Field Cleaning Kit and Breakdown Cleaning Rod

[Cold_Bore_88]

Good morning,

I am in the process of reducing the amount of “shit” I take to the range and on shooting sessions/hunts. I seem to have a lot of stuff every time I go out. Granted, I use most of it. However, I am trying to reduce weight and equipment to one backpack.

The next items on my list are a good field cleaning kit (for bolt action and AR) and a good (non-marring) break down cleaning rod. I would prefer a rod as it can be used as a drop bar to push things out of the barrel (JIC).

Any ideas or recommendations?

 

[Tazman308]

I carry an Otis in my Tac Pack. I was on the hunting trip of a lifetime and got a piece of debris caught in my action that could have been solved with the Otis kit. Didn’t have one then but I do now.

Great backup or primary for field work. Hope this helps.

 

[_Windrider_]

Sain defense. Expensive but really really good.

https://www.milehighshooting.com/sain-defense-7-62-field-cleaning-kit/

 

[pmclaine]

Borka tools sells a tool kit with a great breakdown rod. You will have to add some cleaning supplies, patches rod end.

You may be able to combine your cleaning/tool kit into one.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

The Otis kits will punch brass out of a chamber with just the cable and obstruction remover, however if you attach the rod sections to one end with the obstruction remover that gives it some extra oomph. I prefer the Otis Sniper Cleaning Kit modified with some additional tools and parts but with mine I can service .308, 6.5mm, .223, .45 ACP, and 9mm. I've used my kit to punch out brass from the chamber, bullets from the lands where there wasn't enough neck tension on the case, removed a case from a chamber that had a case head separation, it's a versatile piece of kit. None of this was on my guns though, it was all fellow competitors at matches and I helped them get back up and running. My Otis kit always gets packed in my range bag or pack when heading to a match.

 

[Sogan]

The Otis kits will punch brass out of a chamber with just the cable and obstruction remover, however if you attach the rod sections to one end with the obstruction remover that gives it some extra oomph. I prefer the Otis Sniper Cleaning Kit modified with some additional tools and parts but with mine I can service .308, 6.5mm, .223, .45 ACP, and 9mm. I've used my kit to punch out brass from the chamber, bullets from the lands where there wasn't enough neck tension on the case, removed a case from a chamber that had a case head separation, it's a versatile piece of kit. None of this was on my guns though, it was all fellow competitors at matches and I helped them get back up and running. My Otis kit always gets packed in my range bag or pack when heading to a match.

Interested in this kit as well based on your experiences. What additional tools did you add to it?

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I added a .264 bore brush for my 6.5 CM, torx and allen wrenches for the scope rings and turrets, some q-tips, the felt end from a Lens Pen, and some spare parts and screws for the Remington 700, AR-15, and scope rings. The kit is pretty good to go from Otis and the inside of the pouch has ample room to add everything mentioned above and yet still not be bursting at the seams.

 

[Glassaholic]

I added a .264 bore brush for my 6.5 CM, torx and allen wrenches for the scope rings and turrets, some q-tips, the felt end from a Lens Pen, and some spare parts and screws for the Remington 700, AR-15, and scope rings. The kit is pretty good to go from Otis and the inside of the pouch has ample room to add everything mentioned above and yet still not be bursting at the seams.

I love the Otis kits and have used them on many range trips, but never thought to put the extra gear in them as you mentioned monkey, brilliant! Sometimes its the simple things in life

 

[TimeWillTell]

Which otis kits are Y'all using? Looks like they have several sizes.

This? https://otistec.com/copy-of-6-5mm-patriot-series-rifle-kit/#product-tab-description

 

[Trigger Monkey]

It looks like Otis has revised some of their kits and offerings. I use the Sniper Cleaning Kit but it looks like that's unavailable on the non-defense side of their website.

