6 Great Gun Cleaning Kits For Less Than $50

Mar 19, 2021

If you own a firearm, you should own a good cleaning kit. It will enhance the quality of life of any firearm. Each time you fire a gun, powder and other residue builds up in every nook and cranny but more importantly the action and the barrel.

Failing to clean the firearm for a prolonged time, will increase the unreliability of the gun. Whether the gun is used for pleasure or home defense, it’s a weapon, and unreliability is the last thing you’re looking for!

Some individuals religiously clean their weapon before and after hunting season, while others clean it after each time they fire it. Nonetheless, you should clean your firearm every – to every other – trip to the range.

A cleaning kit doesn’t have to be expensive. And you’re more than likely to save money compared to buying various cleaning tools separately. So let’s dive in.

We compared various cleaning kits and picked the best ones. The following cleaning kits are rated at least 4 out 5, with at least hundreds – often thousands of reviews

Additionally, if you don’t have time to strip your firearm and clean it, check out this quick all-in-one solution. We also included a great-all-around lubricant you can use for anything from your firearm to squeaky doors.

Cleaning Kits for Your AR-15

About AR-15 cleaning kits:
Do you own an AR-15 in .223 or 5.56? Not sure what cleaning kit to get? Here’s a quick breakdown.

.223 and 5.56 are almost identical in size. That goes for .22 LR as well. In other words, you could use a .22 LR cleaning kit on a 5.56 and .223 rifle, and likewise.

Keep in mind that there are major differences in the ammo itself, however.

You should never attempt to shoot a different caliber than what your firearm is recommended to shoot. A 5.56 round fires under much higher pressure than a .223 round for example. But that doesn’t make much of a difference as far as a cleaning kit is concerned.

Our favorite

Brass .223/5.56 cleaning kit with compact zippered case by Boosteady

This compact cleaning kit will fit in just about any range bag, which is a plus. But what really sets it apart is the quality of the tools

Each piece is made of durable brass, which is rust-free, but also durable. The last thing you want is a plastic brush snapping in your barrel or other compartments, especially if you’re in the great outdoors.

This kit includes a .223 cal Brass Brush, .223 cal Chamber Brush, Double End Mini Nylon Brush, Patch Holder, Rods, Clean Patches, and Metal Cleaning Picks.

Furthermore, this cleaning kit is backed by a lifetime money-back guarantee.

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Compact

.223 Rifle Patriot Series Cleaning Kit by Otis Technology

This cleaning .223 specific cleaning kit is made in the USA by Otis Technology. It’s, as they call it, a no nonsense cleaning kit. In other words, it only includes durable quality tools that you’ll actually use.

Each tool in this kit is needed for a full ar-15 cleaning, from muzzle to receiver. The various brass tips and brushes connect to a 30″ aircraft grade Memory-Flex cable.

If you’re looking for a “no-nonsense”, durable and compact cleaning kit to throw in your range bag, this is a great choice.

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Professional diagram mat

Cleaning Kit with 36”x12” Cleaning Mat by Twod

This cleaning kit takes a different approach. Rather than a case or plastic kit, all the tools are within a pouch, which can be rolled up in the cleaning mat.

The mat itself is made of durable thick rubber, which gives you a nice work surface. It is water-proof, oil-proof, and chemical-resistant. Additionally, it also features a professional diagram of every single part of your AR-15. This can help if you want to take things a bit further than simply field stripping your firearm.

The pouch includes the following tools: 5 cleaning rods, brushes, lubricant bottle, bore snake, and bore cleaner.

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Cleaning Kits for Handguns

About handgun cleaning kits:
Just like with AR-15’s, handguns benefit from one cleaning kit working for handguns in multiple chambers. For example, a 9mm cleaning kit will work just fine for a handgun chambered in .357 and .38.

A 9mm handgun cleaning kit will not work for a .22LR or .40 handgun, though. The diameter difference is far too great.

Innovative

Multi cleaning kit for 9mm, .357, and .38 cal handguns by Gun Boss

This little kit is ideal if you mainly find yourself shooting handguns chambered in 9mm, .357 or .38 caliber. This kit by Gun Boss takes a different approach to essential tools. While they aren’t made from brass, they have unique designs that are more ergonomic and intuitive to use. This may make it an ideal purchase for newer gun owners.

It includes essential cleaning tools such as premium coated rods with ergonomic T-handles, bore brush, bore mop, jag, slotted tip, and patches.

Individuals who purchased this item most definitely appreciate the overall design of the container as well as the tools, as the many reviews indicate. For example, the container itself opens up entirely and acts as a convenient on-the-go workspace. Really clever!

