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CCI .22 Ammo

Today, CCI (Cascade Cartridges, Inc.) is one of the most well-respected brands of ammunition in the world. They are known for quality, reliability, and innovation. They started in the 1951 and continue to develop products and improve upon existing ones, with a focus on the needs of shooters and hunters of all levels. CCI .22 caliber ammunition is a popular brand of reliable, accurate, and high-quality ammo. CCI offers a wide variety of .22LR ammo options, including subsonic, hollow point, and standard velocity options.

Product shot of CCI .22 Ammo

Some of the key features and benefits of CCI .22 ammo are:

  1. Reliability: CCI .22LR ammo is known for its reliability, which is essential for any shooter. You want to be confident that your ammo will fire every time you pull the trigger, and CCI provides that reliability.
  2. Accuracy: CCI .22 ammo is also known for its accuracy, which is crucial for target shooting and hunting. CCI’s consistent manufacturing process and use of high-quality components result in ammo that shoots accurately and consistently.
  3. Variety: CCI offers a variety of .22LR ammo options to suit different shooting needs. For example, their subsonic ammo is ideal for target shooting or small game hunting, while their high-velocity ammo is great for plinking and varmint hunting.
  4. Clean burning: CCI uses clean-burning powders in their ammo, which reduces fouling in your gun’s barrel and makes cleaning easier. This can also help to prolong the life of your firearm.
  5. Innovation: CCI is always pushing the envelope with new products and innovations in their ammo. For example, they developed the Copper-22 ammo, which has a copper bullet instead of lead. This makes it ideal for shooting in areas where lead ammo is prohibited.

CCI offers a wide variety of .22LR ammunition to suit different shooting needs. Below is our list of .22LR that you should keep your eye out for:

  1. Standard velocity: CCI’s standard velocity ammo is designed for general plinking and target shooting. It has a velocity of around 1,070 feet per second (fps) and is typically very accurate.
  2. High velocity: CCI’s high-velocity ammo is designed for shooting at longer ranges or for varmint hunting. It has a velocity of around 1,200 to 1,400 fps, depending on the specific load.
  3. Subsonic: CCI’s subsonic ammo is designed for shooting in areas where noise is a concern. It has a velocity of around 1,000 fps or lower, which helps to reduce the noise of the shot.
  4. Stinger: CCI’s Stinger ammo is a high-velocity load with a specially-designed bullet that helps it to maintain its velocity over longer distances. It has a velocity of around 1,640 fps.
  5. Velocitor: CCI’s Velocitor ammo is a high-velocity load that’s designed for hunting and varmint shooting. It has a velocity of around 1,435 fps and a specialized bullet design that helps it to expand upon impact.
  6. Copper-22: CCI’s Copper-22 ammo features a lead-free, copper-plated bullet that’s ideal for areas where lead ammo is prohibited. It has a velocity of around 1,850 fps.
  7. Mini-Mag: CCI’s Mini-Mag ammo is a popular all-around load that’s great for plinking, target shooting, and small game hunting. It has a velocity of around 1,235 fps and is known for its reliability and accuracy.

These are just some of the main types of .22LR ammo that CCI offers. They also offer other specialty loads, including segmented hollow point and shotshell ammo. With so many different options you need to make sure you are getting the right ammo for the right job. Overall, CCI .22LR ammo is a reliable, accurate, and high-quality choice for shooters of all levels.

Knife Accessories

5 Best Camping Knives

5 Best Camping Knives

Over the years I have been camping countless times in varying conditions and situations. From far northern Canada in the dead of winter all the way down as far south as Newport Beach California to the tropical beaches of Hawaii. Even though the gear...

5 Best Camping Knives

Best Camping Knives | TopGunReviewOver the years I have been camping countless times in varying conditions and situations. From far northern Canada in the dead of winter all the way down as far south as Newport Beach California to the tropical beaches of Hawaii. Even though the gear I needed varied from location to location there has always been one piece that had stayed the same and regardless of where I was, still remained my go to tool, a solid knife.

My point of view on these knives comes from my experiences, I’m sure that there are others out there that have stood the test of time. I just haven’t used them yet. I also have an affinity for full tang blades; I don’t like the mechanics of a folding blade. To me it’s just one more thing that could possibly fail.

When you are thinking about buying your camping knife there are a few things you need to consider like the size of the blade, construction materials, sheath, and price to name a few.

One of my go to considerations are peer reviews, do people use the knife and does it stand up to what it was built for. Basically whichever you decide on it will always come down to what you need it for, my needs are different that yours. So this list will only help you get a bearing point for you to compare your wants and needs verse mine.

#1 Victorinox Swiss Army, Camper

Amazon Product Link
Starting small, but mighty. This knife in my mind is the most versatile camping tool on the market. They are a classic and a great place to start when buying knives. They are smaller and less bulky than a full out leatherman, the combinations of tools are more useful, and the two knives are sharp right out of the box. Let’s not even start in about how useful the tweezers are.

#2 Buck, Vanguard

Amazon Product Link
If you ever get the opportunity to handle one of these knives, you will instantly feel the craftsmanship that went into making it. I have large hands and the handle on the vanguard, fits a little small, but not too small that I wouldn’t bring it with me hunting. The blade and the wooden handle make for an all around beautiful knife.

#3 KA-BAR Marine Corps fighting knife

Amazon Product Link
This knife has been with the Marine Corps since WWII, and is still used today. One of the best things about this knife is the steel its made from (in my opinion). The steel is 1095 CroVan which won’t be razor sharp out of the box but that deliberate. Anyone who knows anything about their knives should be able to put their own edge on their blade. The practicality of the steel it’s made from makes sharpening it on any hard surface easy. Which is great if you don’t have any store bought tools around you, when you’re out camping.

#4 Buck/Hood, Thug blade

Amazon Product Link
This Blade is heavy duty while still being nicely balanced in hand. It’s a large fixed full tang blade that can take on whatever gets thrown at it. Lets just say this if the world is going to end and I had only a few minutes to grab the most essential items from my home, this would be the knife. Survivalist till the end.

#5 Spyderco, Bushcraft

Amazon Product Link
The very first thing that you’ll notice about this knife is its weight and thick spine.
I loved how this knife looks and how sharp it came right out of the box. One of the disadvantages about this knife is the handle. Its smooth, which makes using it in wet conditions an issue. But seeing as I don’t enjoy camping in the rain, and I try and avoid it, I wouldn’t worry much about whether to bring this one along.

There are endless amounts of knives out there to choose from, when your going out to purchase one for yourself just make sure you know what you’ll be using it for, knives can be situational and are meant for specific purposes. The knife I would use on a beach is a lot different from the knife I would use in the frozen tundra. Don’t forget a good knife can make or break your camping trip.

Remember to be safe and pack the right tools!

Grips Buying Guide

GripOf all the fundamentals of pistol shooting, one of the most important is grip. This is in terms of technique and equipment. A solid grip determines everything from recoil control and fast follow-up shots, to sight alignment and smooth trigger press. Without the grip, all of these actions are significantly harder to master. Grip also plays a major role in determining which gun you purchase, or which side you choose in the eternal Glock vs. 1911 debate.

Think about it. How many of you have purchased a gun simply because it felt right? How many choose one carry piece over all others, because that particular gun is the one that feels the most comfortable shooting? What quality drives that decision?

Chances are it’s the way the gun felt in your hand. It’s the grip. Some of the better innovations common among modern polymer pistols are the interchangeable grip panels, which allow shooters to customize the grip to fit their needs. However, if you don’t own one of those pistols, your only choices are custom gunsmithing or aftermarket add-ons.

Now, aftermarket doodads aren’t going to correct your technique errors for you. However, next to changing your sights, grip modifications are one of the easiest ways to alter your handguns to suit your preferences. And once the gun feels better in your hand, you’ll be much more likely to spend time shooting it, right?

Before you start shopping, you first need to consider what you need in a grip, or whether you even need new grips at all.  Many a shooter, after spending serious money on a set of aftermarket grips, has reluctantly re-installed his factory checkered wood or plastic grips after discovering that his new purchase not only failed to cure his shooting ills, but actually worsened them.

Carefully consider how grips will alter the fit and function of your handgun before making a purchase. Contemplate if you need to change your grip profile, or if you are looking for a better grip adhesion, for those long range sessions with sweaty hands. There are a variety of options available to suit your needs, but a little careful consideration and planning beforehand will save you disappointment and dollars along the way.

For instance, adding oversized rubber grips to many revolvers will interfere with using a speed-loader, especially if they have significant palm swell or a thumb rest. Soft rubber grips may provide better adhesion for sweaty hands, but they also tend to snag on clothing. This causes interference with a smooth draw. Some oversized grips may also interfere with the fit of a retention holster. With many of those rubber grips, cover garments will not drape as well as they would over harder, slick grips, making printing more likely.

Over time, soft, tacky rubber grips will often harden and grow slick with heavy use. Rather than replacing them, you can restore the tackiness by running them through a dishwasher cycle with very hot water. This may save you from having to replace your grips at all. However, in the event that you do need to change them out, we have compiled a list of things to look for.

Grip Appliques
Adhesive appliques such as grip tape can provide extra adhesion without altering your gun or changing the grip profile. The simplest of these is a sheet of skateboard tape, such as Black Widow Grip Tape, which comes in a variety of colors.

Simply cut the Black Widow tape in the shape you want, peel off the backing, and place it where you think it will do the most good. The front strap of the firearm is a common choice.

I advise against purchasing skateboard tape sight unseen. Some of these tapes can be quite abrasive, and your hands may bear the trauma after a long day at the range. Visit your local skate shop and try a sample before you buy.

Another choice is AGrip from Brooks Tactical Systems. It comes pre-cut to fit the 1911 and most popular polymer semi-autos. The AGrip provides a rubberized, wrap-around grip that offers extra adhesion without being abrasive or altering your grip profile.

Insta Grip is another choice. This is an inexpensive solution you can cut to fit your handgun. It is available in medium or heavy texture, and comes in a variety of configurations.

Grip Sleeves
Grip sleeves can provide extra bond while altering the grip profile somewhat. Depending on which product you choose, the change can add a subtle palm swell, or radically change the size and feel of your grip.

