Sending my son my P229 with three barrels.
9mm, .40, and 357sig.

Looking to get him a cleaning kit to go with it.

Looking for recommendations.

Thanks

I’ve never been a fan of premade “kits” for the purpose and rather buy the individual items. Although it’s not necessary to get them from Brownells, these are the items I currently give to new hires when they’re issued agency handguns.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-...ol-rod-prod5644.aspx (the 9 inch version)

Many possible lubricants. I currently use Lucas oil:
https://www.brownells.com/gun-...96-71172-152166.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gun-...7.aspx?sku=084068004

Caliber specific jags:
https://www.brownells.com/gun-...128061.aspx?psize=96

There are many good bore cleaning solvents available, including Shooter’s Choice.
https://www.brownells.com/gun-..._1=SHOOTERS%2bCHOICE

I prefer immersion soaking in the original formula Hoppe’s #9, but most people don’t want to go to the trouble.

Caliber specific bronze bore brushes (to be used sparingly).

General: old toothbrush (the cheap kind with just plain nylon bristles); long bristle brush like a shaving brush; paper towels.

FWIW, I consider “bore snakes” to be for the lazy and/or ignorant who don’t really understand bore cleaning.


Hoppe’s soaking jar.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I’ve never been a fan of premade “kits” for the purpose and rather buy the individual items. Although it’s not necessary to get them from Brownells, these are the items I currently give to new hires when they’re issued agency handguns.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-...ol-rod-prod5644.aspx (the 9 inch version)

Many possible lubricants. I currently use Lucas oil:
https://www.brownells.com/gun-...96-71172-152166.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gun-...7.aspx?sku=084068004

Caliber specific jags:
https://www.brownells.com/gun-...128061.aspx?psize=96

There are many good bore cleaning solvents available, including Shooter’s Choice.
https://www.brownells.com/gun-..._1=SHOOTERS%2bCHOICE

I prefer immersion soaking in the original formula Hoppe’s #9, but most people don’t want to go to the trouble.

Caliber specific bronze bore brushes (to be used sparingly).

General: old toothbrush (the cheap kind with just plain nylon bristles); long bristle brush like a shaving brush; paper towels.

FWIW, I consider “bore snakes” to be for the lazy and/or ignorant who don’t really understand bore cleaning.


Hoppe’s soaking jar.

I agree 100%. No premade kits.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
...I prefer immersion soaking in the original formula Hoppe’s #9, but most people don’t want to go to the trouble...

Hoppe’s soaking jar.

sigfreund I got busy and forgot to thank you in a recent thread for your answer to my previous soaking question..so, I'll thank you now. Like you, I had some concerns about using a plastic bottle with a solvent like Hoppes #9 in it, but it's good to know that it does work because I'm in the process of sorting through some old hiking/ camping plastic water bottles for just this purpose. Up to now, I've been using several re-purposed glass jars for this duty, which work fine, but I like your idea of using a break-resistant plastic bottle with a more secure plastic lid with deeper threads.

I suspect I know the answer to this question, but I'll ask anyways; do you reuse the same batch of Hoppes cleaning solvent for each new cleaning job, or do you periodically change out the solvent? If you do change it out, how often do you do so and how do you determine when to change it out?

You’re welcome.

I leave the solvent in the jars (I have three) to reuse and top them off on occasion as the level drops due to the small amount that stays on the barrel when I remove it. I do replace the solvent entirely when it seems like it’s losing its effectiveness. That’s very infrequently, though, and may just be my imagination at work. In the nearly 20 years I’ve used the same setup that I started to clean my agency’s pistol barrels, I’ve dumped the old Hoppe’s and replaced it with new maybe three or four times.

That's, more or less, the answer I expected. I've been topping my soaking jars off occasionally, but I honestly don't recall ever completely dumping the old Hoppes and completely replacing it.. but I've only been using this method for maybe 8 or 9 years.

Years ago, Hoppes was found in glass bottles, but in more recent years, all the bottles I've bought have been in plastic bottles. It just dawned on me that that little fact should've been enough to suggest to me that the solvent would be safe to use in at least some types of plastic containers.

The labels on my plastic Hoppes bottles have been exposed to so many tiny drips that portions of the directions and warnings have been worn away to the point where they are unreadable.

When you do change your Hoppes out, how do you dispose of the old batch?

Lazy and ignorant work for me. I like bore snakes. When one needs a quick swab of the bore a snake is just wonderful. But I’m only in my mid seventies perhaps I don't have enough experience.

Hi sigfreund,

I've only used bore snakes. How long of a soak do you recommend?

I'm exceptionally lazy by Sigforum standards , so I highly recommend a bore snake.

You can put 50,000 rounds down range in a Sig P229 and a bore snake will get you there just fine. Its not a 1000 yard sniper.

quote:

Originally posted by sigalert:
How long of a soak do you recommend?

I have found that 24 hours will allow most of the fouling to be removed with a tight-fitting patch on a jag, and for complete removal three days is usually sufficient for 100+ rounds of fouling. If I don’t need the gun again right away and procrastinate, I have left barrels soaking for more than a week.

I’ll emphasize, though, that I have tried the method only with the original formula Hoppe’s #9, not other bore cleaning solvents that could be harmful to the steel.

