Bore Cleaner

Bore-Tips & Gun-Tips Cleaning Swabs Review

By Ryan Michad  photo 2

Let’s start off with one pretty well-known fact: most people absolutely HATE cleaning their guns. I’m one of them. I hate having to clean up the mess of spilled cleaning solvents/oils, torn patches, stuff stuck in the bore from said patches, etc. It tends to be a very messy, smelly job but is necessary to ensure the long-life and good function of your firearm. Solving one part of the problem, the company Swab-Its offers two products; Bore-Tips and Gun-Tips.

Bore-tips are a package of small Q-tip like implements, except with the cleaner part made out of a sort of light spongy material, rather than the cotton like on a Q-tip, which can pull off and remain stuck in the barrel. The spongy material readily absorbs cleaning solvents, and offers 360-degree coverage during it’s travel down the barrel. Bore-Tips are offered in all your major cleaning jag sizes, from .22  to .45, and 12, 20 and 410 gauge shotgun sizes. They have a pre-threaded portion that allows you to screw the cleaning swab right on to your favorite 8-32 gun cleaning rod.

The Gun-Tips use the same foam material but are like long q-tip swabs. These come with 3” swabs, 5” swabs and 6” swabs in a 9 piece kit. These are great for applying lubricants and other things in areas that may be difficult to reach with larger gun cleaning patches or brushes. Since the Gun-Tips are made out of the same foam material as the Bore-Tips, they do not tear or shred anything in the bore, and are easily reusable and cleaned. The different size brushes mean you have many options at your disposal for different sized guns.

photo 3

I used both the Bore-tips and the Gun-Tips swabs to clean several firearms, including a S&W Model 66, a Ruger LCP and a Pietta 1851 Navy blackpowder reproduction. My initial concern when using these tips was that the cleaning solvents would really affect the foam material. We have all seen how some common cleaning products can melt certain types of plastic and other things, and that was my initial thought. The people at Swab-Its seem to have certainly done their homework, and the tips have not shown any sign of degradation, 1 and ½ weeks after the cleaning session. I used Remington Nitro Solvent along with some Rem-Oil for lubrication.

My other concern was the ability to clean the swabs and reuse them. Some products claim that you can do that, but oftentimes there is quite a bit of difficulty cleaning them up. Using some light dish detergent and some hot water, I was able to hand wash the swabs and get them back ALMOST to the original color when I opened the package. Swab-its does recommend using a little bit of mineral spirits to help clean the swab, but I did not use any when I cleaned them. Using a bit of the mineral spirits would probably help bring the swab to its original color.

While cleaning the guns, I did not baby the swabs, as I wanted to see just how tough they actually were. Cleaning a revolver cylinder can result in torn patches and lint all through the gun if you’re not careful. This was not the case with the Bore-Tips and Gun-Tips. I used the Bore-Tips to clean the chambers with ease and the Gun Tips to clean the face of the cylinder and the rear near & under the ejector star. The area under the ejector star is usually the place that causes problems for traditional cleaning patches; not so with the Gun-Tips. They did not hang up on any of the very sharp edges and made cleaning under the ejector star much easier with their compact design.

Using the Gun-Tips to lubricate the smaller parts of the LCP was also very convenient. Using larger swabs on a small gun can be tedious, with lubricants going into unintended areas. Using the Gun-Tips, I was able to apply a bit of Rem-Oil to the foam (which absorbed the oil and held it in place until applied) and used it to lubricate the inside of the slide and the rails. Using the tip helps to prevent over-lubrication simply because you have a finite amount of oil in the tip, and allows you to ensure those small areas are properly coated.

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The only problem I had throughout the cleaning process was when I stepped up to clean the 1851 Pietta Navy. The Pietta had quite a bit of blackpowder residue in the bore, and some of it proved to be rather hard and difficult to remove. The Bore-Tips and Gun-Tips aren’t designed to be heavy duty scrubbers, and that task is better left to a brass hard bristled brush and allowing the solvent to properly work before attempting to clean it. The Bore-Tips are much better suited to use as a replacement for the patch/jag you would use normally to ensure your bore gets a good coat of solvent and then a good coat of lubricating oil.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Bore-Tips and Gun-Tips. With most of the packs being under $10, the simple fact that they are reusable doubles the value of the product. With traditional patches, you get them dirty and you throw them away. With the Bore Tips and Gun Tips, you get several repeated uses. The swabs are very convenient and would be a great addition to any firearms enthusiasts cleaning kit.