TheHogue Handall is a popular grip sleeve available for most semi-autos. It can enhance comfort and recoil control while providing that extra little bit of tactile adhesion. The soft rubber Handall provides finger grooves over the front strap and an excellent tacky feel, at the expense of adding noticeable thickness to your grip profile. Having shot numerous Glocks fitted with Hogue Handalls, I can attest to their comfort and durability.

The Handall is available in back or OD green, sized to fit all Glock Pistols, Smith & Wesson M&P series, Springfield XD/XDM series and similar-sized semi-autos. The Handall Junior is sized to fit most .22 LR and .25 ACP pocket pistols.

If finger grooves aren’t your thing, Pachmayr Tactical Grip Glove may be worth trying out. These come in both grooved and non-grooved versions. It seems most users enjoy the feel of the glove, but question the flimsiness of the rubber. However, they do sport a low price. This comes in handy when the wise bet is to consider these wear items that require regular replacement.

Grip and Magazine Extensions
As a big guy with large hands and fat fingers, the two banes of my existence are smart phone keypads and compact handgun grips. If you have the same problem, unfortunately, I can’t help you with your text message typos, but will provide a tip that helps me. Using an extended magazine or magazine grip extension for your concealed carry semi-auto will give you some place to put your little finger. I carry the 8-round extended magazine with grip extension in my Kahr CW9. I also added a Pearce Grip Extensions to all my magazines for my Taurus 709, without adding weight or sacrificing the ability to conceal.

Pearce also makes magazine extensions for Glock and Springfield XD series, as well as the Browning Hi Power and Beretta 92. The extensions can add from one to three rounds to your standard magazine capacity, depending upon the model you choose.

When considering functional modifications to existing factory magazines, the standard admonition caveat emptor applies. Considering that magazine failures are the most common reason for feeding issues in semi-auto handguns, I generally draw the line at adding a grip extender. If you want more capacity, I advise you to choose the factory extended magazines whenever available.

Grip Panels and Over-Molded Grips
1911 shooters can choose from a smorgasbord of grip panels made from aluminum, carbon fiber or rubber, to a plethora of exotic woods.  Whether you‘re changing your grip for functional or aesthetic reasons, you can take your pick. There are hundreds of options available for 1911 grips alone.

rimfire_designsWhen it came time to add grips to my recently customized Hi Standard 1911, I chose a blend of function and aesthetics. I added a set of stippled EMS Star of Life grips in exotic paduak wood from Rimfire Designs to my gun. If you can envision a 1911 grip concept, Mark at Rimfire Designs can probably make it happen.

Hogue grips have long been a popular choice among revolver shooters, and for good reason. Hogue’s soft rubber Monogrip provide excellent adhesion and a pleasing palm swell far superior to many factory revolver grips, but Hogue doesn’t stop there. It also offers custom grips for revolvers and semi-autos in a broad variety of textures and materials.

Pachmayr has been a respected name in aftermarket stocks for so long that, for many people, black rubber handgun grips are simply known as “Pachmayrs,” much like “Kleenex” is synonymous with facial tissues and “Xerox” is synonymous with photocopiers. The company still offers a variety of wraparound grips to fit common revolver and semi-auto handguns, including 1911 pattern pistols with grip safeties. Pachmayr offers models with or without finger grooves, and its open backstrap Gripper Professional Series offers the recoil control and improved adhesion of a finger-grooved, soft rubber grip, sized to fit individuals with smaller hands.

I recently had an opportunity to shoot a friend’s Colt Gold Cup 1911 fitted with Pachmayr’s American Legend Series grips, and I was quite impressed. Blending the pleasing aesthetics of wood grips with the enhanced recoil control of rubber finger grooves over the front strap, the pistol felt and shot great. I’m a fan.

We hope this little primer gives you a bit of a head start on researching which aftermarket grip options are best for you. Just remember, doodads will never replace technique, but a pistol that feels good in your hand is a pistol you’re more likely to shoot. If a little aftermarket customization makes you more likely to do that, then go for it. Happy shooting!

Browning Buckmark Accessories

The Browning Buckmark is one of those iconic pistols that you can easily identify by sight. A proven plinker, competition shooter, and yes, even home defense gun, (just sit down). The Buckmark is an affordable, quality pistol. Yet it is on the higher end of the price scale versus most other .22’s. However, it will also provide many years of enjoyment.

So, what if we could make this firearm even better?

With the plethora of aftermarket accessories available for guns today, the Buckmark is no exception. Here are seven very cool options that can make your vanilla plinker into a custom supershooter!

Browning Buckmark Trail-Lite Barrels
by Tactical Solutions Trail Lite for Buck Mark
This replacement barrel is made from a single piece of machined aluminum, which will save overall pistol weight. At the same time, it offers you the thickness of a full bull barrel to ensure improved accuracy. This firearm also comes with a target front sight installed. However, I recommend that you see below for a for a better option. One of the best features of this gun is the pre-threaded muzzle. This allows you to add a compensator (again, see below) or other threaded muzzle accessory (anyone live in a state where suppressors are legal?).  
Additionally, this gun also includes thread protector, if no accessory is used on the barrel.

