The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > The Smithy

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 3, 2011, 11:52 PM   #1
Ambidextrous
Member
 
Join Date: June 6, 2008
Location: VA
Posts: 70
CLEANER(S):

Fellow Firearms Friends, Fanatics, Followers, Folks, and aFicionados:

Not sure which sub-forum would be any better suited for this question, so here we go......

Birchwood Casey "Gun Scrubber" (spray can) - is this stuff a "good" general/all-purpose cleaner for ALL firearms, please?

Any/all opinions, etc. are welcome!

Thanks in advance,
Glenn...

Last edited by Ambidextrous; February 4, 2011 at 02:05 AM.
Ambidextrous is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 12:55 AM   #2
Ideal Tool
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 6, 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,080
I haven't used it myself...but I would hesitate using a spray solvent due to the damage it can do to a wood stocks finish if oversprayed. For de-greasing my bullet moulds, I use brake cleaner..if B.C.G.S. comes out as cold as the B.C., I would be concerened about metal parts deep inside "frosting" and then sweating..would have to be careful to use good rust prevent.
Ideal Tool is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 02:05 AM   #3
Incognito
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 19, 2008
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 370
Gun Scrubber is basically non-chlorinated brake cleaner (degreaser). It will remove all lubricants & protectants and consequently any dirt and debris along with them. It is supposed to be relatively safe for polymers & wood finishes, but personally I wouldn't use it on either. As a cleaner by itself, it's not so good and I don't believe it is intended to be one. It is however good for flushing out fouling after you have used a proper cleaner (ie. Bore Scrubber), afterwhich you will always want to follow up and re-apply clean lubricant and/or protectant.

I don't know what you're using it for, but I would highly recommend trying isopropyl alcohol for degreasing & flushing purposes. The 91% is good, but the 99% is better. It's non-toxic as opposed to brake cleaners (or BC's GS), and when used in a spray bottle along with a tooth brush, just as effective for gun applications and a lot cheaper too. With the alcohol, you won't have to worry about it damaging polymers and should be mild enough not to damage most wood finishes.

Last edited by Incognito; February 4, 2011 at 02:16 AM.
Incognito is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 04:18 AM   #4
jmortimer
Junior member
 
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
Ballistol is non-toxic so no gloves needed. It is good for metal, wood, plastic, leather. The original "CLP" - The more I use it the more I like it.
jmortimer is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 08:01 AM   #5
Doyle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 20, 2007
Location: Rainbow City, Alabama
Posts: 7,167
Quote:
Gun Scrubber is basically non-chlorinated brake cleaner (degreaser).
Yep. So, as long as that is all it is, you can get brake cleaner for about 1/3 the cost of Gun Scrubber. NOT recommened for anything plastic - but works great on the all-metal guns.
Doyle is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 08:47 AM   #6
jaguarxk120
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 28, 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,617
Carb cleaner work great too. Just get the house brand at the auto parts store.
jaguarxk120 is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 09:34 AM   #7
Doyle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 20, 2007
Location: Rainbow City, Alabama
Posts: 7,167
Quote:
Carb cleaner work great too.
Even though I have used carb cleaner in a pinch, I hesitate to for two reasons.

1. Its fumes are REALLY toxic so you have to take it outside to use it.
2. It is extremely flamable, so you need to let it dry off before taking it back inside if there is any possibility of the gun comming into contact with a heat source or spark.
Doyle is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 09:42 AM   #8
rantingredneck
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 12, 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 4,728
Quote:
It is supposed to be relatively safe for polymers & wood finishes, but personally I wouldn't use it on either.
ONLY if you buy the synthetic safe formulation. The original formula (which is still sold) will whiten many synthetics and damage wood finishes as well.

I buy and use the "synthetic safe" formula and it works great for what it is.
__________________
NRA Member
NC Hunter's Education Instructor

PCCA Member (What's PCCA you ask? <- Check the link)
rantingredneck is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 11:01 AM   #9
drail
Junior member
 
Join Date: February 2, 2008
Posts: 3,150
ALL you need is a bottle of CLP, an M16 brush and a rag. Forget about aerosal products. You waste half of the product and as stated it goes where you don't want/need it to go. Forget about carb cleaner, it is not designed to dissolve powder residue. The fumes are nasty. If you gun is really dirty, tear it down and mop it all over with CLP, let it soak for a while and then clean it. Save youir pennies and buy a small compressor and blow most of the gunk out. Now for the bore, you may need something that will dissolve copper fouling. Buy some copper solvent. Let it soak for 20 minutes or so. No more. Repeat until the bore is clean. Relube everything.
drail is offline  
Old February 4, 2011, 07:19 PM   #10
Incognito
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 19, 2008
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 370
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaguarxk120
Carb cleaner work great too. Just get the house brand at the auto parts store.
Bore Scrubber smells just like Berryman's B-12 fuel system cleaner
Incognito is offline  
Old February 6, 2011, 02:19 AM   #11
Ambidextrous
Member
 
Join Date: June 6, 2008
Location: VA
Posts: 70
Thank you all...I also have these products...they're Good quality - correct5?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Outers_oil_&_solvent.jpg (226.5 KB, 15 views)
Ambidextrous is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.04499 seconds with 9 queries