Best Shotgun Cleaning Kits for 2023
Publushed by:
Mathew R ReedLast updated:
January 18, 2022
Boosteady Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit
- Weather proof zippered case
- Cleaning rod reaches 31 inches
- Additional storage
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Hoppe’s No.9 Cleaning Kit
- Lubricating oil included
- Cleaning solvent included
- Brush for the intended caliber
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ProCase Shotgun Cleaning Kit
- Water-resistant hard case
- 14-pieces universal cleaning kit
- Detachable hand strap
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Whether you need one for home defense or hunting, you must ensure your shotgun is reliable and accurate.
Now, many factors affect the reliability of a shotgun, such as its make, age, and even the environment you live in. But there is one in your control: it involves proper care and maintenance.
Sounds hard? Thankfully, it isn’t!
With the best shotgun cleaning kit by your side, cleaning your shotgun is a breeze. If you’ve spent some time looking for shotgun cleaning kits to buy, then you know there are plenty available. But not all of them provide the best benefits.
After sorting through features like caliber size, usability, tool quality, case quality, and more, we’ve found the perfect solution. Or the five perfect solutions. If you’re looking for a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun cleaning kit, then we’ve got what you need.
Want to find out which quality gun cleaning toolkits are a perfect match for your shotgun? Let’s get right to it!
Best Overall: Boosteady Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit
Short summary
Need a simple and portable shotgun cleaning kit with all the essential tools?
Get the Boosteady cleaning kit!
It works on 12 and 20 gauge shotguns, gives you a 31-inch cleaning rod, and comes with 13 pieces in total (14 pieces if you include the tool case). And these pieces are all you need for a thorough cleaning of your shotgun.
To start with, the 31-inch cleaning rod has a 0.5 cm diameter and is made up of five brass gun cleaning rods with connection points to screw them together. They have swivel tips that connect with the T-handle, which is included in the cleaning kit.
Brass cleaning rods are gentler on your bore and are less likely to cause damage, such as scratches on its insides. Remember that this kit comes with pull rods, not push rods. This means if you apply too much pressure on them, they might break.
The kit also includes two bronze bore brushes for 12 and 20 gauge bore barrels. The bristles on these brushes are made of bronze, but the core is twisted aluminum. There is also a brass converter, two cotton mops, a brass slotted tip, and 50 gun cleaning patches.
All these pieces come neatly packaged in a padded case made of nylon. It is portable, compact, and has a sturdy zip to protect all your cleaning tools. The case also has an oil-resistant tray that holds the brass slotted tip, phosphor bronze brushes, and durable cotton mops.
The kit only weighs 9.88 ounces, so it’s a lightweight addition to your hunting bag. If you want to add more products to your kit, you can easily do that with this pouch. Its mesh storage slot will neatly hold your solvents, oils, and CLP.
Another great feature often ignored is the rattling these kits create when parts contained strike against each other. That’s not an issue with the Boosteady kit; there’s no rattling when you’re carrying the kit on the move. If you’re looking for the best 12 gauge shotgun cleaning kit, this one is a clear winner. It has good quality gun cleaning tools that can do pretty much everything for an affordable price.
Quick Facts
- Pieces: 13
- Compatibility: 12 and 20 gauge shotguns
- Portable: 6.5 x 3.6 x 1.97 inch case
Pros
- Quality parts
- Lightweight
- 31-inch cleaning rod
- Sturdy and compact case
- Contains every cleaning tool needed
Cons
- No cleaning liquid/lube/spray included
- T-handle might be defective or loose
Runner Up: Hoppe’s No.9 Cleaning Kit
Short summary
Need lubricating oil and cleaning solvent but can skip the tool case?
Then Hoppe’s No.9 shotgun cleaning kit might interest you!
For starters, no tool case is included with Hoppe’s selection of cleaning tools. The products come in simple clamshell packaging. That’s it. If you can overlook that minor detail, you’ll find that this is a fantastic deal.
The kit includes a 2-ounce bottle of cleaning solvent and a 2-1/4 ounce bottle of lubricating oil. The oil has a high viscosity and is ideal for firearms and fishing rods. There are three cleaning rods that are 0.79 cm in diameter. The T-handle comes attached to the rod. The total length of the cleaning rod is 32 inches when all parts are connected.
Unlike most other cleaning rods on this list, those included with Hoppe’s kit are made from aluminum. This might be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on personal preferences. Aluminum will reduce the risk of scratches on your barrel interior and will last longer than brass rods. However, it might be too soft for cleaning crud and might even bend out of shape.
Hoppe’s cleaning kit is designed only for 12 gauge shotguns which could be a drawback unless you specifically need a 12 ga shotgun cleaning kit. The total weight of the kit is 10.88 ounces, which is almost as light as the Boosteady kit.