 

Trail Lite Compensator crop

Browning Buckmark Trail-Lite Compensator
by Tactical Solutions
Like any good compensator, this little device will take on the job of redirecting gasses from the muzzle blast out and around evenly. This will control the muzzle jump as well as the recoil of the gun, allowing you to take a faster follow-up shot.

Buckmark Extra Magazine by Browning Buck-Mark-Extra-Magazine crop
Extra magazines are always important to have with any pistol. These extra mags allow you to keep more lead going downrange without having to stop and keep reloading. Not to mention the possibility of loss, damage or technical failure, extra mags will keep you shooting more and set your mind at ease. If you ever intend to shoot in a handgun competition with your Browning Buckmark, extra mags are an absolute must.

Williams Fire Site for Buck MarkFiber Optic Gun Sights by Williams
Amazon Product Link
As an alternative to the standard target sights that come with your Buckmark, (which are decent enough on their own), I have found that fiber optic sights can add that something extra to your target and sight pickups with a nice, bright dot to focus on. The more  light, the brighter the rods glow. These sites offer a three dot sight picture for you to see. The front sight has red insert, while the rear has two green inserts. These are direct replacements for the factory sights and are rear-sight adjustable as well.

Buckmark Picatinny Scope Mount
by Tactical Solutions
Amazon Product Link
Tactical Solutions Picatinny BaseIf open sights are not enough for you, consider a rail option for mounting optics. This lightweight,  aluminum, Picatinny rail is a replacement for the factory rear sight so that you can mount any kind of Picatinny mountable optic, It still offers an adjustable rear sight, which is included on the rail! The best of both worlds. Even better, this part requires no-gunsmithing.

Weigand Scope Mount crop

Buckmark Weaver Scope Mount
by Weigand Combat
Amazon Product Link
Like the rail above, this allows you to mount an optic on your pistol that utilizes weaver-style rings or connections. Likewise, this rail mounts directly into the factory rear-sight holes. However this one does not offer rear open sights. Again, no permanent alterations or gunsmithing is required to use this rail.

Target Grips by BrowningBuck Mark grip
Depending on which Buckmark model you have, it may have come with some very nice contoured or target grips. But options still abound in choices for replacements. From wood to rubberized to laminated, there are grips to fit every hand and every style of shooting from one handed accuracy shooting to fast target transitions. All you have to find is the one that works best for you.

If the Browning Buckmark is the gun of choice then you should never feel restricted in the accessories and aftermarket parts that are available to you. The list above is merely a taste of the components available for your pistol.

Have we missed anything important? Do you have a tricked out Buckmark to impress us with? We’d like to see them! Click here to send an email to our Editor.

You may also be interested in reading our Shootout! of the Ruger Mark III Vs. the Browning Buckmark.

Cleaning Solvents Buying Guide

New or veteran shooters alike will all eventually discover and covet their own favorite gun-cleaning stink juice. Hell-bent, throwing caution to the wind, we take up bottles of God-knows-what to slather our firearms in. Viscous fluids to eat away fouling and prevent corrosion on our precious things that go bang. Never-minding what these chemicals might be doing to us as we inhale the fumes, topically endure and possibly even ingest chemicals that could be more damaging than runoff from your average fertilizer plant.

So what’s a gun owner to do? What should we use? How should we use it? In this buying guide, let’s explore the world of gun cleaning solvents and then take that knowledge to put together a dream cleaning kit that we can all be proud of.

The Three Virtues of a Cleaning Solvent
Any good gun cleaning solvent will have three important aspects to it to make it a valuable product to be considered for long term use. These three virtues are as follows:

  1. Fouling Removal – Obviously the main reason you would use a solvent in the first place. The chemical should both dissolve and lift-away fouling residue as well as aid in the controlled removal of other deposits that can occur in gun barrels such as lead, copper, salts, plastics, etc.
  2. Protection Layer – Use of this chemical should not only clean the affected areas, but leave a super-thin layer of protective coating that should help make future cleanings easier and protect from dirt, corrosion and other environmental conditions.
  3. Non-Destructive – Our clean-o fluid must not harm us, others or our firearms. Some will teeter dangerously on the edge of this virtue, causing discoloration, but we shall squint carefully at those.

The following products are listed in no particular order and must meet at least two of our three criteria listed above.

Birchwood Casey

Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber
Amazon Link
Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber is an interesting product by design and purpose. While it can be used in the traditional way cleaning solvents are used in firearms, Gun Scrubber is intended to saturate the dirty areas of the firearm and “flush out” all the fouling and dirt without having to disassemble the gun. While this will work in some cases, others will require at least some form of breakdown in the more closed firearm designs. This product will not harm wooden stocks, synthetics, camo patterns, etc. However, it is not recommended for long term exposure of skin. Meets 2 of 3 virtues in that this does not leave a protective layer in the gun, it dries completely. You must use additional lubrication after cleaning with this product.

M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner
Amazon Link

M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner acts not only as a solvent for fouling and dirt, but doubles equally well as a copper and lead remover, something which usually requires the purchase of another product. This creation is completely odorless, non-flammable, non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally safe to use, which is a rarity. M-Pro 7 cannot be used on wooden stocks, however, because it will stain the wood as it dissolves away the natural oils and oiled stock finishes. It does, however, leave a protective coating on all the metal surfaces that will help prevent future rusting and corrosion.

