BP cleaning, ever use Simple Green?

twobit · July 26, 2011, 10:05 AM

Anyone ever use Simple Green in hot water to clean a brass frame BP revolver (Italian made)?
A friend has asked me to clean his. It has been on a shelf for thirty years and is a little gummy (but not rusted or corroded).

Razor740 · July 26, 2011, 10:36 AM

Yes, usually on wood stocks.
Over time I've used everything from gasoline to spit.
Give it a try.

Tanker6 · July 26, 2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor740

Over time I've used everything from gasoline to spit.

I'll bet it keeps other folks from wantin' to shoot your stuff too.....

Hawg · July 26, 2011, 12:40 PM

I don't like the way it feels.

Rifleman1776 · July 26, 2011, 02:10 PM

Should work. Remove wood grips first.

Tanker6 · July 26, 2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg Haggen

I don't like the way it feels.

The gasoline or the spit?

Hawg · July 26, 2011, 05:25 PM

Simple Green. We have it at work. I don't use it.

arcticap · July 26, 2011, 06:10 PM

I like to add just a little bit of green cleaning power in the form of Pine Sol to dish soap & water.

mykeal · July 26, 2011, 06:52 PM

I assume that what you're trying to do is remove dirt (accumulated dust suspended in an oil film on the surfaces of the gun) and not black powder fouling - if it was fouling, there'd be rust.

With that in mind, Simple Green will work just fine, and will rinse away completely with plain water.

After which the metal should be thoroughly dried and oiled, of course.

Andy Griffith · July 26, 2011, 07:41 PM

Sure, I've used Soylent Green.

Seriously, I'm going to have to give it a try just to say I have.

**4V50 Gary** · July 27, 2011, 02:06 AM

I've used it but remember, the key is the hot water. If all comes to worse, hot water is all you really need.

twobit · July 27, 2011, 08:20 AM

OK, I cleaned it last night with simple green and hot water after taking it completely apart. Worked well. Then dried all parts in oven and oiled lightly with olive oil. He wanted the dull brass to shine again so I polished that. There was some light surface rust which I removed with steel wool. No BP fouling found. Most the workings were all gummed up with 20 years of dust/dirt. It functions very smoothly now. Attached pictures before/ after are somewhat fuzzy. The after picture is the one on the green towel. It is a 1851 .36 caliber import from the 70's.

Hawg · July 27, 2011, 10:48 AM

Looks good.

arcticap · July 27, 2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twobit

...Then dried all parts in oven and oiled lightly with olive oil....Most the workings were all gummed up with 20 years of dust/dirt....

Olive oil can turn into a varnish and gum up if left on a surface for very long,

twobit · July 27, 2011, 01:53 PM

Good to know....thanks.

Hawg · July 27, 2011, 02:49 PM

It's perfectly fine to use regular gun oil in the action, just not in the bore and chambers. Not unless you want to scrub it all out before you shoot.

mrappe · July 27, 2011, 09:11 PM

I us it every time I shoot my cap&ball revolvers. i just remove the cylinders and leeve off the wood grips and the rest into a tub of hot water and Simple Green. It works well with a tooth brush and a bore brush. After rinsing and drying make sure to lube some of the moving parts since Simple Green takes all of the oils out.

Madcap_Magician · July 27, 2011, 11:25 PM

Simple Green is a great gun cleaner... I use it for machine guns in particular.

Gatofeo · July 29, 2011, 01:13 PM

Someone makes a black powder machine gun? Is it a muzzleloader? That I GOTTA see, if only to see a human move that fast!

Some years ago I read that the first cartridges fired in the prototype Browning .50-caliber machine gun were assembled with black powder. The story goes that the cartridge, first made by Winchester, was something of an unknown when it came to using smokeless powder in it.
John Browning told Winchester, "You make the cartidges and I'll make the gun, and we'll do some shooting." (Source: John M. Browning: American Gunmaker by John Browning and Curt Gentry, copyright 1964).
I recall reading that the machine gun functioned fine with black powder, a testament to its excellent design and reliability.

Now, I read the above years ago. It may be true. It may be an utter fabrication. I checked the above cited book and found no mention of .50 BMG cartridges with black powder.
It's probably deep within my collection of 900-plus American Rifleman magazines, an unbroken set dating from this month's issue back to 1929. Or in my incomplete set of Handloader and Rifle magazines.

When I meet my maker I'll ask Him, Her, It or Them if it's true. On second thought, I'll just ask John Browning. It's a short question, and I should be in Paradise long enough to get his answer before they tell me I'm trespassing and need to move along to someplace less comfortable.

Busyhands94 · August 7, 2011, 05:26 PM

i like to use spit to clean my gun in the field too! i usually stick a patch in between my cheek and gum while i load my cap and ball and then after i finish loading it i run that sucker down my rifle's barrel. it seems to work just fine, maybe it's the enzymes that help break down the blackpowder residue. i also use Q-tips and spit to give my smaller pistol a quick cleaning in the field. seems to break down the powder residue just fine.

Stephanie B · August 8, 2011, 04:40 PM

Only caution might be that the airplane boys stopped using Simple Green because of corrosion issues. Simple Green now makes an aircraft wash version that has less corrosive qualities.

Probably not an issue for most folks here, given that single-action revolvers don't have a lot of aluminum parts (ejector rod housings on older Rugers excepted).

