Otis Cleaning Kit

[zippygaloo]

I bought an Otis Deluxe Law Enforcement Cleaning kit. The kit itself has a lot of components and for that I really like it, but using their flexible wire rod with their patches was less than desirable. Here's what went wrong.

1. For starters their darn patches are impossible to pinch/get small enough to fit through the bore of my 5.56mm AR15. Every single attempt produced a patch that was more like a "fat nub" at the slotted tip and not even close to fitting. If you attempt to make a patch by referencing the 5.56mm position on the patch according to the arrow in the photo of the included instruction manual, it creates a patch that is too big.

2. After the first slot is used the patch completely falls apart because pulling it through the slotted tip causes the patch to fray. Using them six times doesn't seem possible, at least in terms of how mine looked after a single use.

3. Here's the kicker! As I was pulling a patch through the bore, it TORE FROM THE SLOTTED TIP AND LEFT ITSELF INSIDE THE BORE! What a &%$#@! nightmare. The kit includes a "obstruction remover" but it was impossible to use in this case because the cable did nothing but bend. Needless to say the flexible cable and obstruction remover didn't get the stuck patch out. I had to resort to an 20 year old Outer's aluminum cleaning kit rod made for a .257 Roberts caliber. I got it out with that, but I knowing my luck I probably damaged my chrome bore.

I already own the kit so I had better figure out a way to get this thing to work for me especially the patches and clearing stuck patches, etc. Anyone have a suggestion outside of the Otis instructional videos on youtube (which by the way make it look too easy)?

[f.2]

Are you using the Small Caliber M16 Cleaning Patches? You push the slotted tip into one of the three slots in the patch, then with the slotted tip facing vertically up, fold a tip of the patch at the far end and instert it into the slot, pull through. You should have a cone of patch that you can drop some solvent on / Hoppe's 9 whatever, push the other end through the chamber and pull through from the muzzle end with the t-handle.

edit: the first patch after shooting gets pretty dirty so only pull this one through once. The later patches you can use more than once, fliping it over, using other slots, etc.

I avoid the kits and purchase each component separately because you're paying for stuff you just won't use.

[buckshot1220]

I stopped using those patches long ago. Just use whatever you used before, cut to size and go for it. I also don't use there "All in one oil/cleaner/protectant/last thing you'll ever buy tube of well...whatever it is." I do love the cable and being able to easily go chamber to muzzle repeatedly without unscrewing the brush. Don't give up on the kit, the cable is a great system and the components pack nicely in the circular case, if we have the same exact kit (mine isn't the LE, it's all rifle/shotgun).

[Cameron]

BORESNAKE!

[7.62NATO]

BORESNAKE:


How does the boresnake work? Do you soak it in solvent and then run it thorugh the bore? Thanks.

[Cameron]

BORESNAKE:
How does the boresnake work? Do you soak it in solvent and then run it thorugh the bore? Thanks.

Boresnakes are excellent for general purpose cleaning on the bore very fast and very thorough. I prefer to soak the barrel with solvent and them run a boresnake through several times and finish with a light oil. I use them on my precision AR and my precision bolt gun all the time to excellent effect.

DIRT DRAGGER!

If you don't know how to trim patches, it makes me question your knowledge of how a boresnake works.

Cameron

[thopkins22]

If you don't know how to trim patches, it makes me question your knowledge of how a boresnake works.

LOL ZING! I've never had a problem using otis cables and patches, other than the first time when I did it wrong and pulled the big side through.

I use boresnakes on my .22lr pistols and rifles to great effect...I don't know why I don't use them in my centerfire stuff. Just wash them occasionally.

[bkb0000]

whatever happened to good ol' rod and push plug? aluminum rod, nylon plug, extra long .22 brush and a bendy-twisty chamber brush... and some tooth brushes i filed the handles down to a point for scraping. i bet i can clean my rifles as fast and as thoroughly as anyone with their fancy shmancy high-speed-ranger-snake-delta-bar-cowboy-hooah-stick shit!

you wear out the brushes pretty quick.. but they're like $1.50 at GI Joes.

so long as you deburr your gear you can run it back and forth through your bore all day long. no need to untwist shit every pass.

[Iraqgunz]

I use a Dewey one piece rod when I am back home or in the shop. Other than that I use a MILSPEC cleaning kit and it works like it should.

[thopkins22]

whatever happened to good ol' rod and push plug?

Plenty of solid reasons to have a solid rod...I think the Otis kits are so popular because they can be tossed in a backpack or shooting bag(at least that's why I bought mine.)