New to guns. What tools and supplies should I have?

[TinyBear]

Hey all.

Just starting in this hobby. Still patiently (ok not so patient) waiting for my PAL course (mid March)and the even worse wait for the dang thing to be approved etc.

But as is I have three guns I’d like to learn to properly care for (they are my mothers guns as she has had her PAL for a long time). The guns are an early Belgium made Browning SA22, a Berretta a301 magnum, and a JUST purchased Savage A22.

Unfortunately though my mothers had her license for some time she never was much of a shooter and never was the one to care for the guns as that was always done by my grandfather. Since he passed many years back I have been doing my best to keep em clean With what little I could sort out. I have done lots with paintball guns lol but that’s a bit different lol.

I’m good with my hands and such as I’m a diesel tech for a living. But figure I should probly start looking at proper cleaning and gun care stuff. I did take the two guns into the gun shop to have them professionally looked over and cleaned but was told there’s NOTHING. Eeddd as everything looked great especially the shotgun.

What kinds of tools and equipment will I likely need? Is there a course I can take to learn more about gun care (I really regret not learning more from my grandfather). I have lots of hoppes 9 gun oil (used it for years on some of my old paintball stuff (old for paintball is mud 80s).


I was considering something like this
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/12976...e-cleaning-kit

And this
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/9741/wheeler-fat-wrench

Am I looking in the right direction. Anything else I need.

I have all kinds of hand tools (again I’m a mechanic. But most that seems to be too brutish for this stuff)

Thanks.

[LB303]

welcome to what can be a tinkerer's heaven
depends how deep you want to go
suggestions

Mag Lula (thumb saver)
https://www.cabelas.com/product/MAGL...ER/1848022.uts
Bullet puller
https://www.cabelas.com/product/FRAN...4.uts?slotId=4
brass punches
https://www.amazon.ca/SE-ST1032B-Bra...SIN=B002Q86RLK
Arkansas stones
https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=arkansas+s...ic-pltr-v2_1_8

[Justice]

Hi. You don't need to spend $100 on a cleaning kit. The assorted jags and brushes should all have the same thread(or there are adapters) so you can just buy a basic kit and the brushes you need. Never heard of any course, but it sounds like you have the cleaning part down anyway.
This one will do the exactly the same thing as the $100 kit. It just doesn't have a fancy bag.
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/4288/...l-cleaning-kit
Is the Beretta a 12 gauge? You'll need 12 gauge patches and a brush. You'll need .22 stuff for the others. Keep in mind that .22's don't need constant cleaning. Only if they get wet(WD-40 is your friend) or once a year. As daft as that sounds.
You absolutely do not need more tools that as a mechanic you already have. The hex wrenches you use on stuff like head lights will do nicely. So will any screw driver. Although you don't need to disassemble any firearm to clean it. Or for any other reason than just wanting to. Some of us are like that.
You can save a pile of money on patches by buying a couple yards of remnant flannelette(winter PJ/sheet cloth. Ask the women in the store.) in a discount fabric shop and cutting it into suitable size patches.
And anything that has the word "gunsmith's" in its name will cost more. Just like stuff with the word "mechanic's" in its name does.

[Stew]

check Kijiji and/or Facebook Marketplace for cleaning kits, always ones for cheap, with the Hoppes you pretty much got liquids covered, brake clean is good for gunk cleanup, some toothpicks and Qtips good for corners if any.
brushes, patches and jags (for pushing/pulling patches) will mostly come with any inexpensive kit. Not likely going to need any of LB303's suggestions until the addiction takes full hold




,

[Lee Enfield]

Purchase a good cleaning rod in the cal(s) you need. Something like a Parker Hale.

[FALover]

Diesel tech? Then you likely have everything you need on hand. Some chassis lube for a lifetime, any good motor oil is as good as the best snake oil for guns and cleaning can be done with most solvents. Some bore cleaner for copper removal may be in order but that depends on what and how much you are shooting. Rags,t-shirts of shop towels. A good hand cleaner for apres-clean. Some folks wear gloves, I prefer to stain my hands and soak up VOC's. A good one piece cleaning rod and assorted jags and brushes. Gun 'safe' or just trigger locks? Something to lock them away from prying eyes might be good. Hearing and eye protection as well for when you finally get out shooting.

Dowwwwwwwn the rabbit hole you will go.

[lone-wolf]

What FAL said

I pretty much do everything with a rag and a couple nylon/brass brushes(the toothbrush shaped kind). Cotton swabs where needed.
Depending on the shape, a short cleaning rod and a 12ga brush will clean the inside of some .22 receives nicely.

I don't bother cleaning the bore of .22s, a 12ga sized 'mop' kind of cleaning rod attachment will be good for the bore of the shotgun
I like the multi piece cleaning rods for stuff like this.
I even use them on centerfire rifles but I don't recommend that, get a single piece rod for bore cleaning centerfire rifles.

[pewpew62]

Go to liquidation world and get some wooden cocktail stir sticks and shorty bamboo skewers. For a couple bucks, it will keep you going for years.