This one would be a good start:
https://otistec.com/3-gun-competition-cleaning-kit/

This kit gives you a pretty good basis for tools, more so then some of the other kits I looked at it. Even though it's geared towards 3-Gun competition you can get additional bore brushes to suit what calibers you need to take care of. It does come with the large and small patch holders and obstruction removers though so even if it doesn't have the specific bore brush you can still run patches down the bore. I also like that it gives you two rod sections that you can use as a handle for the toothbrush or keep them separate and use different accessory heads on them. If you throw in a common 8-32 set screw you can join the two rod sections, screw it into the cable, and have the obstruction remover on the end you can really give it some oomph to push out a case. The rod sections joined together also give you enough reach to get into the chamber on a short action Remington 700 or AR-15. Otherwise you can also use the short cable to extend your reach some. This kit also includes a pin punch and with that punch and the brass scraper you can completely disassemble a Glock pistol.

Throw in some wrenches, a couple spares of your choosing and you'll be good to go.

 

[egarabedian]

I don't have any experience with the Sain kit but I've heard good things. If you grab one I'd be interested to know how well the brass riders work. Seems like a cool idea. One thing that I've noticed is that I don't typically have the need to clean my rifle in the field but I understand the jic scenario. I have a carbon fiber tipton rod in my drag bag and I've never used it in the field...only when I get home. I'd be interested to know what you end up with. Good luck.

 

[kortik]

Just my personal opinion: Stainless steel ProShot made modular (segmented) cleaning rods, made in the U.S., are the best, both in overall quality and price, for a combined best value in modular cleaning rods. Which is the main reason we offer custom length (shorter) ProShot modular cleaning rods as an accessory to go with our torque tool kits, to match the the dimensions of our kits, which we try to keep as compact as possible. ProShot Products original modular cleaning rods are just a bit longer (6.5" as opposed to our custom length of 5.0"). Sain Defense cleaning rods are also interesting, although a bit pricey for my own taste, but good stuff costs more money.

All other ProShot products, including brushes/jags/patches/accessories/bore cleaners are real good, as far as I'm concerned, as I use them all the time for my own guns. Of course, it's up to the actual user to decide.

Boris
Borka Tools

 

[TheGerman]

Other than being required to, I have never cleaned a rifle 'out in the field' in my life and I've been stuck out there for quite a while. There's next to no reason for it with either a bolt gun or a semi. If you want one to do 'barrel break in', then I'm not even going down that road; this is for your main setup you keep with you.

In my rigs and/or supplemental ruck, I always have 2 extra AR firing pins (main thing that will break), a small plastic vial of lube with a few patches to apply it with, a broken shell extractor (either 5.56 or 7.62 depending what setup it is) and I keep a cheap, nylon coated cleaning rod in my Jeep incase I have a round/chamber issue, which I've used all of 1 time. Otherwise its just a USGI rod.

With cleaning out of the equation, think cheap, portable and small as far as the rod. You're basically having it to clear an obstruction and mainly to lightly tap out a stuck case. That's it. Hell, for an AR a chamber brush would be more important as far as field cleaning. A USGI cleaning rod will do for stuck case/obstruction work as long as you don't go crazy with it scraping it down the rifling or just poking away.

 

[kortik]

Other than being required to, I have never cleaned a rifle 'out in the field' in my life and I've been stuck out there for quite a while. There's next to no reason for it with either a bolt gun or a semi. If you want one to do 'barrel break in', then I'm not even going down that road; this is for your main setup you keep with you.

In my rigs and/or supplemental ruck, I always have 2 extra AR firing pins (main thing that will break), a small plastic vial of lube with a few patches to apply it with, a broken shell extractor (either 5.56 or 7.62 depending what setup it is) and I keep a cheap, nylon coated cleaning rod in my Jeep incase I have a round/chamber issue, which I've used all of 1 time. Otherwise its just a USGI rod.

With cleaning out of the equation, think cheap, portable and small as far as the rod. You're basically having it to clear an obstruction and mainly to lightly tap out a stuck case. That's it. Hell, for an AR a chamber brush would be more important as far as field cleaning. A USGI cleaning rod will do for stuck case/obstruction work as long as you don't go crazy with it scraping it down the rifling or just poking away.

