Homemade Shotgun Patches?

[Hiker1911]

Is there a decent substitute for a inside-barrel cleaning swab (12 ga.) like Hoppe's? My usual patches are squares or rectangles cut off an old t-shirt. I'm not a bore snake guy.

I have the accessories (below) for 12 ga. cleaning on-hand...

 

[davedolli]

I use a patch holder with a patch cut from an old tee shirt with solvent for general cleaning. Every so often I run a brush with something stronger to get all the plastic build up from the wads cleaned out of the barrel. We shoot trap, so I clean a lot. I have some of those mops like the ones pictured but never use them.

Dave

 

[Leo]

I like the "Hurricane" cleaning brushes, they are stainless steel loops instead of brass bristles. I put a 4 inch square of flannel around that. All those loops really hold the patch, and it does great.

as a warning, I am told that if any of those stainess loops are broken, a sharp wire end can scratch your barrel. I spin the hurricane brush against my hand before I use it. If it doesn't scratch my hand, it will not scratch the barrel. I have had one each of all four sizes for at least 15 years and never had a problem. Good Luck


I do not have the original packaging, but found them in Rural King, and the brushes are called "tornado". Sorry for introducing confusion.

 

[jgreiner]

Old underwear works well.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

The Box 'O Truth guy uses tampons to clean his shotgun barrels

 

[CountryBoy19]

I like the "Hurricane" cleaning brushes, they are stainless steel loops instead of brass bristles. I put a 4 inch square of flannel around that. All those loops really hold the patch, and it does great.

as a warning, I am told that if any of those stainess loops are broken, a sharp wire end can scratch your barrel. I spin the hurricane brush against my hand before I use it. If it doesn't scratch my hand, it will not scratch the barrel. I have had one each of all four sizes for at least 15 years and never had a problem. Good Luck

That's what I use too... exact same method as you. I used to shoot a lot of trap and cleaned often. I don't do much trap shooting anymore so I don't clean much but when I do I still have the tornado brush.

 

[sloughfoot]

Another one for the Tornado. It is all I use on the gauges. It gets everything out including plastic, with or without solvent. I have been using the same Tornado brush since about 1996.

Patches cut out of old t-shirts to wipe it out and apply some oil. Bright and shiny bores.

 

[Hiker1911]

Great ideas, thanks!