Cleaning Kit

[DeanoBeanCounter]

This seams like the place to put this question. Mods can move it if need be.

How do you organize your cleaning kit. Someone gave me a kit years ago but the separator is starting to fall apart. I don't know how to keep the brushes, mops ect. separated. Some brushes look real close to others, 270 looks like 22 ect. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?
Dean

[Bazoo]

I have an MTM shooting range box I keep most of my cleaning stuff in. http://www.mtmcase-gard.com/products/shooting/shooting-range-box-rbmc.php

I don't really do anything to keep my brushes and mops separate. I don't have calibers that are so close right now.

[dangitgriff]

Plano Molding 135430 Stow N' Go Pro Rack with 4 #23500s Prolatch Organizers,Graphite Gray, Sandstone

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200524/c1e3de0781043004a4871e10e46536cd.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OES590/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2rVYEbFXFVGMG

[Winger Ed.]

For the range- I put a rod under the foam rubber in a hard case and have a qt. size zip-lock bag with a few patches, brushes, & small bottle of #9

At home- rods hang in a (vertical)wall mounted fishing rod holder, and a old, top/lift out tray from a tool box has patches & brushes.
It sits on a shelf beside the big bottle of #9.

[rancher1913]

found a sewing cabinet, the one that folds out and has 3 trays on either side, its great as a gun cleaning kit. picked it up for 10 bucks at a yard sale.

[Bazoo]

Dang rancher, that's a nifty idea.

[wv109323]

I have a small tackle box that i put my daily cleaning stuff in. I keep enough patches for several cleaning sessions. I use a choke tube holder for all the brushes, jags and mops. I use a tool box for all the bulk stuff and surplus.

[Bazoo]

I use an old outers cleaning kit box for my small portable kit.

[Mk42gunner]

Having done it professionally, my cleaning kits are more like large tool boxes than anything. Here are a few tips:

Buy bore brushes in bulk, they do wear out, and they are cheaper that way. Store them in well labelled boxes or plastic containers.

Slotted tips and jags don't really wear out, but try to keep them sorted by caliber.

I like the steel jointed rods from the military for range trips, but commercial tips don't match the threads.

For home use I have an assortment of stainless one piece Dewey rods, I don't like the coated ones.

Always be on the look out for cheap toothbrushes.

Despite what most people in the military will tell you, Q-tips aren't all that useful when cleaning a gun.

Patches: If you can find the large GI patches, they work well for .30 to .50 cal, and are easy to cut down for anything smaller. Other than that, a good grade of cotton flannel from the fabric store does wonders.

Solvents: I like the way Ed's Red works, and for the amount you get when you make it at home, it isn't all that expensive. For BP or corrosive primers, I like dawn dish soap and water.

Just about any cleaning regimen is better than nothing, neglect has killed more guns than abuse in my opinion.

Robert

[Bazoo]

Thanks for sharing Robert, I don't find Qtips to be useful at all really. I like the military toothbrushes, that small end is great for many things.

[Petrol & Powder]

Years ago I built a dedicated cleaning/repair bench; complete with the necessary storage and lighting. It was a total game changer and I wish I had done it earlier. I still have cleaning kits for that task when away from home but the bulk of my gun cleaning is done at the bench.

Not everyone has the ability to build a cleaning bench. If you rent, don't have the space or have other concerns; a dedicated cleaning bench may not be an option. If you can set up a cleaning bench - My advice is to do it.

[bedbugbilly]

I keep a small "kit: in my range bag in case I need it when I'm shooting but most of my main bits and pieces are at home. I mounted two 3" pieces of schedule 40 PVC pipe horizontally on the wall at the back of my loading bench/work bench. I slide my various cleaning rods for smokeless guns in the top piece of pipe and my black powder rods in the lower one. My various brushes, mops, cleaning jags, etc. - I have in a couple of divided plastic storage boxes that I picked up at Joanne Fabrics. I use a permanent marker to mark the various compartments on the lid to show the sizes of the brushes, jags, mops, etc. I make my own flannel cleaning patches - I get a couple of yards of cotton flannel off of the bargain table at Joannes - wash the sizing out of he material - fold and cut round patches out of it on the drill press using cutters of various diameters that I made out of hole saws that I have ground the teeth off of and sharpened the edge - removed the center drill - they work slick and I can cut a lot of patches out of a couple of yards of material. I put those in large ziplock bags and label the bag with a permanent marker as to size. The brush/mop/jag storage boxes, bags of cleaning patches and various oils, solvents, etc. all fit on one shelf in the metal storage cabinets I have above my bench so everything is all together and easy to find.

[lightman]

I keep all of my cleaning stuff in an aluminum took box. Sinclair sells small plastic boxes made for bore brushes, bore mops, cleaning jags, ect. They also sell small chemical resistant bottles for oils and cleaning solvents. I also keep tools in there that I have calumniated for working on guns.

I wish I had the space for a dedicated cleaning bench.

[Minerat]

I keep my Dewey jags and brushes in the large (3.4oz) flip lid tictac bottles or tall prescription containers. For the range I have a 5 piece rod in a plastic sleeve , patches and #9 in a small squeeze bottle, etc in the side pocket if my range bag.

[Bazoo]

I have had a bench for gun maintenance for nearly 20 years. When I started reloading I just bolted my press to it. That has worked a while because I generally put stuff up when I'm done with it, but I'm fixing to separate the two and make a second bench.

[daengmei]

Despite what most people in the military will tell you, Q-tips aren't all that useful when cleaning a gun.

I tell ya why we used q-tips. For every inspection any grey appearance found in the clear oiled weapon meant in their eyes that there was still carbon or other contamination. It had to come out clear. We used RBC (rifle bore cleaner) to clean. LSA was then used to lube till my last couple years and then CLP for both cleaning/lubing. Hand guns, rifles, any crew served weapons in my units had to meat the clean oil test, that included the 105mm and 120mm main tank barrels. Q-tips are useless on a tank cannon by the way:)

Dirty oil, dirty weapon.

We were required to clean for 3 days having inspections from many supervisors till the Commander came along.

Then when it was clean, there would be too much oil, again using q-tips till the final inspection.

Q-tips leave cotton strings....those had to go too.

[tommag]

https://www.sinclairintl.com/gun-cleaning/cleaning-rods-accessories/cleaning-rod-accessories/adapters-loops-implements/jag-and-brush-box-prod32629.aspx

[David2011]

Plano Molding 135430 Stow N' Go Pro Rack with 4 #23500s Prolatch Organizers,Graphite Gray, Sandstone

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200524/c1e3de0781043004a4871e10e46536cd.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OES590/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2rVYEbFXFVGMG

Mine is 30 years old but very similar. The nice thing about it is that the trays have long compartments that will hold cleaning rods that break down. Hopefully they still have that feature.

[Mk42gunner]

I forgot to put anything in specifically for shotguns, so here goes:

DO NOT use a wooden cleaning rod. I or my striker got one stuck with tight patches, then it broke. We spent the better part of an afternoon getting it out without harming the 870 barrel.

A Tico tool does okay for simple powder fouling, but for serious scrubbing use a metal rod with whatever adapters are necessary to fit a bronze brush.

The absolute best 12 ga bore brush I ever found is one of the square M-60 receiver brushes on a .50 caliber rod.

I have found it best to always go all the way through the bore in one pass, no matter if it is smoothbore or rifled. In my opinion if you can move a bronze brush both ways in a bore, the brush is too small or worn out.

Robert