Cleaning Supplies

[gunnie12]

What are you guys using out there? What are the “best” products to use out there? For both semiautomatic pistols and rifles.

Was really good and what brands or items to avoid?

Example:
Bronze bore brushes
Nylon bore brushes
Bore snakes
Lubrication
Cleaning rods

Etc……………

[Shane Tuttle]

Tipton and Kleenbore bronze bore brushes. No nylons...
Hoppe's bore snakes for quick cleaning...
Can't remember the good brand rods I use. They're the one piece coated and rotates smoothly both directions. Also have the segmented, but permanently installed and heat-shrinked...

Eezox on all parts of the gun to clean and lubricate except the bore and slide mating surface. Tetra Grease goes on there. Kano Kroil is a great lubricant and rust preventative.

Hoppe's Powder Solvent and occasionally No.9 to tone down the copper build up from time to time. Just got Sweets 7.62 solvent. Haven't used it yet. Its smell will wake up a sleeping giant from afar...



Tried Breakfree CLP. It didn't seem to clean all that well and it soaked my gun down too much. I didn't really care for it.

I don't like RemOil. It lubricates at first, but quickly breaks down waaay to fast. Cleanzoil doesn't suit my fancy.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head..

[JWT]

I think MPro-7 works as good as Hoppes and is not flamable, also less odor.

[Brad Clodfelter]

I like Pro-Shot cleaning rods. They make one of the most polished cleaning rods on the market. I like mine a lot. I just ordered another rod from Denny Phillips who makes them, and I hear they are real good and hard.

I use Pro-Shot bronze brushes and cleaning jags and patches as well.

The best solvent I have found is the Bore Tech Eliminator. I mix it 50/50 with Kroil. Works better than anything I have tried.

I myself use Rem Oil on all my guns. I spray a little on a shaving brush and can clean a gun on the outside in about 30 seconds.

Brad

[gunnie12]

how are those gunslick products?

[50 shooter]

+1 on the BoreTech, their "Eliminator" brand of copper solvent is one of the best. It contains no ammonia so you can use it indoors without that nasty odor.

Another good product(s) is Slip2000 www.slip2000.com

[rgates]

Pro-Shot, Shooters Choice, Hoppes all work great with most of my guns. The real test is my 22-250. This is definitely the most difficult to clean. Evidently the velocity really melts the copper to the bore.
Just last week tried Gunslick foaming cleaner. I was not impressed. I did two applications letting it sit for 30 minutes and it was still really fouled. Switched to Hoppes Benchrest Copper Solvent. It still took about 10 cycles of wet patch followed by two dry patch with bore brush used in the first 3 to get it clean. I'm definitely looking for a better copper solvent and planning to try Sweets or Boretech Eliminator next.

WARNING: If you try Gunslick foaming cleaner it even warns on the can NOT to use it on gas operated semi's. The foam will get into the gas port which will not be removed with the dry patches.

[MMcfpd]

I'm just now trying Breakfree CLP, and my first impression is that it's messy stuff.

Hoppe's has been my main solvent, and I lubricate what I can reach with Hoppe's oil, and what I can't with Remoil.

Birchwood Casey's Gun Scrubber is quite effective (comes in two varieties - one for wood, plastic, etc. that may be discolored by the original) for some stuff, but I wouldn't clean a whole gun with it as it's expensive and a can doesn't really go very far. I use it for bolts, trigger groups and hard to get at stuff. Use Gun Scrubber outdoors and upwind, as that stuff can void out your education in a heartbeat.

[gunnie12]

You guys are the BEST. Always taking time to help us Newbie's. First time in the shooting hobby and with so many cleaning products out there you do not know what’s good or not. Cleaning is very important for gun function.

Any cleaning techniques to share as well.

“Thank you” to all!

[gunnie12]

Reviewed Pro shot and they seem to make “Quality” products?

[MMcfpd]

I use their bore brushes because they're brass cored. I also often use their patches, but frankly, ehh, I've never encountered a "bad patch" of any brand.

