Favorite gun cleaning products.

[Executive]

Switching back to M Pro stuff. Used it with good results followed by Mil-Tec white grease or a few drops of oil depending on the firearm. I am DONE with Hoppe's #9 after getting sick as hell the last few times I inhaled it. (I use a compressor to get rid of the extra solvent when I clean) (Yes, I am careful to drain the water out of the tank every time.) That Hoppe's #9 is NASTY stuff.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

I kind of like Simple Green too. I use it on a full strip of my Sig. Mpro7 is good too.

I'd be careful of the dishwasher thing. something about dishwashers is hard on aluminum parts.

Brake cleaner (aka gun scrubber) is good for some things, but be careful. It's nasty stuff you don't want to breath.

 

[Ray P]

Once I etched a .45 bbl by letting it sit in brake cleaner overnight. Now, if I have stubborn C problems, I use straight acetone on a swab or patch, but only in an open environment. After using acetone, I apply Hoppes or CLP.

I use & like Eds Red, but the acetone component disipates quickly, and eventually eats any plastic container I find for it.

So generally, I use Hoppes No. 9, Eds Red, acetone, CLP (and a patch wetted in plumbers ammonia occasionally to check for residual Cu in the bbl).

 

[PaulD]

I kind of like Simple Green too. I use it on a full strip of my Sig. Mpro7 is good too.

I'd be careful of the dishwasher thing. something about dishwashers is hard on aluminum parts.

Brake cleaner (aka gun scrubber) is good for some things, but be careful. It's nasty stuff you don't want to breath.

Beware that Simple Green is actually somewhat corrosive to aluminum. And there's no way I'd put an aluminum or steel piece in a dishwasher.

 

[Cuz]

I absolutely hate to clean guns. That's why I started shooting Glocks. They hardly ever need to be cleaned. BUT, a friend turned me on to a secret cleaning solution that I tried and found miraculous. I tried it on my revolvers that were filthy from years of shooting without cleaning and this stuff worked better than anything I have ever tried. As a bonus, it doesn't sting your hands if you happen to have any small cuts like the traditional Hoppes and Shooters Choice products do. And, it actually smells somewhat pleasant compared to the other cleaners. Are you ready? It's a solution of 50% Lamp Oil and 50% Marvel Mystery Oil. I could not believe how good it worked. It took the leading off my revolvers and cleaned the fluted cylinders that had been filthy from years of shooting. Give it a try and you will NEVER go back to traditional cleaning products.

-Cuz.

 

[USMC109]

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.

Possibly the jamming you're experiencing is not from the ammo you're using but the lack of lubrication(oil) after cleaning.Lubrication also protects the metals of the gun from corrosion when the gun is just laying around.I would NEVER carry a gun (especially an auto) that was not properly lubed.Think of it in comparison to pulling the oil pan drain plug on your car and then driving down the street.The truth is that a little goes a long way...you don't need to apply much at all.Excessive lubrication can be just as bad as none at all!

 

[ArmedMainer]

I am DONE with Hoppe's #9 after getting sick as hell the last few times I inhaled it. That Hoppe's #9 is NASTY stuff.

Although you can't believe everything you read on the internet I've read on a few gun forums Hoppe's #9 is a carcinogen. Anyone here know for sure one way or the other ??

 

[PaulD]

Although you can't believe everything you read on the internet I've read on a few gun forums Hoppe's #9 is a carcinogen. Anyone here know for sure one way or the other ??

I bet any of the solvents mentioned here are carcinogens to some degree or other.

 

[Ray P]

Although you can't believe everything you read on the internet I've read on a few gun forums Hoppe's #9 is a carcinogen. Anyone here know for sure one way or the other ??

Some interesting info here. A general google search on "carcinogen" and "hoppes" gave plenty of speculative links, with little of authority.

Basically, if a compound contains a volatile aromatic hydrocarbon, it contains a carcinogen. Next you need to look at the duration & intensity of your exposure; and compare that to your exposure to other volatile aromatic hydrocarbons like gasoline, paint thinners, etc; or to other carcinogens like Alfotoxins in peanut butter.

"We're all gonna die!!!!!"

 

[FalArAk]

Marvel Mystery Oil
Valvoline Synthetic
DuPont Teflon spray
Sweets 7.62

I suppose I could come up with an alternative to clean the copper fouling to make all my cleaners and lubricants non-gunshop purchases,but I'm lazy.

I got tired of getting raped by gunshops with all the overpriced lubricants and cleaners a while ago.

 

[codenamepaul]

Beware that Simple Green is actually somewhat corrosive to aluminum. And there's no way I'd put an aluminum or steel piece in a dishwasher.

Agreed. Understand that anything is corrosive to aluminum if you leave it on there. I've never used it on anything other than my AR.

I am no proponent of using a dishwasher to clean guns, but I have heard of it working well for the smoke-poles. I clean mine in the tub!

 

[Cledus J. Crabb]

Butch's Bore Shine cleans the bore well and works nice on carbon build-up found on the bolt/carrier of my ARs. I leave the end of the bolt wet with it and wipe it off with a rag after 10 or 15 minutes.
I run "Tef-Dri" on the sliding surfaces of the carrier along with Ballistol applied on the rings and other bearing surfaces internally.

