In this guide, we will provide you with everything you need to know about gun cleaning. Here is some basic information on why proper gun care is important, what to look for when buying a cleaning kit, and a list of the best gun cleaning kit options currently on the market. We have also included a glossary, which lists all the products you must have and what they are used for. There will be a wealth of information to cover in this article.
My only complaint about the Otis Elite cleaning kit is the soft nylon cover. I find the hard cases much easier to transport, plus they look better and are more durable. I would also prefer the traditional tips over the slotted tips provided. With that said, this is a great kit at an affordable price.
Other features:
2 fluid ounce bottles of Bio-CLP, complete cleaner, lubricant and firearm protector.
2 “and 3” 100% cotton patches, 3 slotted tips and 2 patch protectors
Small and large clog removers remove mud, snow, stuck decks and double as T-handle base for T-handle included; Small T-handle and bolt included for small gauge cleaning.
.223cal / 5.56mm chamber brush, pin punch, end brush, straight spout, locking tab scraper, scraper, short AP brush, double-ended AP brush, and male and female wand for more precise cleaning.
Lens cloth, lens spray, lens brush and lens cloth for optics care.
Warranty protection
All in all, this is another great universal kit at a bargain price compared to the previous one, making it a strong candidate for the best overall gun cleaning kit.
Other features:
4 accessory adapters
Double-ended metal cleaning spout
2 dual-purpose / breech brushes (phosphor and nylon)
3 utility part brushes (phosphor / nylon / stainless)
2 choke / chamber brushes (1/4 ”and ¾” diameter)
3 sets of 50 patches (1 “x 1” / 1 ½ “x 1 ½” / 3 “x 3”)
The Hoppe Premium Universal Cleaning Kit comes with 10 brass brushes (12, 20 and 28 ga., Diameter .410, .44 / 45, .38, .30, .40 / 10mm, .22 and .17), 6 machine washable and reusable cleaning swabs, and 9 teeth (.17 / .20, .22 / .243 / 6mm, .25-6.5mm, .270-7mm, .30-8mm, .375-.40, .416 to .44 , .45, .338 to 9 mm). There are also 3 utility brushes, one nylon, one bronze, and one stainless steel. The quality of the tools is passable, certainly good for the price, and it comes in a hard case, which I really like. The only obvious drawback is that the kit does not include oils or solvents.
Allen cleaning kits are good top-middle shelf items that are great for the mid-gun owner.
The best gun cleaning kit of them is Allen’s Ultimate Tactical Pistol Cleaning Kit. This kit comes with 65 pieces and is designed to use high quality tools. Comes with 8 gauge brushes (.50, .44 / .45, .40, .357 / 9mm, .30, .22, 12 gauge and 20 gauge), 10 cleaning swabs, 3 brass slotted tips, 6 tips brass (upgraded from plastic) and brass adapters for 5-40 (.20 gauge and under) 8-32 (rifle and pistol) and 5 / 16-27 (shotgun).
Also comes with top and bolt-on wrench brushes, .223 and .308 chamber brushes, and a tube cleaning brush. The list of additional parts is long, so I bulleted the rest below.
The kit is stored in a hard plastic tactical casing, complete with removable compartments. The organization of the kit is exceptional and in my opinion the best on our list. The only downside to this kit is that there are no solvents or oils included, but the Ultimate kit has plenty of room in the case to store oils and solvents after purchasing them separately.
Other features:
3 special tools for MSR
Hex handle for use with one piece of brass rod
Clear plastic tube and rope cord
3 piece cleaning rods for shotgun and rifle / pistol
Muzzle guards for each cleaning rod (4mm and 6 mm)
Set of 3 brushes and picks (not included in the Deluxe set)
Cotton cleaning patches 10 cotton
cleaning cloths
The Otis Tactical Cleaning Kit is very popular and in my opinion the best compact cleaning kit on the market. It comes with a wide variety of tools, is compatible with pistols, rifles, and shotguns, and it even has its own small bottle of CLP, which is a huge bonus. The kit is more than twice as expensive as the Avid Gun Boss, but the quality is excellent and it has more universality. It comes in a soft, padded case and we’ve listed the additional contents below.
Otis Tactical Cleaning Kit Contents:
6 bronze hole brushes (.22 / .223, .270, .30 / .308 / 30-06 / 30-30, .38 / 9mm, .45 cal, 12 ga)
2 “and 3 cotton pads »
3 Slotted Tips
2 Patch Savers
8″ & 30 “Aircraft Grade Memory-Flex Cables with Threaded Connector
34″ Aircraft Grade Memory-Flex® Cable (5-40 Strands) with Slotted Tip is Small Enough as for cleaning .17 caliber firearms
T-handles that function as both small and large clog removers
Protected warranty
The Hoppe BoreSnake Rifle Softface Rifle Cleaning Kit comes with a bore cleaner, Hoppe lubricating oil, and a Weatherguard cloth. Remember that a Boresnakes can by no means completely clean your weapon, but these are a good option for shooters who like to quickly clean the barrel of their weapon immediately after use or for those who use a lot of corrosive ammunition. They are cheap, easy to use, and as compatible as possible. So give it a try if you think it might be useful.
Remington Bore Squeegee is an easy-to-use tool that can replace the need for the cleaning patch / tip combo. The squeegee rubber head attaches to the cleaning rod and uses a deflector system to gently scrape off any remaining residue. In my opinion, it works better than cleaning patches, plus it is reusable.
Below is a short list of our favorite gun cleaners, solvents and oils. It is wise to stick to these trusted brands to ensure quality.
When it comes to the most respected and widely used gun cleaner, it’s not even close: Hoppe’s No. 9. This cleaner is cheap, easy to use, and just one 8-ounce bottle might be all you need for years. He specializes in cleaning lead and carbon build-up. Most people will tell you that Hoppe is not that suitable for cleaning copper, and unfortunately this is true.
But fear not, because Hoppe offers a solution to these problems with his Elite Gun Cleaner. This more expensive alternative is great for removing copper scale and comes in a spray bottle. Thanks Hoppes Since the Elite cleaner is more expensive, I would recommend using the two cleaners together to save some money if you are on a budget. I will recommend one more gun cleaner, but in my opinion, Hoppe is almost always the way to go.
Best Cleaning Kit – Buyer’s Guide
Someone new to firearms might be surprised how quickly the interior and exterior of a firearm can accumulate unwanted build-ups. It usually only takes two or three trips to the firing range before a pistol needs to be cleaned. The first thing to understand is that cleaning your firearm is not just for cosmetic reasons. Scale on your firearm can lead to long-term corrosion and, in the short term, cause a number of major failures with your firearm. The build-up goes everywhere and causes problems with your firing pin, springs, action, gas system, and of course the chamber. Even if a dirty pistol does manage to work, the build-up will often affect the accuracy of the weapons, sometimes drastically. Once the corrosion starts to wear down the barrel.
This is common knowledge to many gun users, but hopefully we are all up to date now. The lesson is: clean your gun. All the time. Even if you have left it in storage for a period of time without use, it may be a good idea to clean it to remove any accumulated dust or dirt.
You want to be thorough when cleaning your firearm. Every nook and cranny will have to be taken care of. To do this, you will need the correct set of tools. When purchasing a kit, first make sure it comes with the necessary parts for your type of weapon. Some kits are specialized for shotguns, others for rifles, and gun cleaning kits come in a wide range of caliber specifications.
In general, a good universal kit like the ones we have listed above will have tools for cleaning a wide range of firearms. However, not all kits are fully complete, so maybe expect to purchase a couple of extra items to complete your weapon cleaning arsenal.
Click here Gun cleaning kit with oil and cleaner for more information.
After you have found a kit with the required gauge sizes, you want to see the details of the kit. What types of tools are included and how are they quality? How about the kit case? Is it durable and well organized?
We’ve put together a list of Essential Tools below in the glossary section of this guide. This will go into detail about each part and tell you what each part is for and how to identify if one tool is of better quality than another. A kit should come with core cleaning tools, such as core brushes (remember to look for the correct gauge), nylon brushes, core mops, cleaning tips and / or tips, wands, and slotted cleaning patches. You’ll also want the kit to include more general tools, such as utility brushes, cleaning swabs, and ideally a set of cleaning tips. Lastly, you will need a gun cleaning solvent and gun oil. While some kits include their own solvent and oil, many do not, so this is one of the items that you will probably need to purchase separately. But don’t worry, we’ve added recommendations for that too.