What Are Jags In A Gun Cleaning Kit And How To Use Them

Wondering what are those small slender parts of your gun cleaning kit?

Well, you might guess the bore brush easily, but the other ones are jags. You will find them in a cleaning kit as a set. They come in different sizes so you might find a couple of them in your set.

Your thoughts must be everywhere thinking about what is their purpose and how to even use them. This article will be telling you about jags clearing all your queries.

What Is A Gun Cleaning Jag

A gun cleaning jag is a tool used in the cleaning of firearms. It’s a small attachment that is used with a cleaning rod to hold and guide a cleaning patch through the bore of a gun. The jag typically has a pointed end that is inserted into the cleaning patch, and a flared end that holds the patch securely in place on the jag.

What Are Jags Used For In Gun Cleaning?

Jags are used for holding cleaning patches in place while cleaning the inner parts like the barrel of the gun. They make cleaning barrels easier and more efficient.

Jags keep the cleaning patch in place securely while traveling through the barrel. They take the patch in tight spaces for effortless cleaning.

Besides cleaning, they can be used for lubrication purposes too. The process is the same as cleaning with a simple difference. They can be used for lubricating by soaking the patch in the desired lubricant.

Given the size of the jags, they do not tend to touch the wall of the barrel or any other parts when a cleaning patch is attached. This prevents the chances of damaging the inner gun surface but does the cleaning successfully.

Brass Cleaning Jags

Brass cleaning jags are one of the many types of jags that are used for gun cleaning. They are the most popular and efficient type. The specialty of this type is that they are made of brass. Brass in many ways softer than steel and it’s a plus point. They tend to neither cause any unwanted scratches on the barrel wall nor create any dent. Their gentle touch won’t create any significant damage to the gun when coming in contact.

Spear Pointed Jag

Spear pointed jag is a jag with a spearhead as the name suggests. You will see the head of the jag has a sharp extension like a spear from the flat top. This is one of the many types of jags found for cleaning guns. It is the most common one used. The body size may change as per caliber but the design is all same. Its purpose is to pierce through the cleaning patch and keep it in place when passed through the barrel along with it.

Rifle Cleaning Jags

Rifle cleaning jags are different than the ones used for other guns. It is because the barrel of the rifle includes lengthwise grooves for a rifled interior. It is designed likewise for efficiency in the shooting. This difference in barrel begets the use of specific caliber jags for cleaning a rifle.

Shotgun Cleaning Jags

Shotgun requires different types of jags for its cleaning given the barrel it has. Its barrel is different from a rifle. Its interior requires some specific sorts of jags with a specialized head segment. Ramrod tip, tulip tip, button cleaning tip, and so on are some of the many types of jags used for cleaning the shotgun barrel.

Pistol Cleaning Jag

Pistol as a smaller-sized gun needs a smaller caliber jag to fit in it. The barrel is much more close-fitting and smaller than a rifle or a shotgun. This handgun requires gun specific small-caliber jag for cleaning purposes.

Best Gun Cleaning Jags

To familiarize you with jags, I am mentioning some best cleaning jags that you can find around.

Tipton 13-Piece Brass Jag Set for Rifle Cleaning

It is a set of 13 jags of different calibers. This is for cleaning rifles. The jags’ design and structure are such that they are compatible with cleaning rifles. All 13 of them are spear jags with a sharp top. They are made of brass having gentle finishing without any rough surface. All the jags come together as a set in a convenient case where all of them remain nicely arranged.

BOOSTEADY Handgun Cleaning Kit with Bronze Bore Brush and Brass Jag Adapter

Typically, all the gun cleaning kits include jags in them and you might have also encountered something like this. Such a cleaning set like this one here is quite popular among gun owners. This one is a kit for pistol cleaning. It includes 6 cleaning jags among which 4 are spear jags and 2 are loops. They are of different sizes but all of them are made of brass. They come as a set along with other necessary cleaning tools in a zipper included compact case.

How To Use Jags For Cleaning Guns?

Cleaning a gun using a jag is the easiest thing to do. It is the job of the jag to make the gun cleaning task easier.

The main job of the jag is to fit the bore tightly and remove the foul material as it is dragged through the bore. To accomplish this mission some quick steps are to be followed.

