Break down a firearm, any firearm. One can see there is so much more to a firearm than a bore. There are little areas such as slide, chambers, and components. These are the first areas grit and fouling build up. Left unattended this build up can start to grind components, oxidize the metal, and eventually, these areas are the first to compromise firearm functionality.

I know what you are thinking. “I will just clean this area with a cotton swab. I’ll drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner. I’ll just use the (Spray and Pray method) where one sprays oil all over the gun hoping for the best.” All these are fast but are they the right way? The answer is no. Nothing beats the precision, effectiveness, and accuracy of Swab-its® Gun-tips®. So, why do people chose the alternatives?

Cotton swabs are a dime a dozen. They are cheap. What many people do not realize is the harm cotton can cause inside a firearm. Cotton holds and absorbs moisture. After all, that is why you find cotton swabs in wound care, and you are told not to wear wet cotton on cold days. Cotton naturally carries fluid for transport from one area to another. Using cotton on a firearm is like collecting kindling to start a fire. The cotton collects and absorbs naturally occurring salt and moisture in the air, and then holds this moisture mix on metal components deep inside your firearm. As time goes by nature takes its course, and oxidization of the metal begins. Your precious firearm begins to rust.

Next, let’s use an ultrasonic cleaner. Several things are happening here. You think you will save time, but do you really? After removing a zeroed scope and breaking down your firearm to just metal components, your hands will be filthy. So you just drop the parts into an ultrasonic tank and turn it on. One minute later “Wow!” you have clean parts, and any bluing or paint on your gun may also be gone. Once you pull all the parts out and put the gun back together, you still have to oil every part you dropped in the ultrasonic cleaner. Re-Oiling is critical and must happen to protect the metal components and reduce the wear and tear of your firearm. There is one more catch to using the ultrasonic cleaner. Naturally, firearms have unseen fractures. These are not terrible. They naturally occur from dealing with high-pressure explosions. Ultrasonic cleaners work on vibrations and essentially shake the metal free of all debris. These vibrations pass through the metal, entering, weakening and expanding those unseen fractures. While an ultrasonic cleaner may be faster, you are reducing the firearms overall lifespan and compromising your firearms integrity.

Another cleaning method is the old “Spray and Pray!” This is almost an inside joke. Many of us know a person who does this and most of us know we do not want to be that person.  For those who are not aware of what I am talking about, the “Spray and Pray” method is where you never really attempt to clean your firearm. You grab CLP, oil, or solvent and keep pouring it over the firearm. Dirt, fouling, copper, and whatever else that gun could have on it just flows down the handguard, magazine, well, and stock. The fluid that did not drip down your handguard instead it filled the chambers and slides. This should paint a similar image to molasses dripping down and coating your firearm.  Everything this gun touches will be black and covered in oil.  Each round fired will burn some of the excess fluid which causes a little smoke cloud out of the action. That little cloud can burn your eyes.  Any wood or plastic that is exposed to these fluids can swell, crack, and begin to deteriorate. 

It took us a while, but here is why you should only choose Swab-its Gun-tips for internal and external maintenance. Compared to cotton swabs, Swab-its Gun-tips are all lint free. Gun-tips do not have the ability to leave fibers in your firearm. When comparing Gun-tips to an ultrasonic machine, the firearm does not need to be broken down as much, and you can keep your scope zeroed. Unlike the ultrasonic machine, Gun-tips do not compromise and fracture a firearm during a cleaning. Gun-tips are designed as precision applicators. Clean the areas you need, oil the areas you need, and stop “Spraying and Praying”.  Swab-its Gun-tips offer even more to you as a consumer. Gun-tips are all washable and reusable; dish soap with warm water can clean them right up. After they dry, use them over and over again. Take care of your firearms, you rely on them, and your family relies on them. We at Swab-its care about your firearms, and that’s why we take so much pride in our Gun-tips.

Shop our Gun-Tips line here.