Temperature Sensitivity of Meprolight Night Sights

Incursion · November 24, 2001, 07:57 PM

Since I rinse my gun under water after cleaning it in a Mpro 7 bath, I put my gun in the oven to dry it. I usually set the oven for 300 F and leave the gun in there for about 20 minutes. I have been told that this could break the sealant on my Meprolight tritium vials and cause my sights to have a shorter lifespan. Does anyone known how much heat the sealant can withstand?

Walt Sherrill · November 24, 2001, 09:42 PM

Don't know, but its bound to be hard on the gun's sights.

You're the first I've ever heard of who dries his gun in an oven.

I'd be willing to bet a hair-dryer would work just as well, and a lot more quickly (and cheaply.)

You could also use carb/brake cleaner, and then lube very lightly? (You've already got the grips off, anyway.) A lot less likely to cause long-term problems, and just as likely to get rid of moisture or water.

9x45 · November 24, 2001, 10:45 PM

I hope this is not a carry gun! Rinse it in water, for no reason, and then, leave it at 300 *F, for no reason. Where in hell did you get this method from??? From the manual that came with the weapon... What? this MP7pro whatever solvent doesn't go away until it reaches 300*F? This is, without a doubt, the most bizare gun cleaning system I have ever heard of in over 35 years of shooting.

Incursion · November 24, 2001, 10:51 PM

I'm starting to realize that this probably isn't the most prudent method. I don't trust a blow dryer to complete dry off the water because the gun is a P7M8 (yes, this will be my carry gun). There is a tiny hole in the barrel that bleeds the gas into the tube below it. I'm going to start using ethanol to dry it. A lot of the guys over at SIG forum stick their guns in the oven, but they do it to bake on militec-1, a lubricant. I just do it to dry the gun.

If I immerse the gun in ethanol after I rinse off the Mpro7 with water, will that dry up all of the water? Can I just substitute a bottle of Everclear for the ethanol?

George Stringer · November 25, 2001, 08:34 AM

Incursion, get a gallon of Water Displacing Oil from Brownells. This is the same oil used by smiths after the last rinsing in hot bluing. After the parts are rinsed they are suspended in the oil. I usually leave them in the oil until the next morning. Take them out, wipe them off and assemble. The oil replaces every molecule of water with a molecule of oil. The oven bit will loosen the glue that holds the inserts in place. George

C.R.Sam · November 25, 2001, 10:48 AM

Must be spectacular in a microwave.

Sam

Incursion · November 25, 2001, 09:19 PM

George, does it take all night for the oil to displace the water?

Cheapo · November 26, 2001, 04:57 PM

200 Farenheit should do just fine, and just might be within the tolerances of all parts of the firearm. Maybe even 160.

I'm just not sold on the water rinse.

Incursion · November 26, 2001, 06:30 PM

Since Mpro 7 is waterbased, there won't be any need to rinsing it with water anymore. I'll just use some ethanol or water displacing oil.

Keith J · November 26, 2001, 06:52 PM

All tritium sights are sealed glass ampules. The Tritium gas is in a tube that is melted shut on both ends.

Pressure rise from a 300 F oven shouldn't cause a problem as I'm sure the glass was much hotter than that after it was sealed but it could have been compensated.

The general practice of rinsing the cleaning solvent isn't recommended due to hard water stains and the like. Just wipe off all you can get to and put a protecting coat of a good oil on the stuff you cannot.

If you must dunk, denatured ethanol sounds perfect. Make sure to apply a good coat of oil as the metal will be dry.

Incursion · November 26, 2001, 10:59 PM

Will a bottle of EverClear suffice?

Keith J · November 27, 2001, 12:22 PM

Yes, but why? Go down to your local home improvment store and buy a gallon of denatured EtOH. Much cheaper as you are not paying tax to the IRS.

Incursion · November 28, 2001, 08:04 PM

Thanks for the advice Keith.

