Gear Review: Gun Boss Handgun Cleaning Kit

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Long ago, I got into the habit of carrying cleaning equipment nearly everywhere I went shooting.

It wasn’t just the idea of being able to quickly clean my gun in the field that motivated me to make sure I toted along a rod, patches, and what have you. It was also the thought that if push came to shove it could get me out of a pinch — say dislodging a bullet off a squib load.

I have to confess, however, the way I’ve gone about what should be considered a responsible attribute would get many to shake their heads in disapproval.

Most times, the gear was thrown into zip-lock bags and stowed in overfilled rucksacks or a range bag brimming with ammo. Here’s your dose of schadenfreude — I paid the price in bent jags and smashed brushes. When you’re done smirking I’ll go on.

There had to be a better way to make sure I had the tools I needed in the field, without damaging them in the process. Luckily, it appears that Real Avid has provided just such a solution.

The Minnesota company’s Gun Boss Handgun Cleaning Kit has everything you need to keep your gun in working order. And at the same time, keep it in order and protected.

Right Sized

When I first received the Gun Boss it didn’t take long to discover its greatest asset. Really, all it required was packing up to head to the range.

The weather-resistant hardcase that houses and safeguards the cleaning equipment stole little space from my range bag and didn’t add any noticeable weight. Overall the case is 5 inches in length, 3 inches in width and 2 inches thick.

What this boils down to is the kit only took up about one 50-round box of ammo’s worth of area in my range bag. Its weight, I would guess, was around a handful of .38 Special cartridges, in other words, almost nothing.

I only toted the Gun Boss to my local range, but with its convenient size I imagined it coming along on much longer excursions. Heck, even if I set out with the bear minimum of gear, I definitely could find a jacket pocket to throw the cleaning kit into — just in case.

Able to Tackle Any Handgun

You’d have to be a fan of a pretty obscure handgun to stump the Gun Boss. The kit is designed to handle the whole spectrum of today’s most popular handguns.

With bore brushes and jags for .22, .38 Special, 9mm, .40 and .45 the Gun Boss can tackle multiple calibers. And it offers a bit of flexibility in cleaning style, with two slotted tips.

I personally was able to give a snubby .38 Special, a subcompact 9mm and a .22 WMR revolver with a 9-inch barrel a once over without a hitch. That is because Real Avid hasn't turned a blind-eye to providing shooters with the tools they need for the job.

To this end, the anodized cleaning rod is among the most important. At 9-inches in length, the T-handled rod is long enough to tackle any handgun. But its size is not its only selling point.

It is also designed to help you properly clean your barrel. The rod’s lower portion is engineered to rotate when pushed and pulled through a bore. This is an important feature, properly cleaning of the barrel's rifling no matter the twist rate.

The rod has also been finely milled and is seamless when assembled. This is an top-end attribute, ensuring it does not mare any part of your firearm, if it happened to come in contact with it.

Everything In Its Place

Not only is the flexibility and convenience of the Gun Boss well thought out, but also its organization. Everything has a place in the kit, which puts everything at a shooter’s fingertips when they need it. There is no rummaging around.

An elastic holder keeps the jags in place, a plastic tray arranges the bore brushes and loops, and pockets stow cleaning patches. There is even room enough to include some oil and solvent, even a silicon rag, to round out your kit.

And given the Gun Boss’ hardcase, you don’t have to worry about any of this gear getting smashed or leaking on your other equipment, no matter how rough you are with it.

Final Verdict

Gun cleaning isn’t something we shooters do every once in awhile, when we have a spare moment at home. Mopping down the bore of a gun and lubricating the moving parts should be done religiously. Real Avid has made this a simple task anywhere you go with the Gun Boss Handgun Cleaning Kit. And at $20, there are few excuses not to make it part of your shooting kit.