This is my cleaning box; it has been 10-11 years ago that I designed and built the first one and this one in the picture below is the second with a few refinements. I built one more after this one and ended up selling it for I liked the one below better. The reason for coming up with it was that I was forgetting something every time I went to a match or to the range, I wanted something compact that would hold everything needed except for the cleaning rods. After the R&D, testing I gave some thought to making and selling them but before I could some commercial units of the same concept were on the market such as MTM’s cleaning box. So out the window that idea went for there is no competing with the plastic injected molded stuff that is mass produced today.

The box is made of ½” Baltic Birch plywood, brass screws, brass latches and a piano hinge that runs the full length of the lid, it measures 14” x 7 ½ “x 6” and holds everything needed for a day or 2 day match and is it’s own cleaning cradle.

 

In this next picture you can see that there is still some room inside for extra patches or cloths also notice that I have rod holders in the lid of the box. When open I use the lid for holding my action cleaning brushes also to lay clean patches and anything that I do not want contaminated.   

 

In this picture everything that is kept inside has been taken out. From the left I have patches, 4 different size cradle ends, solvents, brushes, tweezers, action cleaning mops, scissors, flitz, bolt grease, bore guides, leather stock protector and paper towels. I find that maybe a third of this stuff gets used but if it isn’t all in there I’ll end up needing it. I keep this all together at all times so when I go it is all I have to grab except for my cleaning rods. It goes to the range with me every time and if I go to a 2 day match I put extra items in another box but I’m never without what is needed.  

 

 

This picture shows a close-up of the cradle ends these stay with the box at all times. I have 4 different ends to cover most any pistol grip and fore end to 3” wide; they just slip into the matching dovetailed ends and fit either end with a forward slope. The rubber mounted to protect the stock from damage is nothing more than vacuum hose that can be purchased at an auto supply.

 

 This is the box end dovetails; the dovetail is a 30 degree for I had problems with anything more than that.

 

 

  Here is the box/ cradle assembled; I use a shorter end for the front or barrel end to allow any solvents to flow out the barrel and not into the action. The ends could have been made the same height but it saves carrying a shim. Over the years the stock styles have changed and so does the cradle ends, I didn’t bother staining the right one which was made 5 years ago to fit my HV 30 BR pistol grip. 

 

 

A view of a rifle in the box/ cradle; there may be some pitfalls for some for the rifle sits very low and anything left in the box is not easily accessible but it works for me and that is what maters. Being this low its center of gravity is low and it is not unstable when cleaning a feature that I like very much.

 

 

Well that sums it up, now everything can go back into the box for a nice neat small package ready for the next time. If anyone would like more info or dimensions I can be contacted thru this site.

Good shootin……Rick