 

[Ray P]

Marvel Mystery Oil
Valvoline Synthetic
DuPont Teflon spray
Sweets 7.62

I suppose I could come up with an alternative to clean the copper fouling to make all my cleaners and lubricants non-gunshop purchases,but I'm lazy.

I got tired of getting raped by gunshops with all the overpriced lubricants and cleaners a while ago.

Try plumbers' ammonia available from hardware stores. I use it to get ALL the copper out of the bbl. I'm also very careful to get all the ammonia out when I'm done.

Check out Fr. Frog's discussion on alternate cleaning materials; including peroxide for lead build-up.

 

[Big Duke Six]

Have any of you guys tried GUNZILLA? I just bought some at the sportsmen's show in West Springfield, and was wondering if anybody's had a luck with it...

 

[codenamepaul]

Looks like I'll be brewing up a batch of Ed's Red. This is not the first I've heard of it, and have heard of it too much not to give it a whirl.

 

[newenglandjeff]

I mostly prefer USGI style CLP for my overall cleaning. For storing and lubricating I use Corrosion X. CLP dries up like Nancy Pelosi's... wit in an AR gas system. Corrosion X is significantly better in that respect IMO. However I have found that CLP will kill rust and dissolve powder better than CX.

My cleaning cycle for an AR goes like this,
1) Bore 5 passes with a copper brush and lots of CLP followed by baby wipes until they come out clean
2) Breach Ratcheting chamber and lots of CLP. Wipe it all out with baby wipes again
3) Bore 5 more passes with copper brush and CLP followed by dry patches. lastly a lubricating pass (in my case CX)
4) Bolt CLP and brushes, solvent if you roll that way. Wipe it all off with baby wipes, hit with CLP again to clean off any baby wipe residue, wipe it dry with a rag and lube it with your favorite storage/operating lube.
5) Reciever Same again, hit it with my favorite cleaner/rust buster CLP, wipe out the crud with baby wipes, clean up any baby wipe residue with CLP, wipe it dry with a rag or cotton swabs, lube it with protecting/operating lube (CX for me)

I also included a picture of some little triangle wedge thingies I find handy. I found them in my wifes make-up kit while she was away at work (no questions please).... ;-)
Actually I saw her using them to apply stuff to her face and found that they are squishy and absorbant, and work good to finish off a cleaning cycle. She says they only cost about $2 for the pack pictured.

 

[Fsorrent]

Looks like I'll be brewing up a batch of Ed's Red. This is not the first I've heard of it, and have heard of it too much not to give it a whirl.

This stuff is pretty nasty...In my honest opinion, it's not worth the effort. Save yourself the braincell's / money. It does it's job, but so do many other cleaners. It is cheaper to make a gallon of it than buying a gallon of BF CLP for example. But after making some of my own, I will dish out the $60 / gallon for CLP.

 

[jasonj84]

When I was in the Marines we used to use tile floor stripper. That is until someone left the M249 saw in the 5 gallon pail too long and it stripped off the bluing. Boy, were the armorers mad!

 

[K-DUB]

Kroil & M-Pro 7

 

[Sig Freak]

Folks,
Many of the home brews listed are either carcinogenic or contain dangerous chemicals. ATF and Motor oil contain dangerous additives that are poisonous to humans and animals. The Red mix contains acetone - highly volatile, be careful not to use near a source of ignition.

 

[92G]

Thankfully after 9.5 years the fumes will have dissipated.

 

[Lokdog]

Prolix. For the last 5 years stuff hasn't let me down & smells awesome

 

[VTski4x4]

Ballistol

 

[gamma19]

Gunzilla for cleaning, Ballistol for lube

 

[Waher]

M7pro cleaner & copper remover, Otis versions of the same, Froglube for a CLP.

 

[gerrycaruso]

I use many lubricants and cleaners and am of the opinion that what you use is not as important and how often you use it.

 

[babygorilla]

Dishwasher.


I run Glock...

 

[Mark from MA]

Eds Red, or Hoppes for cleaning, I like to soak metal parts, like auto pistol barrels in Eds red for a few hours. Use Polyethylene or Polypropylene containers if you don't want the plastic to melt or dissolve. Acetone dissolves anything styrenic.

Red and tacky syn grease on sliding parts and Mobil 1/ATF/Gear oil mixed up in thirds for oil.

CLP, or Ballistol for wipe down, just because I'm using it up.

Buying specialty cleaners for gun cleaning is madness. Mixing up a few commercial things you'll have several years supply

 

[Artie]

I clean everything in Hoppes and lube/protect with Mobil 1 synthetic. I still have a can of aerosol Remoil that I spray on the boresnake but once it is gone, not buying any more. I have spent more money on all kinds of cleaners/lubes until I realized Hoppes and synthetic oil is all that is needed...for me. For older collectibles, maybe more of a protector is needed but for my shooters, I have found what works for me. Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[cjrubes]

Old thread but I pretty much use Hoppes and Ballistol for just about everything. Most of the time i just use Ballistol, but every once in a while I'll throw some Hoppes in the bore for some deeper cleaning. I've been experimenting with Hoppes Elite lately and it seems to work pretty well IMO, though I don't think it's necessarily better then the 'classic' Hoppes.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk