cleaning patches down the barrel of a 22 caliber rifle is a learning experience.   I’ve only ruined one cleaning rod to date, but I really don’t use them very much anymore.

Bore snakes were really the thing that did in the  use of me using cleaning rods.  Ever since I picked up an my first AR15, which was a Bushmaster XM15E2 with a heavy barrel, I was happy to eliminate a considerable amount of time in gun cleaning.  I was well aware that the direct impingement guns were dirty, but considering how many cleaning patches I went through on just the chamber, I was glad to have a boresnake.  Another step to my collection of gun cleaning supplies were the Otis gun cleaning kits were another step forward for  me because I got the same compactness that the Hoppes bore snake gave me with even more cleaning tools in a tiny case.   I have a cleaning rod for rifles and one that is specific for handguns, but I’m using them less and less in comparison to Otis and boresnakes.

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