[Shane Tuttle]

Cleaning techniques? NOW we got some meat and potatoes to add with our veggies...

My technique is tedious at first, then VERY easy in the long run...

I strip down my guns, degrease EVERYTHING. Get all the residue off, usually with Gunscrubber or the like. Then, I apply a thin coat of Eezox over the entire gun including all moving parts and friction points. Let it sit overnight. The next day I wipe the entire gun down, except the areas of moving parts and friction points. Now, here is where it pays off...

The next time I come back from the range, I wipe my gun down with a little bit of Eezox and it cleans all the powder residue and gunk from the gun. You end up using less of it on the moving/friction points.

The reason is the Eezox imbeds into the metal/plastics of your gun to a microscopic level and provides a superior protectant from rust and friction. You may not see it, but it's there. It doesn't let the gunk from shooting your gun to make contact with the metal. I'm sold on it.

The barrel gets the treatment as stated in my previous post and I still use Tetra Grease on the rails for that added peace of mind.

Hope this helps...

[Shane Tuttle]

Forgot to add that when your gun is treated, it will resist acids from your hands and moisture from the environment. That's why your gun resists getting fingerprints or smudges on it...

[gunnie12]

Good semi-automatic pistol solvents and stuff?

[gunnie12]

What about that CorrosionX stuff?

[Smokey Joe]

Gunnie12--Cleaning rods--The Tipton rods from Midway, or Dewey rods that a lot of vendors sell, are coated and the handles swivel.

My experience is with the Deweys--they work, they don't mar bores, and if necessary can be hammered on to push out a stuck patch if you over-patched, although of course don't hammer on 'em as a regular thing.

The one disadvantage of a one-piece rod is that it can easily get bent in transit in yr car, or even just sitting in the basement workshop. They need protection.

I made a case for each rod out of a piece of 1 1/4" PVC pipe of appropriate length, a solid end cap for one end, and a screw-off cap for the other. The glue that is sold for the PVC pipe works just fine. Get PVC pipe @ almost any hardware store or similar. You use pipe just large enough for the handle of the cleaning rod to go into.

Then the rod constantly rattled in the case, while driving in the car, which drove me crazy, so I made a hole in a couple of pieces of styrofoam, and pushed them about 1/2 way down the pipe. Hole big enough for the rod, styrofoam pieces just fit friction-tight inside the PVC pipe. This shut the rattle right up. Any junk styrofoam you have around will do.

Total cost is less than $10 for each case. Cheap insurance.

You might also want to think about getting a cleaning guide--it is tubular, fits into a bolt action instead of the bolt, and you insert the rod and patch down the guide, which saves you getting solvent or oil or crud into yr magazine and trigger mechanism.

[Shane Tuttle]

"What about that CorrosionX stuff?"

I use CorrosionX at my place of employment on a regular basis. I do not recommend it. It does a great job for the intended application. However, there are gun products that I and others have mentioned that does the same thing as well as other variables.

I pitch the Eezox because it is a superior rust preventative, excellent lubricant, and great cleaner/protectant. Most other products do good in all of these areas, but Eezox does GREAT in all the categories.

Off my soap box now...:D

[dionysusigma]

$4,000 ultrasonic cleaner, B-12 Chemtool, air compressor.

Re-oil with WD-40.


:D


In reality, toothbrushes, Q-Tips, Boresnakes, shop towels, Windex (for corrosive ammo), Breakfree CLP, Hoppe's No.9, Birchwood-Casey Bore Scrubber, Gunslick, and Shooter's Choice All-Weather High-Tech Grease.

Works for me, although I really need a actual system. :o

What's the word on old-school oils and lubes, like 10W-30 and Ballistol?

