Best firearm cleaning kit and brushes.

[DadSmith]

So what brand are you using and how long do your brushes, cleaning rods etc last?

I'm looking to get another kit with decent cleaning rods and top notch brushes.
What are you using and do you recommend it?

 

[actaeon277]

tackle box
assemble stuff/parts/components individually
a couple steel one piece rods for the rifles
a couple short rods for the pistols
bore snakes for each caliber
any tool I've used on a gun

 

[Jim5528]

I like the Pro-Shot products.

 

[tomcat13]

I've accumulated So Much Crap over the years, I probably should go thru & Update too.
Another chore for this Winter when I'm stuck inside.
Thanks for the Idea!

 

[Expat]

I've accumulated So Much Crap over the years, I probably should go thru & Update too.
Another chore for this Winter when I'm stuck inside.
Thanks for the Idea!

Same here, I have the best parts from proabaly half dozen kits I have bought over the years.

 

[DadSmith]

tackle box
assemble stuff/parts/components individually
a couple steel one piece rods for the rifles
a couple short rods for the pistols
bore snakes for each caliber
any tool I've used on a gun

Most of my cleaning equipment is over 25 years old. Things are breaking down/apart from age and fatigue.
I'm looking for something that will last me another 25 years.

Brush wise what is your favorite? I usually end up wrapping mine with copper chore boy anyway. It just cleans better, and faster.

 

[Goodcat]

Never use multi-piece rods. Use a bore-guide. For precision rifles, a bore guide made to your particular cartridge. Dewey rods are great along with boretech, or other coated non-steel. I use nylon brushes, but bronze brushes are fine. Lots of wives tailed about bronze brushes scratching the bore or making abrasive’s work and lapping compounds, which could actually happen if you are using a drill. Avoid bore snakes. Hoppes, wipe-out, boretech, and KG products are all great choices.

I clean only if accuracy degrades on defensive and fun rifles, rarely touch my AR barrels.

For precision barrels, I remove all carbon and go after as much copper as I can after every shooting session, noting how many foulers are required on each barrel to settle back in. I don’t subscribe to cleaning when accuracy falls off on precision or competition guns, nothing consistent about that, and you won’t know when it will fall off.

 

[BlueDrew2]

+1 on pro shot products for shotguns and brushes mostly. I have a set of the brass Tipton jags. I also use dewey one piece rods for pistols and rifles. I still keep a compact cleaning kit with a multi piece rod with my shooting gear. I've stuck with hoppes over the years, tried quite a few others, but always seem to come back to their solvents. I've found the GI weapons brushes adequate.

 

[DadSmith]

Never use multi-piece rods. Use a bore-guide. For precision rifles, a bore guide made to your particular cartridge. Dewey rods are great along with boretech, or other coated non-steel. I use nylon brushes, but bronze brushes are fine. Lots of wives tailed about bronze brushes scratching the bore or making abrasive’s work and lapping compounds, which could actually happen if you are using a drill. Avoid bore snakes. Hoppes, wipe-out, boretech, and KG products are all great choices.

I clean only if accuracy degrades on defensive and fun rifles, rarely touch my AR barrels.

For precision barrels, I remove all carbon and go after as much copper as I can after every shooting session, noting how many foulers are required on each barrel to settle back in. I don’t subscribe to cleaning when accuracy falls off on precision or competition guns, nothing consistent about that, and you won’t know when it will fall off.

What would be a good bore guide for bolt-action and AR type rifles?
There are so many to choose from.

 

[Goodcat]

What would be a good bore guide for bolt-action and AR type rifles?
There are so many to choose from.

I’m a big fan of PMA tool, they have a rod centering component. I would always go caliber specific. This helps to keep chemicals out of your chamber. The teslong rifle bore scope is a great addition too, so you can see what’s happening, and very importantly monitor your chamber. Even with a bore guide, chems can still be left behind in your chamber that can create excess pressure, and changes in velocity until they burn up when you start shooting.

 

[Quiet Observer]

Always use natural ingredients.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

I've went through many "kits" over the years... until 10-12 years ago, when I got Pro-Shot rods and a Tipton jag kit.

Now only have to buy the "wear" items (brushes and snakes) and consumables.

Being "cheap" cost me more in the long run.

 

[edwea]

What is the argument against bore snakes? I have several, but truth be told haven't used them much. I like the idea and they seem to do a pretty good job when I have used them.

 

[actaeon277]

What is the argument against bore snakes? I have several, but truth be told haven't used them much. I like the idea and they seem to do a pretty good job when I have used them.

I use a bore snake.
But I don't think the brush works as well as a brush on a rod.
And it doesn't oil the barrel either.

 

[Creedmoor]

What is the argument against bore snakes? I have several, but truth be told haven't used them much. I like the idea and they seem to do a pretty good job when I have used them.

Why would I want to drag abrasive fouling, copper and other products back through the bore over and over again?

 

[edwea]

Why would I want to drag abrasive fouling, copper and other products back through the bore over and over again?

I guess your suggesting that most don't wash these after use. I have washed mine with dawn in warm water after each time I used it to avoid what you're describing. I rinse until the water runs clear and they look brand new again. Do most not do this? Again, I don't use them a ton and maybe the problems come from people over using them, but I really don't see how this is significantly worse than patches.

 

[cg21]

I have heard about people cleaning guns I am following to see how many there actually are in the wild. (Purple needed? Maybe?)

 

[Creedmoor]

I guess your suggesting that most don't wash these after use. I have washed mine with dawn in warm water after each time I used it to avoid what you're describing. I rinse until the water runs clear and they look brand new again. Do most not do this? Again, I don't use them a ton and maybe the problems come from people over using them, but I really don't see how this is significantly worse than patches.

I didn't say that at all, What I said was.

Why would I want to drag abrasive fouling, copper and other products back through the bore over and over again?

Myself, I don't care to drag a rope more than once through the bore of any of my firearms more than once. It matters not if its been washed.
I know that the pretty white new patches I push through the bore are clean and abrasive free.

 

[Creedmoor]

I have heard about people cleaning guns I am following to see how many there actually are in the wild. (Purple needed? Maybe?)

I happen to have a personal slave at home right now, all firearms have been scrubbed, brushed and oiled by a Grunt that is well versed in that art of firearm cleaning.

 

[actaeon277]

I didn't say that at all, What I said was.

Why would I want to drag abrasive fouling, copper and other products back through the bore over and over again?

Myself, I don't care to drag a rope more than once through the bore of any of my firearms more than once. It matters not if its been washed.
I know that the pretty white new patches I push through the bore are clean and abrasive free.

And only collects about a square inch of crap before it's full, and then you're dragging it through the barrel.
How many square inches make up a bore snake?