The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Controversy re Simple Green and firearms cleaning.

C.R.Sam · January 10, 2001, 12:21 AM

For lo these many years I have been using Simple Green for darn near everything cept makin mint julips. De-greasing oiled birds, cleaning everything under the sun. Removing blood stains, washing my beard, parts cleaning, getting crud off/out of guns. etc etc.

Recently I have seen a couple of posts wherein it was expressed that Simple Green should not be used for cleaning firearms. Supposedly the cleaner would cause hydrogen embrittlement of the gun parts. Since I break old habits only when hit on the head with a hammer and having some experience with mil-spec requirements for arms and aircraft parts........I asked the good folks at Sunshine Products for their take on this.

I'm gonna keep on usin it.

Following posted with permission of the sender. Note that the test samples were cad plated, stretched to near tensile limit while being soaked for days.
----------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sam:
Thanks for your inquiry, and for being such a long-term supporter of
Simple Green!

The information you've heard comes from the military. They put
cleaning products through a rigorous "mil-prf" testing before allowing
use on aircraft. The hydrogen embrittlement test involves soaking a
coupon of cadmium plated AISI 4340 steel in full-strength and 10%
solution and then subjecting the coupons to tensile strength
(stretching) for 150 hours. Failures prior to 150 hours produce a
failure of the cleaner to pass mil-prf. ASTM stipulates that this
test is only applicable to the specified steel and results cannot be
extrapolated to any other kind of metal. Simple Green did not pass
this test and, therefore, has not been marketed to the aircraft
industry.

However, Simple Green has been used to clean guns for over 20 years.
In my 8 years here, I've spoken with several police forces and
subcontractors to police forces that use Simple Green to clean
firearms. None has ever reported any problems at all. As long as you
don't soak guns or gun parts for more than a few minutes, and you
rinse well and relubricate, (which one would do anyway,) you will not
have any problems.

Thanks again for contacting us, and for choosing Simple Green!
Sincerely,

Carol Chapin
Environmental & Regulatory Coordinator
SIMPLE GREEN
(800) 228-0709
[email protected]
--------------------------------------------------------
Sam...follow me, I know a shortcut

January 10, 2001, 12:21 AM	#1
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	For lo these many years I have been using Simple Green for darn near everything cept makin mint julips. De-greasing oiled birds, cleaning everything under the sun. Removing blood stains, washing my beard, parts cleaning, getting crud off/out of guns. etc etc. Recently I have seen a couple of posts wherein it was expressed that Simple Green should not be used for cleaning firearms. Supposedly the cleaner would cause hydrogen embrittlement of the gun parts. Since I break old habits only when hit on the head with a hammer and having some experience with mil-spec requirements for arms and aircraft parts........I asked the good folks at Sunshine Products for their take on this. I'm gonna keep on usin it. Following posted with permission of the sender. Note that the test samples were cad plated, stretched to near tensile limit while being soaked for days. ---------------------------------------------------------- Dear Sam: Thanks for your inquiry, and for being such a long-term supporter of Simple Green! The information you've heard comes from the military. They put cleaning products through a rigorous "mil-prf" testing before allowing use on aircraft. The hydrogen embrittlement test involves soaking a coupon of cadmium plated AISI 4340 steel in full-strength and 10% solution and then subjecting the coupons to tensile strength (stretching) for 150 hours. Failures prior to 150 hours produce a failure of the cleaner to pass mil-prf. ASTM stipulates that this test is only applicable to the specified steel and results cannot be extrapolated to any other kind of metal. Simple Green did not pass this test and, therefore, has not been marketed to the aircraft industry. However, Simple Green has been used to clean guns for over 20 years. In my 8 years here, I've spoken with several police forces and subcontractors to police forces that use Simple Green to clean firearms. None has ever reported any problems at all. As long as you don't soak guns or gun parts for more than a few minutes, and you rinse well and relubricate, (which one would do anyway,) you will not have any problems. Thanks again for contacting us, and for choosing Simple Green! Sincerely, Carol Chapin Environmental & Regulatory Coordinator SIMPLE GREEN (800) 228-0709 [email protected] -------------------------------------------------------- Sam...follow me, I know a shortcut