I have a confession to make. It took over a year after my wife gave me a drymate Gun Cleaning Pad as a Christmas present to understand its real value and utility.
You see, I am what can be charitably called Type A. My family and friends would go further and call my personality type insufferably anal. Whatever the term of choice, this personality bent makes me loathe to try out new things lest they reduce my efficiency.
Of course, this also means that it often takes me an extended period of time to discover how a new product, etc. might save me significant time and effort. Such was the case with my Christmas present.
I ignored the drymate Gun Cleaning Pad residing in my cleaning box until one day when I was at the range. I wanted to clean my rifles, but a heavy fog had rolled through and every surface was soaked.
I pulled out the pad with its waterproof backing, laid it on a semi-dry bench and cleaned my two firearms.
That was, in southern US terms, my come-to-Jesus moment about this wonderful product.
Since that forced epiphany, I have never gone to the range again without pulling the drymate out, laying it across a bench and using it to protect whatever firearm(s) I had with me.
It has been a great aid in keeping dings and scratches off of review guns – some of which are quite valuable, like the Model 1886 Reproduction pictured above.
It also protects whatever you put it on from gun oil, solvent and other fluids you may spill.
If the bottom of the pad gets wet it will dry quickly while hanging over a railing or chair. In fact, it’s machine-washable. If it gets too filthy, I can just pop it into a washing machine.
At 54 x 16 inches, the Pad will cushion the longest rifles and shotguns. But its design allows the user to also fold it into as small a space as needed for pistols and revolvers as well.
I just looked and the price on Amazon for the “rifle-sized” drymate is listed as $16.12. If my pad ever wears out — and that won’t be soon — I’ll immediately order another one.