SmallCaliberCentral

I did a search and found 3 posts, I would have thought there would have been more.
I won a 17-22 mini-kit at a gun course and was very impressed with the concept. I also found that the 17-22 kit is a great fit for the .204. Now I have the Elite kit on order.
I can not see why rods can do a better job than this little unit when used correctly. If I had rods already I can see why it would be difficult to switch but my cleaning kit is a cheapie, and won't see any use in my rifles.
I need a bore guide now, if anyone knows of a Canadian supplier please let me know.
Thanks!
David

I've never used the Otis unit, but while pd shooting, I have used a bore snake. I doubt if either unit is nearly as good as a good rod, jag, etc. The bore snake cleans just good enough to keep me going in the field, but I do a GOOD cleaning at lunch and after the days shooting.
Unless you're going to do some heavy volume shooting (like pd's) and being in the field, I would stick to a good rod, etc. Good luck....

piper,

If there is ever an advantage to be gained somebody in our group will know about it.
Between custom barrel makers, bench rest and target shooters, avid hobby shooters, varmint shooters and hunters of all kinds not too many use the Otis. That is probably because a good old cleaning rod just does a great job.
If you really want a lively discussion, bring up the subject of which chemicals are best for cleaning your barrel.

In the field I shoot coated bullets and clean every 35-40 shots with a bore snake, then use foam and a brush after the shooting is done for the day.

piper: I'll weigh in too.

I've got an Otis kit, but I only take it into the backcountry as a backup when deer or elk hunting. In camp, I've got my Dewey rod and bore guide for whatever rifle I'm shooting, and when out varmint shooting, I've got my entire cleaning kit with me. In truth, I've never used my Otis kit in the five or so years I've owned it.

When we're shooting colonly rodents, we usually clean every 25 using naked bullets, and for the rifles I use WS2 coated bullets, I clean every 50 or so, but always with a bore guide and Dewey rod.

As Hotshot said, not many use the Otis, some use the Boresnake just to keep fouling from building up between proper cleanings, as there really is no substitute for a good, through cleaning with rods, jags, and brushes.

http://www.varminthunters.com/forum/sho ... hp?t=12725


Here's a feller on another board who had his Otis break on him, while it was in the bore. It wreaked havoc for a solid week of trying to get it out.
Another post on a separate page, he DID finally get it out, but it caused much heartache before getting the situation solved.

That was a funny link, but in all fairness it didn't break, it got stuck. The guy most likely would have got anything stuck in that event. I have read horror stories about bore snakes getting stuck..
I only ask because the brush is the same as you would use on a rod, as is the patch so the only difference would be pushing or pulling on the medium. I can't seem to get my head around why there is a difference.
I tried to find a one piece rod today for my .204, figured "why not", I went for a big journey to get some new bullets to try at the range tonight and they had very little in the way of rods, something about the factory temporarily supplying the military.
I use a bore snake too, my little .17 likes to have it run through every now and then, keeps it shooting straight without getting down to the steel.
So, I am not trying to be confrontational, but I still do not understand why if it is the same brush/pad going thought the barrel how it could make a difference. I want to treat this gun right and that is why I asked the question, I figured you guys would know and I will do what is recommended.

piper: It's certainly a reasonable question.

A one piece rod like the Dewey rod, will have TWO cleaning strokes verses one, down the barrel, out the muzzle, then return. (Some guys here actually remove the brush when it exits, not many, and I'm not one of them, having a proper 'cleaning' crown done on all my barrels.)

As for the patch though, a patch only goes one way, then out the muzzle, so in theory, the Otis would be equal here.

In truth though, out of literally scores of shooters I know, have known, both casual, varmint shooters, competitive shooters, BR shooters, the military, not one of them uses the Otis system, not a one. You can really scrub a good barrel with solvent and a bronze brush in a fairly short amount of time. You'd be dinking around with the Otis thing for much longer if you used it for your primary means of cleaning. I'm also not trying to be confrontive here either, just relaying my experience of many years of cleaning rifles.

If you read authorative sources such as The Sinclair Book of Precision Shooting and Handloading, there is virtually NO mention of Otis, Boresnake, or any like means of cleaning.

Do yourself a favor, and that of your rifle, and get a good Dewey (or Bore Tech) one-piece coated rod, a bore guide, bronze brushes, a spear point jag, and the proper size of patches (1-1/8" for the 204), and you'll never look back.

Fair enough, I will look in to all of that.

I've got one but mostly just use it for pistols. Gary

Pisha I use the otis and nothing else. I know several fellow officers THat I work with use it and use nothing else.I dont like the idea of a brush going back and forth in a barrell.Your only pulling crud back into the chamber when your on the return stroke. On top of that its drasticly cut my cleaning time.

I am finding the more I use the Otis the more I like it.
I have ordered a 1 piece rod and am patiently waiting for it, in the meantime I am doing a lot of shooting through a new barrel so the Otis is getting it's share of use.

piper: One thing to remember when properly cleaning a rifle, is to use a bore guide. When doing so, no crud will be pulled back through the barrel into your chamber. Once finished, you then run a bore mop into the chamber to dry it for any incidental solvent that migrated there. This will also be true if you use a bore snake or Otis system.

If you want to put this into another perspective, go to any Bench Rest, High Power, or Across the Course rifle match and see how many guys are using bore snakes or Otis. You'll see only one-piece rods, I promise, and for good reason.

Looks like I am going to have to make a trip over the border, my local shops just don't seem to have what I need.
A bore guide should be a simple thing to find, it's not.

In my experience...... if your looking for a bore guide order it off the net....... I have yet to see one in any of the gunshops I have been in........... with the exception of post exchange at the Marine Corps Range just down the road....

the OTIS system is a handy little system for the field and occassionally the range. But for me nothing beats a good rod and boreguide....

I just got off the phone with a southern gentleman named Lucas, apparently he is pretty good with bore guides.
Now I need a rod, where do I get one? who makes the best?

*EDIT*
I am on the Dewey web site, I have a 42" rod and pointed jag on order, is there anything else I need?
Jag (pointed?)
42" 1-piece rod
brass patch loop