Soap and water?

[Makoe]

Is it alright to wash stainless steel guns in soap and water?

I wouldn't. Even if you oil them right away, you can get moisture in internal parts, and they may not all be stainless.

[Makoe]

Whats the best way to clean all those nooks and crannies then?
Gun Scrubber?

I hate that stuff because I usually go through a bottle very quickly

If you can get your gun down to only metal parts, you can try brake cleaner that you can get at any auto parts store...it works like gun scrubber but is a lot less expensive.

[buzz_knox]

Buy a Glock. You can clean them in the dishwasher.

[JoeHatley]

Makoe,

You've got the right idea, but the wrong liquid.

Mix up a batch of this, and brush your guns in it. It's a great way to "wash" your guns.

1/2 gal mineral spirits
1/2 gal kerosene
1 quart auto trans fluid
1 quart Rislone
1 pint Marvel's Mystery Oil

Just imuserse the gun in a bucket of this stuff, and scrub away with nylon and/or bronse brushes. Same way you would scrub a big dirty cooking pan in a sink of water and soap.

When done, every nook and cranny will not only be clean, but lubricated as well.

Good Luck...

Joe

[burrhead]

uuhhh...Hoppes #9 and a toothbrush?

[MeekAndMild]

What is Rislone?

[Redlg155]

The only Stainless weapon that I would attempt to clean would be one of the stainless Ruger single action black powder revolvers (cap n ball type). Even then you have commercial black powder cleaning solutions that work better then soap and water.

I just use some Hoppes #9 and some good old elbow grease. What better excuse to getting out of doing household chores than to spend time cleaning your guns after the range?

Good Shooting
RED

[JoeHatley]

M&M,

Rislone is an automotive oil and/or fuel additive. It has the ability to help disolve carbon build up (read: cylinder face and forcing cone). Same for the Marvel's.

Most any auto parts store will have it.

Joe

[4V50 Gary]

Only blackpowder weapons need to be scrubbed with soap and hot water. Why hot? You want it to evaporate quickly. I generally toss my Ruger Old Army into the oven and bake it dry after I scrub it.

Modern firearms should be cleaned with modern gun solvents. Soap & hot water only removes powder burns, surface dirt, grease and oils. It will do nothing for lead or copper.

[ArmySon]

Remember, although your gun maybe stainless (stainless still rusts), many of the internal parts are not stainless. Using brake cleaner is a lot easier then soap and water.

Soap and water is just fine if you dry it properly. There are a ton of us who use Ultrasonic Cleaners and the method we use to remove all traces of H2O is the oven Set the oven temperature to about 300 degrees and bake your gun afterwards. Be sure to lube it properly afterwards.

[yorec]

Another note for those using soap and water for blackpowder weapons:

The gun needs to stay in the hot water long enough to heat up the metal. This will evaporate any left over water quickly and help disburse that coat of grease that should always follow the soapy dunking. Use organic stuff (crisco or butter, or Bore Butter) the heat then also helps it cure, sort of like on a cast iron frying pan, and gives an added measure of corrosion prevention.

The rule pretty much should be Modern weapons, use modern methods. Black poweder weapons, use black powder methods. The cleaning methods don't mix any better than smokeless powder does in a smokepole...

[Jim V]

And what do you use on the bores if you should happen to shoot corrosive ammo? Modern day solvents are not formulated for corrosive ammo, they will not touch the fouling. Hot soapy water will remove the corossive residue left after firing. Use water so hot it hurts to hold the gun in it. Themetal will heat up enough for what water is left to evaporate. You really worry about having some H2O left inside the pistol, hang it in a large container of boiling water, let it set for several minutes and haul it out to drain.

[LIProgun]

To answer the question presented, yes you can clean stainless -- or any gun -- with soap and water. The key is to remove the residual water when done to prevent rust.

For years I have cleaned blackpowder handguns using hot water and various water-based cleaners (e.g., dedicated blackpowder solvent or detergents). I have also flushed out the barrels of surplus miltary rifles shooting corrosive ammo with hot water.

Even when the water heats the parts to the point where the metal is too hot too touch, you can still get a fine haze of surface rust as the water dries.

But this is surface rust, and wipes right off when you apply a good rust prevenatitve oil to the metal.

For the last couple of years I have been using water for heavy cleaning and degreasing. I intially tried using Gunk's can of Environmental Carburetor& Parts Cleaner (CC-3K) with the parts basket, followed by a water rinse. It works really well.