Other pieces included with your purchase are a cleaning brush, aluminum adapter, slotted tip, and cleaning patches. That’s nine pieces in total. Overall, Hoppe’s cleaning kit has the basic tools required and the added solvent and oil.
Quick Facts
- Pieces: 9
- Compatibility: 12 gauge shotgun
- Portable: 5.3 x 1.7 x 15.8 inches
Pros
- Oil and lubricator included
- Basic cleaning kit for beginners
- Great value for money
Cons
- Does not come with a case
- Adapter not threaded
- May be tricky to assemble
- For 12 gauge only
Alternative: ProCase Shotgun Cleaning Kit
Short summary
The ProCase shotgun cleaning kit is quite similar to the Boosteady kit.
However, this one includes a few more tools and is also a bit more expensive.
A common tool between both products is the cleaning rod. The ProCase comes with five cleaning rods that connect to make a 31-inch cleaning rod. All the rods are made of brass as well.
Another common feature between Boosteady and ProCase is the universal compatibility with 12 and 20 gauge shotguns. But unlike the brass brushes included in the former, this one comes with two bronze bore brushes. This difference does not create much of an issue since both brass and bronze are excellent materials that do not harm the barrel.
Also included in the kit is a T-handle, brass adapter, brass slotted tip, two cotton mops, and two packs of cleaning patches. The ProCase kit includes a sturdy EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) case. It is elastic, UV-resistant, water-resistant, moisture-resistant, dust-resistant, stress-resistant, and shockproof.
The case is compact, has a 270-degree zip, a detachable strap, and a lanyard and carabiner. Overall, it is highly portable, even with a 13.76-ounce total weight.
The case’s interior is soft-lined and protects the tools from damage from bumps, drops, humidity, dust, and overall wear.
That’s a lot of features in a single case! If you like to carry quality tools in a quality kit, then we’re sure you’ll love the ProCase.
Quick Facts
- Pieces: 14
- Compatibility: 12 and 20 gauge shotguns
- Portable: 9 x 3.6 x 1.96 inch case
Pros
- Compact and high-quality case
- High-quality tools
- Includes all the needed tools
- 12 and 20 gauge shotguns
- Easy to carry
Cons
- Cleaning oil not included
- Relatively expensive
Alternative: SPIKA Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit
Short summary
Looking for a pistol, air gun, shotgun and rifle cleaning kit in one product? With the SPIKA cleaning kit, you’re able to clean your shotgun, rifle, pistol, and air gun all at once!
The SPIKA is only a 12 gauge shotgun cleaning kit, but it delivers excellent quality with its cleaning rods. The kit includes four rods, all made of stainless steel. Stainless steel is a good material if you need rods that don’t easily bend out of shape. You can rest assured your rods won’t distort no matter how many times you push them down the gun barrel.
What’s best about this toolkit is it comes with a bronze bore brush, a spring brush, and a utility brush. If you’re looking to do a thorough cleaning job on your shotgun, the SPIKA toolkit has you covered.
Here’s what we love best about this kit — the muzzle guard. If you’re devoted to your shotgun, then you don’t want to cause any harm to it. That’s what the muzzle guard can help you with. It keeps the cleaning rod in place and protects your shotgun’s crown.
Then there are other pieces included with your purchase like the aluminum handle, adapter, patch holder, cotton mop, and a box of cleaning patches. For its wide variety of cleaning tools and applications, we recommend this product to all shotgun, air gun, rifle, and pistol owners.
Quick Facts
- Pieces: 13
- Compatibility: 12 gauge shotguns
- Portable: 11 x 4.7 x 1.8 inch case
Pros
- Compact case
- Variety of cleaning tools
- Wide range of applications
Cons
- Low-quality case
- 12 gauge only
- The aluminum spinner handle is heavy and thick
Alternative: Real Avid Bore Boss Clean Storing
Short summary
Love a simple yet functional design? Try this unique shotgun cleaning product from Real Avid.
Real Avid shotgun cleaner comes in a neat round device. This gun cleaner is self-storing, easy-feeding, and gives you a clean-pulling action. And it only weighs 0.37 pounds!
Here’s what’s different about this gun cleaning device: Let’s begin with the dual-action cable that sits neatly inside a durable polycarbonate case. The case itself flips to reveal the cable, and the case, once flipped, becomes the handle.
Some users might experience a little difficulty with the handle being too small or awkward. But otherwise, it’s got a good comfortable grip when you clip the cable. The case is also compact and has caliber labels displayed on top, so you’re never picking up the wrong Bore Boss by accident. This one is specially designed for 12 gauge barrels.
