Cleaning kits

[bezoar]

This is a good question for all of us here. What kind of cleaning kit would have been a good cleaning kit for when we bought our first muzzleloader and entered into this fine sport?
Would you have wanted one of the elcheapo vinyl pouches with a plastic handled cleaning rod and crappy little plastic slotted jags that break the first time you try to use them?
Or would it be a decently made kit that has no plastic or vinyl and be a reasonable aproximation of a particular period in history that wont get the stitch nazis to flog you with thier iron ramrods or a roaring fire?

 

[Tahquamenon]

I like to use cleaning and maintaining equipment and materials that offer the most superior function to best care for my weapons.

Purely subjective on my part.

That said, if I were re-enacting I would try to follow as closely as possible as to not comprimise lubrication protection, the procedures, materials and equipment related to the given period of re-enactment.

 

[sherpadoug]

If you might ever want to shoot real bullets you definitely want a real round jag of the right caliber, and a worm. The guy who first taught me to clean my musket was a reenactor from way back, but he hardly ever shot ball. He used the loop jag and a bore mop. That's fine for 25 years of shooting blanks, but his barrel is all pitted. I got a round jag (brass with circular teeth) and it gets out a LOT more fouling! I would insist any newby under my wing gets a real jag.

With a round jag you are going to lose patches down the bore. You need a worm to get them out. Plus a worm that fits your rammer is PC for anybody. :m2c:

 

[Rebel]

I use either a solid brass, or stainless steel rod with the proper jag and possibly a bore brush. I also have a worm in case i loose a patch down the barrel.

 

[merdean]

A good rod fitted with a good jag. I have one rod that has a threaded .32 jag that I can use to attach other tips, like a worm or other jags. It is 5/16 dia brass with T handle. Fits everything from .32 on up with the proper jag. I have a couple of worms and some mops but usually do all my cleaning with patches on the jag. When they fall off, out comes a worm. :results:

I just realized, my rod is only 36 inches long. My new rifle will have a 42 inch barrel. Good excuse to buy new rod! :imo: