can this be right? gun cleaning

[Deena_K]

So I went to clean my rifle last night after shooting, and I my bottle of gun oil was empty. It had leaked all over the cardboard "gun box" in the closet and made a mess. It was a REALLY OLD bottle of Hoppy's oil, probably 20 years old. So today after work I dropped by the sporting goods store and bought a can of break-free CLP. It seems like an odd name to me, but the kid behind the counter really talked it up, so what the hell...

So now I start to clean my rifle, and I read the can of break-free and it says it is both a solvent, cleaner, and lubricant. What? how is this possible. My dad always taught me to clean a gun with hoppy's no.9, and then oil the barrel and all the working parts, and then wipe it down with a gun cloth.

Can this break free really be both a cleaner and a gun oil? It cleaned the rifle really good, and it feels like it has some lubrication in it... but I just wonder if I need to use a real gun oil.

The gun is a Marlin 1894 lever rifle with 357 magnum, by the way.

[Jim243]

Can this break free really be both a cleaner and a gun oil?

Yes it is, but no one is stopping you from putting a little gun oil on your rifle also. I use it all the time on my AR's. For my regular hunting rifles I also wipe them down with a silicon cloth as well.

Jim

[jmr40]

The CLP is a better lubricant than cleaner. For a quick clean it is OK, but if you really want to get your barrel clean you still need to use something designed to remove copper fouling from the barrel. Hoppes is will work, but there are better choices available today.

The CLP was designed for the military so they could have 1 bottle for cleaning in the field, rather than several.

[Maxem0815]

Good stuff we used that stuff to clean guns on board ships and lube hatches keeps salt and crud out.
Mace

[madcratebuilder]

Think of CLP as a high detergent oil. There are dozens of different brands of solvents, lubricants, rust preventives, greases. Each brand has their following. I use Eezox, Militec, Tetra grease and Lubriplate GI grease. Pick a brand you can get local.

[warrior poet]

I have used CLP on all of my uncle's weapons, Uncle Sam that is. The "10 manuals" (Operator's manual) name it specifically as the 'Approved Lubricant.' I have yet to have a problem with CLP, but it does take quite a bit of "elbow grease" to use it as a cleaner.
In the field, the little bottle fits in an M16's buttstock and works well for 'patrol cleaning,' mainly lubing up the bolt and bolt carrier group. I like CLP; it is simple and it works. It may not be the best "cleaner," but it gets the job done w/o having to carrying a seperate Cleaner, Lubricant, and Protectant. Believe me, ounces are pounds and pounds are PAIN.

[Gunplummer]

I was still in the Military when it was introduced. It was really crap on 50's. It evaporated so fast on hot guns that you may as well have had nothing at all. Give me good old LSA for something that will really gets a work out. Should be fine on a hunting rifle.

[warrior poet]

Gunplummer you are correct. Anything larger than a SAW runs much better on LSA (or LAW in the 'bone-rattling' cold) than CLP. Most folks don't get to play with machine guns. We're lucky.
I was a M2HB (.50 cal) and Mk19 gunner until I broke my spine in 2006. Now, I am relagated to teaching marksmanship (M9/M4/M16) and doing classes at the machine gunners' course. I am grateful that I can still run, (No regrets; they get you nothing.) but I miss being a gunner.

[paulcissa]

I use CLP for all my stuff except bores. I prefer Butch's Bore-Shine and follow up with RemOil. But CLP is in my range bag and on my bench for everything else. CLP Weapon-Wipes are nice for trips to the pistol range but a bit small for anything more than that.

[Mrgunsngear]

Another CLP believer here. Does break free get fouling off more quickly----sure, but CLP most certainly will do that as well. I use it on all of my guns except for the bore/barrel. It is a good lubricant but I've found the can version doesn't seem to stay on the metal as long and evaporates more quickly. I use the military type so I don't have to worry about that though.

An added bonus of CLP (at least the military version): it is formulated to clean guns that fire corossive (sp?) ammo so it works well if you're firing cheapo commie ammo.

[Ike666]

You might want to try Gunzilla. I've been using it for about 11 months now and I'm really happy with it. It is also a CLP product, but does a real good job cleaning the bore and leaves a good lubricating layer behind.

This is a link to Amazon for the 16 oz. bottle:

Gunzilla (http://www.amazon.com/Gunzilla-16-oz-Bottle-BC-10/dp/B00557MLRI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314296092&sr=8-2)

[john in jax]

A true powder solvent like Hoppe's #9 is a whole lot better at cleaning/removing powder residue than the CLP.

Hoppe's "Benchrest" does an excellent job at removing copper fouling.

The are several brands of foaming bore cleaners that are great at loosing up powder residue and removing copper fouling.

Whether it's the older Breakfree CLP or the newer (different company) Weaponshield CLP they make a much better lubricant/protector than they do a cleaner.

[Deena_K]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the knowledge.

So break free is pretty decent gun oil, but it is only a so-so cleaner. I get it,,,, I was afraid it would be the opposite. Since I still have a bottle of hopes no.9, I will continue to use that for cleaning and save the break free for oiling.

:p Deena

[jimbob86]

CLP= Cleaner/Luricant/Preservative ...... generally, things that do many things don't do any one thing particularly well......


Give me good old LSA for something that will really gets a work out.

For cleaning bores of anything up to an 8" Howitzer ....... RBC. Unfortunately, that stuff was hazardous to your health ....but what isn't?

[Eghad]

CLP keeps working after you clean your gun and store it so you need to give it another cleaning before you use it because it will keep breaking the carbon up.

[RC20]

There are a lot of endorsement for using Mobile 1 for lubricant.

I am new to using it so have not take, but some pretty expert people swear by it.

Seems a lot of the new lubricants are synthetic oil, makes sense and it has good detergent properties.

So far its worked fine for me.

[okiewita40]

I like to keep things simple. So these are what I use to clean my weapons. Hoppes #9, Break-free CLP and remoil. What else do you need?

Besides CLP was all I used when I was in the military.

[tahunua001]

the military uses CLP on all their guns so if it'll work on an M16(which usually need more lube than other rifle types) it should work just fine for your 1894. if you dont feel comfortable you can always go buy a small bottle of gun oil to do a little finishing touch after a cleaning. I used to clean my guns with 3 in 1 oil on my guns but after I grew up a lil bit I switched to CLP,