Understanding a Universal Gun Cleaning Kit and the Chemicals and Components Inside

tetragundirect
5 days ago
5 min read

Firearm enthusiasts purchase gun cleaning kits every day, but it is almost as common for many of those gun owner to get home and wonder what some of the items inside are for, so we want to review the practical use for whatever is inside the case box. They are not all the same. Not at all.

Top Rated Tetra Gun Universal Cleaning Kit is a Best Value

Kit Elements Beginning with the Gun Cleaning Rod

The metal cleaning rod. Some are uncoated and often made of either brass or aluminum, and others are steel. The better choice is a coated rod that has some kind of barrier surface treatment to prevent scratches inside the bore. Choose the coated, stainless steel version for its strength, durability and anti-scratch properties. Like anything, don't go cheap though this particular Tetra Gun kit is a superior value to other brands that hype up overpriced alternatives made with unimpressive or non-essential components. Look carefully.

T-shaped, rubberized spinning handle type cleaning rod

Then, an overlooked if not misunderstood mystery part in cleaning kits is the bore guide, which is designed to help guide a rod down the bore without making unnecessary contact that can lead to scratches.

Simple but handy bore guide assures for a smooth movement down the bore

Essential Accessories in Firearm Maintenance

Patch holders, ideally made of steel or brass, hold the cotton gun patches as they travel down the bore, either picking up powder residue or delivering gun lube oil as needed until the last patch comes out clean.

The patch holder is the first step in cleaning out your gun barrel

No firearm cleaning kit is complete without cotton patches no matter what the size, configuration or quantity. If you are active at the range and run many different firearms, you will be using up many patches if you are cleaning guns as often as you are delivering lead down range.

Cotton patches, whether square or round, in the right size to match the bore caliber

No firearm cleaning kit is complete without cotton patches no matter what the size, configuration or quantity. There is some leeway here, but certain measurements are recommended sizing matches for particular bore diameters. You will see for yourself how well it fits. You should feel contact tension but not so much as to let yourself apply to much pressure as to bend the rod. Avoid that mistake. If that happens, either pick the next patch size down or trim a little off of the patches you have. Sometimes, the way the patch folds can impact the fit.

Nylon brush accessory used for removing carbon fouling.

A nylon bristled bore brush attachment is a viable substitute for many bore cleaning applications in the right caliber, of course. It scrubs away carbon fouling to prime the bore metal for lubrication that should follow. The more common bronze brush is a more aggressive material at scrubbing hard fouling off of gunmetal.

Firearm Lubricants & Bore Cleaners

Not every cleaning kit includes a tube of grease, but the better ones do. The consistency of grease is more effective than oil on critical high-wear gun parts such as slide rails, choke tubes, the bolt and other metal surfaces that are most vulnerable to wear and need a heavier protective dose of lubrication. This is a fact that the better gun manufacturers and gunsmiths understand. I know some will not agree but they are very wrong.

Gun Grease in a cleaning kit is a big upgrade

Firearm lubricant aka gun oil and often in the form of a CLP, which stands for Clean, Lubricate and Protect, is the most common item found in a firearm maintenance kit. With it, you can perform the cleaner function with the help of the accessories listed prior, while conditioning the metal with lubrication and protection to some degree. Of course, before using it, first remove pre-existing solvent residue, powder fouling and any lube left behind from your last gun treament, especially if you used another brand or formula of gun solvent.

CLP Gun Oil is an essential gun care item found in a kit

You might also find a bonus inside the kit box, like application instructions. A firearm manufacturer’s user’s manual will probably be vague about maintenance so anything a gun care company can share with you should be helpful, especially as they discuss how to use those specific products in the kit. From there, it comes down to your attention to details.

How to Choose the Right Gun Cleaning Chemicals

There are other firearm maintenance chemicals that you reach for to supplement the grease and the oil lubricant when their special purposes are called upon, including the following:

Cleaner Degreaser aerosol: Tetra Gun Action Blaster is a commonly used bore cleaning spray that has proven itself many times over. Just spray and swab out fouling.
Copper Solvent: This is your best choice for dealing with hard fouling whether it be to dissolve and remove copper, stubborn burned-in carbon powder residue or plastic wadding from shotgun shells. Tetra's version is a gel state that stays on the bronze brush better and begins to work almost instantly because of its superior chemistry.
Carbon Cleaner: If you are looking for a true cleaner vs. a CLP, this will literally lift off carbon residue. After wiping that out, you should be in good shape to then treat the bore with lube oil.
Cleaner Degreaser: Especially for light duty use where there just isn't too much residue to remove, a safer, gentler water-based formula can be the best choice. Plus, a product like that can be used without gloves or a mask because it won't irritate skin or emit fumes like traditional bore solvents. The only tradeoff is strength.

Remember, the right gun cleaning chemicals will keep your firearm in tip top shape and in fire-ready condition, which reminds me of another long-standing theme - Tetra Gun care's concept of bore conditioning.