How to Make Your Own Gun Cleaning Kit

How to Make Your Own Gun Cleaning Kit

How to Make Your Own Gun Cleaning Kit
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Today I want to take a moment to show you how to make your own gun cleaning kit.

If you care for your things, you surely want them to look good and last long. Your gun might be one of those timeless objects, but it requires quite a lot of attention. If you recently bought a gun, there are plenty maintenance lessons to learn.

Why You Should Make Your Own Gun Cleaning Kit?

As you just made a significant investment, you might want to spare some money.  Or, if you are like me and already have some gun cleaning materials from past gun purchases, you may not need to buy a complete kit.

Building your own cleaning kit is a cheap and efficient alternative. Here are some basic tips that will help you get it done.

What Does a Traditional Kit Contain?

First, we need to find out what exactly you need to put include in your gun cleaning kit. The items below are always present in kits you can purchase from specialized shops and online:

  • Patches: it’s recommendable to opt for cotton pieces which are more efficient
  • Lubricant or gun oil: this is used to lubricate the receiver components. A gun’s longevity depends on how you lubricate it. After buying a gun, make sure you read all the manufacturer’s instructions relating to lubrication. It is also important to purchase the specific products that are suitable for your weapon.
    • Additionally, some people like to use a solvent trap so that the dirty cleaning solvent is trapped instead of flowign out of the gun and onto the table.
  • Solvent to clean your gun: solvents are used to dissolve and remove the carbon and metal deposits in the bore. There’s a wide range of solvents on the market. Try to pick one that is less toxic and an ammonia-free (this substance is harmful to the steel barrels).
  • Brushes: they have to match the size of the gun’s bore. The can be made from:
    • Nylon
    • Brass
    • Plastic

If you own a rifle is better to go for a brass or a plastic brush. Be careful not to leave the brass brushes in a solvent for too long, it causes damage.

  • Cloth: cleaning your gun with a microfiber cloth will make it look shiny and faultless.
  • Cleaning rod: this item is essential for effective gun cleaning. It enables you to reach the parts of the gun you can’t clean by hand. The rod also has to go along with the size of the bore. There are various types of cleaning rods, if you are new at this, ask advice before purchasing one.
  • Cleaning pad: Be cautious. Prevent solvent from leaking on your carpet or couch using a pad.

How to Build Your Own Kit?

If you are passionate about gunsmith tools, building your own kit will be a piece of cake. Let’s focus now on making it yourself. You don’t have to buy all that stuff to clean your gun.

Your kit must be provided with the necessary containers to accommodate all the useful items. If you can sew, it’s great to make a custom size container out of an old piece of leather.

Some cleaning items can be replaced with homemade options:

The rod:

Instead of buying one you can replace it with a piece of string. This will be pulled through the bore along with the patches. You can easily clean most firearms using this improvisation. You just need a string that’s thin enough to go through the barrel.  For my Mosin Nagant, I even go so far as using a wooden dowel as a cleaning rod

The brush:

This is one of your kit’s elements that can be replaced with other household objects. If you need a nylon brush for your gun, you might as well use an old toothbrush. You can cut it down to reduce its size and make it fit into the kit.

Cotton swabs:

You definitely have these things around the house. Cotton swabs can clean spots that are hard to reach by hand. Put them together in a plastic bag or an old container and include them in your homemade

The patches:

These items can’t miss from your gun cleaning kit. You have plenty object at home that can provide you the right material to make your own You could use old clothes or kitchen towels. Choose cotton items and mind the size of the gun before you start cutting them. Smaller bores require small thin patches and wider bores need thicker, larger pieces.

The bore cleaner:

You have to use a material that won’t wear off too quickly. You can choose a strong nylon thread. Measure its length according to the barrel of your gun. Then make a loop at one and so that you’ll be able to drag the patch through the bore. Mind the loop’s dimension, it must to match the bore’s diameter. Then secure the knot with a drop of resistant glue. The last step cut the thread and burn the ends with a lighter, so they don’t fray.

The oil container:

You will need it to store the gun oil. Get an old small plastic container. Picks something that allows the oil to come out drop by drop.

Flashlight:

Always have a flashlight in your kit because it will help you spot any imperfections you need to remove.

Toothpicks:

They are quite effective in rinsing the dirt that won’t go away using the brush. Toothpicks are useful to lubricate narrow spots that are hard to reach.

Pack all these items in your tool container. Make them fit inside compactly.

In Conclusion

One last piece of advice. Don’t forget gun safety while cleaning, you would not want to have a negligent discharge while attempting to work on your firearm.

These are the basic things you need to craft your own handmade gun kit. It’s not hard to come up with these items. Lastly, with a little bit of patience and a practical mindset, you’ll have your kit ready in no time.

One Minute Glock Cleaning

One Minute Glock Cleaning
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It’s not the purpose of this article to show you to how to clean your Glock in under a minute.

Rather it is to demonstrate that cleaning your pistol does not have to be a drawn out affair, and that in some cases (like lubrication) a little is better than a lot.