Key Points:

-The Swabs are made out of an absorbent foam that doesn't degrade when exposed to most solvents, and holds solvents and oils securely to ensure proper coverage.

-The foam tips do not tear and leave behind debris in the barrel of your firearm. Oftentimes with cotton patches or wrapped cotton tips, you end up leaving behind strands of cotton and other materials inside the bore. With the foam material of the Bore Tips and Gun Tips, these deposits are minimized.

-The Bore-Tips thread into your favorite gun rod, allowing for easy cleanup.

-They are competitively priced, especially being a washable and reusable product. They can be purchased for under $10 for a single, reusable pack at Bore-Tips

80

Score: 8.0 - Great

 

 

Firing Line Review

 

 

 

SEAL1 CLP

Seal1 pic 2

I met Dwight Settle, the managing director of Seal1 CLP while at SHOT Show 2014.  Dwight’s personally owned P226 was fully submerged in a fish tank of water to show the protecting properties of Seal1 CLP.  Dwight removed his Sig from the tank and whatever water didn’t sheet off, beaded on the surface; not a speck of rust on the entire gun, either.

I have to admit I was a little hesitant to hear about another all-in-one cleaning supply with claims of greatness.  I reluctantly began a conversation with Dwight about his products, expecting to hear outrageous claims of grandeur and knocks on his competitor’s products.  I was pleasantly surprised with how our conversation went and Dwight’s story.  Dwight's business partner Scott Lee was the original developer of a competing product but due to various circumstances, left the business to begin his own venture with Dwight.  Dwight has an extensive background working with firearms (to include military service as a S.E.A.L.) and has now dedicated his civilian career to developing quality firearms cleaning and lubrication products.  Dwight made realistic claims regarding the performance of his product and backed it up with various firearms at the show to prove results.

Long story short, Dwight has succeeded.  After returning from SHOT Show 2014, I used my samples of Seal1 to clean and lubricate my AR, M&P 9mm, and Sig P229.  I’ve run all of them on several occasions since application without cleaning them and haven’t had a single hiccup.  I’ve run the most rounds through my P229 (500 in one sitting, in addition to more rounds during other sittings) and the firearm performed flawlessly.  All of that is great, but here is the better part: cleanup was quick and easy.  I am fairly attentive to detail when I clean my firearms so I have been known to stay in the garage for 2+ hours cleaning just 1 handgun.  When using Seal1, my cleaning time was cut by over half, because I just wiped on, wiped off, and the part was clean.  Not having to clean then come back and lubricate was a huge timesaver.  I used standard bore patches and square cotton rags to clean all of the parts with the Seal1 paste I used.

Seal1 comes in a paste, liquid, aerosol can, and pretreated patch forms.  All perform the same so customers can pick whichever texture they prefer.  The three variations all serve the same purpose and function, with the paste being the original base product.  A carrying compound is added to the paste which makes the liquid version, which is also used in the aerosol sprayer.  The manufacturer recommends applying the product to a warm gun so it can soak in faster, but it isn’t absolutely necessary.  Once applied 2-3 times, full saturation will result and your gun will be properly “seasoned” for full strength lasting protection.  Even better, the more times it is used, the easier your gun becomes to clean.  Who can argue with that?  In addition, my understanding is this stuff usually doesn’t play well with petroleum based cleaning or lubrication products.  Once you make the decision to use Seal1, I’d recommend sticking with it and not rotating back and forth between Seal1 and a petroleum product.  I am pretty confident Seal1 won’t disappoint you, so I don’t think you’ll have a desire to switch to your old products anyways.

My only complaint is that Seal1 is not readily available in local stores, at least as far as I can tell.  Every trade show brings more and more retailers which is always good, so the best thing you can do is keep hounding your local gun shop to carry Seal1.  It is available on a handful of websites including Amazon, but the more the merrier as far as I am concerned.

I highly recommend Seal1 products.  After using Seal1, I rid my gun cleaning cabinet of all the horrible smelling cleaning products (Hoppes anyone?) because I simply don’t need them anymore.  No more kicking the family out of the area when cleaning guns...now my kids can pitch in and help for a change!

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key PointsSeal1 pic 1

Claim to Fame:  A “green engineered” bio-based cleaner, lubricant, and protectant.

Target Market:  Anyone who uses firearms and likes to keep them properly cleaned and maintained.

