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Otis Technology’s Smallbore & Shotgun Cleaning Kits
Posted by Junior Shooters
By: Andy Fink
Cleaning firearms can be fun too. Actually, I really enjoyed it when I was a kid as it was part of the shooting experience; the smell of gun oil and the handling of guns when you got back home after shooting. It was a quiet time, and rewarding to see the gun you had been shooting become clean, oiled, and put away ready for its next turn out on the range or in the field. My biggest problem today is that we are shooting so many guns for Junior Shooters that cleaning them all after each shooting event becomes very time consuming. Sometimes it is just easier to give them a quick cleaning when finished shooting at the range. 
However, hauling cleaning gear around can also make your range bag heavy. I also like to be able to clean my firearms when I am in the field. Whether it is hunting or just going out and plinking it is nice to have some form of cleaning kit with you.
Small caliber cleaning system, oiled rag in the breech ready to be pulled back through the muzzle.
I have always been a proponent of small, compact, cleaning kits that weigh very little, take up very small space and are easy to use. This is where Otis Technology. Inc. comes in. Among the variety of great cleaning kits and products they produce, they pack a fantastic cleaning kit system into a nylon zippered bag 4-in high, 4-in wide, and 2-in deep.
It hardly weighs anything at all! Otis Technology sent us two of these kits to review: a small caliber system (.17 through .25 for rifle and pistols) and a shotgun cleaning system (.410 to 10-gauge.)
I tried both of these cleaning systems out and am very impressed. They are easy to use, take up hardly any space, and are light weight. Using the breech-to-muzzle cleaning concept reduces the gunk that gets in the receiver and action as well as the risk of scratching the crown of the muzzle of the firearm. The cable comes in two pieces that can be linked together for longer barrels. I decided immediately that I needed on for my backpack and range bag. They also come with an instructional DVD.
?The small caliber cleaning system was designed for use on .17 caliber through .25 caliber rim-fire, center-fire, and air rifles. Now, limited breech autoloader rifles and pistols can be cleaned from Breech-to-Muzzle without disassembly. As wax from lead bullets can build up, it is essential to clean .22 rim-fires from Breech-to-Muzzle in the natural direction of the bullet, paying special attention to the chamber. This kit includes two .17 caliber Memory-Flex cleaning rods, a .17 caliber T-handle, small caliber patches, airgun cable thread connector, .17 and .22 caliber short brushes, and a .5oz. tube of Otis O85 Ultra Bore Solvent. Using the all-in-one solvent, you can now clean, lubricate, and protect your firearm in one step.
– Caliber/Gauge: .17 – .25 Caliber Rifles; .17 – .25 Caliber Pistols
– Weight: 0.40 lbs.
– Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 2
The shotgun cleaning system weighs only 1/2 lb. and replaces over 3 lbs. of conventional gear. This is the first shotgun cleaning product to clean the chamber, forcing cone and bore completely in a one step operation. 
This is a complete system that not only efficiently cleans the barrel, but also has the special tools to clean and maintain the receiver, trigger group, bolt, magazine tube, and gas system. If the shotgun is cleaned after each use, lead and plastic in the bore are a thing of the past. The shotgun bore can be cleaned on the line while shooting without disassembly. This is made possible with components such as the Memory-Flex cleaning rods, a 12/10 gauge bore brush, all-caliber patches, and the Otis O85 Ultra Bore Solvent. The Patch Savers make it easy for your swab to fit any size shotgun from 410 to 12/10 gauge, and they help provide a snug 360 degree fit as the patch travels through the bore and out the muzzle. Also included is a T-handle, a thread connector, and a bore reflector/flag safety. By using the Shotgun Cleaning System, fast and accurate cleaning can be accomplished in minutes.
– Caliber/Gauge: 410 – 12/10 Gauge Shotguns
– Weight: 0.51 lbs.
– Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 2
The Otis Technology Breech-to-Muzzle Cleaning System is widely regarded by many as the most advanced gun cleaning system in the world. Otis Technology says, ?It offers many gun cleaning advancements and refinements developed for the military and competitive marksmen and hunters. By cleaning Breech-to-Muzzle, dirt and fouling is pulled out the muzzle, not pushed back into the action gumming the trigger or causing malfunctions. The patented all-caliber patches not only provide up to six passes per patch, but form a perfectly circular cleaning swab. 
Because the slotted tip with the patch is pulled through the chamber, it doesn’t compress the patch against the side of the rod. Conventional rods will jam off-center, scraping the rifling in the process, and potentially ruining the bore. The 750 lb. pull strength of the Otis Memory-Flex rod allows you to tightly form the patch to the bore, actually cleaning it rather than just moving the dirt around. The tight patch is formed by being pulled through the chamber, compressing in the throat, and cleans the leading edge of the rifling; the edge that actually bears the stress of the rotating bullet. For shotguns, custom soft durometer plugs, (“patch savers”) force the patch to the full diameter of the bore, cleaning the chamber, forcing cone, bore and choke — all without having to disassemble the gun!
The principle components of the Otis System are so well built that they have a lifetime warranty! The circular all-caliber patches are made of 100% cotton, and unlike cheap synthetic patches are not dissolved by the bore solvent, turning into plastic gunk left on the rifling. The tight weave of these patches actually pulls metallic copper flake buildup out of the grooves rather than leaving fibers embedded along the bore. The SupraTine brushes are custom made with more and finer bristles than lesser brands. The belt-pack cases are made of ballistic nylon, with heavy-duty zippers. The Bore Obstruction Removers are designed to avoid deforming a stuck bullet and will gently force it out of the bore with multiple taps from the Memory-Flex rod. The Memory-Flex rod is nylon coated aircraft grade cable with compression welded fittings that will support over a quarter ton of pull force!
The Otis Premium Bore Cleanser is one of the most advanced cleaning solutions ever developed. It will clean, penetrate, lubricate and leave a protective coating on all metal surfaces, without damaging the surrounding wood or plastic components. The solid forged brass tips and brushes will not corrode or oxidize like aluminum. Aluminum oxide forms on aluminum rods, and like sandpaper will lap your bore with each pass, often followed by a significant loss of accuracy.
I think these are great systems and provided one to on of our youth testers, 14-year old Hayden Hixson. Hayden says, I enjoyed using the small caliber Otis cleaning kit to clean my S&W Model 422 .22 LR pistol. I liked the small compact size of the case. The cable option, instead of a rod, for cleaning the barrel was convenient and I really liked it. It was a little confusing trying to figure out how to attach the round cloth to the cleaning cable even after watching the video on-line. Both the printed and video instructions did not give as clear steps on cleaning pistols as I would like. 
They were primarily for rifles. I would buy the kit for the breech to muzzle cleaning system using a cleaning cable instead of a rod.
You can clean your gun with the Otis system thousands of times without a brass component ever scratching your muzzle or bore. Each system comes with detailed information on how to properly clean and care for your firearm. Try the Otis System – it will last a lifetime, and you’ll spend more time shooting and less time cleaning!
Check them out at www.otisgun.com.
Copyright & Published By: Junior Shooters & Junior Sports Magazines Inc. May 2009
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