Hoppes Number 9

Hoppes #9
Amazon Link
The staple of any gun bench is undoubtedly the venerable Hoppe’s No. 9. The ancient cult following of this solvent is backed by the mantra; “It’s okay if you don’t start with Hoppes, but you’ll probably end up with it.” Good for removing powder fouling, loosening corrosion and metal deposits in barrels. It also removes rust and leaves a coating to help prevent rust and is safe for all surfaces (and is even beneficial to wood surfaces) and makes a hell of a mixer at parties (just kidding on that one!). Some would say that it stinks to high heaven, but personally I like the smell of this great solvent. Hoppes #9 meets all three of our virtues for cleaning solvents.

Hoppes Elite

Hoppes Elite Gun Cleaner
Amazon Link
With the Elite Gun Cleaner, Hoppes has taken #9 high-tech. The official description contains lots of “bonding agents, corrosion inhibitors, and surfactants condition and protect the metal to help repel future fouling buildup” and all that sort of rot. But the fact that remains most impressive with this particular product is the fact that it does the same job as good old Hoppes, yet with no odor whatsoever. As mentioned, I happen to like the smell of Hoppes, but that’s neither here nor there. If you are looking for something odorless, this is a good choice.

Rem Action Cleaner

Remington Action Cleaner
Amazon Link
While technically Remington Action Cleaner is a degreaser more than it is a cleaner, the fact that it lifts away petroleum and synthetic based oils and residues makes it a very decent option for the gun bench cleaning option. It does only meet two of our criteria, though, as it dries completely and does not leave a protective layer. This will necessitate a liberal coating of gun oil to help prevent friction and corrosion.

 

Break Free CLP

Break Free CLP
The Break Free CLP is a lightning bolt of the cleaning solvent industry. It is touted as a super cleaner, lubricant and preservative containing Teflon, as well as other specialized ingredients. The lubrication is supposed to also create a thin film that fouling cannot adhere to. It also protects against exposure to salt water and will not allow corrosion to form. While it would seem that this product easily meets all three criteria, it should be noted that this solvent/cleaner is extremely hazardous to human health and should only be used in well-ventilated areas and limit all exposure to bare skin. Break Free CLP also has Mil Spec: MIL-L-63460.

Ballistol

Ballistol
Developed in Europe over 90 years ago, Ballistol may not be the fastest cleaner in the west, nor the most popular, not even the most heard of, but it sure works great. If you’ve got a little time to let the product sit for a bit after application, you will be hard pressed to find a better cleaner, solvent, lead/copper/brass remover, and lubricant all in one bottle. This cleaner provides protection against corrosion and rust. It also coats and leaves a light film to protect firearm barrels and stocks. Moreover, it won’t harden over time. It offers a mild alkaline solution which will neutralize the acid that eats away at the interiors of gun barrels. It also destroys tough powder residue and mixes well with water. Because of its great cleaning features it is great to use with corrosive ammo (when necessary, right, Mosin Nagant users?). This product also happens to be completely non-toxic. I would not go so far as to day you could drink it, but maybe just shy of. It will not harm anything it comes into contact with. Just remember to let it soak a bit.

So that’s our list of considerations to give in the world of gun cleaning solvents. Some of the options we have here also offer gel or foaming options, supposedly designed to guarantee access into those little nooks and crannies, but those are usually more expensive and gimmicky at best.

Gun Cleaning Kit Buying Guide

Soon will come the day where the self-cleaning gun will be developed. An internal scrubbing and vibratory system that shakes all of the fouling loose, and then after a quick wipe-down, lubricates itself and readies for that next shot on the range. Until that day arrives (and don’t think for a second that someone isn’t working on it as you read this), we firearms owners have to do things the hard way. Manual cleaning of each of your guns starts out as a task of pride and precision, with hundreds of dollars spent on the best tools, chemicals, patches, swabs and other claptrap. Only after several more purchases of firearms does it become a chore, a chore that is all too often forgotten when we come in from the range/woods/duty. Shame on us.

It does not have to be this way, though. Luckily we do not have to amass huge quantities of individually selected cleaning related items due to the common availability of ready assembled cleaning kits on the market today, which are quite good. Some shooters thumb their noses at such kits, but they have come a long way in the last few years and are every bit as good as professionally assembled items. Let’s explore some of these and discover some quicker and less toilsome ways to keep our firearms squeaky clean and shiny new.

The basics of gun cleaning are simple. Spent ammunition leaves residue, most commonly called “fouling”, inside your firearms as well as the outside. For the most part, fouling is burned gunpowder and lubricant that will build up incrementally with every shot. As you can imagine, several dozen shots to several hundred shots will build up different amounts of fouling in your gun. It’s up to you to discover when the best time is to clean them. Oftentimes manufacturers and shooters will offer recommendations as to how often a firearm should be cleaned, but you will be the ultimate judge of this.

