You don't see this posted a lot!

As snake oil cleaning threads are so popular, as I was cleaning some guns and thought what "patches" does everyone use?

This can get technical, All cotton, synthetic,flannel, "bloomers" (underwear scraps from womens prisoners undies (yes it's true)!
Make your own etc etc.

Then it gets into what size and where do you buy them.

Bore snakers need not apply!

Makers of Quality Knit Cleaning Patches

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Still Running Against the Wind

I bought 500 cotton 3" squares in my black powder days in the 70s 80s and have about 200 left. I still have some Cross Fire 2" patches 200 to the pack.

Ram Rodz work for me.

I use what's leftover from junk clothes kids have grown out of or I've worn out

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This is the way....

Paper Towels

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S&W Accumulator

I have a large package laying around that I have been using for at least ten years. They are cotton. They work.

I used to get these free from my "Uncle" but since I retired I buy them by the thousand when I can find 'em.

I have bought patches from them in the past and still have some. Good quality, but not cheap. Square patches are easy to cut yourself and work great for shotguns, but I prefer round cotton patches for rifles and handguns.

I lucked into a lifetime supply of patches 20-some years ago at an estate sale. I think the guy owned hoods gun shop and had a lot of supplies boxed up in his pole barn. He obvious sold patches at his shop or at shows, because had a huge supply of Sarco 2-1/2” round cotton patches. A lot of the patches were already packed up in 50 count bags and ready to sell, but there was also a full 17,000 piece case that hadn’t been touched. They work great for anything from .270 on up, including handguns. I still have more of those than I’ll ever use. I do have a fair number of round .22 patches, but I’ll probably need more someday.

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"I also cook."

Shot in a trap league 30 years ago and ran out of patches cleaning my shotgun. Tried a plug of paper towel and that’s all I’ve used for years on everything.

I sometimes use the"blue" paper shop towels they are stronger,

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Still Running Against the Wind

I really like the RamRodz as well... handy. The 22 ones sometimes are a little too big.

I'm with the Old Tanker. I buy packages of GI surplus patches at Vendors' Row at the Spring and Fall Nationals of the North-South Skirmish Association and use them as is for everything but 22 rimfire... these I make by quartering the big patches.

Occasionally I have to settle for the commercial patches made from underwear scraps, etc, but I always come back to GI Surplus ASAP.

Froggie

Brownells always

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Foster Positivity.

Cotton patches... made from old cotton t-shirts and "tightly whities", and... it may sound off the wall, cheap ($4.36 for box of 36) "Equate" tampons from Walmart are great for shotguns as a "bore snake" or plug patch.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

I think I was using synthetics for a while. I currently have a batch of cotton patches, but I'm probably going to go back to synthetics because the patches I use have a tendency to leave fibers.

Never really been picky about what patches I use. Usually whatever was cheapest/easily available. Which is probably how I ended up with cotton patches that shed fibers.

I have couple bags Brownells cotton patches , RamRodz and cut up old t shirt for shotgun. I like to swab with patches and finish up with the Rodz also keep a few in my range bag

I cut up any cotton Rags I have!

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2 Cor 5:17
John3:16

I use Butch's Triple Twill Cleaning Patches for rifle and pistol.

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DRB #2276

I wear white T shirts around the house and to bed. They end up splotched from from all sorts of stains, gun stuff, spaghetti sauce, wine, etc. and cut up from rubbing these like point gun parts and knife blades. Once too worn, into patches they go.

What I've come to love are those giant over size caliber specific swabs that look like huge q-tips.

I go to Walmart fabric area and purchase left over bundle of fannel or cotton pieces sized bit larger than bandannas. Cheap ,cut your own. To

Old T-shirts. And anything else that will hold up.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

100% cotton tee shirts that have been washed several times cut up in pieces according to the sizes needed.
Must be 100% cotton. No synthetic material at all.
One shirt will last you a looooonnnng time.

As my brother and I run a small sign and screen printing shop I have access to misprint t-shirts. Last year we had some misprints on golden yellow shirts, I cut up 3 100% cotton xxl shirts. I have lots of patches now.

IMO Brownell's brand 100% cotton patches are the best. It's what I've used for 40 years.

Paper towels? Never thought of those. I use cotton balls on a jag for most of my cleaning and lubing.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Gun cleaning patches- whatever Walmart has on the shelves

T shirts brand. I can't keep the stained and holed ones used up fast enough.

I use Pro-Shot round cotton patches in two sizes, 22 & 38. They are just about perfect for most caliber applications.

I cut up old T-shirts and cotton dish towels.

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John

Like many others, I cut up cotton T shirts into squares I need. For smaller birds I cut off the corners and then the patch into an almost round patch.

I came across a few shirts a while back, I don't think I will run out and time soon.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

An old set of flannel sheets, cut to caliber. I'm still working on the flat sheet; haven't gotten to the fitted sheet or the pillow cases. I figure working on this one set, I'm good for the rest of my life.

Bill

Bill, do those sheets leave too much "fuzz" behind? I have not used flannel because I worry about leaving fouling behind from the patch.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I find they are the best as well.

The Make-up Remover Cotton Rounds from Walmart.
Recently found some at one of the Dollar Stores, cheap
and will work, not my favorite.

They make a wonderful board cleaning surface for wiping
down the Gun Metal surfaces. Their easy to find, easy to use,
and convenient.

Just grap the Scissors, cut how you need them for Bore
Cleaning. I use the Foam Bore Cleaners now, so the MRCRs
have he right amount of bulk to seal/push out the Blue
Dirty Foam.

Their a little spendy but I don't care. All I know is that the
MRCRs have the correct Surface Area for wiping/cleaning
and won't scratch Bluing or Stainless Steel

Picture below shows what I use to clean Guns with.

Attached Images

gunclean.jpg (4.2 KB, 141 views)

Retired tighty whities.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I've never noticed any more than a regular cut patch, a lot of the fuzz is gone by now. They're probably a bit thicker than a jersey t-shirt, like jersey + some fuzz.

Bill

Whatever's on sale.

I have used ONLY paper towels for as long as I can remember, and that goes way back. They work as well as anything else, maybe better. Big advantage is you can tear them to size for use in whatever bore diameter you are cleaning. From 12 Gauge to .22.

The place I get my patches from is called “Lowest Cost”. My favorite model of patch is from their “Whatever Works” line of products.

Patches!?

Attached Images

Gold_Hat_portrayed_by_Alfonso_Bedoya.jpg (22.1 KB, 90 views)

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Expect the unexpected

What are these? I know of tidy whities, but . . . ?

Just use an old cotton flannel sheet set and you will make more patches than you can count. Flannel sheet material is very absorbant and seems to get into all those cracks and crevices of any barrel. Standard cotton sheets also work well.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

You guys actually BUY patches? wow... it's been said many times before in this thread but...whatever cotton piece of clothing I have that has reached it's fashion limits gets promoted to gun cleaning duty. T-shirt or underwear I don't care, it gets cut up and repurposed.

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Plastic has no soul

My BVDs keep soldiering on.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

You guys wearing XXXXXXXL or just never shoot?

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

Otters