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Universal Gun Cleaning Kits

When to get a universal cleaning kit:
While the number of new gun owners is on the rise by record-breaking numbers, the chances are likely you own – or will own – multiple different guns over time.

If that’s the case, and you find yourself firing these multiple firearms quite often, you could save money (and headaches) with one universal kit.

These kits typically everything you need to clean anything from a .22lr handgun to a 12 gauge shotgun.

Everything you need

Universal all-in-one gun cleaning case by Gloryfire

If you find yourself shooting multiple caliber firearms, and you don’t want various gun-specific kits, this all-in-one kit is a great buy. While the price seems to hover steadily around $40, you get a lot for your buck.

If you’re worried about the size of this kit, don’t be alarmed just yet. The case measures 16.5″(L)*10.6″(W)*2.8″(H), so while it looks quite big, it’s around the size of the average handgun case.

This set includes a mixture of both brass and high-quality nylon plastic tools. It also includes two bottles for oil/lubricant (keep in mind that they are empty), which is a nice addition, as the lubricant is a vital part of cleaning a firearm.

This all-in-one case includes 3 solid brass rods for .17 – .270 caliber rifles; 3 solid brass rods for .30 caliber rifles, pistols, shotguns, and muzzleloaders. In addition, it has 14 brushes, various mops and jags, utility brushes, cleaning patches, and polishing cloths.

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Additional storage

Ultimate Universal Weapon Gun Cleaning Kit, 65 pieces by Allen

If you use a variety of firearms, or you often find yourself cleaning the firearm of others (think spouse, children, perhaps even grandchildren), you could use something broader than the one-gun cleaning kit.

With this cleaning kit, you’ll be prepared for anything from a .22 LR revolver to an M4 AR-15, and even a .410 bore shotgun. Yes, this kit covers it all.

It comes in a handy tackle-box type container, which offers an additional storage room for lubricants, oils, wipes, or anything else you often find yourself using.

This 65-piece-kit includes the following: a wide range of brushes, jags, cotton swabs, brass cleaning rods, pick tool, cleaning brushes, and cotton patches.

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Extra – 2 very useful cleaning products

While on the topic of cleaning your firearm, I felt like I had to include the following two items. I personally own both of these. One is the ideal substitute for a cleaning kit if you need something fast and simple.

The other is an essential item to help the functionality of your firearm – as well as various things around the house!

Amazing value

2-Pack Gun Bore Snake/Rope by Funanasun

Need something easy while on the go? A bore snake is the ultimate cleaning tool for your firearm. And this 2-pack by Funanasun isn’t just convenient, it’s also very budget-friendly!

A quality bore snake typically costs around $12 to $20 in retail stores. This 2-pack – you can combine 2 different calibers by the way – cost just around $13.

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Amazing value

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil, Aerosol Spray, 6 oz

You can’t properly clean a gun without some good oil. While people around the world swear by different oils, ranging from a few bucks to virtually liquid gold, I personally recommend Ballistol.

This oil is excellent for multiple purposes. I have used this spray on all of my firearms, squeaky doors, locks that swell, heck, I’ve even used it to loosen bolts that were rusted stuck.

This multi-purpose oil includes a little straw-like attachment. This helps to accurately spray the lubricant in various nooks and crannies, which is perfect to lubricate your firearm.

I bought a 6 ounce can about 2 years ago, and it’s still half full. For around $10, it’s a steal!

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Final thoughts
Did you enjoy this article? When I purchased my first gun, I had no clue how often to clean it, or what to clean it with. I hope this article was helpful to you. If so, be sure to comment below!

If you own an AR-15 and want to keep reading, I recommend 8 must-have Picatinny rail accessories for your AR-15 next.

In need of a sight? Here’s our list of recommended sights and scopes under $50!

What's your favorite cleaning kit?

How often do you clean your firearm? What's a must-have tool in your kit? Share it below.

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6 Great Gun Cleaning Kits For Less Than $50

Cleaning Kits for Your AR-15

Brass .223/5.56 cleaning kit with compact zippered case by Boosteady

.223 Rifle Patriot Series Cleaning Kit by Otis Technology

Cleaning Kit with 36”x12” Cleaning Mat by Twod

Cleaning Kits for Handguns

Multi cleaning kit for 9mm, .357, and .38 cal handguns by Gun Boss

Universal Gun Cleaning Kits

Universal all-in-one gun cleaning case by Gloryfire

Ultimate Universal Weapon Gun Cleaning Kit, 65 pieces by Allen

Extra – 2 very useful cleaning products

2-Pack Gun Bore Snake/Rope by Funanasun

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil, Aerosol Spray, 6 oz

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