Favorite gun cleaning products.

[CTarNUT]

For oil I like the Hoppes better than the Remoil. It just seems to lube and stay better. The hoppes solvent Im not to thrilled with. It seems to work allright but my issue is this; on the AR bolt the carbon buildup in the back of the bolt behind the gas rings is incredibly hard to get off. Everytime i clean i spend 10 mins srubbing that off with solvent and a used up bore brush. Anyone have any recomendations on a product that would be better? Maybe a better tool?

 

[jkelly]

I like to use brake cleaner and a brush, followed by WD-40 just to wet the metal before oiling with what ever is the oil of the day. I use Shooters Choice or Hoppes to clean the bore, rinse with brake cleaner and oil as needed.


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[Chipperman]

I use mainly CLP. Sometimes I'll use a synthetic oil or white lithium grease for lube depnding on the gun.


That area behind the gas rings on an AR bolt head is not critical to get clean, but if it really drives you nuts, try using MPro7. Soak it for 10 min, then scrub. Keep in mind that MPro7 is water based and will STRIP ALL lube off, so make sure you put something on afterward.

 

[jesman71]

M-pro 7 for me !

Hello everyone,
I use M-pro 7 cleaner,and oil. No sent ,cleans easy off the hands.

check out there website www.mpro7.com

 

[rscalzo]

I like to use brake cleaner

Exactly what I have been using. I pick up a half dozen cans at Wal-Mart and use it on everything.

I also use Mobile One Synthetic oil in a dropper bottle I picked up from Brownell's for most rotating moving part lubrication. CLP is used to lightly coat the other portions of the firearms.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I use MPro7, Hoppes, CLP, and brake cleaner to clean. I use ATF, CLP, and lithium grease to lube.

There were two products mentioned here that will never go anywhere near my guns. Ever.

EDIT: Just for the record, if someone mentions "pores" in the metal, I'm going Scrivener on him.

 

[Cross-X]

After cleaning with M-Pro 7, I like to lube my 1911 slides with Brian Enos's Slide Glide, the lightweight variety. Great stuff!

 

[Gammon]

By CLP I assume you are referring to "Break Free". While this stuff is a great lube I can't see any advantage to using it for a cleaner.

Wil Scheumann has warned against using solvents like brake cleaner in his barrels. Based on this recommendation I use brake cleaner for most of the pistol, but not the bore. I also have a 50 CAL ammo box with a gallon of mineral spirits in it to soak the parts in. This set up works well as there are very few fumes to stink up the house.

M Pro 7 for the bore with "Chore Boy" pads for lead removal.

For lube I use 20w50 synthetic motor oil mixed with a little superfine moly powder. This mix works very well for a small fraction of the cost of gun oil.

 

[rscalzo]

solvents like brake cleaner in his barrels

The bores are cleaned with Shooters Choice.

 

[bpm990d]

I also use Mobile One Synthetic oil in a dropper bottle I picked up from Brownell's for most rotating moving part lubrication.

Me to. 0-W30 works great as a lube on my AR.

B

 

[vellnueve]

M7Pro for most cleaning
Windex then Hoppes for corrosive cleanup
some wilson combat grease
WD40 for after shooting outdoors in the rain

 

[strangenh]

Eezox, Bullfrog Rusthunter, and FP-10.

 

[Chuck Would]

Cleaning solvents

M7Pro for most cleaning
Windex then Hoppes for corrosive cleanup
some wilson combat grease
WD40 for after shooting outdoors in the rain

Be careful using any ammoniated solvent on Nickel firearms. If you have any pin holes, cracks or chips in the plating it can and will eat the copper layer underneath.

I've been using Ed's Red for several years now. Fairly cheap to make up a gallon at a time and use a small new paint can as a dunk tank.

 

[jkelly]

EDIT: Just for the record, if someone mentions "pores" in the metal, I'm going Scrivener on him.---Eddie Coyle

Man, am I glad I said “wet the metal” with WD-40.

What’s ATF, Automatic Transmission Fluid?

Wil Scheumann has warned against using solvents like brake cleaner in his barrels.---Gammon

Why does he say that?


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[EddieCoyle]

What’s ATF, Automatic Transmission Fluid?

Yup. Dextron III

 

[KimberCT]

Yup. Dextron III

Mercon V has better shudder protection.

 

[bfm]

Mostly the MPro7 for cleaning. Though sometimes a tub filled with warm water and dish soap. Small parts go in and get scrubbed with a brush. This is especially true when I get a used gun that has had the oil start to harden on it. Anything that gets dunked gets either WD-40 or silicone sprayed on to remove water.

Most of the exterior parts get sprayed with silicone and wiped down.

Miltec1 or RedLine straight 30 weight are my normal oils of choice.

 

[Will Brink]

For oil I like the Hoppes better than the Remoil. It just seems to lube and stay better. The hoppes solvent Im not to thrilled with. It seems to work allright but my issue is this; on the AR bolt the carbon buildup in the back of the bolt behind the gas rings is incredibly hard to get off. Everytime i clean i spend 10 mins srubbing that off with solvent and a used up bore brush. Anyone have any recomendations on a product that would be better? Maybe a better tool?

CnS Dunk-it. I soak all my handguns and AR bolt, etc for 20-30 mins, scrub, done. Best thing I ever found.

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/dunkkitart.shtml

 

[isr2kba]

Revolvers (disassembled of course), slides, magazines & barrels go right in the dishwasher (Heavy duty cycle). Run the frames under some hot tap water and let air dry.