FNBs (Features and Benefits of this product):

  • Non-toxic
  • Cleans carbon and other fouling with relative ease
  • A nice smelling gun cleaner you can use without having to hold your breath

What options are available?:  Paste, liquid, aerosol and pre-soaked patches.

What others are saying?:

  • Amazon customers give Seal1 all positive 5 star reviews.

Price Point:

  • MSRP = 4oz paste: $9.95, 4oz liquid: $12.95, Complete Kit: $29.49
  • Retail = 4oz paste: $9.95, 4oz liquid: $12.95, Complete Kit: $29.49 at Amazon.com

I need it now! Availability: Available at a handful of online locations.

Our Rating:

+ Fresh minty smell is a welcome change from caustic smelling alternatives. + Cleaning and lubing in one product saves at least 50% of your time. + Made 100% in the USA and Seal1 is a service-disabled veteran owned business.

-  Availability is limited to only a small handful of websites, including Amazon.

Score: 9.090

Steve’s links: firearmsradio.tv

Otis Ripcord

Otis-Ripcord-556.jpg

By Steve Remy

 For anyone who has ever wished for a better one-pass cleaning cord/cable, it seems as though your wish has been granted, courtesy of Otis Technology.  Otis recently introduced the Ripcord which is a molded rubberized core wrapped in Nomex and capped off on each end by female 8-32 standard threads.  Upon pulling it out of the packaging, you can tell right away that it has many features that competing cords do not.

To begin with the core construction, you stand a minimal chance of breaking this device mid-pull through your barrel.  I securely attached one end of the Ripcord to my workbench and gave it several violent tugs but was unable to break the Ripcord.  I have broken a few competing bore cleaning devices where the pull cord attaches the cleaning section, but there really are no worries about that happening with your Ripcord.  The one piece core is fairly stiff which aids in placing the cord into the breech of your barrel.  It also has a helix shape which according to Otis, engages rifling through the length of the barrel.

The Nomex construction allows you to clean a hot barrel without the material melting, not that I regularly clean hot barrels, but it is nice to know that I can run this through my firearm right before I leave the range so it is one less thing I need to do when I get home.  No more waiting for your firearm to cool down.  My favorite feature of the Ripcord is the ability to attach any 8-32 standard thread attachment to either end of the device.  Instead of soaking the fibers themselves in cleaning solution or oil, I can simply attach a patchOtis Ripcord 556 holder to the end with a patch soaked in whatever cleaning solution or oil I choose.  I can also attach a bore brush to the end if the barrel was particularly dirty or needed an extra aggressive scrub after a day at the range.  This feature alone adds nearly unlimited versatility to the Ripcord.  In my opinion, this extends its service life since competing bore devices don’t give you the ability to change integrated bore brushes.

Pulling the Ripcord through the barrel requires a little bit of strength, which is good in my book because it means there is sufficient friction between the barrel and the Ripcord to clean the barrel as designed.  However, this is where my one bit of critical feedback lies.  I wish Otis would include one of their t-bar attachments with each Ripcord.  This would allow users with less than sufficient strength to still use the device by pulling on the t-bar instead of having to pull on the cord itself.  This addition would make the Ripcord a near-perfect bore cleaning device.

Overall, the Ripcord is a huge win for gun owners.  Its $14.99 MSRP is extremely reasonable and makes the decision to purchase one of these for each caliber of firearm you own an easy one.  Current available calibers are .22/.223/5.56, .308/7.63, .38/9mm, and .45.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:  A convenient and effective one-pass bore cleaning device designed for easy breech-to-muzzle cleaning.

Target Market:  Convenience-minded people who like to clean their guns.

F&B’s:

  • Helix shape.
  • Nomex cleaning surface which is heat resistant to 700 degrees.
  • 8-32 standard threaded ends for attachments.

What aesthetic options or finishes are available?  Each different caliber is color coded.

What others are saying?:

“Leave it to Otis R&D lab to build a better mousetrap or perhaps more accurately, reinvent the wheel.  If you’re thinking of buying an old fashioned bore snake, get this instead” -Rob Kay of Hawaii Reporter.

Price point:

I need it now! Availability: Readily available at most firearm accessory retailer websites.  Available at Brownells with great service and quick shipping.

Our Rating: + Threaded ends for attaching accessories. + Durable core and Nomex cleaning surface. + Strong construction won’t break during cleaning. + Cost is very reasonable.

- Isn’t sold/packaged with a t-bar.

Score: 9.090

Steve’s Links:

steve@firearmsradio.tv

Gun Guy Radio

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