5 Useful Product to Have in Your Range Bag
I have been carrying a concealed firearm for 10-plus years and taken many handgun training classes. I have cleaned and adjusted my guns MANY times, and practiced countless drills.
Here are 5 products that I have found to be extremely useful:
Boresnake
This is a must-have especially if you are traveling or taking multi-day training classes. Made by Hoppes, this product allows you to clean the bore of your pistol in less that a minute. Just pass it through the barrel in the same direction as the bullet travels a couple times and the bore will be clean as a whistle.
They make boresnakes for 25 different calibers so they’re sure to have one for every gun you own. I have 6 of these hanging on my gun bench.
When they get dirty, throw them in the washing machine!
These are better than sliced bread!
Before I discovered this major short cut, I was using the tried and true (but painstakingly time consuming) method of wetting patches and forcing them thrugh the barrel until clean.
If you really want the barrel to shine, you can apply a few drops of Hoppes #9 or similar to the Boresnake before you pass it through. $14.99 at Amazon.com
Gun Tool
This super handy gadget has a ton of the very tools you may need (18, to be exact) out on the range for a quick adjustment or repair.
It has all this on board:
- Gun pin punch
- Choke wrench (10, 12, 16, 20, 28 or .410 ga.)
- Scope windage / elevation blade
- Torx® drive: T20, T15 or T10
- Allen hex drive: 3/32″ or 5/32″
- Magnetic 3/16″ driver
- Screwdrivers: 1/8″ flat, 3/16″ flat and Phillips 1 & 2
- Magnetic bit storage block with access door
Gun Tool comes with a bore light and a case. $22.65 at Amazon.com.
Slip 2000
Multi purpose oil that excels when used on your gun. I have used a lot of gun oils until I heard about this on Tom Gresham’s Guntalk! See it in use at How to Clean a 1911.
Here are some reasons why I love it:
- This lube stays wet 5 times longer than other lubes
- Reduces wear by reducing friction on moving parts
- Protects your firearm from corrosion without attracting particles like dirt and sand
- Works great in harsh environments
- Safe on metal, wood and plastic parts
- Carbon, copper and lead won’t stick to it, cutting cleanup time in half
- Slip 2000 is Non-Toxic and Non-hazardous
Slip 2000 is $12.65 at Amazon.com.
Dummy Rounds
ST Action dummy rounds are fantastic for practicing malfunction drills, emergency reloads, tactical reloads, etc. I credit these rounds with helping me do well in my defensive training classes. Much better than “pretending” and you gun will function exactly as it would with real rounds (except the shooting part, that is)!
I have tried the Snap-caps brand but these are expensive and were too tight in the barrel causing malfunctions that I was NOT trying to practice! I recommend ST Action or A-Zoom as I use these brands exclusively now.
ST Action .45 rounds $9.95 at Amazon.com.
Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack
This is a great bag! My wife got it for me before my latest training class and I am never going back to another bag! Granted, they are not cheap, but Maxpedition makes the best, most durable hard-use gear available, and I know this will be the last one I will ever buy.
This one is the perfect size for going to the range, and I recommend for training as well. Plenty of space and organization and will hold ALL of these items:
- spare magazines
- hearing protection
- Gun Tool
- small bottle of gun oil
- box of rounds
- water bottle (side pocket)
- protein bars (no chocolate in Nevada, bad idea)
- sun block (I was in Nevada, a must-have)
- shooting gloves
- flashlight See Best Tactical LED Flashlight Review.
- spare batteries
- wallet
- etc
You get it, pretty much everything you need for a day of training or a day at the local range.
Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack is about $69 at Amazon.com. or try a less expensive alternative by UTG for $32.
I hope you like this post. I use all these products so if you have any questions or comments, please drop me a note below!
Which action pack bag do you personally use? I see you are recommending the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack for $85 and a similar bag by UTG for $$32.
I really like the tip of throwing the ol gun snake into the dishwasher. I had never thought of that one before. My wife is going to kill me.
I use the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack bag. I take it to the range all the time! Yeah, maybe don’t tell the wife about the boresnake in the washing machine!
Great article! Love all this information. I have seen those bore snakes in store and have wondered how good they really were so it’s good to see such a positive review. I love using dummy rounds as well so I love seeing someone that trains others using these during training sessions.
Good stuff! I have used these items extensively over the past few years and really like them! Thanks for the comment!
Excellent post, David, on must-have gun products.
There’s something about the smell of gunpowder in the morning that’s hard to resist.
Living north of your country, I, unfortunately, do not have as many gun freedoms as you do. However, rest assured, that my friends and I, spend many hours trying to improve our skills. So, away we go.
Boresnakes, the cat’s meow. I own a bunch.
Gun Tool. Every range bag should have one.
Slip 2000. Gun oil is as important as oxygen. A must to protect your investment and make sure that the parts work well when the need arises.
Dummy Rounds. Another must have for practice. Clearing malfunctions is an activity for all serious hand gunners to practice.
Range Bag. There are so many versions of these that they can make up an entire blog. Maxpedition is an excellent product. My take is to purchase a bag that works for your gear and get the best you can afford.
What skill do you practice the most?
Do you practice with the same rounds that you carry?
Do you reload your own rounds? and if you do, which press do you use?
What is your favorite ” carry ” caliber?
I can only end this with, ” … don’t leave home without it! ”
Paul
Thanks for reading my post, Paul! I practice malfunction drills, Tactical and emergency reloads and of course, drawing from concealment.
I do practice with .45 ACP dummy rounds as I carry a Kimber 1911, although I also have a Springfield XDm in 9mm that gets some use at the range as well.
I also reload my .45s with a Lee progressive press and cast my own bullets. You sound like you are a reloader also?
Hello Dave,
I really like the functionality of the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack Bag, I can’t mention how many times this bag would have been worth its weight in gold, although more expensive I am ok with that if it is going to last. I really like the concept of the gun snake and the fact you can use oil with it, what a time saver. Thanks for the good information.
Randy
Thanks Randy, I am using my Maxpedition Versipak a lot, and I am considering buying another one for a Bug-Out Bag. It is really holding up well!
Hello Dave,
I really like the functionality of the Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack Bag, I can’t mention how many times this bag would have been worth its weight in gold, although more expensive I am ok with that if it is going to last. I really like the concept of the gun snake and the fact you can use oil with it, what a time saver. Thanks for the good information.
Randy
Thanks for your comment, Randy! Yes the Maxpedition bags have tons of pockets to keep things organized and looking at the quality, I expect this to last for many many years!