And although my critique of bore snakes wasn’t very diplomatic, it’s not only because of how effective a few passes with one can compare to more traditional methods. Powder fouling isn’t toxic as far as I know, but the lead that’s deposited in the bore from the primer and from unjacketed or open base bullets is. Using patches that are discarded after use and don’t even have to be touched is a better way of dealing with the lead than handling a device that picks up the fouling and keeps it around for later exposure. If that doesn’t matter to someone, it doesn’t matter, but it does to me. I am also not a fan of pull-through cord type bore cleaners in general because of their possible effect on the barrel crown. I do not care how other people clean their guns, but when asked for advice, I give my opinions.

Forget the kits.

Buy a quality rod from Dewey or Tipton. Get the jags at the same time. Brushes can be easily found from Hoppes. But I don't use them that often. The copper jacketed and poly coated lead leaves nothing that a few wet patches can't clean up.

Hoppes #9 has served well for decades. For years I've used Unchlorinated brake clearer with zero affects to internals or finishes. The entire exterior gets a very light coating of CLP or every so often, Frog Lube which is the only use for that product.

Like the Academy, I only use Sliup2000 EWL or EWL30 in the warmer months.

I stock of good quality brass brushes and cotton patches. I avoid the synthetic types. Bunch of q tips helps.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

I am also not a fan of pull-through cord type bore cleaners in general because of their possible effect on the barrel crown.

Sigfreund

What effect on the crown are you talking about? I use the Otis system, pulling from the breech toward the muzzle, I don't see how that could cause damage to the crown. What am I missing?

The concern about pull-through flexible bore cleaners started with the ones that consisted of aluminum beads on a chain as used by a European military or few. As it’s drawn out most users wouldn’t ensure that the beads didn’t rub against the crown (end of the rifling) and cause uneven wear. Use of the device was ultimately blamed for significant loss of accuracy by military rifles and was discontinued.

Later pull-throughs consisted of a corded system with brush/swab/patch puller at the end. At least one sniping authority believed that although the cord was obviously much softer than the aluminum beads, something similar could happen and be exacerbated by anything that the cord pulled from the bore. Depending upon the location and situation, that could include environmental mineral dust that would tend to embed itself in the cord and be pulled across the crown over and over rather than being pushed out with the first patch. If the device wasn’t kept scrupulously clean (sometimes difficult in a military field situation), that would make the problem worse.

I have researched the same question about other pull through types such as the “bore snake,” and I’ve found more than one opinion expressed by precision shooters that they could also cause the same excessive wear on the crown. It very likely couldn’t cause as much wear as quickly as the other methods, but it’s more likely than with patches that are pushed through and discarded. The other devices are usually reused over and over without being completely cleaned of all previous residues. And wear would be more likely if the device weren’t pulled out exactly parallel to the bore.

A major concern? No. Would I use a bore snake if that’s all I had? Yes; I even have Otis Ripcord devices for my 6.5 and 308 rifles to use in a situation requiring swabbing out the bore and I didn’t have a proper rod.

And as a last point, I seldom use metal bore brushes and the “snake” devices I’m familiar with don’t allow the option of not using one.

Are there better ways to routinely clean the bore? For me, without question.

Just put me down as another one for "no kits". Separate rod, patches, jags/patch pullers, solvent and lube.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:


A major concern? No. Would I use a bore snake if that’s all I had? Yes; I even have Otis Ripcord devices for my 6.5 and 308 rifles to use in a situation requiring swabbing out the bore and I didn’t have a proper rod.

And as a last point, I seldom use metal bore brushes and the “snake” devices I’m familiar with don’t allow the option of not using one.

Are there better ways to routinely clean the bore? For me, without question.

Got it. I can see the concern with Boresnake/Ripcord systems. That is not what I use. I have their coated wire kit that allows you attach a brush or cleaning patches and pull it thru. Like this one.

I agree on the mil-style pull thru, I think they are garbage.

OP, sorry for the drift.

Like many shooters, for years, I used the cheap cleaning kits, but have slowly moved towards piecing together my own kits with better quality tools and components. I still have a mishmash assortment of left over Hoppes/ Outters/ generic kits, along with a much nicer Otis pull-thru kit, and components stashed away in various storage boxes, for those just in case jobs.

For those of you who have pieced together your own kits, I'm curious how you organize and store them. Tackle/ tool boxes? Roll-up soft-sided kits? Others? Do you organize separate ones for long gun, handgun, shotgun? Or, maybe by caliber(s)?

I'm currently using a tool box for my custom cleaning kit, along with an ammo can for range cleaning duties. It works, but leaves something to be desired and I'm looking for a better solution.

How do you keep your rods, and the bits and pieces sorted and ready for use?

* Extra credit awarded for photos of your customized cleaning kits.

Shelves, peg boards, drawers, and storage boxes.

The cleaning rods I use are hanging from the wall. The soaking bottles are on a shelf behind the work bench. I have separate small MTM boxes for the common calibers I clean: handgun jags, swabs, brushes (9mm/357, .40, .45); .22; 6.5mm; .30. Torque wrenches and shotgun cleaning brushes and swabs are in the drawers. Not pictured are a plastic tool box with all my bore guides, a plastic storage box with AR tools, and the lubes and solvents on a wall shelf. A box in the other room has more AR tools.

That's far more than a cleaning kit.. that is a cleaning space. Very nice set up.

I don't think I can pull off the pegboard idea right now, but I've been kicking around the idea of modifying a roll-around tool chest, which should allow me to hang my cleaning rods from, along with some other items.

Thanks for the description and photos sigfreund. You've provided me with the inspiration to push forward with my idea.

Yes, much more than a kit.
I didn’t always have the room, but now that I do, it’s far more convenient to have most things at arm’s reach rather than having to find and pull it out of where it was stored away.