More recently, I have followed the tip from the American Gunsmithing Institute and used a solution of Simple Green degreaser (or sprayed it on straight) followed by a water rinse.

Again, as long as you dry the parts properly, water based cleaning is fine. In fact, it is cheaper, and less offensive to the nose, skin, etc. than most petroleum or organic solvent based cleaners. And you can use compressed/canned air, or even some of the "Gun Scrubber" or "Gunk Out" type sprays for a final moisture remover, if you feel the need.

Cleaning with water is best done when a gun is disassembled, and all of the parts, nooks, and crannies can be carefully dried and lubed after cleaning. So IMO it is not best for routine cleaning. But when you plan to detail strip for gunsmithing or periodic thorough cleanings, water-based cleaning is a good technique.

[BigG]

I agree with Lilprogun. Also, nothing, I repeat, nothing can touch water for cleaning corrosive primers, as Jim V said.

[KSFreeman]

I must be odd man out around here. However, I just cannot stand the notion of knowingly or intentionally putting water, however hot, on any firearm.

I use Green Magic from Centerfire Systems in Kentucky with great results on my surplus firearms, AKs, CKCs and blackpowder arms. Takes the salts right out and I don't get an ulcer worrying about rust or stock rot.

[Mike Irwin]

Green Magic...

Waterbased by any other name is still H2O...

[Alex Szabo]

I have successfully used ultrasonic cleaning. I use 9-1/2 parts deionized water and 1/2 part standard laundry detergent preheated to 120 degrees (F) and fully degassed.

For a well discharged sidearm (caked residue in cracks & crevices), it takes 1/2-3/4 hr to clean all surface residues (e.g. S&W 9mm Model 669 fully stripped all but the frame - I opted not to ultra clean the frame in this manner because I am unaware of the alloy used and the implications. The remainder including slide went well. This method does not work well with any aluminum alloys and I am unable to speak to Titanium).

Someone earlier addressed surface rust. I have not yet experienced that with this method. If I would, I too would simply wipe it off with cleaning oil and regular sidearm oil.

I blow off all parts with high-pressure air hose, and then soak them in plain old acetone for a few minutes. Blow off the remaining solvent and reassemble & oil it properly. Looks & acts brand new. Works like a champ!

I also use this same method for cleaning my reloading dies (again all but aluminum parts & neoprene or rubber. These discolored badly and I had a devil of a time restoring the luster. Had to use a silica-based polish to restore the polish).

[Denny Hansen]

I use a product available in most stores called Simple Green. It removes all the old oil and fouling like a charm. Then I rinse in HOT water so it will evaporate quickly. Finally I use can of compressed air, like those used to blow dust out of electronic gadgets, to blow out any excess water. Remember to re-lube as you'll have a totally "dry" firearm.

[tonyz]

Another VOTE for Simple Green and hot water and an oven.

Tony

[444]

I use hot water to clean my Milsurp rifles after shooting corrosive ammo. I boil the water, fill a bucket to the depth of about 4 inches. I put the muzzle in the bucket and pump water up into the barrel with a patch on a cleaning rod. The barrel gets really hot. The water evaporates. I then put a patch soaked in Sheath through the barrel. When I buy a new milsurp, I get the cosmoline and grease off of it with Simple Green and boiling water. I disassemble the gun, put everything in the bathtub, spray it with Simple Green, leave it for about an hour, then scrub everything with boiling water. Most solvents wont cut heavy cosmoline or grease. I don't think I would hesitate to put a handgun in boiling water. Especially if you have access to an air compressor. I don't see the point though. I just spray them out with brake parts cleaner. The exception being black powder guns. Blackpowder is not nitro based. Therefore regular solvent isn't effective. I clean my blackpowder guns at the range with T/C Blackpowder solvent. When I get home, I use the boiling water/dish soap method. While the barrel is super hot, I run a ton of T/C Bore Butter through the bore with a rod and patch. I also coat the outside with Bore Butter. Most of my stainless guns are Rugers. The double action Rugers can easily be completely disassembled and scrubbed with a toothbrush and Hoppes.

[ArmySon]

Just got done cleaning my 1911 with Simple Green and hot water.

For drying ...

200 degrees for 30 minutes - Dinner is served!

[Jim V]

What, You took the stocks off! And where are the potatoes and onions?

[ArmySon]

I was going to have Glock tonight but it got over cooked