Best (and Worst) Products/Accessories

[BigRed3588]

I’ve recently noticed my social media being bombarded with Shooters Lube ads. It got me thinking; what are some of your favorite products that might be lesser-known, seem gimmicky, or you feel are generally underrated. And, conversely, which products have you used that you felt were underwhelming or overrated? FWIW, I don’t work in the firearms industry and have nothing to gain from my input.

For me, Super QCG has been one of my favorites. It’s kind of gimmicky, but I’ve found it to be an above-average cleaner. Unfortunately, it’s pricey so I still primarily use Hoppes. Where it real impresses me though is as a protectant. One patch with QCG down the barrel and one to wipe down the gun has become the last step of my cleaning process. It leaves a thin coating that is still present months after being applied.

Mil-Comm TW-25B has also become a staple. I know this one is pretty well known but I got a sample with a Sig I purchased a while ago and haven’t looked back.

As far as the worst...I’d have to say Alien Gear. I was reading holster reviews somewhere and they had named Alien Gear as their product of the year. I read a little about it and decided to give it a shot, mainly because it was cheap and configurable. It was the flimsiest POS excuse for a holster I’ve owned and I was more than happy to give it away. In fact, I believe I sent it to someone on a forum for the cost of shipping...

 

[2in1evtime]

I hate frog lube products

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

I’ve recently noticed my social media being bombarded with Shooters Lube ads. It got me thinking; what are some of your favorite products that might be lesser-known, seem gimmicky, or you feel are generally underrated. And, conversely, which products have you used that you felt were underwhelming or overrated? FWIW, I don’t work in the firearms industry and have nothing to gain from my input.

For me, Super QCG has been one of my favorites. It’s kind of gimmicky, but I’ve found it to be an above-average cleaner. Unfortunately, it’s pricey so I still primarily use Hoppes. Where it real impresses me though is as a protectant. One patch with QCG down the barrel and one to wipe down the gun has become the last step of my cleaning process. It leaves a thin coating that is still present months after being applied.

Mil-Comm TW-25B has also become a staple. I know this one is pretty well known but I got a sample with a Sig I purchased a while ago and haven’t looked back.

As far as the worst...I’d have to say Alien Gear. I was reading holster reviews somewhere and they had named Alien Gear as their product of the year. I read a little about it and decided to give it a shot, mainly because it was cheap and configurable. It was the flimsiest POS excuse for a holster I’ve owned and I was more than happy to give it away. In fact, I believe I sent it to someone on a forum for the cost of shipping...

I can 2nd the dissent for Alien Gear. Had one for about 10 minutes once. The most valuable thing was the screws and bushings. The rest went in the trash.

As for Shooters lube, I LOVE their solvent. It absolutely melts carbon away from a bcg. Makes good in the hard to reach places. (That's you Mr star chamber)

If I had to throw one in the mix: regardless of brand, those damn rubber grip sleeve things. Twisty, unfit, useless hunks of inner tube ****. Never again.

Hope I was clear about the c**k, I mean, G***k ring. (I believe they are studded for "texture" as well. Oh the irony)

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

Had to dig this out, old article from 2014. One of the best write-ups for gun care products I've ever seen. Hornady One shot is a staple now

Gun Care Product Comparison - Best Gun Care Products - Gun Oil

Product evaluation of 46 gun care products on the market today. Tested for rust prevention, odor, water displacement, lubrication, and compatibility.

nextbukoutdoors.com

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

One of the best write-ups for gun care products I've ever seen.

agreed

Hornady One shot is a staple now

same here

 

[Trebor657]

Got a G Sight ELMS Laser Marksman System for my birthday yesterday....Very happy with it and their customer service....easy to use and a valuable training aid whenever and wherever I want to practice my skills....

 

[BigRed3588]

As for Shooters lube, I LOVE their solvent. It absolutely melts carbon away from a bcg. Makes good in the hard to reach places. (That's you Mr star chamber)

If I had to throw one in the mix: regardless of brand, those damn rubber grip sleeve things. Twisty, unfit, useless hunks of inner tube ****. Never again.

I think my [primary reservation about the Shooters Lube is the fact that their ads make it out to be a miracle cleaner but I only see them wiping down surfaces that will wipe down without solvent to begin with (like the firing pin). Now, if they were to show it breaking down the carbon that gets baked onto the bolt tail, I'd be much more inclined to give it a shot.

I don't have any experience using the rubber grip sleeves, but a guy (INGO member, unfortunately) did use one to get over on me in a trade. He said he was in a hurry to get to an appointment and everything about the gun appeared to be as advertised. It never dawned on me the grip sleeve could be hiding a horrendous attempt at a stippling job. I posted it in the classifieds with full disclosure and was lucky not to take too much of a loss on it.

 

[marvin02]

Not a product, but a vendor site:

Greg Cote LLC

Greg Cote LLC : - BROWNING & SPRINGFIELD SA-35 MEC-GAR-CZ PLUS 1,2,3&4 ADAPTERS SIG SAUER MAGAZINES PARA ORDNANCE MEC-GAR MAGAZINES TAURUS MAGAZINES BERETTA ACT-MAG MEC-GAR & KCI KIMBER TEN II / BUL M-5 MEC-GAR RUGER MINI 14, Mini 30 & 10/22 WITNESS / TANFOGLIO MAGAZINES LUGER MEC-GAR MAGAZINES...

gregcotellc.com

If it says in stock, it's in stock.
Every time I order the items ship that day or next business day
Reasonable shipping

 

[JEBland]

Had to dig this out, old article from 2014. One of the best write-ups for gun care products I've ever seen. Hornady One shot is a staple now

Gun Care Product Comparison - Best Gun Care Products - Gun Oil

Product evaluation of 46 gun care products on the market today. Tested for rust prevention, odor, water displacement, lubrication, and compatibility.

nextbukoutdoors.com

I also love this testing.
It's hosted here, too:
https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667
(Second posted just in case one of the links goes dead).

Though, I always caution that the water displacement test is not the same meaning of the word displacement in the gun cleaning product sense. The bulk property that he's testing with the displacement test is essentially buoyancy (which fluid is more dense). Displacement in terms of the gun cleaning product is more about which fluid wants to "stick" to the metal more. It's more about the chemical properties of the fluids rather than their gravitational (density) properties. End of this physicist's rant.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Kroil and Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner are two of my favorites.

People who know, know about Kroil. Kano, the makers of Kroil, really don't advertise and it's not the easiest stuff to find, but it's well worth the search.

Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner - A vendor at some of the gun shows showed me about Big 45 about 12 years ago. He had a piece with him and was using it one some crappy looking mags that had rust spots on them. It was impressive enough that I bought a piece and I've been using it ever since. On their website it sounds gimmicky, but the stuff works great and truly doesn't hurt the blueing on a firearm or magazine. I have not used it in a gun bore so can't comment on that, but on the outside for removing rust and other crap and on internal parts for removing stubborn carbon fouling, this stuff is amazing. And it's inexpensive and lasts.

Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner | Remove Rust from Gun Bluing and Clean Dirty Gun Bores Easy!

A Must for Every Gun Dealer, Gunsmith, Shooter & Collector! Since 1967 - Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner is a must for every Gun Owner. Scientifically Alloyed - It is one of the best improvements in Gun Cleaning of the Century. &quotIt is one of the...

www.big45metalcleaner.com

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

I also love this testing.
It's hosted here, too:
https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667
(Second posted just in case one of the links goes dead).

Though, I always caution that the water displacement test is not the same meaning of the word displacement in the gun cleaning product sense. The bulk property that he's testing with the displacement test is essentially buoyancy (which fluid is more dense). Displacement in terms of the gun cleaning product is more about which fluid wants to "stick" to the metal more. It's more about the chemical properties of the fluids rather than their gravitational (density) properties. End of this physicist's rant.

He did a great job at analyzing the data.

 

[BigRed3588]

Kroil and Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner are two of my favorites.

People who know, know about Kroil. Kano, the makers of Kroil, really don't advertise and it's not the easiest stuff to find, but it's well worth the search.

Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner | Remove Rust from Gun Bluing and Clean Dirty Gun Bores Easy!

A Must for Every Gun Dealer, Gunsmith, Shooter & Collector! Since 1967 - Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner is a must for every Gun Owner. Scientifically Alloyed - It is one of the best improvements in Gun Cleaning of the Century. &quotIt is one of the...

www.big45metalcleaner.com

I've read a bit about Kroil, and it seems to be the product of choice for those clearing bores with heavy fouling. Do you use it for routine cleaning as well or is it reserved for the more difficult jobs?

 

[AmmoManAaron]

I've read a bit about Kroil, and it seems to be the product of choice for those clearing bores with heavy fouling. Do you use it for routine cleaning as well or is it reserved for the more difficult jobs?

I use it for freeing stuck screws, nuts, bolts and such - guns, vehicles, and any other job like that. If it's something that is REALLY bad (crusty suspension parts of a vehicle), I will spray it down every few days for a week or two before I even try to budge anything. Same with really rusted gun parts. Had a Mauser stock bolt and nut that had been rusted together for probably 50 years that needed to be taken apart and installed in a gun. I soaked the part in a small jar for a month before attempting to separate the pieces. Kroil really does creep between metal surfaces. One unconventional use - I used it to help free a very badly stuck case from a full length resizing die. Applied Kroil, put die in freezer for a couple hours (metal shrinks in all dimensions), took it out, put die in padded vise, grasped case head with big channel lock pliers and gave the case a twist - case came right out. It wouldn't budge before that, no matter how hard I tried.

I also use Kroil in combination with Big 45 for removing rust from metal. Kroil penetrates and helps remove the rust. I have actually never used Kroil in a bore, but that could be a good use for it since it creeps between metal surfaces so well.

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

I think my [primary reservation about the Shooters Lube is the fact that their ads make it out to be a miracle cleaner but I only see them wiping down surfaces that will wipe down without solvent to begin with (like the firing pin). Now, if they were to show it breaking down the carbon that gets baked onto the bolt tail, I'd be much more inclined to give it a shot.

I don't have any experience using the rubber grip sleeves, but a guy (INGO member, unfortunately) did use one to get over on me in a trade. He said he was in a hurry to get to an appointment and everything about the gun appeared to be as advertised. It never dawned on me the grip sleeve could be hiding a horrendous attempt at a stippling job. I posted it in the classifieds with full disclosure and was lucky not to take too much of a loss on it.

Next time I filth one up I'll try to remember to take some pics/video when I clean it. Stage 1 solvent really does work well. The stage 2 oil is "meh".

My fault with the slip-on grip sleeves came about from a defensive pistol class. Throughout the day it would twist, bend, bind and otherwise annoy the **** out of me. One it even impeded the back side of the mag release from protruding far enough to cleanly eject. The resistance was just enough to cause an issue dropping free. Never again. I loved how they felt, and took the "bite" out of the abrasive handle of (especially) my gen2 G22. But it failed miserably at a real-time review.

You don't know what you don't know, until you don't know it anymore.

 

[BigRed3588]

Not a product, but a vendor site:

Greg Cote LLC

Greg Cote LLC : - BROWNING & SPRINGFIELD SA-35 MEC-GAR-CZ PLUS 1,2,3&4 ADAPTERS SIG SAUER MAGAZINES PARA ORDNANCE MEC-GAR MAGAZINES TAURUS MAGAZINES BERETTA ACT-MAG MEC-GAR & KCI KIMBER TEN II / BUL M-5 MEC-GAR RUGER MINI 14, Mini 30 & 10/22 WITNESS / TANFOGLIO MAGAZINES LUGER MEC-GAR MAGAZINES...

gregcotellc.com

If it says in stock, it's in stock.
Every time I order the items ship that day or next business day
Reasonable shipping

I'll be bookmarking it then. Shipping times are one of my biggest gripes with firearm vendors; especially the larger ones. You'd think a sites like Brownells, MGW, etc. would have logistics down pat but it has always been at least a 3 week wait when I order from them. I've gradually started to migrate to smaller vendors for better shipping times. I will say Optics Planet has been reasonable but I've had some quality issues with items they've sent me.

 

[Lee11b]

Had to dig this out, old article from 2014. One of the best write-ups for gun care products I've ever seen. Hornady One shot is a staple now

Gun Care Product Comparison - Best Gun Care Products - Gun Oil

Product evaluation of 46 gun care products on the market today. Tested for rust prevention, odor, water displacement, lubrication, and compatibility.

nextbukoutdoors.com

thanks for posting this!!! Interesting results!

 

[marvin02]

I'll be bookmarking it then. Shipping times are one of my biggest gripes with firearm vendors; especially the larger ones. You'd think a sites like Brownells, MGW, etc. would have logistics down pat but it has always been at least a 3 week wait when I order from them. I've gradually started to migrate to smaller vendors for better shipping times. I will say Optics Planet has been reasonable but I've had some quality issues with items they've sent me.

It is a small business. I have read on other forums that the owner answers the phone. I have never had to try calling since all of my orders have been handled with no issues.

 

[2A-Hoosier23]

I've used paper plates as most of my targets for a couple years now. Orange bullseye sticker in the middle and you have super cheap 6-10" circle targets, work pretty good as an analog for a vital zone target. And they stand up better to the rain than paper targets. (Not my original idea)

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

I've used paper plates as most of my targets for a couple years now. Orange bullseye sticker in the middle and you have super cheap 6-10" circle targets, work pretty good as an analog for a vital zone target. And they stand up better to the rain than paper targets. (Not my original idea)

On a parallel, I have used 1/4" graph paper index cards and put a 1" dot in the center to track ammo variances, sight in scopes, etc. Makes adjustments super easy to calculate.

 

[2A-Hoosier23]

On a parallel, I have used 1/4" graph paper index cards and put a 1" dot in the center to track ammo variances, sight in scopes, etc. Makes adjustments super easy to calculate.

That's a good one. Thanks for the tip!