All posts tagged Handgun Cleaning

Do you still need a cleaning rod for your rifles and what gun cleaning supplies should you consider?

Gun cleaning suppliesI have atleast 2 Hoppes gun cleaning kits that I purchases probable more than 20yrs ago and never finished off all of the gun oil that they came with because I never really needed to use that much lube on the bolt action rifles I first owned.   The one thing I learned real fast with a 22 Caliber rifle is to not get your 30 caliber gun cleaning patches mixed in because any 3 piece gun cleaning rod is not going to handle being stuck in a barrel and will easily get bent up and you might as well consider it trash due to the fact that it’s highly likely you’ll damage the riflings in the barrel.  I learned that lesson and picked  up a one piece rod and it’s still in great condition.   There are several different types of metal brushes you can use but in my opinion its more about how  you clean the firearm and not so much about the make up of the brush.   Brass rifle brushes, Nylon brushes and even Bronze gun cleaning brushes.

Most of the type you can use a given rifle caliber brush on several calibers that might be close to it and it will get the job done.  I’ve actually avoided worrying about cleaning all of my firearms after every range trip because I’ve seen so many semi-auto guns run just fine for thousands of rounds just because they were properly lubricated, and not because they need to pass a white glove test.   Whether you are looking for a kit or few gun cleaning supplies to cut your time down, the type of gun you are using and the configuration the kit comes might mean not needing much more.   Some of the Otis gun cleaning kits are caliber and rifle specific which is pretty cool if you want to keep it in a range bag or you are going to be on a road trip.   Some of the .308 or 7.62 gun cleaning kits have optic cleaning tools which is something you might not have thought about until reading this blog post.  A Leatherman Mut might be another accessory to keep in the same bag.

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Sometimes people are “that far behind” in gear

hoppes boresnakes90I’ve been using Hoppes boresnakes for probable more than a decade and never looked back.  I’ve got fragments of about 5 gun cleaning kits that had something good in them but also several things that broke and got tossed away.   Don’t ask me where my 3 piece 22LR gun cleaning rod went because the story isn’t pretty.   Paying attention to the caliber variables with gun cleaning patches is important, and that’s where many mistakes can be made.  If it’s too thick of a patch from being folded over it can get stuck and too small of a patch doesn’t clean properly.   Boresnakes are general very broad for useage and I use the same boresnake for my Marlin Model 882 22Mag that I use for my AR15.

I’ve messed around with Otis gun cleaning kits but the biggest negative I’d say about those are that the parts tend to fall out or move around.  It’s a great portable gun cleaning kit, but Hoppes Boresnakes don’t take up space and you can easily store them in the packaging you purchase them in.   I keep a small bottle of Slip 2000 EWL in my “Go Bag” and my basic gun cleaning supplies, like a cloth to wipe the gun down and a 22 Cal boresnake.   You can get shorter versions of the snag for handguns but I usually fall back on using a pistol cleaning rod.  There are always trade offs with these things and not everyone will use gun cleaning supplies in the exact same way.

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Major Changes to lubrication and gun grease

gun cleaning suppliesLots of gun owners are starting to realize that they should consider using a form of gun grease on their firearms.  Now that so many people are using .308 rifles the heat and friction rates are much higher than 5.56 guns.    Long term storage and larger mechanical parts means harder banging and clanking around and it’s not just the guys that had the Springfield M1A rifles that still use gun grease.   I have been looking for a good gun grease for a long time ever since my Colt gun grease started running out.  We found out about the Slip 2000 gun grease after becoming a Slip 2000 dealer and I have used it on all of my AR15 recoil springs to smooth out the action and also to get rid of that AR15 gun ping that makes the firearm sound like sometime of BB gun.

With all of the Sig and FN SCAR Rifles becoming more and more popular, it’s not just M1A vs FAL as far as durable and reliable 7.62 MM guns.   I have been cleaning out all of my old gun cleaning supplies and bringing in new stuff.  Frog lube is another lubrication we hear about but it’s really up to the customers what works best for them.  M-Pro7 has greatly improved it’s product line and we are moving further away from the old Hoppes #9 that probable 90% of gun owners have used in the past.  The best thing about many of these lubricants is they are also as good with rifles as they are with handguns.  The gun grease are not sticky and thick like they use to be.

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Customizing cleaning kits to your firearms

Otis gun cleaning kitsI have purchased probable close to 5 types of cleaning kits in my lifetime and I believe I have all of the parts minus one cleaning rod, and possible a few brushes.   I have learned that certain cleaning kits are better for certain firearms and others are mostly for traveling.  The clean kit i use the most is probable the Otis 556 cleaning kit but I still resort to a one piece cleaning rod.   Boresnakes are very usefull but they are caliber specific and with the Otis gun cleaning system you can basically have a multi caliber gun cleaning cord.   The only negative I find with the Otis kits is sometimes the parts fall out of the foam and you will have too many parts if you buy too many kits.  It’s best to learn the pros and cons of a system like this because you may want to consider getting the larger universal cleaning system.

When it comes to gun lubrication, I’m not sure if Otis is going to come out with a green cleaning system like M-Pro7 or Slip 2000.   I still  use several lubes and gun grease but the Otis gun cleaning kits are still in wide use in my gun collection.   I find this system to be excellent for the AR15 rifles as well as 22 caliber guns like my Ruger 10/22 and my Marlin 882 22magnum.   I still prefer a cleaning rod for bolt actions and my DS FAL rifle.   I personally have not noticed any difference in how well the items clean, but I do notice differences in the time it takes to actually clean a firearm.  Every firearm disassembles differently and I choose the gun cleaning system accordingly.

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Slip 2000 gun cleaning and more

Hoppes Boresnakes are the fastest cleaning kits in the world.   There’s no need to worry about storing cleaning rides and worrying about bending or breaking them.  The Bore Snake is also easier to use with some types of semi-autos.   You won’t need to use as many gun cleaning patches, or gun cleaning rods and gun brushes The Ruger Mini 14 is a classic example of this.   Most firearms can be cleaned from the breach forward, but something like a Mini 14 can not due to the design of the bolt carrier.  A bore snake can easily be inserted into the breach of a Mini 14 or Mini 30 and cleaned properly.   The bore snake can also easily be stored and does not take up any room.

One pass loosens large particles, scrubs out the remaining residue with a bronze brush, then swabs it all spotless with a cleaning area 160X larger than a standard patch. Add a few drops your favorite gun cleaning supplies  or Hoppes Elite and your guns ready for storage. The bore snake is caliber specific so make sure you get the correct one for  your pistol, rifle or shotgun.   You will also notice your gun cleaning time will be cut in half or more.   I’ve cleaned more than 4 firearms in an hour, from AKs, FALs, M1A, Mini 14s and AR15 rifles all will accept the use of the Hoppes boresnake.

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Gun cleaning is simple so let’s not over complicated it

There’s nothing wrong with having lots of gun cleaning supplies if you need it and you can definitely mess up a firearm by using the wrong tools.  In all honesty, I have many gun cleaning brushes and tools that I have absolutely no idea how or what to use them for.  I picked up some of the Otis gun cleaning kits and at first found them a little frustrating to use because I could get the same grip on the wire as I could with a cleaning rod.  I realize there are compact advantages to using this system and for any military or long hunting trip they makes sense.

Some scraping tools are necessary for cleaning out the chamber of your AR15 because that gun is hands down the biggest pain in the ass to keep clean although sometimes people over clean them.   I like to have a atleast one Hoppes boresnakes for all of my rifles because when I get my rare range time in, it’s  not fun to have to spend more than about an hour to clean my guns and I’m of the type that needs to clean them after every time I take them out.   I have used break free clp for most of the time but for long term storage of firearms that aren’t going to get used for 6 months or more I am using the M-Pro7 gun oil because it seems to stay on better.