You will need the following materials to properly clean your gun:

  • appropriately sized cleaning patches
  • a quality cleaning rod
  • bore brush of the appropriate caliber for your gun
  • a slotted tip for threading cleaning patches onto your cleaning rod
  • a gun cleaning toothbrush
  • gun cleaner/solvent
  • gun oil
  • a lint-free cleaning rag.

Starting with an unloaded handgun in a room without ammunition…

With your pistol facing in a safe direction, remove the magazine, and then lock the slide to the rear and both visually and physically check to ensure the handgun is empty.

If it is, field strip the handgun.

Clean the barrel.

  • Thread brass bore brush on your cleaning rod, wet with solvent.
  • Insert the cleaning rod into the breech end of the barrel and swab out the chamber and bore.
  • Work the wet brush back and forth through the entire length of the barrel at least five or six times.
  • Replace the brush with the slotted tip.
  • Thread a dry patch in the tip and using full–length, rotating passes, scrub until the bore is shiny and clean when inspected under a bright light.
  • Dampen the large end of your toothbrush with some solvent and vigorously scrub carbon deposits off of the barrel hood and feed ramp.
  • Wipe the exterior of the barrel down with a solvent dampened rag or patch.
  • Dry out the bore by swabbing with clean, dry patches until the patches come out clean and dry.
  • With a dry patch, wipe down the exterior of the barrel. Put the barrel aside for now.

Clean the slide.

  • Holding the slide vertically, muzzle down, use the toothbrush to brush clean the breech face, the extractor, and the area around the extractor.
  • Keep in mind that you want to avoid getting solvent into the firing pin channel.
  • Solvent and lubricants collect dirt and grime and you don’t want to cake or grease up your firing pin and firing pin channel! This could cause your gun to fail to function.
  • Brush the slide rail cuts and the inside of the slide with the tooth brush.
  • Using a slightly solvent dampened rag or patch, clean the underside/inside of the slide. You can also use the wide end of the toothbrush to scrub the inside of the slide. Dampen the with solvent and vigorously scrub the slide rail cuts.
  • Use a clean, dry patch to wipe down the interior of the slide and slide rails.

Clean the receiver.

  • Using the toothbrush; brush off carbon deposits on the metal contact points as well as the locking block on the receiver. Use some solvent if necessary, and if so, then use dry patches or a dry rag to wipe off excess solvent.
  • Using your toothbrush; brush out any unburned gunpowder and debris from the interior of the receiver.
  • Make sure to wipe clean the locking block, the trigger bar, the connector, the cruciform, and the ejector. (See the Glock owner’s manual for a list of parts.)

Lubricate the pistol.

You just need six drops of oil. Use a quality gun lubricant/rust protective oil. More is NOT better…

Slide rails:

  • Hold the slide such that the slide rail cuts face upward and the muzzle end is canted slightly downward. Using a lubricant applicator, drag one drop of lubricant down the entire length of each slide rail cut.
  • Apply one drop of lubricant to the front inside of the slide which rubs against the upper portion of the barrel.

Barrel:

  • Wipe down your barrel’s exterior with one of the oil dampened patches or the oil dampened rag that you’ve used for cleaning.
  • With your lubricant applicator, apply one drop of oil on the rear side of the barrel lug and one drop on the outside front of the barrel.

Frame/Receiver:

  • Hold the receiver in your strong hand, left side facing down. Apply one drop of oil to the curved, upper extension of the connector, at the right rear corner of the receiver/frame where the rear end of the trigger bar touches the connector.
  • That is six drops of oil total… On the breech face, under the firing pin hole there is a weep hole to allow debris to be pushed out of the firing pin chamber – all too often people think it is a lube point. DO NOT put oil in this hole…

Reassemble the pistol and function check the reassembled gun.

  • To function test, make sure your reassembled gun is unloaded and keep it pointed in a safe direction!

Slide cycling:

  • Rack the slide several times and make sure the slide moves and cycles freely and smoothly.

Trigger function:

  • With the pistol facing in a safe direction, press the trigger rearward. Make sure the trigger works.

Trigger Reset:

  • Rack the slide again to return it into battery and reset the trigger.
  • Make sure that the trigger resets into its forward, cocked position.
  • With your pistol still pointed in a safe direction, press the trigger rearward and hold it to the rear.
  • You should hear and feel the firing pin fall.
  • Pull the slide to its most rearward position and release it.
  • After the slide has snapped into its forward, in-battery position, release the trigger.
  • The trigger should reset to its forward, cocked position. Repeat several times to be sure.

Trigger safety:

  • With your pistol pointing in a safe direction, grasp the sides of the trigger without touching or depressing the trigger safety, which is the trigger in front of and within the trigger.
  • The trigger safety should remain engaged and as such, prevent the trigger from moving rearward and releasing the firing pin.