[Brad Clodfelter]

Well I would stay away from any coated rod. You want a rod that is harder than the barrel according to Bill Calfee. The Pro-Shot rod has worked wonders for me for years. But the Denny Phillips rod is supposedly harder than any barrel steel. The reason you want a hard rod is so contaminents are less likely to stick to it and it keeps its true roundness unlike a softer rod that can rub against the side of the barrel and due damage to the bore. A good polished rod will also keep contaminents from sticking to the rod. Using a good bore guide that is appropriate sized for your rod is crucial to eliminate bore slap inside your barrel. The coated rods in my opinion will not be as good as a good hard stainless polished rod when it comes to cleaning a barrel over the long haul. That's my opinion. If you need Denny Phillips phone #, I can give it to you. His rod for $30 plus shipping is probably one of the best.

Brad

[Plink]

First off a warning about Boresnakes. Every gun forum with a gunsmithing section has had multiple threads from people trying to remove broken or stuck Boresnakes. I will never put one down my bores when there are better solutions out there like the Otis cleaning system or Patchworm.

As for solvents, I like Mpro-7. It's not very aggressive, but it's very thorough. If you use it after you've cleaned with another solvent, it'll get out tons of crud that the other solvent missed. I don't use it for every cleaning because it's a bit slow, but it's great for getting things spotless for metal conditioning, etc.

In the last couple years, I've come to use Ballistol for more and more things. It has replaced a box full of chemicals and lubricants. It makes a good cleaner and removes lead fouling well. It's slow on copper, but it will get it out with some soaking and scrubbing. Better to use a dedicated copper solvent if you have fouling issues. Ballistol makes a good lubricant, protectant, wood and leather treatment, etc. Great for black powder too. Good stuff all around.

For rust proofing, CorrosionX and RIG are the best I've found. I learned that the hard way too. I always have half a dozen or more guns in various stages of disassembly at my workbench. I had gotten busy last summer and wasn't spending any time working on them. We had a water leak that rusted up all the guns treated with CLP and most of my tools. The guns that had been wiped with CorrosionX looked as new as the day they left the factory. It also lasts well and continues to protect under holster use or pocket carry.

Realistically, you don't need high tech wonder products. I find that plain old mineral spirits makes a dandy solvent, and homemade "Ed's Red" (equal parts automatic transmission fluid, acetone, mineral spirits and kerosene) works great. Any good wheel bearing grease, synthetic motor oil or transmission fluid makes for a fine gun oil also. I tend to use Ed's Red as my main solvent, following up with Mpro-7 if I'm feeling particularly picky.

The Tetra line of lubricants are very good, but most folks don't know how to use them properly. I didn't either until I had a conversation with Clint McKee of Fulton Armory. He said to rub them into the metal, then buff them off. This leaves the teflon particles imbedded in the pores of the metal, and only the slightest film of grease. Wow, does that ever work!

[Manedwolf]

I like CLP, myself. Does the job, doesn't smell like something that'll kill you, leaves a nice film.

Everyone I talked to in the military uses it too, so...

[CGSteve8718]

I use Otis as well, it is a really good innovation. I would give it 3 1/2 maybe 4 out of 5 stars. No 5 because they make bold claims that don't seem to work, at least not for me. First off is the 6 surface patches, 2 to 3 are the norm, 4 are maybe max, from everyone else's reviews on it, I don't believe anyone has ever gotten 6 uses from a single patch.

Also, they make different sized patches for a reason. The 3 inch multi one is great, but I would NOT try to use it in .223 or anything smaller. It just seems like simple physics to me that a patch that big won't go down the barrel smoothly. Pinching it like you're supposed for Otis tech just bunches it up more. I've followed their directions very carefully, pinched where it says to pinch and still had trouble making that one work. But, they still claim that the 3 inch patch is for ALL calibers, I don't think so.

I still keep standard straight rods I got from the military just in case you need to jam something out.

The only cleaners I've tried are Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber and Break Free Powder Blast. GS works but it smells like cancer in a bottle. Break Free Powder Blast is good too and has a pleasant citrus smell. I also used generic CLP I got from the military.

As for lube, I use Militec. I guess it's not supposed to be used as a standard lube but it's always worked for me so I'm sticking to it.

I want to try a lot of the stuff they got out there, esp. Krazy Kroil "the oil that creeps" but one thing at a time.