Knowing how to clean a pistol properly keeps your custom gun better prepared for action and better protected against corrosion. That doesn’t mean you need a high-dollar kit or the latest and greatest gun-cleaning doodad to get the job done. The best budget pistol kit uses a few dedicated essentials and some everyday repurposed items you probably already have at home to clean your gun while saving you money. That means you’ll get a clean gun while still being able to afford a little extra ammo to get it dirty all over again.
The Best on a Budget
Before we talk about the kit, let’s acknowledge that there are a lot of very well-engineered products on the market that are purpose-built to perform a specific gun-cleaning task optimally. We’re not saying they don’t have their place, but they probably don’t have a place in a budget gun cleaning kit. We’re focusing on how to clean a pistol sufficiently to prevent damage and keep it functional for the least amount of money. This kit will handle your regular after-range cleanings, but you may want to look at adding equipment over time for more thorough periodic cleanings when they’re needed.
The Store-Bought Essentials
Let’s start with what you will need from your local sporting goods or shooting supply store. While plenty of online sources offer recipes or instructions for homemade versions, these items are far too important to how you clean your gun properly, and worse, a small error can lead to severe damage. We’re all for saving money, but ruining your weapon to save a ten-spot isn’t the way.
- CLP – There are plenty of CLP (Clean Lubricate Protect) brands on the market, and everyone seems to have a favorite. If you don’t have a preference, Hoppe’s Boresnake CLP could easily be considered the industry standard. It’s relatively inexpensive, widely available, and gets the job done. While plenty of proponents suggest using dedicated chemicals for each of the three steps CLP covers, it adds more cost and complexity to the process, and some brands don’t play well together. Keep it simple.
- Cleaning Rod and Bore Brush – Another cleaning staple, the rod and bore brush help remove the harder particulate and deposits that build up during a long day of shooting. The rod can also help you clear the barrel of stuck casings or other minor obstructions in a pinch. Make sure to get the right brush for your caliber pistol to avoid damage.
Repurposed and Found Gun Cleaning Supplies
Here’s where you can really start to save money. Using common household and repurposed supplies is how to clean your pistol while keeping costs down. It also helps you reduce your household waste because several of the items we’re going to talk about would otherwise be headed for the local landfill.
- Toothpicks – Toothpicks are small—well, you know what they are. And just as they’re designed to do for our teeth, they can get into small nooks and crannies on guns. They come in large quantities for under a buck, or you can find a couple at any local restaurant or coffee shop as long as you don’t abuse their supply too much. Toothpicks are perfect for detail work or when a smaller cleaning tip is needed than that afforded by…
- Cotton Swabs – These little dynamos already clean your ears, so why not your pistol? Their absorbent end accepts CLP readily for saturation and provides the gentle scrubbing action needed to loosen and remove residue and light deposits. You can pick up several hundred for a few bucks at any grocery store, or they’re available from your spouse’s side of the vanity as long as you don’t abuse their supply too much.
- An Old Toothbrush —Before you toss it in the trash, your old toothbrush can be one of the best budget pistol cleaning accessories in your kit. The nylon bristles help loosen and remove residue on exterior surfaces, gently working it away when cotton swabs either haven’t done the job or you’re working on an area too large for a swab to be practical. Don’t worry if you’re an angry brusher because the sideways bristles can still get the job done for your gun.
- Old T-shirts, Rags, Handkerchiefs, or Socks – You can repurpose most older natural fiber fabrics as gun cleaning cloths, which means you can finally get rid of that shirt your spouse has been on your case about for years. Smoother materials, like the cotton in T-shirts and handkerchiefs, are perfect all-around wipe-down essentials, while the textured inside of a sock can give you the texture needed for better grit removal on your custom slide. Cutting or tearing long, thin strips is how to clean your pistol’s barrel bore to a smooth, shining finish after the bore brush has done the heavy work. Just use the rod to get the strip started, then pull it through.
- Shaving Case, Reusable Grocery Bag, or Zip Baggy – Gun cleaning time is easier if all your supplies are kept together in a single, easily grabbed and transported container. If you have an old toolbox or shaving kit lying around, that’s perfect. The promotional reusable bags given away for store openings also work well for the low, low cost of free. In a pinch, a large plastic zip freezer bag may not be the prettiest solution, but it gets the job done.
Keep Your Custom Pistol Clean and Your Powder Dry
We have the parts and accessories you need to build a custom gun you’re proud of. Using the best budget pistol cleaning supplies on the market (or in your kitchen, bathroom, or sock drawer) helps keep it ready for round-after-round reliability at the range, on duty, or when needed for self-defense. Sign up for our newsletter to get new product announcements in your email. Order your gun parts and accessories from Patmos Arms today.