Steve, the founder of Full Blast Gear as been a firearms enthusiast since he was a child, and like many people, he struggled with traditional cleaning methods. Whether it was time-consuming or toilsome, he saw there was room for improvement. He wanted to create American Made tools to help make gun cleaning easier.
Our Story
When I was around 9 years old, I actively watched and learned from my father about firearm cleaning. After every trip to the range for target practice, shooting clays, and family hunting trips, my brothers and I would sit around our father as he methodically disassembled and cleaned our guns. With wide, curious eyes, we listened as he taught us the process of disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling a firearm. He explained the names of each part and how cleaning a firearm is more than “what you’re supposed to do.” Dad told us stories about how his father imparted his firearm knowledge in the same way, which later became more ingrained during his time proudly serving in the United States military.
Unfortunately, later in life, I abandoned my fathers’ wisdom. Cleaning my firearms took too much time and seemed to be more laborious than it was worth. After hunts, my guns would go right into their case – dirty, at times wet. So far, I hadn’t come into any issues; they always functioned adequately when I needed them. This only encouraged the terrible habit I developed, as I fell into the trap of “cleaning is a myth.”
A couple of years later, my neglect finally caught up. The consequences were handed to me on a rust-speckled gun. If that wasn’t upsetting enough, shells were not ejecting as they should. Frustrated, I disassembled my gun for further inspection.
I discovered a gut-wrenching truth: the bore was pitted in places from corrosion. This pitting was a devastating problem. I had ruined my prized Ithaca Model 37 12-gauge shotgun, and I was the only one to blame. The fate of my carelessness was the last lesson I would ever need. Since then, I have held onto my father’s wisdom, and since then keeping my firearms in pristine condition has been a priority.
For decades, I cleaned my rifles, shotguns, and handguns with traditional tools and products. During one excursion, I noticed a hunting buddy was attempting to use a quick-clean product that was popular at the time. I couldn’t help but notice the commotion going on in my buddy’s world at that moment. He fussed over trying to feed the device through the barrel with one hand while attempting to keep his shotgun inverted.
Becoming annoyed, he attempted an alternate method, laying his gun across his lap, hoping to pull the cord and cleaning material through without all the hassle. As it turned out, he then needed to upend his gun because his reach was not quite long enough to get the job done.
Somewhat frustrated over the situation, I kept thinking that there has to be an easier, faster, hassle-free way to clean one’s firearms. I had an urge to solve this problem so I hit the ground running. Several years, many hours of research, exhilarating trials, and defeating errors, finally, the Full-Bore Blast firearm cleaning product was born!
Then and now I am determined to craft quality products for shooting enthusiasts right here in the USA. The Full-Bore Blast system is a simple, quick, enjoyable way to clean and protect your firearms while meeting the utmost standards of quality and efficiency. I think my dad would be proud of this made in America gun cleaner. And I hope you’ll see and enjoy the benefits of all our innovative firearm products here at Full Blast for years to come.
-Stephen Hoodecheck
Founder, Full Blast Gear