Typically, five things have to be done in order to clean a firearm, after you have confirmed that the firearm is not loaded:

1.    Scrub.
Scrubbing the bore of your firearm, which is the inside of your barrel from the chamber where the bullet is fed to the tip of the muzzle where the fired bullet exits, is all about loosening the fouling that has built up in the barrel. A brass or nylon brush screwed into the tip of a cleaning rod or pull through wire (explained later), dipped in solvent, and then pushed or pulled through several times to loosen all the burnt on crust. A wire or nylon hand-held brush, also dipped in solvent should be used on the other, more accessible parts of the internals of the gun. This will allow you to loosen the fouling that has built up in these areas.

2.    Solvent.
The solvent stage is all about getting the most amount of chemical solvent onto the dirty areas of the gun, particularly the inside of the barrel, also known as the bore. The best way to do this is to soak cotton patches in whatever solvent you are using and push them through the barrel a few times. This will thoroughly coat the inside of the barrel. Once this step is completed, do the same for the other internals. Be careful using solvent on any wooden parts of your firearm. Some solvents are fine to use with wood, others can blister or discolor it.

3.    Patches.
Clean patches should be alternated with solvent-soaked patches for the first couple of run-throughs and wipe-downs. After most to all of the fouling has been removed, only clean patches should be used to wipe out not only the residual fouling but the majority of the solvent as well.

4.    Wipe.
Never underestimate the importance of the final wipe-down. A mostly clean, soft, the cotton rag will do the trick. No solvents or chemicals of any kind are required here. A thorough wipe-down of the entire firearm, inside and out will catch any dust, dirt, or fouling that you might have missed. This will also help to prevent scratching or etching of your metal or wood from this residual debris during transporting the firearm. This will also help catch any residual chemical that may have worked its way out of the area you were cleaning.

5.    Lubricate.
A crucial stage of the cleaning process, proper lubrication will ensure that your firearm’s action will not fuse into a solid chunk of inoperable metal from heat and friction of metal on metal parts. It will also help prevent rust and corrosion to the metal parts of the gun. Typically, lubrication is done with light gun oil, but there are dozens of options out there for lubing and protecting. It’s important to know your gun and learn how it likes to be lubed. For instance, Sig Sauer pistols typically like to be “wetter” with lubrication, while Beretta handguns prefer more conservative lubrication.

We have a couple of different cleaning kit options for your consideration here. While not the end-all in cleaning kit choices, they do represent some of the most commonly available, popular, and versatile cleaning kits on the market today.

Hoppes Handgun Rifle and Shotgun cleaning kit

1. Hoppes Handgun, Rifle & Shotgun Cleaning Kit ($12-$15)
Amazon Product Link
Hoppes has been one of the major go-to companies when it comes to gun cleaning for over twenty-five thousand years. A staple in any gun store, major retailer, sporting goods, or gunsmith shop, the products are proven and reliable. The “standard” cleaning kits such as this one, are classic “push through” systems where the cleaning rod/brush/patch combination is pushed through the bore of the gun to scrub away fouling and to apply solvent/cleaning patches.

 This kit comes standard with:
a)    Hoppes #9 solvent, which is also one of the most well-known, staple solvents in the world today.
b)    A basic selection of aluminum cleaning rods and extensions.
c)    Several plastic jags.
d)    Several patches and patch holders.
e)     A few brushes and gun oil.

This kit is basic, no-nonsense and effective. Just do be careful when using those aluminum cleaning rods. If you are not careful they can scratch the inner walls of the gun barrel.

Hoppes Boresnake Cleaning Kit

2. Hoppes Boresnake Cleaning Kit ($35-$40)
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The Hoppes boresnake cleaning kit represents the next generation system from Hoppes. This kit utilizes their invention of the “bore snake”. A boresnake is a “pull through” system of cleaning, where instead of ramming a brush/patch tipped rod through the bore and risking the scratching of the interior of the barrel, the pull through wipes everything clean with subsequent pulls of the cleaning “rope” through the barrel. It’s is made up of a woven lace of synthetic and natural fibers. Now with these systems, you must be careful, as you do still have to get some solvent down that bore without drenching the boresnake in it.

This kit comes standard with:
a)    A caliber/gauge-specific BoreSnake
b)    2 oz. aerosol can of classic Hoppe’s No. 9 Solvent
c)    2¼ fl. oz. plastic squeeze bottle of Hoppe’s Lubricating Oil
d)    (2) Anti-rust gun wipes in sealed packets
e)    Extra room in pouch for other small tools or cleaning components

The hook-and-loop closures keep the pouch of this gun cleaning kit sealed up tight.

M-Pro 7 Tactical Cleaning Kit

3. M -Pro 7 Tactical Cleaning Kit ($40-$50) 
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Another “snake” type cleaning system is the M-Pro 7. This cleaning kit is put out by Bushnell, a company known for its optics and more recently, accessories for firearms. The specification on the M-Pro solvent is interesting and quite advanced in that it not only breaks down carbon (like any gun solvent should) but it is also completely odorless, non-flammable, non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally safe to use. These are five plus points that few solvents can boast. It strips the meal parts completely clean and leaves a thin rust inhibitor with no oily feel. Just keep in mind that this rust inhibitor will damage oil-based stock finishes. Heat and agitation will accelerate the cleaning action. It can be used as a tank solvent, but not a lubricant.