1. First is the safety check. Before you start cleaning or do any other business other than purposeful shooting, you must make sure the gun is unloaded. Double-check the magazine and the gun barrel too. It is a must to have no bullet inside your gun for ensuring proper safety. Then you can move to the main cleaning session.
2. Now you can disassemble your gun to give easy access to inner parts. You need to take out all the attached parts to get access to the barrel which you will be cleaning with the jag.
3. After that, either soak the cleaning patch in a cleaning solvent or spray the solvent inside the barrel.
4. Next, get the jag compatible with your gun and attach it with the cleaning rod. Similarly, attach the cleaning patch to the segment of the jag. If it is a spearhead, the patch will be hooked in it. If the jag is flat-ended, then wrap the patch over it.
5. After completing the preparation, now you can proceed to clean. Pass the cleaning rod through the barrel while the jag and patch are attached to it. Pass the rod all the way through the bore up to the muzzle.
6. As you reach the muzzle, take the patch off the jag before you bring back the rod in the opposite direction. It is a rule to follow while cleaning guns. It is done so for a purpose. If you bring back the rod with the jag still having the patch on, there are chances that the retrieved dirt will fall back in its place while coming out. That’s why you must follow this rule.
7. Do the step couple of times until a clean patch comes out. After that, you can complete the rest step of the cleaning gun.

Thus, you use a cleaning jag for getting your gun cleaned.

Cleaning Jag VS Patch Holder VS Brush

A cleaning jag, patch holder, and brush are all components of a gun cleaning kit and are used to clean the bore of a firearm.

A cleaning jag is a tool used with a cleaning rod to hold and guide a cleaning patch through the bore of a firearm, allowing the cleaning solvent or oil to remove fouling and residue from the bore. It has a pointed end for inserting into the cleaning patch and a flared end for securely holding the patch in place.

A patch holder is similar to a cleaning jag, but it is designed to hold a cleaning patch in place without a pointed end. Patch holders are typically used with larger caliber firearms where a larger cleaning patch is required.

A brush is a tool with bristles that is used to scrub the bore of a gun. Brushes are available in various sizes and materials, including brass and nylon, to match the caliber of the gun you’re cleaning. Brushes are especially useful for removing heavy fouling and residue from the bore.

Each of these components serves a different purpose in the cleaning process and can be used alone or in combination to effectively clean the bore of a firearm.

How To Put A Cleaning Patch On A Jag?

Putting a cleaning patch on a jag is a simple process:

1. Select the appropriate size cleaning patch for your firearm. Cleaning patches come in various sizes to match the caliber of your gun.
2. Fold the cleaning patch in half and then in half again, creating a small square.
3. Place the folded cleaning patch onto the pointed end of the jag, making sure that the patch covers the entire pointed end of the jag.
4. Hold the patch in place on the jag with one hand, while using the other hand to twist the jag into the center of the patch.
5. Pull the jag through the center of the patch, stretching the patch over the flared end of the jag.
6. The patch should now be securely in place on the jag, with the folded corners of the patch facing away from the pointed end of the jag.
7. Dip the jag and patch into the cleaning solvent or oil, and then run the jag and patch through the bore of the firearm.

It’s important to use the right size cleaning patch for your firearm to ensure effective cleaning and prevent damage to the bore.

Does Brass Jag Damage Barrels?

Brass jags can potentially damage barrels if not used properly. Brass is a relatively soft metal compared to the steel of a firearm barrel, and if the jag is not inserted or removed from the bore carefully, it can scratch or damage the barrel. This is especially true if the barrel is not properly lubricated and the jag is forced through the bore.

To minimize the risk of damage, it’s important to use the right size jag for your firearm and to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning your specific gun. It’s also a good idea to use a lubricant on the jag and the bore to reduce friction and prevent damage.

In some cases, plastic jags may be a better option, as they are less likely to scratch the barrel and are more flexible, making them less likely to cause damage if they become stuck in the bore. However, plastic jags may not be as durable as brass jags and may need to be replaced more frequently.

Final Words

Jags are very simple tools that are very easy to use too.

They make the gun cleaning far easier than it would be without them. The variation in their form gives them compatibility to be used for different gun types.

I don’t think you will be facing any issue regarding jags anymore. You can now take out your own one from your kit and try using it for your gun cleaning sessions. Hopefully, you will succeed on the first try!