Any remaining stubborn stains can be addressed with the bench mounted wire wheel or the die grinder with a course burr.

I don't like oil too much. Makes it harder to clean the next time around.

I've definitely got the cleaning down, now all I have to do is figure out why I can't shoot straight and find some decent ammo that doesn't jam after every other shot.

 

[jhblaze1]

Brady Blood

 

[KimberCT]

Revolvers (disassembled of course), slides, magazines & barrels go right in the dishwasher (Heavy duty cycle). Run the frames under some hot tap water and let air dry.

I've thought about doing this, but was unsure how safe it is.

You're using a liquid detergent of some sort?

 

[News Shooter]

Cascade

 

[KimberCT]

I'll try it on my Para. Not like I can make it any worse.

 

[isr2kba]

Cascade

Yeah, that could work, but it needs grit to work efficiently. Sand blasting media or beach sand (in a pinch).

I've thought about doing this, but was unsure how safe it is.

Maybe safe for the dishwasher

 

[KimberCT]

Yeah, that could work, but it needs grit to work efficiently. Sand blasting media or beach sand (in a pinch).

Doesn't powdered detergent gunk up the internals?

Maybe the rinse cycle on my dishwasher just isn't powerful enough. I'll often find small amounts of detergent lodged in anything with grooves that goes into the dishwasher.

 

[codenamepaul]

AR-bolt clean-up- use a dry phosphor bronze bore brush .40 cal or larger. Make sure it is dry/no lube. It will scrub that crud right off the back behind the gas rings. After scrubbing I use Simple Green on the bolt, carrier, and the upper.

Militech grease for sliding parts (use very little) USGI grease and bore cleaner. Blue Wonder is the best for copper fouling.



Hoppes for aftershave

 

[Fsorrent]

I started w/ Mpro7 w/ hoppe's oil.... but now i've mostly turned to Break-Free CLP. Doesn't matter how much i clean the damn thing, after I run BF CLP through it, I can still pick up crud. Also, it lubricates just as well as anything else I've used. It doesn't look like its on there, but the metal is definately slick. Ever since I've been using it I haven't experienced any jams. I used to w/ the hoppe's oil. I think its because it would eventually gum up. I don't use hoppe's anymore because the lady opposes...

I wanted to try out 725 cleaner/degreaser w/ SLIP 2000 eventually. Maybe after I run out of cleaner. Anyone try this stuff?

 

[Chris]

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Universal ATF works in all cases. No more Dextron vs. Mercon (^_^)

Seriously...

I still use the basic Hoppes for cleaning, but recently I've changed my lube to Weapon Shield. Not only does it act like a CLP if I'm in need of a quick cleaning at the range, but it's worked really well as a lube and came out real well in the rust tests that were conducted last year. I especially like the fact that I can wipe down a gun after lubing it and have the gun practically dry but still functional.

This allows me to use the firearms in a classroom and I don't have students complaining about getting their hands filthy with the oils. Also makes wiping down fingerprints (due to oils) easier when it's time to put everything away. I used to keep my guns almost dry for classes and then add the lube before use. No longer.

Even in the 1911 or AR where traditionally you had to keep the parts wet to function properly, this stuff works after it dries.

I don't have any long term data to indicate anything. In fact, if I'm setting out to specifically go shooting, I'll put a few drops on just because it still 'feels' wrong not to. But, on the few times I've gone shooting after class and have not added anything, I have had no issues at all with the guns. So, it seems to be working well.



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Beyond that, I have some other cleaners. I still have a specific copper solvent but don't ever remember opening it. Just about everything I "don't really use" is in a glass jar, so you get some idea of how long it's been around.

Have not used brake cleaner as I find aerosols very messy. Then again, brake jobs are messy (^_^)

Generally speaking, you clean soon after use and it goes a lot easier.

 

[SKS Ray]

I'm not usually a fan of cleaning my guns unless its after a session shooting corrosive ammo. Even then I get lazy and have to force myself downstairs to the bench.
For me cleaning has to be as little work as possible so I've tested many methods over the years and came up with the quickest and easiest for me.

Someone asked about Break Free CLP as a lube and not a cleaner. I can honestly say its a better cleaner than Hoppe's or most any other gun care product I've tried.
I can't remember what rifle it was but after swabbing, scrubbing the bore with Hoppe's, dry patching and repeating until patches came out very light grey, I figured I'd make one pass with a patch wet with Break Free for protection. I was pretty shocked to see it come out the other end dark and full of crud.
So I decided to scrub away with a brush soaked in Break Free and found the bore wasn't half as clean as I thought it was. Now its my go to cleaner. That or Kroil which also works well.

Ed's Red was also mentioned and is another good cleaner especially when you want to soak parts. A quart each of acetone, mineral spirits, kerosene, and ATF fluid in a 3 gallon paint bucket and you've got a great dunk tank cleaning method for metal parts. Powder residue and fouling is easily removed with very little brushing. This is some nasty stuff though so I wear chemical resistant gloves when I use it and transfer it to a gallon gas jug via funnel with paint strainer inside when I'm done using it.

Lately I've been thinking of getting a few gallons of Break Free or even WD40 and storing it in a 3 gallon paint bucket with lid for soaking cosmolene caked parts.

 

[boomerang]

Wouldn't it be nice to go into a store that sells gun cleaning supplies and see Eezox, Weapon Shield, Slide Glide, CorrosionX, TW25B, Tetra Gun, FP10, etc...
But no. Whenever I walk into a store, all I ever see is Hoppes, Breakfree and Thompson products, and mayb esome Rig grease or Mpro7.