Slide lock open test:

  • Insert an empty magazine into your in-battery pistol.
  • Firmly pull the slide all the way rearward and it should lock open.
  • That is it, this entire process is short, sweet, and keeps the gun working properly

I would suggest that when done with your cleaning/function checking/dry firing procedures you verbally state “I am now done cleaning my gun” this will set up a small mental block to keep you from being one of those “Moron shot himself cleaning his gun” guys that went from function checking, to reloading a carry gun, got distracted, and then went back to function checking and fired a gun they forgot they loaded.

It sounds stupid, but it happens, and every little bit you do to prevent accidents is more better….

How to Measure Bolt Protrusion on M91/30 Mosin Nagant

Bolt Protrusion on M91/30 Mosin Nagant
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Be certain to check the firing pin protrusion using the screwdriver / protrusion tool found in the Mosin Nagant Cleaning kit.

IMHO, if you do not have this tool, buying the entire cleaning kit is well worth the money.  Some unscrupulous vendors have replica tools that are not to spec.

Consequently, they do not accurately measure protrusion.

I have never heard of a replica tool being sold as part of a surplus kit.

Why Bolt Protrusion is Important

If the firing pin does not protrude far enough out of the bolt the gun will not fire.  Alternatively, if it protrudes too far it can puncture the primer.  This will cause hot combustion gasses to leave the bolt and move into your face.

Either of these situations can be extremely dangerous and are not part of the enjoyable use of your moist nugget.

How to Check Protrusion

  • First, Verify that the bolt is in its “fired” position and that the firing pin is flush with the cocking piece.
    • The index marks must be aligned.
  • Second, the firing pin must (at least) touch the top of the milled out area below the number “75” on the protrusion gauge.
    • If it does not, firing pin protrusion is insufficient. Be certain that there is no gap between the bolt head and bolt body (hold them together) when performing this test.
  • Finally, the firing pin must not touch the top of the milled out area under the number “95”. If it does, firing pin protrusion is excessive.

Bolt Protrusion on M91/30 Mosin NagantIf you do not have the teardrop shaped too you should order one.  However, if you have a caliper, the firing pin must protrude at least .075 inches.  Additionally, it cannot exceed .095 inches.

Generally speaking, a matched bolt should not have a protrusion problem.  This is assuming the firing pin and the cocking piece are flush and the index marks are aligned.  I would be suspect of a private sale that had protrusion problems.  Personally, I would wonder if it was pieced together from various guns.

Finally, you can adjust firing pin protrusion by turning the firing pin in the cocking piece.

The bolt will have to be disassembled (or cocked) because there is a notch that normally prevents the firing pin to rotate and change protrusion.

Usually having the rear end of the firing pin flush with the back of the cocking piece gives you the correct adjustment.

How to Adjust Front Sight Windage on a CETME

 

CETME Front Sight Windage Adjustment
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I have done a lot of articles using my CETME rifle.  For the longest time I could not figure out how to adjust Windage.

Luckily I finally got smart enough to use the internet and quickly found out that the front sight covers both Windage AND Elevation.

That blew my mind….

After reading a little more, I looked closer and saw that the front sight is offset.  Therefore, as it turns it moves up and around.

You end up with about 4 minutes of angle of adjustment as it moves through one complete circle (4 MOA is 4 inches of adjustment at 100 yards)

There is a small screw at the front of the front sight at the muzzle end and parallel to the barrel.
You must unscrew this screw to be able to adjust the sights.  Failure to do this will damage the sight or break your tool.

The tool is just a tube with two wings that fit around the sight and allow you to turn it. I have seen them from $4 to $15 each. Simply do an Internet search for CETME Front Sight tool and you will find many of them.

Use the tool to adjust for elevation, and then turn the post one way or the other to adjust for Windage.

In Conclusion, it is not a precision operation, but it is minute of bad guy.  Therefore, it is good enough for a battle rifle.   As I said, this is not a precision rifle sighting system.  Understand that and it should meet your expectations as a main battle rifle capable of hitting man sized targets out to 500 yards.

Cheap CETME/G3 Scope Mount

 

Cheap CETME/G3 Scope Mount
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I do not normally advocate mixing airsoft with “real” gun gear.  However, on occasion it works if you know what you want.  Just understand that airsoft accessories are not built as strongly as accessories build for actual guns.

I would not use airsoft lasers or airsoft rated under barrel flashlights or optics because they cannot handle the vibration.

In this case, I was able to find some Cheap CETME/G3 Scope Mounts for $10, where actual CETME claw mounts are over $100 for the exact same design.

The claw mounts bolt to the receiver and I tightened them down just as I would the actual gun rated mounts.

They have held up to about 100 rounds of sustained fire.  Not quite rapid fire, but one good shooting session.

This isn’t my main rifle, and is really just an experiment gun.  If it was a gun that I foresaw using for defense of my life I would buy the higher dollar mounts.  Life is not worth risking over $90.

Wither you use the $10 or the $100 mount be careful as you tighten the claw mount, people have been known to tighten it so much that they “crushed” the receiver mounting points.