In the market for a better quality universal cleaning kit. What have you guys found to be the best for the money? Preferably sub $100

I'd like to know too. The ones I've seen are pretty much junk. I was thinking of getting a few of the tipton rods, or something similar. But I'd like to hear what others use. I hate cleaning guns almost as much as I hate looking for gun cleaning crap when it's time.

It’s taken me about 30 years...start with good rods and the rest is pieces here and there. I like the one piece Pro Shot jobs. The good thing is that if you end up with piles of stuff you don’t use anymore, just accidentally leave it at the range and it magically disappears.

I bought Dewey rods and various pieces like brass, bronze, nylon brushes and patch jags etc.....

Yep, I have a few different diameter Tipton cleaning rods along with possum hollow bore guides with various size cleaning jags, brushes, etc...along with some good patches and wipe-out bore cleaner I can easily keep the copper out of my barrels. For hanguns (especially revolvers) I like to use the Otis flexable cleaning rods that allows you to clean from the breech end.....Good luck.....Hb

I use nylon brushes and use no bronze brushes. My cleaning rods are Dewey and Bore tech and I use the triangular shaped (the name escapes me at this time) cleaning patches.

No kits that I am aware of come with good cleaning rods. Buy good rods in the size you need. Then collect the size jags and brushes you need as well as solvent, oil, patches, and bore guides and put in a fishing tackle box. Or Midway sells a box made for a kit. You’re gonna be hard pressed to stay under $150 though.

20/20 concepts patch worm

Yeah, forget the kit idea.

Tipton rods of appropriate size and length. Then the Tipton jag set without brushes. Then an assortment of cotton patches. A can of Patch Out and accelerator, and a container of gun oil.

Tipton, Dewey, or Pro Shot rods in the correct size, a good bore guide to keep cleaning fluids out of our action and trigger group, a good set of brass jags at Midway, and a bag of patches in each size you need. Once you have that just pick a good copper solvent like Sweets, and a good bore and carbon solvent and go to work. Should be able to put this together for around $100-$125 with a little judicious shopping.


Bob

Kits are mostly full of stuff you won't use. You can assemble a far better custom kit as follows:
1. Get a good once-piece rifle rod that will fit into the smallest bore that you own and that's long enough for the longest barrel you own. If you own a .17 or .20, then you'll need a specific rod for that, but a rod that will work in a .257" bore will work in anything bigger.
2. Do the same for a handgun rod if you have handguns.
3. Do the same for a shotgun rod if you have shotguns.
4. Get bore guides for the rifles you care about. Get muzzle guides if you can't clean them from the breech.
5. Add a worn-out toothbrush, a little ball of 0000 or finer steel wool, a couple of red shop rags, plus brushes, jags, etc. to fit what you own.
6. Get a bottle of Hoppe's #9 just for the smell.


Okie John

As the others say skip the kit idea. Start with a good rod I like Tipton, buy the jag you need and a bag of patches. Between that, wipe out and G 96 I do 90% of my cleaning. I bought a set of jags for every caliber recently, should have done that from the get go.

Piece it together using Pro-Shot goods.

I use Dewey and old Midway one piece rods and accessories. Montana Extreme solvents. Southern bloomer patches. Proshot three piece set stays in the truck for field emergencies.

I use Dewey when available, otherwise Tipton.

When I started using Wipe Out my “kit” got kinda small. Don’t know about the rest of you, but it seems like finding the right jag and patch combo is a shot in the dark. “6mm-7mm” patches are fine with a 270 jag but no go with a 243. So on and so forth.

Round? Square? Who the hell knows.

Yeah Wipe-out is some good chit! Though I do keep a bottle of Hoppes #9 around for the smell 😁......Hb

I know what you're saying 16bore getting a tight patch fit sometimes is more of an art than a science. I like to have a few sizes on hand. I've used a small rimfire patch with a normal sized for some situations when a patch on supposedly the right jag just isn't snug enough

It’s real fun to get them jammed in the throat.

I'm with okie john, but I would buy wipeout instead of hoppes.

Thank you for the advice. Looks like I got some shoppin to do! Anybody use here use Butches Bore Shine?

Agree on the one-piece graphite rod, and bore guide.

I've never had any luck finding a jag that would properly fit any of the bores of my rifles. Instead, I wrap a nylon bristle brush with a patch and slide that through. Guaranteed snug fit, and much more surface area contact.