Nickel Plating

fshfindr · May 28, 2013, 01:27 PM

I'm about (I live in NJ) to take possession of my new to me 8 inch Trooper MkIII with nickel plating. I know there are plenty of cleaning threads but I can't find one about cleaning nickel plating. Brake cleaner, carb. cleaner, diesel fuel, WD40, even glass cleaner, Dunk kit, lots of choices. I have a snake for the barrel but what cleaner should I use? Someone also said to run Hoppes #9 thru the gun until it runs out. That may be a good idea since I don't know what or how many have been thru it. I have always used #9 but now I don't want to damage the plating. Carb. and brake cleaner sound good, but what about the nickel? I need some advise from some of you who have nickel plated guns. I'm open to all suggestions except #9.
Thanks.

newfrontier45 · May 28, 2013, 01:33 PM

Methinks a lot of folks overdo it. All I do is wipe them off with CLP after shooting.

Bill DeShivs · May 28, 2013, 01:47 PM

Don't soak the gun in anything. Use standard gun cleaning products. Wipe the gun clean. Oil.
Soon, someone will tell you that Hoppe's #9 will strip the nickel. It won't. Just use it in the bore and wipe off any excess.

James K · May 28, 2013, 02:03 PM

I advise not using ANY ammonia based cleaner, including Hoppes #9, on a nickel plated gun. The reason is the older type nickel is electroplated on with a copper undercladding. Ammonia cleaners, designed to remove the residue from copper bullet jackets, will dissolve the copper if it can get to it, leaving the nickel unsupported and peeling.

With normal firing, some nickel can affected by the muzzle blast or burning powder, leaving places where the copper can be reached by the ammonia, like the muzzle and front of the cylinders, but the ammonia can also reach the copper through any minute cracks in the nickel.

So, IMHO, it is better NOT to use any ammonia cleaner on any nickel plated gun, even for cleaning the bore.

Jim

aarondhgraham · May 28, 2013, 02:53 PM

I only have three nickel plated handguns,,,
They both clean up very nicely using plain old CLP and a toothbrush.

Not all nickel plated guns have that copper underlay,,,
But since Hoppes #9 is a copper solvent,,,
My take is, why take the chance.

A close friend of mine inherited her grandfather's nickel plated Model 10,,,
She shoots it a lot and used Hoppes #9 to clean the bore,,,
In just a few short years the plating has degraded,,,
And it started at the muzzle of the barrel.

Does this always happen?
I can't answer that.

I simply say,,,
Why chance it.

Aarond

.

MarkDozier · May 30, 2013, 01:11 AM

Quote:

clean it with Breakfree, dry, and apply Renaissance wax, (external finish) to protect it.

Renaissanance Wax is awesomely amazing. It will polish the gun so nice you will not want to shoot it cause it gets dirty.

Carmady · May 30, 2013, 05:50 AM

I searched about cleaning nickel recently, and used the 3-part Ed's Red.

Equal parts mineral spirits, Dextron III ATF, and kerosene.

I let the thing soak over night; did the same with a chrome plated gun. No problems I could see.

ER info here:
http://handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9

May 28, 2013, 01:27 PM	#1
fshfindr Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2013 Location: South Jersey Posts: 188	Nickel Plating I'm about (I live in NJ) to take possession of my new to me 8 inch Trooper MkIII with nickel plating. I know there are plenty of cleaning threads but I can't find one about cleaning nickel plating. Brake cleaner, carb. cleaner, diesel fuel, WD40, even glass cleaner, Dunk kit, lots of choices. I have a snake for the barrel but what cleaner should I use? Someone also said to run Hoppes #9 thru the gun until it runs out. That may be a good idea since I don't know what or how many have been thru it. I have always used #9 but now I don't want to damage the plating. Carb. and brake cleaner sound good, but what about the nickel? I need some advise from some of you who have nickel plated guns. I'm open to all suggestions except #9. Thanks. __________________ Richard L.

May 28, 2013, 01:47 PM	#3
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Don't soak the gun in anything. Use standard gun cleaning products. Wipe the gun clean. Oil. Soon, someone will tell you that Hoppe's #9 will strip the nickel. It won't. Just use it in the bore and wipe off any excess. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 28, 2013, 02:53 PM	#5
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	I only have three nickel plated guns,,, I only have three nickel plated handguns,,, They both clean up very nicely using plain old CLP and a toothbrush. Not all nickel plated guns have that copper underlay,,, But since Hoppes #9 is a copper solvent,,, My take is, why take the chance. A close friend of mine inherited her grandfather's nickel plated Model 10,,, She shoots it a lot and used Hoppes #9 to clean the bore,,, In just a few short years the plating has degraded,,, And it started at the muzzle of the barrel. Does this always happen? I can't answer that. I simply say,,, Why chance it. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

May 28, 2013, 01:33 PM	#2
newfrontier45 Junior member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Posts: 921	Methinks a lot of folks overdo it. All I do is wipe them off with CLP after shooting.

May 28, 2013, 02:03 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I advise not using ANY ammonia based cleaner, including Hoppes #9, on a nickel plated gun. The reason is the older type nickel is electroplated on with a copper undercladding. Ammonia cleaners, designed to remove the residue from copper bullet jackets, will dissolve the copper if it can get to it, leaving the nickel unsupported and peeling. With normal firing, some nickel can affected by the muzzle blast or burning powder, leaving places where the copper can be reached by the ammonia, like the muzzle and front of the cylinders, but the ammonia can also reach the copper through any minute cracks in the nickel. So, IMHO, it is better NOT to use any ammonia cleaner on any nickel plated gun, even for cleaning the bore. Jim

May 30, 2013, 05:50 AM	#7
Carmady Senior Member Join Date: February 26, 2013 Location: on the lam Posts: 1,735	I searched about cleaning nickel recently, and used the 3-part Ed's Red. Equal parts mineral spirits, Dextron III ATF, and kerosene. I let the thing soak over night; did the same with a chrome plated gun. No problems I could see. ER info here: http://handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9