Gun Related Hacks

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Picked up a fish tank setup, that didn't sell, at a garage sale, just for the flat led light. It is about 5 " long and very thin. Fit perfect, on my LNL press, on the support, connected with two zip ties, and now seeing the powder level is no problem. Used the little air pump, with hose, to blow out powder, and such, away from the shell plate. It worked so good that when daughter and wife went to the pet store, found another fishtank light, that was marked down, that worked perfect for the other LNL press.
 
That looks awesome! I'll be asking Mrs. McGee to pick up some of these.
Good thread...
I use cheap/Walmart brand Q-tips that have the wound paper centers, not the plastic tubes.
The tip can be cut off at an angle (after use), creating a pin point end that can be used to clean small crevasses, or pin point drip oil into a small space.
You can cut it off again and again to create a new point.
I use dykes to cut them, can we still use that word:uhoh:
:D
 
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Johnson’s Paste Wax is your friend if you carry a rifle in the rain. Take the action out of the stock and give it a couple of coats. It keeps the water off the steel long enough for it to dry out without rusting. It’s also a good all over treatment for guns in storage
 
Johnson’s Paste Wax is your friend if you carry a rifle in the rain. Take the action out of the stock and give it a couple of coats. It keeps the water off the steel long enough for it to dry out without rusting. It’s also a good all over treatment for guns in storage

I use Renwax.
 
Not my idea, but I'll pass it along. Q-Tips cut in half will slide into the open end of a 17 caliber cleaning rod. Drop a bit of solvent or oil on the tip and push it through. Works great. My idea: Use worn out socks, especially ankle high athletic walkers when wiping down guns instead of a square cloth. Slip then over your hands and it becomes much easier to hold onto a firearm as you wipe. Can put one on each hand and have oil on one. Really keeps fingerprints off of guns.
 
I like using the wood q tips for cleaning. Like has been mentioned with standard q tips and bamboo skewers, cut the shaft at an angle for a non marring scraper for nooks and crannies. 2dd69729-2468-4ead-9bc4-7e03fdf265ae_1.27eec12c721ca139279708dc6cb86987.jpeg
 
After using the swabs with the wooden stick, I cut the stick at an angle and use the pointy part as a stylus to apply paint in small areas (like on sights).
 
Maybe this is not so much a hack, and I'm probably not the only one who does this but hey, I'll put it up here anyway.

When I'm cleaning the cylinder for my cap and ball revolver, I soak a shotgun patch in hot, soapy water and ram it in the cylinder with a wooden dowel, Twisting it around and doing my best to get the "corner" (?) at the bottom. Then I do the same with a dry patch to dry it off. I then repeat the process with one with a bit of mineral oil on it to seal it up.

I use the same procedure with the barrel, only I use larger patches or rags so the fill it nice and tight.
 
I spent some of my working career in optics, and was exposed to new uses of common materials, that's where I picked up on using Q-tips.
Some of that has migrated to my loading bench and gun cleaning routine, but without the "dispenser" we used on the optics bench.
OK, so it's a roll of toilet paper :what::uhoh:
Great for clean-ups etc.

The reason we had a toilet paper holder for optics is a roll laid on the bench on it's end would collect dust/dirt that would scratch optics.
I don't have a holder on my loading bench but I do have a roll of toilet paper :eek:
Try it, I won't tell anyone,
:D
 
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I spent some of my working career in optics, and was exposed to new uses of common materials, that's where I picked up on using Q-tips.
Some of that has migrated to my loading bench and gun cleaning routine, but without the "dispenser" we used on the optics bench.
OK, so it's a roll of toilet paper :what::uhoh:

The reason we had a toilet paper holder for optics is a roll laid on the bench on it's end would collect dust/dirt that would scratch optics.
I don't have a holder on my loading bench but I do have a roll of toilet paper :eek:
Try it, I won't tell anyone,
:D

You're saying it attracts dust that would otherwise settle on the optic?
 
You're saying it attracts dust that would otherwise settle on the optic?

The TP is used to clean optics, and any dirt/dust collected while sitting on end could scratch the optics when used for cleaning.
thanks for asking,
:)
 
The TP is used to clean optics, and any dirt/dust collected while sitting on end could scratch the optics when used for cleaning.
thanks for asking,
:)

Ah, that makes way more sense... I was overcomplicating thing lol.
I'll have to do that since I have no covers for my nice scope yet :confused: Right now I put a fleece earband around it when I'm not shooting
 
I would like to add to the tips on wooden shafted cotton swabs. You can get them very cheap at Veterinary and Medical Supply stores. Also I buy multi packs of Swab Eez Industrial Swabs from Matco Tools or other online suppliers. https://www.google.com/search?q=swab-eez industrial strength swabs
They have various sizes that come in real handy for gun cleaning.
Some of the sizes work great as barrel swabs for .22, .38 and .45 caliber barrels and cylinders. The short stubby ones are my favorites for getting into receiver nooks and crannies.


By the way, great thread! Thank you all for the tips. :thumbup:
 
I once used a drill to get Q tips out of my barrel, just don't ask why, and yes I do know I probably messed up the rifling.
 
Good thread...
I use cheap/Walmart brand Q-tips that have the wound paper centers, not the plastic tubes.
The tip can be cut off at an angle (after use), creating a pin point end that can be used to clean small crevasses, or pin point drip oil into a small space.
You can cut it off again and again to create a new point.
I use dykes to cut them, can we still use that word:uhoh:
:D
Damn quoted myself...
Another use for these cheap Q-tips, cut off one end and the shank fits into a Dremel collet, to be used as a mini-buffing wheel.
With some Nu Finish polish it's great to fluff and buff mag lips or do a 25 cent trigger job.
:)
 
Instead of using expensive lubes for exterior finishes, I use motor oil applied with a small paint brush as a rust barrier. For lubrication of internal parts, I apply white lithium grease. I use good solvent (MPRO7), but I conserve it by stuffing baby food jars with cleaning patches and them pouring in some solvent to saturate the patches. Make scrapers and picks with old coathanger wire. Never throw away an old toothbrush. I clean my bore snakes by putting them in a glass jar with hot water and some dish soap- shake it around, let it sit for a while. Pour out the nasty water, then let it sit in clean water for a bit. Hang and dry.
Targets? cheap paper plates, index cards, or copy paper- make dots of whatever size and shape made by spray painting them with a home-made cardboard stencil. If you like the "dirty bird" type targets to zero a rifle, cut them up into 3" (or smaller) squares- 3" should be more than sufficient for any decent scoped rifle at 100 yards or closer. Shoot at ritz crackers with your scoped 22- hang them on a piece of string and attach with clothespins. Don't spend lots of $ on something you will use once and throw away.
 
1. The day after election day, there are gobs of free target stands along highways. You can often get a multiyear supply by collecting them from in front of a single parking lot.

2. You don't need a fancy sight pusher tool most of the time to change pistol sights. Just put a screw in a block of wood, and put the block in a vice next to the slide, with the screw lined up against the rear site. You can push the rear site out by tightening the screw.

3. Cut an 1 inch "x" in a cardboard box, shove a magazine in it so only the base plate is visible, spray paint so that you can distinguish your mags from everyone else's at the range, or use different colors for different calibers.

4. When driving to the range, always grab old dining room chairs if someone has thrown them out. They make a great target stand. Then at the end of the day they make a great dueling tree -- you and your buddy can race to shoot a leg off first and get the chair to fall over.

5. Zip ties work as chamber flags.
 
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