November 24, 2001, 07:57 PM	#1
Incursion Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2000 Location: TX Posts: 803	Temperature Sensitivity of Meprolight Night Sights Since I rinse my gun under water after cleaning it in a Mpro 7 bath, I put my gun in the oven to dry it. I usually set the oven for 300 F and leave the gun in there for about 20 minutes. I have been told that this could break the sealant on my Meprolight tritium vials and cause my sights to have a shorter lifespan. Does anyone known how much heat the sealant can withstand?

November 26, 2001, 04:57 PM	#8
Cheapo Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 1998 Posts: 986	200 Farenheit should do just fine, and just might be within the tolerances of all parts of the firearm. Maybe even 160. I'm just not sold on the water rinse. __________________ Let us never forget that the only legitimate source of government power is the citizens. If WE cannot exercise a certain power, we cannot grant it to the state.

November 26, 2001, 06:52 PM	#10
Keith J Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2000 Posts: 469	Why?? All tritium sights are sealed glass ampules. The Tritium gas is in a tube that is melted shut on both ends. Pressure rise from a 300 F oven shouldn't cause a problem as I'm sure the glass was much hotter than that after it was sealed but it could have been compensated. The general practice of rinsing the cleaning solvent isn't recommended due to hard water stains and the like. Just wipe off all you can get to and put a protecting coat of a good oil on the stuff you cannot. If you must dunk, denatured ethanol sounds perfect. Make sure to apply a good coat of oil as the metal will be dry.

November 24, 2001, 09:42 PM	#2
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	Don't know, but its bound to be hard on the gun's sights. You're the first I've ever heard of who dries his gun in an oven. I'd be willing to bet a hair-dryer would work just as well, and a lot more quickly (and cheaply.) You could also use carb/brake cleaner, and then lube very lightly? (You've already got the grips off, anyway.) A lot less likely to cause long-term problems, and just as likely to get rid of moisture or water.

November 24, 2001, 10:45 PM	#3
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	I hope this is not a carry gun! Rinse it in water, for no reason, and then, leave it at 300 F, for no reason. Where in hell did you get this method from??? From the manual that came with the weapon... What? this MP7pro whatever solvent doesn't go away until it reaches 300F? This is, without a doubt, the most bizare gun cleaning system I have ever heard of in over 35 years of shooting.

November 24, 2001, 10:51 PM	#4
Incursion Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2000 Location: TX Posts: 803	I'm starting to realize that this probably isn't the most prudent method. I don't trust a blow dryer to complete dry off the water because the gun is a P7M8 (yes, this will be my carry gun). There is a tiny hole in the barrel that bleeds the gas into the tube below it. I'm going to start using ethanol to dry it. A lot of the guys over at SIG forum stick their guns in the oven, but they do it to bake on militec-1, a lubricant. I just do it to dry the gun. If I immerse the gun in ethanol after I rinse off the Mpro7 with water, will that dry up all of the water? Can I just substitute a bottle of Everclear for the ethanol?

November 25, 2001, 08:34 AM	#5
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Incursion, get a gallon of Water Displacing Oil from Brownells. This is the same oil used by smiths after the last rinsing in hot bluing. After the parts are rinsed they are suspended in the oil. I usually leave them in the oil until the next morning. Take them out, wipe them off and assemble. The oil replaces every molecule of water with a molecule of oil. The oven bit will loosen the glue that holds the inserts in place. George

November 25, 2001, 10:48 AM	#6
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Must be spectacular in a microwave. Sam

November 25, 2001, 09:19 PM	#7
Incursion Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2000 Location: TX Posts: 803	George, does it take all night for the oil to displace the water?

November 26, 2001, 06:30 PM	#9
Incursion Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2000 Location: TX Posts: 803	Since Mpro 7 is waterbased, there won't be any need to rinsing it with water anymore. I'll just use some ethanol or water displacing oil.

November 26, 2001, 10:59 PM	#11
Incursion Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2000 Location: TX Posts: 803	Will a bottle of EverClear suffice?

November 27, 2001, 12:22 PM	#12
Keith J Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2000 Posts: 469	Yes, but why? Go down to your local home improvment store and buy a gallon of denatured EtOH. Much cheaper as you are not paying tax to the IRS.

November 28, 2001, 08:04 PM	#13
Incursion Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2000 Location: TX Posts: 803	Thanks for the advice Keith.