Hello all- I have been making my own cleaning tools for years- mostly for .22 rimfire, but more recently for other calibers including centerfires. I have given away countless tools to RFC members and have been asked many times HOW I make them. These tools are great because they can be packed into a range bag easily, do an excellent job of cleaning the bore, and allow you to clean most rifles and pistols WITHOUT disassembly. They are durable and last for years.
I have decided to post a series of chapters here, in this thread in the shooting accessories forum, explaining how to make them in detail, step by step with plenty of pictures.
GUNNER TOOLS
I make four different tools:
The Gunner Patchsnake is a typical button style puller. I have experimented with many different types of trimmer line and have found this stuff to work best:
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All you do is spike it through a cloth patch, pass it through the barrel from the breech, and pull it through (make sure the button is centered in the chamber before pulling). I make the buttons oversize, because no two barrels are identical. Shaping them is an easy job that can be done with a draw file or emery board.
You can shape the button for a loose fit to clean solvent/powder/sludge from the bore with low friction. You can also size them larger for a tight fit to clean the rifling- lands and grooves:
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The Gunner Jagsnake- this allows you to apply powder solvent and/or copper solvent and oil/lube to the bore with minimal friction:
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The Gunner Brushsnake: this allows you to brush most bores without disassembling the rifle. For .22s, it MUST be made from the Otis brushes listed below, because they are the only ones that allow a deep enough drill hole, and the brass sticks best to the cyanomethacrylate glue I use. For other calibers, any brush will work, but the ones made of brass hold up best. Aluminum does work, provided that the drill hole is deep enough to allow adequate surface area for the adhesive.
I don't use them on my target barrels, but they work great on my .22s that see bulk/copper washed ammo. I recently made one for 7.62mm and its working out fine- you just need to remember to let the trimmer line twist as you pull so the brush follows the rifling.
They can be made for any caliber.
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The Gunner Chamber Brush- I designed this brush handle with a finger loop in the center that you place your middle finger or ring finger through. It provides excellent control and leverage for cleaning the carbon ring from the leade of the chamber without getting into the rifling. Attaching a chamber mop to the other end allows you to remove the majority of the sludge from the chamber before using the Jagsnake, Brushsnake, and Patchsnake.
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I will add to this thread with four separate "chapters" on each of these over the next few days walking you through how to make all four of these tools.
They are made of .095" trimmer line, Hoppes .22cal jags, Otis .22cal pistol brushes, and the brush handles are made out of 3 piece Hoppes rod kits. One kit costs $9, and can make 3 brush handles IF the aluminum is solid- sometimes they fall apart because of impurities in the rod stock. When that happens, I usually salvage the parts into two straight handles or a short finger loop version:
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Here are the jags, about $1-2 apiece:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...r-listing/B0013RB5CQ/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1362970092&sr=1-5
I use Otis Pistol brushes- they are the perfect length for cleaning the chamber of a 22LR and removing the dreaded carbon ring that builds up at the end of the casings, without getting into the rifling. They come packaged in individual cases that can be modified to protect the brushes during storage or transport in your range bag:
![Image]()
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Here are the brushes, they cost $11-13 for 10:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...r-listing/B0040J5Y58/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1364970606&sr=1-1
If you want to make chamber brush handles, order THIS KIT for $9 and you can make three handles and one .22cal and one larger caliber jag puller:
http://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-Rifle-...18?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1362970092&sr=1-18&keywords=Hoppes+cleaning+rod
Over the next few days I will add to this thread with detailed instructions and pics on how to make each of the four tools listed above.
Regards-
DrGunner
I have decided to post a series of chapters here, in this thread in the shooting accessories forum, explaining how to make them in detail, step by step with plenty of pictures.
GUNNER TOOLS
I make four different tools:
The Gunner Patchsnake is a typical button style puller. I have experimented with many different types of trimmer line and have found this stuff to work best:
All you do is spike it through a cloth patch, pass it through the barrel from the breech, and pull it through (make sure the button is centered in the chamber before pulling). I make the buttons oversize, because no two barrels are identical. Shaping them is an easy job that can be done with a draw file or emery board.
You can shape the button for a loose fit to clean solvent/powder/sludge from the bore with low friction. You can also size them larger for a tight fit to clean the rifling- lands and grooves:
The Gunner Jagsnake- this allows you to apply powder solvent and/or copper solvent and oil/lube to the bore with minimal friction:
The Gunner Brushsnake: this allows you to brush most bores without disassembling the rifle. For .22s, it MUST be made from the Otis brushes listed below, because they are the only ones that allow a deep enough drill hole, and the brass sticks best to the cyanomethacrylate glue I use. For other calibers, any brush will work, but the ones made of brass hold up best. Aluminum does work, provided that the drill hole is deep enough to allow adequate surface area for the adhesive.
I don't use them on my target barrels, but they work great on my .22s that see bulk/copper washed ammo. I recently made one for 7.62mm and its working out fine- you just need to remember to let the trimmer line twist as you pull so the brush follows the rifling.
They can be made for any caliber.
The Gunner Chamber Brush- I designed this brush handle with a finger loop in the center that you place your middle finger or ring finger through. It provides excellent control and leverage for cleaning the carbon ring from the leade of the chamber without getting into the rifling. Attaching a chamber mop to the other end allows you to remove the majority of the sludge from the chamber before using the Jagsnake, Brushsnake, and Patchsnake.
I will add to this thread with four separate "chapters" on each of these over the next few days walking you through how to make all four of these tools.
They are made of .095" trimmer line, Hoppes .22cal jags, Otis .22cal pistol brushes, and the brush handles are made out of 3 piece Hoppes rod kits. One kit costs $9, and can make 3 brush handles IF the aluminum is solid- sometimes they fall apart because of impurities in the rod stock. When that happens, I usually salvage the parts into two straight handles or a short finger loop version:
Here are the jags, about $1-2 apiece:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...r-listing/B0013RB5CQ/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1362970092&sr=1-5
I use Otis Pistol brushes- they are the perfect length for cleaning the chamber of a 22LR and removing the dreaded carbon ring that builds up at the end of the casings, without getting into the rifling. They come packaged in individual cases that can be modified to protect the brushes during storage or transport in your range bag:
Here are the brushes, they cost $11-13 for 10:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...r-listing/B0040J5Y58/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1364970606&sr=1-1
If you want to make chamber brush handles, order THIS KIT for $9 and you can make three handles and one .22cal and one larger caliber jag puller:
http://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-Rifle-...18?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1362970092&sr=1-18&keywords=Hoppes+cleaning+rod
Over the next few days I will add to this thread with detailed instructions and pics on how to make each of the four tools listed above.
Regards-
DrGunner