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You may want to change the way you clean you firearms

There are many tools that can make your gun cleaning experience more efficient and product as far as time goes, but that might cost you money.  One problem many seem to have with this is most gun shops just carry the basic gun cleaning supplies and trying to f ind a tactical shop that sells all of the accessories and cleaning tools for an AR15 is difficult.  The AR15 especially the direct impingement version is the dirtiest firearm I own and cleaning the chamber is difficult if you don’t have the correct brush.

Gun cleaning oils and strippers have improved over what simple Hoppes gun cleaning kits use to issue.   Cleaners like M-Pro7 are much safer gun cleaning supplies to use and all it takes is a little research to see how dirty and unsafe some of the other products are.  If you have to clean it in an open air environment it’s not good to have it on your hands either.   Break Free CLP is still the most versatile gun cleaning liquid but there are better and more effective lubricants.   Many of my friends actually use Mobil 1 as a gun oil.

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Getting away from the toxic stuff

I have stopped using Hoppes gun cleaning solvents for a very long time and it was mostly due to complaints from family members about the smell.  The older I get the more I think about the chemicals that I expose my friends and family too and it is worth considering changing the product lines that you use in for your gun cleaning.  M-Pro7 gun cleaning products are non-toxic and won’t stink up your home.  There is nothing smelly about them and they actually do work.  Carbob will disappear from your bolt carriers quickly.

Wearing gloves for gun cleaning can be a hassle because there are so many small parts on a firearm that it is very difficult to feel them.  Many gun cleaning supplies will work, but like we mentioned above, not all of them are good for you.  Having a safe gun cleaning station that doesn’t expose your kids to lead or other harmful products is a good thing especially now that so many people are testing for it and concerned about it.   Otis has a very inexpensive gun cleaning mat that can be rolled up and put away.

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The Otis gun cleaning system

It’s kind of like being in a cult when you acquire certain firearms.   The Kalashnikov crowd is a cult and so is the AR15 crowd.   AR15’s are so common now that it’s  not really as much of a cult anymore, but the furniture  you use on  your firearm and the  optics you use may put you in a certain cool category.    When I first heard about the Otis gun cleaning systems, I was wondering how someone could have devised a system that would be so much better than a cleaning rod and a cleaning patch, so I walked around at a trade show and went right up to the guy running the Otis booth.   I was lucky enough to have asked enough questions that I was given the AR15 buttstock cleaning kit and the Pistol cleaning kit.

When I got home, broke out several of my AR15 guns and a could handguns and tried to use the system.   I found the Otis cleaning kits to be very complicated but I have enough life experience to know that that just means having patience and find out why gun cleaning supplies were designed the way they are.   I have never had to use a scraper or a brush on any of my AR15 guns because I clean them so often there is really rarely any long term build ups that I missed.  I do think that the Otis Cleaning Systems do slow down the cleaning process because of all of  the fumbling I do with the accessories, but the compact bags make

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BreakFree CLP and it’s time to move on

We all know that most of the Military has been using a CLP for cleaning, but now that we’re actually in full fledged combat in parts of the world, certain things are becoming out dated.   I’ve noticed for years that Breakfree CLP is a very good gun cleaner and protector, but it always seems to disappear from your gun even if you don’t shoot it.   I’ve put enough guns in gun safes for long periods of time to notice which guns hold lube, and if you are a Sig Sauer fan you should know that those guns need lubrication to keep up with the modern world.   I have picked up some of the Mpro7 products to test them out due to friends telling me about it and here’s some feedback.

I am not one to like wearing gloves but if you are around all of this stink, it’s something to be concerned about.   Gun cleaning supplies like CLP are smelly and in the winter you may have issues with ventilation.     MPro-7 cleaner does an outstanding job of stripping gun oils and carbon off of your gun and this is a must for anyone running a direct impingement firearm.   The Pro-7 gun oil also seems to  hold on to firearms better and I could feel the difference on my Sig handguns as soon as I racked the slide.   I’ll have to shoot them for awhile to tell if they hold up better than when I used CLP, but I have had guns jam on me after 400rds or so when I only used CLP and let them sit for a few months.

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