Storage case with pull handle for gun cleaning tool

1. A gun cleaning apparatus comprising:

a cleaning tool comprising:

a cleaning section; and

a pull cord having a proximal end coupled to said cleaning section and a distal end for pulling said cleaning section through a gun barrel; and

a storage case for enclosing said cleaning tool, said storage case comprising:

a substantially hollow container having an open top, said substantially hollow container further having a side wall and a front wall configured to bow outward; and a removable lid configured to couple to said substantially hollow container, said removable lid selectively positionable between a closed configuration wherein said removable lid closes said open top, and an open configuration wherein said removable lid is removable from said hollow container and serves as a pull handle for said cleaning tool, wherein the removable lid is configured to be removed from the storage case by applying an inwardly directed pressure to the side wall of the substantially hollow container of the storage case, and the front wall configured to bow outward releases the removable lid in response to the inwardly directed pressure, said removable lid comprising a connection section for connecting to said distal end of said pull cord after said pull cord has been inserted through the gun barrel, and a handle section for gripping by a user to assist with pulling said cleaning tool through the gun barrel.

2. The gun cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a weight coupled to said distal end of said pull cord.

3. The gun cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said connection section of said removable lid comprises an elongate slot for receiving said distal end of said pull cord and engaging said weight to selectively couple said pull cord to said removable lid.

4. The gun cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said hollow container further comprises a latch aperture, and wherein said removable lid comprises a latch hook configured to engage said latch aperture when said removable lid is in the closed configuration.

5. The gun cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said front wall has said latch aperture defined therein, wherein said front wall is configured to bow outward to release said latch hook when inwardly directed pressure is applied to said side wall.

6. The gun cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said hollow container further comprises an opposite rear wall opposite said front wall, a first side wall and a second side wall extending between said front and rear walls, and a closed bottom, said front and rear walls configured to bow outward when inwardly directed pressure is applied to said first and second side walls.

7. The gun cleaning apparatus in accordance with claim 6 , wherein one or more of said front wall and said rear wall comprises a vent defined therein.

8. A storage case for enclosing a cleaning tool having a cleaning section and a pull cord, the pull cord having a proximal end coupled to the cleaning section and a distal end for pulling the cleaning section through a gun barrel, said storage case comprising:

a substantially hollow container having an open top for receiving and storing the cleaning tool therein, said open top defining a rim of said hollow container, said substantially hollow container further having a side wall, and a front wall configured to bow outward; and

a removable lid configured to couple to said hollow container, said removable lid selectively positionable between a closed configuration wherein said removable lid closes said open top, and an open configuration wherein said removable lid is removable from said hollow container and serves as a pull handle for said cleaning tool, wherein the removable lid is configured to be removed from the storage case by applying an inwardly directed pressure to the side wall of the substantially hollow container of the storage case, and the front wall configured to bow outward releases the removable lid in response to the inwardly directed pressure, said removable lid comprising a connection section for connecting to said distal end of said pull cord after said pull cord has been inserted through the gun barrel, and a handle section for gripping by a user to assist with pulling said cleaning tool through the gun barrel.

9. The storage case in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said connection section of said removable lid comprises an elongate slot for receiving the distal end of the pull cord to selectively couple the pull cord to said removable lid.

10. The storage case in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said connection section comprises a center wall and an outer wall extending transversely from a periphery of said center wall and defining a cavity for receiving the distal end of the pull cord.

11. The storage case in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said center wall comprises an aperture extending therethrough at a distal end of said connection section.

12. The storage case in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said hollow container further comprises a latch aperture, and wherein said removable lid comprises a latch hook configured to engage said latch aperture when said removable lid is in the closed configuration.

13. The storage case in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said front wall has said latch aperture defined therein, and wherein said front wall is configured to bow outward to release said latch hook when inwardly directed pressure is applied to said side wall.

14. The storage case in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said hollow container further comprises, an opposite rear wall opposite said front wall, a first side wall and a second side wall extending between said front and rear walls, and a closed bottom, said front and rear walls configured to bow outward when inwardly directed pressure is applied to said first and second side walls.

15. The storage case in accordance with claim 14 , wherein one or more of said front wall and said rear wall comprises a vent defined therein.

16. The storage case in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said handle section of said removable lid comprises an upper section and a lower section coupled to said upper section and defining a shoulder at an intersection of said upper and lower sections.

17. The storage case in accordance with claim 16 , wherein in the closed configuration, said shoulder engages said rim of said hollow container.

18. A method of cleaning a gun barrel using a gun cleaning apparatus, the gun cleaning apparatus including a storage case and a cleaning tool, said method comprising:

removing a removable lid from the storage case wherein removing the removable lid from the storage case comprises applying an inwardly directed pressure to a side wall of a substantially hollow container of the storage case, wherein the substantially hollow container includes a front wall configured to bow outward to release the removable lid in response to the inwardly directed pressure, the removable lid including a connection section for connecting to the cleaning tool after the cleaning tool has been inserted through the gun barrel, and a handle section for gripping by a user to assist with pulling the cleaning tool through the gun barrel;

coupling the cleaning tool to the connection section of the removable lid; and

pulling on the handle section of the removable lid to channel the cleaning tool through the gun barrel.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein coupling the cleaning tool to the connection section of the removable lid comprises:

threading a pull cord of the cleaning tool through an elongated slot defined in the connection section of the removable lid;

wrapping the pull cord around an outer wall of the connection section; and

threading a distal end of a pull cord of the cleaning tool back through the elongated slot, thereby overlapping a portion of the pull cord positioned in the elongated slot.