Gun Cleaning Mats? A waste of money!

[buddyd157]

In my opinion there is no gun accessory that is a bigger waste of money than the gun cleaning mat.these mats are available at the local gun shop or the big box sporting goods store anywhere from $9.98 and up. I've seen some that were $25!.
I just place a hand towel across my workbench area and it works just fine. Am I missing something?

i had some new tool box liner rubber matting hanging around. i use that, in fact, i bought a roll at Lowes for like around $20, (Craftsman, and they have Kobalt as well) and i cut it to length, and now i have so much available when needed, especially since it i cut maybe a section like 2'x2' for my bench..


then what i do too, is i lay down those "red shop rags", over a corner, to rest the cleaning soaked parts, keeping the mat clean(er) and dry...

i even cut a nice section for my reloading bench as well.

these rubber liners take a beating from throwing tools into the drawers, and do get oil on them as well

so far, the one you see in this picture had been on my bench for like a month now, and i simply wipe it dry is anything spills on it....

 

[nipprdog]

Wipe 'em down with a little WD-40,

 

[dodo bird]

I use a paper plate. I wouldn’t mind a mat just for the look’s though.

 

[entropy]

The gun I'm working on is either in a vise, (in the case of ARs, on a mag well block in a vise) or the good old Darra vise. For cleaning, I usually have long guns across my lap, pistols I clean parts individually or I hold the frame in my hand while cleaning, depending on how they field strip. For any filing, cutting, or drilling they are mounted in a vise or machinist's vise. I set shop towels down to set Hoppe's soaked parts on, and set small parts in mechanic's magnetic pans.

 

[230RN]

...
then what i do too, is i lay down those "red shop rags", over a corner, to rest the cleaning soaked parts, keeping the mat clean(er) and dry...

View attachment 1134692

I buy a pack of those "red shop rags" about every 18 months and use one or two of those. I also use them for temporary storage of a gun if I'm just going to park it for a short while to keep it out of sight. And wrapping it around the gun protects it from unforeseen events.

In general, if you see a red shop rag around my house, chances are there's a gun wrapped in it. Just temporary, and this is a senior citizens' apartment with no kids running around loose off their leashes.

Terry, 230RN

 

[buddyd157]

I set shop towels down to set Hoppe's soaked parts on, and set small parts in mechanic's magnetic pans.

those magnetic pans are so darned valuable...i finally picked one up (cheap) at Harbor Freight

 

[12Bravo20]

Lyman gun cleaning mat— works for me & protects my bench.
View attachment 1134597

I have two Lyman mats, rifle and pistol size. And I use both all of the time. They protect both the bench and guns. They are great for containing any spilled cleaners and oils along with keeping small parts from rolling off the workbench.

 

[dh1633pm]

I use old towels or t-shirts. Its their last stop before recycling. The best thing to use is what works for you.

 

[shafter]

I usually lay down some paper towels or newspaper on the kitchen table like Trackskippy above posted, but 10 or 20 bucks for a mat seems pretty reasonable.

 

[Buzznrose]

I use old towels or t-shirts. Its their last stop before recycling. The best thing to use is what works for you.

When towels are replaced in the house, they go to the garage for a second life. I use and wash them separately. I’ve used them to clean guns but I’ve also found a chunk of cardboard works better for me. I like the heavy duty moving box by Home Depot or Lowe’s. I get a lot of cleaning sessions from one box.

 

[weisse52]

I have a couple and love the padding and absorbing properties.

a heavy piece of cardboard with some shop towels work pretty well and was my old go to.

 

[kje54]

Guns are supposed to be cleaned??!! Now ya tell me.........

 

[Brubz]

All of you guys are telling me what I suspected that these $20 gun mats with a picture of a broken down Glock are just an unnecessary vanity item.
Which is fine.people can spend their money as they see fit.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

I just place a hand towel across my workbench area and it works just fine. Am I missing something?

I do the same. Works fine.

 

[mcb]

I have two of the green felt ones and a DPMS black one that has the gun broken down on it. I also have a Hogue Grips rubber mat too.