Agree. Which is the reason we offer both MCR (Modular Cleaning Rod), suitable for both cleaning the bore (1) and clearing the bore obstruction (2), which will work for relatively long deployment in the field, and ECR (Emergency Cleaning Rod), good mostly for clearing the bore obstruction only, with both kits configured in the most compact packaging possible. We should never forget that if weapon barrel bore gets plugged with something even on the rare occasion, firearm may become non-functional, which can lead to a potential trouble. It makes practical sense to have a handy tool for such situation, even if such situation is a relatively rare occurrence. As an example, I've run muzzle end of my rifle into the mud, while hunting wild boars on the muddy/slippery hills of TN, which took my rifle out of commission. After that, I came up with ECR, which I wish I've had with me when it has happened...

 

[pmclaine]

So this thread pushed me into ordering another Borka kit.

Got an EFK4 which comes with the emergency cleaning rod that stores compactly in the tool case. Ive almost had my shooting experience ended on occasion when a piece of brass happens to hang up. Now instead of having to pack my full size Dewey Ill have a quality segmented rod on hand for infrequent use.

Details on this website, halfway down the page...

http://www.shooterstools.com/Pages/ATD/atdkits.html

 

[_Windrider_]

So this thread pushed me into ordering another Borka kit.

Got an EFK4 which comes with the emergency cleaning rod that stores compactly in the tool case. Ive almost had my shooting experience ended on occasion when a piece of brass happens to hang up. Now instead of having to pack my full size Dewey Ill have a quality segmented rod on hand for infrequent use.

Details on this website, halfway down the page...

http://www.shooterstools.com/Pages/ATD/atdkits.html

im glad i saw this, i have the EFK, but i had no idea about the options for rods.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I've got the proshot 223/556 kit which I added some other stuff to. It's only to do emergency maintenance or push a clean patch through the barrel after a day of shooting, and/or knock out a stuck case. So far I've only had to use it to push a dry patch on occasions and mop my chamber to remove dust/debris and it worked as it should.

I added some other jags and brushes, couple sizes of patches, a tube of tetra grease, and a 357 and 45 mop for chambers.

 

[Srgt. Hulka]

This is all I take to the field, or range, with me. I don’t take a rod. I have a piece of weed eater line that I melted one end of for a stop to hold patches.

 

[southerngolfer]

THis thread got me thinking into adding tools/field kit into my pack. Ended up with the Otis sniper kit but took out the .45 cal brush and added a .264 Otis brush. And replaced the .30 cal patch loop with a .22. My tool kit is the screwdriver handle with multiple heads and a small hammer punch with mid size punch
In addition, small personal pouch: bug spray, sunscreen, tape, bandaids, individual hygiene wipes. Never know when you’ll need some shit tickets!

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Why did you take out the .45 cal bore brush? Also the Sniper Cleaning Kit comes with both large and small patch loops along with large and small obstruction removers.

 

[southerngolfer]

Why did you take out the .45 cal bore brush? Also the Sniper Cleaning Kit comes with both large and small patch loops along with large and small obstruction removers.

I primarily shoot rifles, and almost exclusively 6.5 CM or 5.56. Mine may of been a different variant of the sniper kit bc it only had the .30 cal patch loop. I’ll take a pic of what was included in the kit

 

[Trigger Monkey]

What kit you have should be written on the spine of the case. I know some companies advertise the DMR/M14 Cleaning Kit (Otis Part # 308-6) as the Otis Sniper Rifle Cleaning Kit, which doesn't help prevent confusion. The actual Sniper Cleaning Kit (Otis Part # 308-7) is marked Sniper on the spine and comes with everything needed to service .30 caliber and 5.56 rifles, 9mm and .45 pistols. That .45 cal brush isn't just for a pistol though it doubles as the chamber brush for a .308 or 6.5 CM, the 9mm brush doubles as a bore brush for the 5.56 rifles. I've used the .45 brush in the kit to extract a 6.5 CM case from a shooter's rifle that had suffered a case head separation during a match. I'd put it back in the kit, just sayin'.

You could also clean a 6.5 bore with the everything in the kit in stock form you just wouldn't have a bore brush for it but the patches would still be compatible for the caliber. That being said I added a .264 brush to mine too.

 

[predator308]

Otis Elite. It has everything you need for a huge variety of different firearms.i love the flexible cleaning rods and bronze brushes.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

It's also huge and impractical to take into the field. I owned one but ended up parting it out to make smaller field cleaning kits that I either sold or used the parts out of to restock used up bore brushes and such.

 

[kortik]

It's interesting that you mentioned "huge and impractical". It is my opinion that at the end of the day, only the actual user, and not the manufacturer, knows for sure what is practically needed in each individual situation. Which is the reason we do not sell any kits which are "huge". We do assume that if the actual user wants compact field cleaning kit based on use of high quality modular cleaning rod, it makes sense to offer such rod in the most compact packaging possible, and let the actual user to add whatever other accessories are required.

http://www.shooterstools.com/Pages/ATD/atdkits.html#ECRinfo

Both MCR and ECR are available only with purchase of our ATD-based kits.
It does not really make business sense for us to sell them separately, sorry about it...
However, Pro-Shot offers their original versions of modular cleaning rods with accessories.

 

[Nik H]

im glad i saw this, i have the EFK, but i had no idea about the options for rods.

They are really nice...It is a great kit. Have been using it for a while

 

[southerngolfer]

What kit you have should be written on the spine of the case. I know some companies advertise the DMR/M14 Cleaning Kit (Otis Part # 308-6) as the Otis Sniper Rifle Cleaning Kit, which doesn't help prevent confusion. The actual Sniper Cleaning Kit (Otis Part # 308-7) is marked Sniper on the spine and comes with everything needed to service .30 caliber and 5.56 rifles, 9mm and .45 pistols. That .45 cal brush isn't just for a pistol though it doubles as the chamber brush for a .308 or 6.5 CM, the 9mm brush doubles as a bore brush for the 5.56 rifles. I've used the .45 brush in the kit to extract a 6.5 CM case from a shooter's rifle that had suffered a case head separation during a match. I'd put it back in the kit, just sayin'.

You could also clean a 6.5 bore with the everything in the kit in stock form you just wouldn't have a bore brush for it but the patches would still be compatible for the caliber. That being said I added a .264 brush to mine too.

 

[southerngolfer]

I think u might be thinking I have the military sniper cleaning system. My case is black so there is no writing on the spine and I’m guessing it’s the civilian version. It says 7.62 sniper rifle cleaning system. I never knew that the .45 brush would act as the 6.5 brush. Damn, I could of saved $3! Ha

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Ok gotcha.

No, the .45 brush is the chamber brush for .308 Win, 6.5 CM, and the like, you still would've had to spend $3 for the .264 bore brush.

 

[southerngolfer]

Ok gotcha.

No, the .45 brush is the chamber brush for .308 Win, 6.5 CM, and the like, you still would've had to spend $3 for the .264 bore brush.

Anything else I should add or replace? Like I said, I almost primarily shoot 6.5? I do have a bore snake i added to the pack

 

[Trigger Monkey]

A small obstruction remover , a male rod section IP11009100P, a 8-32 rod connector, and a pin punch IP-100-61.

The 8-32 connector can actually just be a set screw from the local hardware store, about 1/2" long should do. It will allow you to connect the two rod sections together and then connect to the cable to give it some more oomph to clear obstructions if need be. The small obstruction remover is needed for .22-27 caliber firearms, and the pin punch is useful for a multitude of reasons. I can use the pin punch and brass scraper from my kit and completely disassemble my Glock pistols down to bare slide and frame.

 

[southerngolfer]

Much appreciated sir for the advice. I just started shooting more out in the field (ie hunting/long range matches) and noticed I didn’t have any of the basic tools for JIC scenario. Thanks again

 

[pmclaine]

Add a patch loop, some patches Im good to go for most field issues.....

 

[Darkside-Six]

I picked up a pro shop kit in 308 with an extra rod for my 6.5. Has everything you need and very compact.