This kit comes standard with:
a)    4 oz. M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner
b)    4 oz. M-Pro 7 Gun Oil LPX
c)    M-Pro 7 Bore Snake (caliber specific)
d)    Lint-Free Cleaning Cloth
e)    Nylon Utility Brush (dual head)
f)     Foam Gun Pad
g)    Weapon Maintenance Product Guide

Fast Snap Cleaning System

5. Fast Snap Cleaning System (Remington) ($35-$45) 
Amazon Product Link
The Fast Snap system by America’s oldest gunmaker is an interpretation of one of the newer pull-through systems that use a plastic coated cable instead of a woven, cloth “snake” as in the other systems mentioned. Originally created by the Otis cleaning company (see below), Remington’s version offers some nice features. This kit is compact and contains everything needed to clean a rifle, shotgun, or handgun.

This kit comes standard with:
a)    A non-scratch, plastic-coated, cleaning cable with a comfortable, easy-to-grasp Fast Snap T-handle
b)    Bottle of Rem® Oil
c)    A bottle of Brite Bore™ carbon/copper/lead/plastic wad fouling solvent
d)    An assortment of bronze brushes, bore mops, patch loops, and patches
e)    An easy-to-use bore light with interchangeable straight and 90° necks. This projects bright, white light for easy inspection of bores, chambers, and other hard-to-see areas.

This cleaning kit also contains a durable, reinforced canvas case, with foam interior and separate slot for each component, keeps everything organized. Small enough to fit in your range bag or backpack.

Otis Cleaning Kit

6. Otis Cleaning Kits ($20-$350) 
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Originally created for the ever-growing popularity of the AR-15 rifle systems, the Otis cleaning kits have grown in popularity and variations to cover just about every type of civilian, law enforcement and military weapon cleaning that can be conceived. Otis even offers a kit designed to clean grenade launchers.

Another plastic-coated, pull through wire system, the Otis kits are excellent options, but usually more gun-type specific such as handgun, shotgun, rifle, AR, etc. and they do tend to be on the expensive side of the dollar range.

The kits come in many sizes and shapes with multitudes of variables in terms of included equipment and chemicals to get your cleaning and lubrication done. My advice if considering an Otis system for general use across all firearms types would be to invest in the Otis “Tactical Cleaning system”. Of all the more general kits that they offer, it has the most varied array of items for all your needs.

So now that you know about different cleaning kits that are offered, you are probably wondering, “Which cleaning system is better? ‘Ram through’ or ‘pull through’?”

Neither. They are two ways of doing the same thing. Some will prefer one way, some the other. Personally, I use both. I like the pull through for rifles and shotguns. I like the rods for handguns. My shotguns prefer the Hoppes solvents and oils, my handguns like the M-Pro 7 and synthetic motor oil for lubrication. In time, you’ll have your own preferences too.

It should be remembered that when purchasing your first general cleaning kit (or your fiftieth general cleaning kit) that nothing lasts forever. Sooner or later you will need to replace the exhausted supply of patches. The mops will become ragged and tattered, the brushes will be bent and green, and the solvent/oil will run dry. It’s at this point where you can venture out and pick and choose what has worked best for you and your firearms needs.

Now go clean your (insert filthy firearm name here) that you’ve been putting off for two months now. You have no excuse and it’s not going to clean itself… yet.

Scope Buying Guide

These days choosing a scope is almost as important to prospective shooters as choosing a rifle. In addition to allowing a shooter to obtain better accuracy with the slower “old school” style cartridges, which pre-date the use of glass on guns, the telescopic sight allows us to make use of all the fast, flat-shooting modern cartridges that would hardly be worth having around without scopes. While an entire book could easily be written on choosing the best rifle scope out of the literally thousands of options, the modern buyer has to choose from, there are a few considerations that haven’t changed in decades and probably never will. Here we’ll take a look at the major factors to keep in mind when selecting a scope to give the prospective buyer a solid foundation to build on.

Magnification
As the whole point of a telescopic sight is to make objects look bigger, it may be tempting to the prospective buyer to look for a scope with the highest magnification available. In theory, this makes sense, but the reality is a bit different.

Two of the more important things to keep in mind when considering magnification levels are: the condition of your own eyes and the type of shooting the rifle or scope combination is to be used for.

If you constantly have people complimenting your vision and you tend to see things at long distances with good clarity, high magnification levels are probably not required for your riflescope, if big game hunting is the intended use. Naturally, varmint hunting or shooting at small targets from long distances should require a bit more magnification even with perfect 20/20 vision. That being said, 8X magnification is usually ample.

So, why skimp on magnification? Like anything else in this world, magnification costs money. It is much more difficult to build a good high magnification scope than it is to build a good low magnification scope, and the costs reflect this. A quick look at today’s market will show a good number of low cost (under $200) high magnification scopes, but the rub with cheap scopes is that at the highest magnification of, for instance, a 4-12 power scope, the image is often so blurry that it is of no use. So, what you actually have in the example above is an effective 4-10 power that maybe suspect in a few other areas that we will cover later. Quality 3-9X scopes can often be had for close to the prices of the cheap high magnification scopes and they represent a much better value.

