What is a good firearm cleaning kit?

[MidCoast]

I have been reading up on cleaning and I heard brass and aluminum rods  are not good to clean firearms with.   Are there any good firearm cleaning kits you recommend?  I have 30-06 long rifle, .22 rifles, and 12 gauge shotguns to clean.

[leechlake]

I'd suggest not buying a kit.  Instead get some help buying the highest quality rod and then the three brush attachments you presently need and a few other attachments.  All the kits I've owned have bad rods and I ended up inheriting my dads gear when he quit hunting, it's 60 plus year old and never thought of breaking.

Get a piece of flannel and cut for patches and then cut a good sized chunk and oil it up for your wiping cloth.  It will last for years and frankly a life time.  Finally get some unique metal tin or box to keep the stuff in.  My 86 year old father (his birthday today)has his old metal boy scout first aid kit.  It's probably 4"X 6" and holds all this stuff perfectly, neat way to store the stuff and make it your own.

Edited September 10, 2015 by leechlake

[MUSKY18]

I got rid of my kits and went to the Hoppe's Bore Snake.  Run it through your barrel twice and its SPOTLESS!  Very easy and very fast.  Have one for all my rifles and will be getting one for the shotguns as well. 

[MidCoast]

Thanks guys

[Chaws]

Boresnake and Breakfree CLP for your cleaner and lubricant. Don't use Remoil or Hoppes stuff that isn't synthetic. Breakfree CLP is my go to for cleaning and lubing. Have a small can in the pickup for any out in the field lube needs. Typically it's for buddies that have been using Remoil and their autos are gumming up on cold or dusty dirty days afield.

[O.T.C.]

WD-40 and paper towels, a long wooden dowel, have 17 guns most bought in the early 80's and I don't know a gunsmith and my guns look and function great. But, my dad taught me to clean it after every hunt which is likely the reason I've never purchased gun oil, even at storage time come valentines day I'll wipe em down for the sake of it. I do use bore butter for storing my muzzleloaders. The few jams I've had have been more about a bunk shell then the gun. Been a decade or 2 now without a jam and I'm crankin quite a few rounds every year.

[Chaws]

Stop using WD40. That stuff attracts dirt and dust. There's be a lot of advancement in the tighter clearances in firearms these days along with how to better maintain your weapons.

[nofishfisherman]

I've always noticed WD40 attracting dirt and other gunk as well.  Seems to always gum things up sooner or later. Not something I'd use on my gun.

I bough a cheap kit several years ago but the only thing I use from it is the rod.  I've picked up other wire brushes, patches, cleaner and oil over the years.  I just run a wire brush through it that was wet down with a little cleaner, then run patches through it until the last one comes out clean.  Then oil it inside and out and put it away.

I clean my rifle every time I shoot it.  Even if I don't shoot it I'll wipe it down with a clean dry cloth and then a lightly oiled cloth every night after coming in from the field.  

[huntnfish]

I try to clean any gun I shoot as soon as possible. I also like to go through all of them a couple times a year to wipe them down if nothing else. 

 

I Spoke with a reputable gunsmith in the area a while back and he said the best thing to use for coating the exterior of guns is carnauba wax. He said it repels water and won't evaporate off like some oils. Also, it isn't affected by handling like oils. I've thought about putting a wax on the guns in the safe that don't get used much but haven't gotten around to it. Has anyone tried this?

[Surface Tension]

   The solvent in cleaning kits won't clean copper so if you haven't specifically purchased  a copper solvent, you should.   Depending on how(copper) fouled the barrel is,  its going to take some time of repeat soak and running a patch through till your patch comes out clean. 

 I'm still using an old kit with aluminum rods. It is possible to run the rod through without gouging off aluminum, ya know.