When to d-grease handguns and what degreaser to use?

Jack Reevez · October 31, 2008, 12:10 AM

Hello all. I have one question about degreasing a hadgun..both pistols and revolvers.

I dont know when to degrease a handgun. The first time i degreased my beretta 92fs and Ruger p94 and an old webbley & scott .38 cal. revolver was when i first got em. the pistols were brand new and had factory greese and the revolver , though old but hardly used, was dry and had never been fired, or lubed or greesed. I used Hoppes Elite gun cleaner as i have been told it is a carbon solvent as well as an excellent degreaser. After that i have been using it to clean my handguns after shooting .

What i do is this. i take my guns, run dry patches thru the bores before shooting to clean out any oil and lube and when the barrel is bone dry ( i let the gun oil in all the other places though, the outside of the barrel, inside of the frame and the rails etc) and then i shoot my handguns. After that i just use hoppes elite gun cleaner to clean my guns an dthen luvbe the afterwards with hoppes lubricating oil.

Am i doing it all right? And when should i use the hoppes elite gun cleaner to degrease my pistols instead of cleaning it?

Also tell me if i should use hoppes #9 to clean my guns and elite gun clenare to degreas eit
And what should i do first ,, clean the guns after cleaning and then degrease an dthen lube them or degrease them first then clean and lube them?

As usual ia m confued about this and would appreciate any and all help.

Regards.

Inspector3711 · October 31, 2008, 02:27 AM

I buy the non chlorenated brake cleaner spray at Walmart and hose my guns down with it. Quick, cheap (a buck a can), and very effective.

webbee · November 1, 2008, 06:37 PM

Another satisfied generic non-chlorinated brake cleaner user, followed by an Eezox full treatment. I then use Eezox to maintain after a full clean/degrease. Eezox lasts about 2 years on a safe queen before it needs to be redone. I always do a full clean after shooting, so guns I shoot frequently, last between shootings. I've tried a bunch of cleaners, lubes, grease and protectants. Eezox, after a break cleaner treatment, just works better/longer.
It's always a good idea to dry patch a barrel before shooting...

orionengnr · November 1, 2008, 07:03 PM

Hmmm.
Brake cleaner is a good solvent, however, I would not get it on wood or plastic that I care about, just to be safe.
Carburetor cleaner is even worse, and will damage most any rubber, many plastics, and the finish on many wood stocks.

Neither should harm blued steel, however, spray-on finishes may be a different story. Err on the side of caution, and experiment with a part that does not show, or experiment on a piece of scrap wood/metal/plastic first.

October 31, 2008, 12:10 AM	#1
Jack Reevez Member Join Date: April 2, 2008 Posts: 32	When to d-grease handguns and what degreaser to use? Hello all. I have one question about degreasing a hadgun..both pistols and revolvers. I dont know when to degrease a handgun. The first time i degreased my beretta 92fs and Ruger p94 and an old webbley & scott .38 cal. revolver was when i first got em. the pistols were brand new and had factory greese and the revolver , though old but hardly used, was dry and had never been fired, or lubed or greesed. I used Hoppes Elite gun cleaner as i have been told it is a carbon solvent as well as an excellent degreaser. After that i have been using it to clean my handguns after shooting . What i do is this. i take my guns, run dry patches thru the bores before shooting to clean out any oil and lube and when the barrel is bone dry ( i let the gun oil in all the other places though, the outside of the barrel, inside of the frame and the rails etc) and then i shoot my handguns. After that i just use hoppes elite gun cleaner to clean my guns an dthen luvbe the afterwards with hoppes lubricating oil. Am i doing it all right? And when should i use the hoppes elite gun cleaner to degrease my pistols instead of cleaning it? Also tell me if i should use hoppes #9 to clean my guns and elite gun clenare to degreas eit And what should i do first ,, clean the guns after cleaning and then degrease an dthen lube them or degrease them first then clean and lube them? As usual ia m confued about this and would appreciate any and all help. Regards.

October 31, 2008, 02:27 AM	#2
Inspector3711 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: Puget Sound Washington Posts: 1,553	I buy the non chlorenated brake cleaner spray at Walmart and hose my guns down with it. Quick, cheap (a buck a can), and very effective. __________________ "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." The Dalai Llama (5/15/01, The Seattle Times) "That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." George Orwell

November 1, 2008, 06:37 PM	#3
webbee Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2005 Posts: 218	Another satisfied generic non-chlorinated brake cleaner user, followed by an Eezox full treatment. I then use Eezox to maintain after a full clean/degrease. Eezox lasts about 2 years on a safe queen before it needs to be redone. I always do a full clean after shooting, so guns I shoot frequently, last between shootings. I've tried a bunch of cleaners, lubes, grease and protectants. Eezox, after a break cleaner treatment, just works better/longer. It's always a good idea to dry patch a barrel before shooting...

November 1, 2008, 07:03 PM	#4
orionengnr Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Posts: 5,173	Hmmm. Brake cleaner is a good solvent, however, I would not get it on wood or plastic that I care about, just to be safe. Carburetor cleaner is even worse, and will damage most any rubber, many plastics, and the finish on many wood stocks. Neither should harm blued steel, however, spray-on finishes may be a different story. Err on the side of caution, and experiment with a part that does not show, or experiment on a piece of scrap wood/metal/plastic first.