The cable on the Bore Boss is 32-inches long, making it fit for use with rifles and shotguns. Overall, the tool is always field-ready. All you have to do is feed the cable through the barrel, clip the cable, and pull the handle.
The flip-open case also helps keep the brush from grabbing fabrics in your bag. There is no need to worry about the bronze brush poking out from your bag and hurting you. The mop also stays clean inside the flex case. The case also comes with a phosphor bronze brush and a 10-inch braided mop. Both are attached to the cable and work to clean the bore in a single pull-through action.
Using the Bore Boss is a hassle-free process as the cable neatly wraps up, so you don’t need to spend too much time cleaning your shotgun. Its fast action, usability, compact size, and simple design make the Real Avid Bore Boss a great competition to some of the best cleaning kit for shotgun.
Quick Facts
- Pieces: 1
- Compatibility: 12 gauge shotguns
- Portable: Yes
Pros
- Portable
- Ergonomic handle
- A flexible and durable casing
- Easier to get started down the barrel
- Good quality
- Keeps snake clean
- Easy to store and use
- Faster than bore snakes
- Self-carrying case
Cons
- Cleaning oil not included
- Cable and brushes might bend
Shotgun Cleaning Kit FAQ
What Materials Are Needed To Clean a Shotgun?
The specific materials needed to clean a shotgun will differ based on the gun’s bore/gauge.
Here are some of the general tools that you can look for in your required bore/gauge size.
- Cleaning brush
- Cleaning jags/loops
- Cleaning patches
- Cleaning rods/bore snakes
- Cleaning swabs
- Gun degreasers
- Gun toothbrush or utility brush
- Lubricant sprays
- Protectant/oil
- Solvent
- T-handle/pull handle
Want a kit that comes with all the essential tools for cleaning a shotgun? Check out Boosteady Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit or the ProCase Shotgun Cleaning Kit.
Do you need a kit with all the essentials, including the lubricating oil and solvents? Hoppe’s No.9 Cleaning Kit is the right one for you!
Additional Materials Used When Cleaning a Shotgun
While these materials aren’t strictly necessary for cleaning a shotgun, they improve the process by making it quite a bit easier.
Like your essential tools, these must also be in the right bore/gauge size.
- Bore guide
- Cleaning cradle
- Gun Cleaning pad
- Muzzle protector
- Picks and reusable foam swabs
- Polishing cloth
Are you looking for a cleaning toolkit with a muzzle guard? The SPIKA Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit comes with a muzzle guard that keeps the cleaning rod in place and prevents it from damaging the crown.
Should I Buy a Gun Cleaning Kit?
Yes, a gun cleaning kit is necessary if you have a gun.
Many shotgun owners may fashion a gun cleaning kit out of things they find at home, but this practice can be problematic. This is because these tools aren’t created with proper measurements or considerations of the gun that will be cleaned.
If you don’t want to risk damaging the barrel of your gun, then it’s safer to go with a professional gun cleaning kit shotgun.
Can Gun Cleaning Kits Be Used With a Shotgun?
It depends on the compatibility of the tools.
Some universal gun cleaning kits, such as the SPIKA Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit, are compatible with a wide range of guns. It is an air gun, pistol, rifle and shotgun cleaning kit all in one!
Here are some important details to check when selecting a multifunctional gun cleaning toolkit:
- Size of the Bore/gauge
- Length of cleaning rods
- Diameter of cleaning rods
- Caliber brush type and swabs
How Often Should I Clean My Shotgun?
You should wipe down your shotgun and remove any dirt or residue after each use.
If you don’t use your shotgun too often, it can go without a cleaning routine for up to six months. But it must be stored in a clean and dry place with zero moisture to make it last longer.
Oiling your shotgun once a month is also necessary to keep it in optimum function. With proper maintenance and regular cleaning, you can prolong the life of your shotgun by years!
In Conclusion
Is there any benefit to buying an expensive and high-quality shotgun if you’re only going to scratch it when you’re cleaning it?
If you’ve gone through that experience before, you don’t have to anymore! The right shotgun cleaning tools will do the job without harming your gun’s components.
Whether you choose the most versatile shotgun cleaning kit or the most affordable, make sure you’ve got the specifications right. Our list provides the best shotgun cleaning kit 12 gauge/20 gauge, so make sure that’s what your gun needs.
The best shotgun cleaning kit for you might not be for someone else. That’s why we choose some diverse products, so you’re sure to find one to your liking.
What shotgun cleaning kit do you prefer to use? Write to us; we’re curious to know!
Resources:
Boosteady Compact Shotgun Cleaning Kit
- Weather proof zippered case
- Cleaning rod reaches 31 inches
- Additional mesh storage