It seems like most scope buyers place too high a premium on magnification. We’re a little addicted to it these days, but it should be remembered that WWII-era snipers only utilized 4- 6 power scopes in most cases and by the Vietnam War the Army had only moved up to 8x scopes. Higher magnification does not necessarily lead to better shooting. In most cases, if the buyer settles for lower magnification and redirects the saved money into a higher overall quality scope, they will be much happier in the long run.

Fixed Power vs. Variable Power
This question may not really be worth asking anymore. The fixed power scope had its heyday and remained popular for many decades, but it is now more or less on its way out due to the ascendancy of the reliable, durable variable power scope. That being said, the fixed power was, and still is, a perfectly useful implement, which originally was far more dependable than the variable power scope and offered greater accuracy. In the early days of scopes, a shooter’s point of aim would move around a bit when shifting between magnification levels on variable power scopes. Big game hunters cared about this less, because their targets are always at least the size of a pie plate, but the fixed power offered definite advantages to snipers and varmint hunters who are pickier about point of aim. As time passed, the kinks were worked out of variable power scopes and this shifting in point of aim has now been almost completely eliminated. The fixed power held on for some time, it was still cheaper to build. However, as manufacturing costs for variable power scopes came down the fixed power scopes eventually became the more expensive of the two options.

Currently, the only thing the fixed power scope really has going for it is that it has fewer parts. This means it has fewer things to break. The level of dependability that the modern variable power has achieved has somewhat diminishes that advantage, though. Both are useful, and preference usually determines choice in this area.

Adjustments
All scopes have adjustments for elevation (up and down) and windage (left and right), but not all are created equal. For starters, some scopes use different adjustment increments to move the point of aim different distances. These increments are usually defined in minutes of angle (MOA), a measurement that translates to pretty close to one inch at 100 yards. Some scopes designed for close shooting with shotguns, safari rifles or muzzleloaders have 1 MOA adjustments. These days, most basic big game hunting scopes have ½ MOA adjustments and higher-end scopes feature ¼ MOA adjustments. A basic rule of thumb is that as price increases these adjustments become more accurate (actually moving point of impact the amount they’re supposed to) and dependable (the setting remains where it is supposed to).

While 1 MOA adjustment can be a little vexing at the range, they are perfectly applicable to big game hunting. The ½ MOA adjustments are a bit easier to work with and allow for a bit more confidence in most cases, and the ¼ MOA adjustments are nicer still but are hardly necessary for big game hunting and are better suited to varmint hunting where a ¼ of an inch is of more concern.

Up until recently scope caps had to be removed to adjust elevation and windage. These days, more accessible adjustments are becoming popular. The traditional caps are replaced with turrets that the shooter can get make adjustments to with little effort. Some companies even offer the ability to have turrets adjusted to a particular ammunition load, which allows a shooter to adjust their scope in real time, if they know the range so that no on-the-fly drop estimation is necessary. While these have found great favor with the long range hunting crowd and target shooters, these scopes can’t really be recommended for the average hunter or shooter. If you feel the need for them later on, you can always add one. However, until then, it is just one more way to get confused as to the actual point of impact if you make adjustments and then forget them.

Reticles
The sheer number of choices of reticles (or crosshairs, as they are commonly known), can be a little overwhelming. They are available in varying thickness, design, range estimation intervals and many can even be had with integral range finders or drop compensators. This is not too big of a concern, though, because the reticle of a scope is one of the things you aren’t really stuck with. Most quality scope manufactures are more than willing to switch out reticles for a modest fee if you decide you truly hate what you see every time you look through your scope.

When it comes to picking a reticle initially the best advice is to keep things simple. Standard crosshairs are fine and have been for the better part of a century. Duplex style crosshairs offer a bit more clarity to some and center dot reticles appeal to others. Obviously, finer crosshairs are better for finer work like varmint shooting, but some people do fine work on small targets with thick crosshairs. It takes a bit of practicing to decide which you like best in the field. So take it easy and find out what works for you through trial and error. The range finders and drop compensators can always be added later if you feel you need them.

Objective Size
The front objective of a scope, or the front “bell”, can be had in different sizes. Some scopes have no front bell, 30mm or 40mm bells are considered fairly standard and larger ones up to 50mm or bigger are available. What’s the difference? The front objective is how light gets into the scope. The bigger the objective the more light it takes in, and this extra light makes the view through the scope both brighter and clearer to the shooter.

The extra brightness afforded by a larger objective is something some shooters feel they need. Most find the 40mm objective to be bright enough while still allowing for normal scope mounting. Obviously, if the front end of the scope is bigger the entire unit must be mounted higher, which tends to bring the scope out of proper alignment with the shooter’s eye. Some shooters go with the larger 50mm objective, mount the scope high and then affix an aftermarket cheek rest to the rifle to solve the alignment problem. There are also scope models currently available that have 50mm objectives with curves built into the bottom to accommodate lower mounting and normal alignment. These scopes offer some increased light gathering, but one wonders if the surface area lost to the curve leaves the shooter with anything more than a placebo effect when compared to a 40mm objective.

The best course of action is to select a scope that seems bright and presents crisp clear images. If the front objective happens to be larger on the desired scope then make adjustments accordingly. Larger objectives and cheek rests can often have a poor effect on the aesthetics of a rifle, but the shooter can generally learn to live with it if accuracy takes precedence over looks.

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