Otis cleaning Kit

[wv109323]

I would like opinions on the Otis cleaning system. I like the idea because it is compact and you can clean lever action and semi-auto rifles through the breech. What are your opinions?

[georgerkahn]

I used this for years as the "poster child" in my Hunter Safety (firearms) classes, and pretty much use nothing other than this, myself. My amendment to the kit, however, is I am not thrilled with the Otis brand bore cleaner -- instead I use Butches Bore Shine. (And, follow with Butches Gun Oil; then a wipe-down with G96.) Readily carried, with fairly inexpensive for rather high quality brushes; their patches with the holes cut in for perfect sizing (I still recall the embarrassment to me of getting a G I patch STUCK!!! in a Garand barrel at a match before I "discovered" the Otis System); and one real plus is that the calibre is imprinted on each brush -- sure making selection easy! Added, Otis is based in the Finger Lake region of New York State; and, is a very huge supporter of our persons in uniform.
As you've no doubt gathered by now -- they have my vote!!!
geo

[NSB]

My experience with them is limited. I did buy a kit last year for .17 and on the first pull the end came off the cord and I had to push it out with a rod. I took it back to where I got it and got my money back. I'm not a fan.

[country gent]

I have one in my high power stool (and the wifes) I use them a lot. Mine are the true otis brand and have never gave any issues. I have even pushed stuck bullets out with mine. You put the "solid tip" on and just start tapping with it and it slowly pushes the bullet back out the way it came. If you ever get the chance to see the factory demonstration its very informative

[metricmonkeywrench]

+1 as well. I have a true milspec version for 5.56 that was given to me by one of the boys fresh back from the sandbox. The long cable was wrecked. A call to Otis and a pic of the bad cable netted me a replacement no questions asked. I added a .38 pistol and .30 cal rifle brush along the way to cover all of my field cleaning needs.

[725]

Got 'em / like 'em. Now that I hear what georgerkahn has to say about 'em, I like 'em even more.

[M-Tecs]

Odd man out here. I have a couple for emergency cleaning. I keep one in my HighPower shooting stood and in my hunting kits. Doesn't come close to a good one piece cleaning rod.

[Rick Hodges]

I'm not a fan....carry a home made pull through when hunting. Piece of .095" weed whacker string with a through bored jag held in with a melted ball of the string end as an emergency tool. For routine use give me a real cleaning rod.

[MrWolf]

Keep one in my range bag. My first DPMS barrel I followed their recommended break in. Made it easy.

[Hickok]

I like the Otis. Works quick and easy. Real handy.

But for the real "clean up" I still use the rods, brushes, Sweet's 7.62 (If needed with jacketed bullets), and Mobil 1 oil.

[kerplode]

I love Otis cleaning tools and use them almost exclusively. Their solvent/CLP isn't that great, though, IMO. I use Mpro7 and occasionally Bore Tech for solvents and Corrosion-X as lube/preservative.

[Dimner]

Rods for cleaning at home

Otis Kit in the Jeep for range or other places near the Jeep

Weedwhacker/Boresnake kit in my Possibles kit when hunting.


Many cleaning methods have a use in specific cases. If I only had to own one, it would be the Otis. But I have used it only 3 times in 5 years.

[W.R.Buchanan]

These are some of the best thought cleaning kits ever made. You can clean just about anything with one. But the real kicker is that they are compact go anywhere tools that work well and don't take up much space. I have one in my Range Bag, and I use it on my Carbines and guns with fixed barrels that you can't get a direct shot at the bore.

I still use Rods in the shop, but everywhere else I use the Otis Kit. It was not cheap I think I paid $68 for it.

I monitor all the Govt Procurement sites and you'd be surprised how many of these kits they sell to the Govt., and the Govt isn't getting any kind of a Quantity Discount either. Full pop+ due to the paperwork.

I saw a solicitation last December for 45,000 of their kits. And it was essentially a Sole Source Contract, IE: nobody else could bid on it. $3,060,000 !!!

Randy

[edp2k]

georgerkahn, I think Otis is in Lewis county, NY. Lowville I believe.

[lotech]

For emergency field use only. If you want to clean a gun, get good cleaning equipment.

[samari46]

For regular cleaning at home regular rods and brushes. To run some wet patches at the range I bought a couple of the Swiss K-31 and STG 57 kits. Rods are short sections with brass fittings at each joint, brushes, mirror, and a few other goodies. Cost was $5 each. Bought the brass adaptors to go from the metric threads to standard U.S. threads used by all American cleaning supply mfgr's. Small plastic squeeze bottle with Hoppes and some patches and all fit in a 30 round G.I. ar pouch.The brass fittings are about an inch long at each end so no steel contacts the inside of the barrel. If I have to run patches through a semi auto just run the rod down the bore and when it exits the chamber screw on the brush. I wet the patch. Funny thing about fouling here in Louisiana,seems with the heat and humidity fouling gets like a rock. Very hard to run even doing the first pass of a wet patch. So took to doing that at the range first. This way at home the solvent has had time softening up the powder fouling. Frank