Cleaning moon clips - boy am I dumb

spacecoast · December 3, 2012, 09:50 AM

I sat and patiently cleaned the crud from about 20 moon clips this morning with a brush and some #9. Spent more than half an hour on it. When I finished I thought to myself... hmm... this would have been a good job for the walnut shells in my brass tumbler.

drail · December 3, 2012, 11:10 AM

Been there - tried that - didn't work very well. I take all my moon clips and place them in a can and let them soak in solvent for 24 hours and then wipe them off with a rig. If would be very convenient to be able to just toss them in a machine but doing them by hand is the only way I have found to really get them de-funked. Using a tumbler on dirty clips will also trash your media and make a mess of the bowl which you will then get to clean out with solvent and a rag. No free ride I'm afraid. I have also heard guys claim they use their dishwasher for this job.

You can't make this stuff up.

lapetrarca53 · December 3, 2012, 11:26 AM

How about one of those cheap ultrasonic cleaners from Harbor Freight?

I've got one and have used it for cleaning a number of things.

spacecoast · December 3, 2012, 03:26 PM

Both good points... I'm sure the soaking is beneficial in both cases. I will try that at a minimum next time. Maybe a little paint thinner.

drail · December 3, 2012, 05:20 PM

Whatever gets it off of the gun should get it off of the clips. You shouldn't need anything "special".

spacecoast · December 3, 2012, 05:23 PM

... just trying to think of what's cheaper... I have a lot more paint thinner (or gasoline) than I do #9.

DFrame · December 3, 2012, 05:42 PM

I've been using a product from Pro-Shot they call the metal care cloth. Comes in a Mylar bag and is treated with something. Rag is pink and removes powder residue like magic. Doesn't seem to have any effect on the bluing either. Just give them a quick wipe down with the metal care cloth, then wipe them with a clean cloth.

orionengnr · December 4, 2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

... just trying to think of what's cheaper... I have a lot more paint thinner (or gasoline) than I do #9.

Ed's Red...

drail · December 5, 2012, 12:45 AM

Paint thinner won't cut carbon residue as well as powder solvent (or Ed's Red) and it is hard on your hands without gloves. I use a crude version of Ed's Red that is 50/50 Dexron ATF and acetone. Don't even think of using gasoline.

December 3, 2012, 09:50 AM	#1
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 3,395	Cleaning moon clips - boy am I dumb I sat and patiently cleaned the crud from about 20 moon clips this morning with a brush and some #9. Spent more than half an hour on it. When I finished I thought to myself... hmm... this would have been a good job for the walnut shells in my brass tumbler. __________________ My guns include S&W and Colt revolvers, Colt and Ruger pistols, Remington 870 shotgun, Henry and Marlin .22LR rifles, Hi-Point 9mm carbine and Lancaster Arms AK. I reload handgun rounds with a Lee hand press, over 18K rounds since Nov. 2009 with nary a squib nor kaboom. Last edited by spacecoast; December 3, 2012 at 10:28 AM.

December 3, 2012, 11:26 AM	#3
lapetrarca53 Member Join Date: September 10, 2012 Posts: 48	Just curious..... How about one of those cheap ultrasonic cleaners from Harbor Freight? I've got one and have used it for cleaning a number of things.

December 3, 2012, 03:26 PM	#4
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 3,395	Both good points... I'm sure the soaking is beneficial in both cases. I will try that at a minimum next time. Maybe a little paint thinner. __________________ My guns include S&W and Colt revolvers, Colt and Ruger pistols, Remington 870 shotgun, Henry and Marlin .22LR rifles, Hi-Point 9mm carbine and Lancaster Arms AK. I reload handgun rounds with a Lee hand press, over 18K rounds since Nov. 2009 with nary a squib nor kaboom.

December 3, 2012, 05:23 PM	#6
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 3,395	... just trying to think of what's cheaper... I have a lot more paint thinner (or gasoline) than I do #9. __________________ My guns include S&W and Colt revolvers, Colt and Ruger pistols, Remington 870 shotgun, Henry and Marlin .22LR rifles, Hi-Point 9mm carbine and Lancaster Arms AK. I reload handgun rounds with a Lee hand press, over 18K rounds since Nov. 2009 with nary a squib nor kaboom.

December 3, 2012, 05:42 PM	#7
DFrame Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2008 Location: central Illinois Posts: 453	I've been using a product from Pro-Shot they call the metal care cloth. Comes in a Mylar bag and is treated with something. Rag is pink and removes powder residue like magic. Doesn't seem to have any effect on the bluing either. Just give them a quick wipe down with the metal care cloth, then wipe them with a clean cloth. __________________ Mark Lane to William Buckley: "Have you ever referred to Jessee Jackson as an ignoramus?" Buckley: "If I didn't, I should have"

December 3, 2012, 11:10 AM	#2
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	Been there - tried that - didn't work very well. I take all my moon clips and place them in a can and let them soak in solvent for 24 hours and then wipe them off with a rig. If would be very convenient to be able to just toss them in a machine but doing them by hand is the only way I have found to really get them de-funked. Using a tumbler on dirty clips will also trash your media and make a mess of the bowl which you will then get to clean out with solvent and a rag. No free ride I'm afraid. I have also heard guys claim they use their dishwasher for this job. You can't make this stuff up.

December 3, 2012, 05:20 PM	#5
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	Whatever gets it off of the gun should get it off of the clips. You shouldn't need anything "special".

December 5, 2012, 12:45 AM	#9
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	Paint thinner won't cut carbon residue as well as powder solvent (or Ed's Red) and it is hard on your hands without gloves. I use a crude version of Ed's Red that is 50/50 Dexron ATF and acetone. Don't even think of using gasoline.