Given they all have a smooth rubber backs they stay in place on the counter tops I installed in my gun/reloading room. They absorb the occasional minor spill of lubricant or clean solvent. They keep things from sliding and rolling off the counter top. And in my case given the horrible pattern on my counter tops they keep the small parts from visually disappearing. A small screw just disappears if laid directly on that counter. I frequently use the green one as a back drop for pictures too.

That all said I don't think I have more than $10 invested in the four mats. I got the Hogue free at the 2014 USPSA revolver nationals. I got the DPMS mat cheap at the 2018 NRA Show IIRC. At least one of the Remington mats came off a prize table at at a club match.

 

[Bottom Gun]

I like to protect my firearms and my furniture so I use a Lyman pistol mat. Its divided non-slip surface makes cleaning or gunsmithing much easier than than struggling with a washcloth, a McDonald’s napkin, a mouse pad or the spring issue of Spanker’s Quarterly.

Midsouth has Lyman mats for $13 right now:

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0001504050/essential-gun-maintenance-mat

I’m glad I saw this post because in my search for the above link to share with you guys, I discovered that Lyman makes a longer 3 ft version of this very useful mat. I just ordered a 3’ mat for myself.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CCTTGTC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

 

[Artg56]

I use a flat mechanics fender cover on my workbench along with a magnetic tray because I like to repurpose things. Looking at that Hogue mat I see that a rubber floor mat would also work

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

I use a set of inexpensive carpeted car floor mats. Gun parts don't roll around, fluid spills are contained, guns do not get scratched.

 

[12Bravo20]

If I had a heated garage or a basement with a plain concrete floor then I would not worry about using a gun cleaning mat. As it is, I don't have either and I am not going to take the chance of ruining my wood or vinyl plank floors with harsh cleaning chemicals.

To each their own.

 

[lightman]

In my opinion there is no gun accessory that is a bigger waste of money than the gun cleaning mat.these mats are available at the local gun shop or the big box sporting goods store anywhere from $9.98 and up. I've seen some that were $25!.
I just place a hand towel across my workbench area and it works just fine. Am I missing something?

To each his own. Like someone else said, whatever works for you. I've never used a mat because I have a plastic gun cleaning cradle. It has a padded vice on one end to clamp the stock in and the base has a lip around it to contain spills. It also has several depressions to hold parts, solvent bottles, used patchesect.

I see a lot of those exploded diagram mats on the benches in the "show me your loading bench" threads that look cool.

 

[doubleh]

I now own two of the rubber mats, both received as Christmas presents. I have grown to like them for handgun work but still prefer my folded beach towel for rifles if it's something that isn't easy to do in my Tipton gun vise. Harbor Freight magnetic parts dishes have been a staple around my little shop for years.

 

[Capybara]

So many of you clean guns in the kitchen or at the dining room tables? Are you guys married? When I was married, I would do a little reloading case prep and occasional gun cleaning in the house while watching TV for the repetitive tasks like de-priming and the ex-wife was not happy about the smell of Alumicut, Ballistol or Hoppes in the house or finding the odd primer on the floor.

As a cook also, I don't want gun smell, parts, shavings, decapped primers or other gun stuff in my food prep and cooking area but to each his own, I guess? I live solo now and I could clean guns in my house if I wanted to but then my expensive maple top reloading/gun bench, in my garage, where guns should be worked on ideally, would be lonely ;-) Guess if you don't have a garage, you don't have a choice?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

In my opinion there is no gun accessory that is a bigger waste of money than the gun cleaning mat.these mats are available at the local gun shop or the big box sporting goods store anywhere from $9.98 and up. I've seen some that were $25!.
I just place a hand towel across my workbench area and it works just fine. Am I missing something?

Hand towels are great for wiping up, but are not a good barrier for fluids, hence why mats are popular with many (like for folks who clean guns on the kitchen table). I use paper towels for a quick clean at the sink or break out a polymer floor door mat ($5 at one of the dollar stores) that works well as a fluid barrier for use on the counter top.

 

[Targa]

Not a waste of money at all, they do exactly what they are designed to do.

 

[Jim Watson]

I'm in the newspaper category. The local weekly advertising tabloid is just right. Peel off a couple of pages when they get dirty, replace with last week's when consumed. I lay it over a sheet of Tyvek, I forget the source, so oil and solvent don't bleed through into the wood bench.