Cleaning handguns

[EddieCoyle]

I just cleaned 18 handguns - 9 of them revolvers - in under two hours.

I took a gallon of denatured alcohol and dumped it into a 12" x 8" tupperware tub. I field stripped the semi autos a few at a time, and put all the parts in the alcohol. While they were submerged, I scrubbed the slides, frames, and other parts with a nylon brush, and then put them on a towel to dry. I ran a bore brush through the bores in the alcohol too. I ran one wet patch and two dry patches through each bore and they were clean.

I put the revolvers in and did the same thing, running a bore brush through all the chambers while they were partially submerged. It even cleaned off the burn rings on the front of the cylinders.

It takes three times that long with my ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[MAGG]

when can i drop mine off for you to do just kidding nice job. where do you get denatured alcohol?

 

[inerlogic]

i went to the range with the AK i built yesterday....

then i put it in the safe.....

 

[EddieCoyle]

when can i drop mine off for you to do just kidding nice job. where do you get denatured alcohol?

Home Depot.

 

[speedy]

Did you get an afternoon buzz from the alcohol fumes?

 

[ntomsw]

Nice. For the burn rings on revolvers, or even powder residue on my stainless pistols, I use that Birchwood Casey Lead Removal Cloth. Works good too.

I only have a couple of hand guns though. If I had 18 guns, I would need a faster way.

 

[Yota79]

when can i drop mine off for you to do just kidding nice job. where do you get denatured alcohol?

Kitty Dukakis

 

[wacky_doug]

Did the alcohol discolor any plastic frames or grips? (Maybe you don't have any.)

 

[inerlogic]

denaturing alcohol is offensive to my irish genes.....

Kitty Dukakis

+1

 

[EddieCoyle]

Did the alcohol discolor any plastic frames or grips? (Maybe you don't have any.)

Nope.

 

[Robert J]

For the new guys, denatured is not the same as rubbing or isopropyl. Don't confuse the two.

 

[neum69]

It's ethanol with a little methanol mixed in to make it poisonous. Better than isopropyl, which contains water.

 

[Serapis]

Nice

 

[wacky_doug]

Nope.

I use denatured alcohol for other cleaning tasks, but I sometimes have to be careful with certain plastics. I'll have to give this a try.

 

[n1bsbri]

Advice for cleaning your Glock (an oldie but goodie):

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[SKS Ray]

DA works great on re-flowing flaking shellac on commie stocks btw. Had to throw that in there.

As far as using it for cleaning... I have reservations about using any cleaner that completely strips away oil. That's why I stick with a soak in Ed's Red for the heavier cleaning jobs. Ed's is a 1 part each mix of ATF transmission fluid, acetone, mineral spirits, and kerosene. The trans fluid leaves just enough metal protection for parts in case you don't when it comes time to oil.

I thought you used to use Simple Green on your revolvers Jim?

 

[EddieCoyle]

I thought you used to use Simple Green on your revolvers Jim?

I was looking for something faster.

 

[Contramnky]

Second on the AK. I've only shot mine once, but I plan on shooting it a LOOOOT and seeing how long I can go without having to clean it before a malfunction occurs.

 

[goodzilla]

No issues with DA drying out wood?

 

[ColdDayInHell]

That's pretty damn fast. Never thought of using denatured alcohol on my revolvers, hmmm. Ray is right though, Simple Green works awesome IME.

 

[Fixxah]

Don't smoke while doing it.

-Trolling via S3.-

 

[Independence Arms]

Great idea. Thanks for the info.
Can you reuse the tub of DA, or is it pretty much single use?

 

[EddieCoyle]

I let it settle for a while then poured it back in to the can through a funnel with a paper towel in it. What's in there looks clean enough to use again, so I'm going to try it.

 

[Dirtypacman]

I really got to take some time to do some cleaning. I used to be so good at keeping up with them.
I lent out a revolver to a friend and he actually sent me a message asking me if he could clean it before he used it lol

I like the idea of doing them all in one big batch too as EC had done, I guess I am worried about internals soaking since I don't usually break them down completely.

 

[Dadstoys]

I'm just jealous you got to get 18 dirty enough to clean . If I get 3 dirty on a weekend it's a party.

 

[beaker]

That bathtub is pretty disgusting... lol

Advice for cleaning your Glock (an oldie but goodie):

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[ticklemejoviemo]

He needs to show us how get clean all that mildew and soapscum :what:

That bathtub is pretty disgusting... lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Canndo]

That bathtub is pretty disgusting... lol

"Whoopsa daisy! Seemed to have dropped my magazine into the water" hahaah. This is a classic. I love it. I post it to the noobs a lot. +1

 

[JCV]

Anything wrong with using this method to clean a BCG?
Obviously won't need a gallon, but after shooting some dirty ammo, it could use a nice soaking.