July 26, 2011, 10:05 AM	#1
twobit Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2010 Location: Coyote Creak, SW Texas Posts: 597	BP cleaning, ever use Simple Green? Anyone ever use Simple Green in hot water to clean a brass frame BP revolver (Italian made)? A friend has asked me to clean his. It has been on a shelf for thirty years and is a little gummy (but not rusted or corroded). __________________ Twobit, Strive to live up to the opinion that your dog has of you.

July 26, 2011, 07:41 PM	#10
Andy Griffith Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2009 Location: Macon Co. NC Posts: 591	Sure, I've used Soylent Green. Seriously, I'm going to have to give it a try just to say I have. __________________ Barney Fife: "Nip it, nip it, nip it!" Andy Griffith:"Oh now Barn'...."

July 27, 2011, 02:06 AM	#11
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,838	I've used it but remember, the key is the hot water. If all comes to worse, hot water is all you really need. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 27, 2011, 01:53 PM	#15
twobit Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2010 Location: Coyote Creak, SW Texas Posts: 597	Good to know....thanks. __________________ Twobit, Strive to live up to the opinion that your dog has of you.

July 27, 2011, 09:11 PM	#17
mrappe Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 256	I us it every time I shoot my cap&ball revolvers. i just remove the cylinders and leeve off the wood grips and the rest into a tub of hot water and Simple Green. It works well with a tooth brush and a bore brush. After rinsing and drying make sure to lube some of the moving parts since Simple Green takes all of the oils out. __________________ God is fluxing me which is good but it is not fun.

July 26, 2011, 10:36 AM	#2
Razor740 Member Join Date: August 11, 2010 Location: Hoquiam, WA Posts: 36	Yes, usually on wood stocks. Over time I've used everything from gasoline to spit. Give it a try.

July 26, 2011, 12:40 PM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	I don't like the way it feels.

July 26, 2011, 02:10 PM	#5
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	Should work. Remove wood grips first.

July 26, 2011, 05:25 PM	#7
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Simple Green. We have it at work. I don't use it.

July 26, 2011, 06:10 PM	#8
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	I like to add just a little bit of green cleaning power in the form of Pine Sol to dish soap & water.

July 26, 2011, 06:52 PM	#9
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	I assume that what you're trying to do is remove dirt (accumulated dust suspended in an oil film on the surfaces of the gun) and not black powder fouling - if it was fouling, there'd be rust. With that in mind, Simple Green will work just fine, and will rinse away completely with plain water. After which the metal should be thoroughly dried and oiled, of course.

July 27, 2011, 10:48 AM	#13
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Looks good.

July 27, 2011, 02:49 PM	#16
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	It's perfectly fine to use regular gun oil in the action, just not in the bore and chambers. Not unless you want to scrub it all out before you shoot.

July 27, 2011, 11:25 PM	#18
Madcap_Magician Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2009 Location: MN Posts: 668	Simple Green is a great gun cleaner... I use it for machine guns in particular.

July 29, 2011, 01:13 PM	#19
Gatofeo Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2004 Location: Remote Utah desert Posts: 224	Someone makes a black powder machine gun? Is it a muzzleloader? That I GOTTA see, if only to see a human move that fast! Some years ago I read that the first cartridges fired in the prototype Browning .50-caliber machine gun were assembled with black powder. The story goes that the cartridge, first made by Winchester, was something of an unknown when it came to using smokeless powder in it. John Browning told Winchester, "You make the cartidges and I'll make the gun, and we'll do some shooting." (Source: John M. Browning: American Gunmaker by John Browning and Curt Gentry, copyright 1964). I recall reading that the machine gun functioned fine with black powder, a testament to its excellent design and reliability. Now, I read the above years ago. It may be true. It may be an utter fabrication. I checked the above cited book and found no mention of .50 BMG cartridges with black powder. It's probably deep within my collection of 900-plus American Rifleman magazines, an unbroken set dating from this month's issue back to 1929. Or in my incomplete set of Handloader and Rifle magazines. When I meet my maker I'll ask Him, Her, It or Them if it's true. On second thought, I'll just ask John Browning. It's a short question, and I should be in Paradise long enough to get his answer before they tell me I'm trespassing and need to move along to someplace less comfortable. __________________ "And lo, did I see an ugly cat. Smoke. Brimstone. Holes in parchment. And this ugly cat was much amused." --- The Prophesies of Gatodamus (1503 - 1566)

August 7, 2011, 05:26 PM	#20
Busyhands94 Member Join Date: August 7, 2011 Posts: 31	i like to use spit to clean my gun in the field too! i usually stick a patch in between my cheek and gum while i load my cap and ball and then after i finish loading it i run that sucker down my rifle's barrel. it seems to work just fine, maybe it's the enzymes that help break down the blackpowder residue. i also use Q-tips and spit to give my smaller pistol a quick cleaning in the field. seems to break down the powder residue just fine.

August 8, 2011, 04:40 PM	#21
Stephanie B Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2008 Location: NWern SE Missouri Posts: 339	Only caution might be that the airplane boys stopped using Simple Green because of corrosion issues. Simple Green now makes an aircraft wash version that has less corrosive qualities. Probably not an issue for most folks here, given that single-action revolvers don't have a lot of aluminum parts (ejector rod housings on older Rugers excepted).