How to Choose and Use the Ultimate Gun Cleaning Kit
With so many options on the market, you need to be aware of the following criteria to make sure your decision is a wise one.
Container
You need to figure out which type of container would work best for you and your gun cleaning needs. Most people use a toolbox because of the ease of transport plus the dividing sections. Or, you can use the carrying case that comes with most gun cleaning kits on the market today. So, if you have an extra toolbox that is not carrying that many tools or can downsize your tools elsewhere, then there you go – you already have your container to keep all your pieces organized.
When you obtain all the parts you find that are fit to clean your firearm, organize them properly. Few things about being a gun owner are more frustrating than finding your gun cleaning process to be a cluttered scene. Don’t start with an unorganized toolkit – start fresh and ordered.
Place your toolkit in a memorable place for yourself, but not for any young children or clueless others. Your kit will contain harmful substances and parts that can seriously hurt someone if swallowed or used the wrong way.
Read the owner’s manual of your selected container to see any specific points on which pieces intended to be where. Most of the parts to clean a firearm are lightweight and not too large, which provides more flexibility than ordinary tools. But, if it makes more sense, just use your best judgement to place your parts in an orderly fashion.
Brushes
Although many toolkits boast a variety of accessories with many different types of bells and whistles, brushes stand to be a staple in every kit. You will always need them to scrub out lead residue in the hard to reach areas such as the handgun slide and muzzle brakes. Anywhere you need to brush up your gun, you will decide to use hard or soft brushes. A kit containing nylon and bronze brushes is what you need to look for when considering the tough to reach spots all around your weapon.
Depending on what you are scrubbing out, you will know which brush to use. For example, use the nylon brushes for soft dirt and residue because there is not any need to accidently scratch the gun when the substance that soft to take off. For more built up residue that can not come off with a simple nylon brush, step up to a bronze brush to be sure of the lead removal. But, before you use the bronze brush, make sure the barrel, or wherever you are cleaning, is well lubricated to prevent scratching. Furthermore, if you purchase a steel brush be extra cautious because it is even much harder than bronze.
Oil
Make no mistake this is specifically oil for your gun – not your vehicle. A synthetic gun oil gets the job done. Gun oil provides prevention of rust and heavy metal build up when applied correctly. This is essential to maintaining your firearm. A little bit of gun oil can take you a long way, so there is no need to worry about buying too much. One, small five fluid ounce bottle will provide you a handful of service cleanings for your weapon.
When dabbing it onto the appropriate cloth, be careful to not pour too much of this precious synthetic lube all over. It can really stain clothing or be a pain to remove from carpet and cotton. Use it outside above concrete or folded down cardboard boxes – especially far away from valuable belongings.
Silicone Cloth
This is to be used in perfect combination with the gun oil. It is specifically for cleaning, polishing, and protecting the gun’s exterior surfaces. Silicone cloth is soft, yet cannot be used indefinitely. After one intense use or a few regular cleanings, you will need to purchase more to achieve their usefulness again. But, do not be too quick to just throw them away because they can be used for protecting gun parts when in storage when completely dry.
With your silicone cloth in one hand and your open gun oil in the other, drop a few small bits of oil onto the dry cloth. The reason to only use a pinch of lubricant with the silicone cloth is because that is all it really needs. It can be easy to get carried away with the gun oil on the cloth, but just know an excess of oil on the rag can cause you more problems than not. Too much, and you will be needing more other rags that will be trashed just to clean up the mess. And remember, the gun needs to be absolutely dry before you can continue to use it. Since you only should use a little bit of oil, a portion of the rag should stay completely dry to provide the final polishing touching to ensure a ready to use firearm.
Summary
Sure, there are plenty of extra, attractive features you can look for in gun cleaning kits; but, these are the four necessary, key components to selecting the ultimate gun cleaning kit and how to use them. While doing your research, keep these standards in mind. You will be well on your way to maintaining a long life for your beloved firearm. All you need to do is keep safety first as a responsible gun owner, and the rest of your gun cleaning kit journey shall fall neatly into place.