Managing Editor
One of my pet peeves is a dirty gun. A bigger pet peeve, is the quality of the gun cleaning kits being produced and sold lately. These cheap Chinese-made kits have plastic tips that bend or break easily, flimsy rods that don’t fit together well, and components that are practically disposable. In short, the majority of the gun cleaning kits on the market today suck eggs.
So, I was very pleased to stumble upon the quality cleaning kits from Pro-Shot Products on a recent visit to my Sportsman’s Warehouse store. These kits feature high quality, American-made components, neatly stored in a clear plastic bin. The rods are made from rigid micro-polished stainless steel. Every threaded end is the same, and matches perfectly with the included tips. Some of the flimsy aluminum kits on the market have one end that is threaded differently to accommodate the tips and the segments won’t screw together on that end.
Additionally, the deep threaded recesses on the Pro-Shot rods provide a snug and seamless fit so there is no flop or wiggle in the rod when it is assembled.
The tips are all made of solid brass, so they are soft enough to prevent scratching, but strong enough to allow you to scrub your barrel with some force. While jag tips are all the rage, I prefer a looped eye patch holder for deep cleaning my barrel, and these kits include them. Some of the kits don’t even come with jags, but you can add them individually in various calibers if you prefer to scrape lead and copper from your rifling with them. They even offer aluminum jags with a secondary coating to prevent the deposit of brass that jags can leave in your barrel.
The handles of the Pro-Shot kits are amazing. Made of machined anodized aircraft aluminum, they feature bearings so they spin freely as you insert them into the barrel of your gun, engaging your patches and brushes into the rifling of your barrel. The brushes in the kits are either bronze or stiff nylon, and wrapped with brass, so they take a lot of scrubbing abuse, and hold their shape and keep performing.
The kits come in a variety of caliber specific or universal arrangements. They are available in uncoated stainless steel rods or plastic coated rods for even more protection of your bore. They even have universal .22-.45 pistol kits, universal rifle and pistol kits, or kits specific to your caliber. They also have a tactical kit contained in a FDE nylon pouch with PALS attachments and MOLLE loops. The tips are specific to a .223/5.56 caliber and have specialty tools for cleaning the chamber of a modern sporting rifle. The handle on this kit is of a T-handle configuration for pulling tight patches through a small bore.Some added extras of the kits include a brass muzzle protection sleeve that can slide onto the rod and protect the crown of your barrel. Each kit also includes low-lint cotton flannel patches in sizes specific to the calibers covered by the kit. These are much better performing than the cheap paper patches found in most kits. They also include a bottle of their proprietary cleaning and lubricating fluid that is not harsh, smelly, or toxic. This special blend loosens fouling, removes build-up of metal deposits, and lubricates and protects the gun in a single step. The biggest deal for me is that each bottle includes a needle oiler for precision application. Each kit also comes with a double ended nylon military-style cleaning brush.
Pro-Shot Products has a wide selection of their quality products at Sportsman’s Warehouse, including full length cleaning rods, shotgun cleaning products and swabs, and silicone microfiber cloths to protect the finish of your gun. They even provide bulk resupply of their thicker and tougher cotton flannel patches in various sizes. There are also a wide variety of very unique accessories for specific models and types of guns.
If you are looking for top quality cleaning products, then don’t settle for the inferior junk most are selling. Opt for American made, high quality cleaning kits and supplies from Pro-Shot Products to keep your expensive guns performing like a pro.
