Homemade Shotgun Patches?
- Thread starter hikingman
- Start date
I've always made my own patches for shotgun cleaning from whatever old cotton material I happen to have lying around. My usual routine is to use a large solvent-soaked patch in the slotted tip for initial wetting down, followed after a bit of a wait by a couple of passes with the bronze brush, and then with a few patches wrapped over the swab so they fit reasonably tightly. When one finally comes out more-or-less clean and dry, I finish up with a clean one with a bit of oil. Using the patches over the swab keeps it clean longer - when it gets too dirty, I just wash it with detergent.
UtopiaTexasG19
New member
Doesn't it sting when you re-use the toilet paper later on? 
Dfariswheel
New member
I used to go to a fabric shop and buy whatever cotton flannel fabric they had cheap.
Wash it to remove the sizing and cut into patches.
You can also use it to make your own silicone wiping cloths by cutting the fabric into cloth size pieces and spraying it soaking wet with automotive store spray silicone.
Once the cloth starts to get dirty, throw it away and make a new one.
This prevents wiping guns and instruments with a dirty, gritty cloth.
The guys on "The Box O' Truth" recommend using...... tampons.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu9.htm
Wash it to remove the sizing and cut into patches.
You can also use it to make your own silicone wiping cloths by cutting the fabric into cloth size pieces and spraying it soaking wet with automotive store spray silicone.
Once the cloth starts to get dirty, throw it away and make a new one.
This prevents wiping guns and instruments with a dirty, gritty cloth.
The guys on "The Box O' Truth" recommend using...... tampons.
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu9.htm
Most people who have been shooting awhile have several old, beat up, bronze brushes (which are too small for the bore from wear) laying around. I just wrap a piece of cotton t-shirt around it and it fits nice and snug in the bore for swabbing. The bristles hold the cotton in place great, but it's not too hard to pull it off and replace it with a clean piece.
Firstly, I dip a nylon brush into solvent and give the bore a few swipes. I then just rip off appropriate sizes of paper towel so as to fit snugly in the bore, soak them with solvent and run them through until they come out relatively clean. After the cleaning is done, another snug fitting piece with a little rust preservative on it will remove most of the residue and still leave a light film of preservative on the bore.
Honestly, a bore snake ...is the most "resueable" cleaning product I've seen.../ because they're easy to clean.
...although those wooly swabs like the one you have from Hoppes in your photo...I suppose could be cleaned and dried / although I've never tried it
but if you use the barrel swab you have - with a patch or paper towel ..they'll last for many yrs too.
Like others mentioned - paper towels are ok .../ and I run them thru a 12ga - with a 20ga barrel swab.../ or on a .22 bore brush and run them thru a 9mm or something - and they do ok --- but I'm still buying patches too ( old habit) I guess.
...although those wooly swabs like the one you have from Hoppes in your photo...I suppose could be cleaned and dried / although I've never tried it
but if you use the barrel swab you have - with a patch or paper towel ..they'll last for many yrs too.
Like others mentioned - paper towels are ok .../ and I run them thru a 12ga - with a 20ga barrel swab.../ or on a .22 bore brush and run them thru a 9mm or something - and they do ok --- but I'm still buying patches too ( old habit) I guess.
Orphanedcowboy
New member
I have 2 bore snakes, one soaked with solvent, the other with oil. I clean as usual, run the 2 snakes thru and I am done.
When they get filthy, I wash them with dish detergent, then run them thru the washing machine inside an old pillow case.
The local sewing shop or Hobby Lobby for cheap cotton cloth, a utility knife and good straight edge is your best bet for what you want to accomplish.
Chiseled out of stone
When they get filthy, I wash them with dish detergent, then run them thru the washing machine inside an old pillow case.
The local sewing shop or Hobby Lobby for cheap cotton cloth, a utility knife and good straight edge is your best bet for what you want to accomplish.
Chiseled out of stone