Cleaning your firearms

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BobCav wrote:

I do the same thing. Complete strip, clean and lube.







Then I clean the guns!! :celebrate
WOOHOO!!

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Who's the durrrty munkey.???

BobCav is, BobCav is, BobCav is :monkey:monkey:monkey





(REEEEALLY LMAO, I'm Rrrrrolin')

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Let's see.....

I clean the XD every couple of weeks.

I cleaned the HiPoint 995 Carbine for the first time last week. :lol:

And I think I've cleaned the S&W 22-A twice. Then again, it doesn't see much use.

I'm going to gouge out my eyes now...

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I clean my pistols every time I shoot. I don't like carbon smears on my hands and clothes.....

I clean my .22 rifles on a different schedule for each one. They all have a certain amount of rounds that can be shot through them before they start jamming. So I count how many go through each one. .22 is dirty , so it's normally quite often

I also completely strip the pistols past a field strip and clean every six months or so.

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Old topic, new question. Every once in a while I hear about people "dipping" their guns in something that supposedly removes all the crap that's in there, but doesn't hurt the gun. Whats the story on this? Is there a way to clean a gun without actually have to scrub at it?

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openryan wrote:

I have heard a lot of different opinions and practices of lubricating and cleaning of firearms.

I know people who clean their guns weekly, weather they fire them or not.

I also know people who have fire the same firearm for years without cleaning it once and lubricating it only slightly more often.

Personally, I clean my firearms after every outing, and although the situation has not arose yet, if I did not fire them for more than a few months, I would clean and lubricate them as a precautionary measure and to do a visual inspection.

I am interested in anyone who practices otherwise, maybe I could learn a few tricks from you.

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I do about the same as you do Ryan.

There have only been two real changes in the manner I use in cleaning over the past 45 years or so.

I now always clean from the breach to the muzzle (I didn't always do that) which takes all the crud out the end of the barrel and not back into the workings of my gun.

I now also use a bore snake and have one for every caliber I own.

I still clean my guns every time I use them and if I have not used it for some time, I do a quick inspection clean lube as needed.

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DreQo wrote:

Old topic, new question. Every once in a while I hear about people "dipping" their guns in something that supposedly removes all the crap that's in there, but doesn't hurt the gun. Whats the story on this? Is there a way to clean a gun without actually have to scrub at it?

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Yes.....

Prolix on a LONG soak. <- Best of all it cannot hurt the gun by doing so...it is even safe for the wood BUT, the wood and rubber will swell up so remove it so you do not have to wait for the swelling to abate.

I found this product over 20 eyars ago. It was basically all I kept on my gunsmithing bench since that time.

I am now the NM distributor !!

BTW....with long term use it replaces the other gunk you used before as it coats the metal and cannot be burned off in shooting like the other stuff (oils) you used before. Cleanup, even of lead, becomes easier and easier. Cowboy action shooters tell me that after several shooting and cleaning cycles the guns only require a 5 minute soak and a wipe down to get to clean bores. I get LARGE orders from these folks.


IF you order some on the web, please be sure to tell them I sent ya !!

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Ok, so lemme clarify. You soak the weapon, the ENTIRE weapon, in this Prolix stuff, and it should wipe clean? You mentioned wood and rubber, so I'm assuming it'd be safe for a pistol with a polymer frame? (SW99, specifically.) Do you use the stuff straight up, or do you dilute it in water? What exactly IS it? lol

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DreQo wrote:

Ok, so lemme clarify. You soak the weapon, the ENTIRE weapon, in this Prolix stuff, and it should wipe clean? You mentioned wood and rubber, so I'm assuming it'd be safe for a pistol with a polymer frame? (SW99, specifically.) Do you use the stuff straight up, or do you dilute it in water? What exactly IS it? lol

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It is a combination of various stuff making up some stuff in a bottle. <- Grin.....
( Some of what is used in the formulation is common enough, but a significant part of it is proprietary.)

Prolix was designed from the ground up for use with guns, The other stuff you buy in the store (including miltec and a lot of the other so-called 'new' stuff) was borrow from another use in another industry. They were NOT designed for small arms cleaning and lubrication !!

Prolix starts as a liquid which does the cleaning. It is NOT agressive like a brake cleaner, but it is also safe unlike a brake cleaner, so you can soak your piece and not worry about the results. (It is NOT good to leave clorinated brake cleaner on your weapon for too long.)

As it evaporates or is wiped clean Prolix leaves behind metal enhancers, a DRY lubricant, and wood preservatives. These CANNOT/WILL NOT be shot off a gun (flash off) in the first few rounds like the other stuff on the market, so the protection stays with a gun. Rewipe the gun with fresh Prolix every box of ammo, and you will effectively reduce your friction wear to (almost) zero.

BTW The 'flash off' temperature of other stuff on the market is typically 1/2 the flash off temperature of Prolix, which is 495 degrees f. !! If your barrel ever gets that hot during shooting it will be ready to bend. Conversely getting a barrel to 200 degrees is easy during shooting, which is why the other stuff is gone in a couple or three rounds and your barrel is left unprotected from both heat and friction wear.

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Well you're definately a salesman, that's for sure The one question you didn't answer...do you soke the weapon in the the stuff straight up, or with water? I'm wondering so I can determine how much to purchase. If you want to give me advice on how much to buy, that'd be great, too.

I have two pistols, a Smith SW99 .40 and a Walther PPK/s .380, and they are shot anywhere from once a month to twice a week, sometimes less. They are both carried regularly. I also have a mossberg 500 shotty that is fired less often, probably once or twice a month at most. Lastly I have a Winchester Model 70 .308 Stealth II that is probably only fired a few times a year, if not once every few months.

How much cleaner would you suggest I purchase for these weapons, and how would I go about cleaning them? I'm asking here so others can get the same info. I'm guessing my weapons count is about average...maybe a little on the small side, but close .

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I clean them after every shooting. Not a field strip, I detail strip them to the smallest component and get every surface clean as the day I bought it. I know this is a bit extreme, but I hate carrying a dirty firearm. Like the posters before me who said they don't like getting GP residue on their hands/clothing, I echo that statement.



I also pocket carry a G39 regularly, even if not fired it will accumulate dust and pocket lint. I won't detail clean it but I will field strip and clean it every two weeks regardless of if it's been fired.



On handguns with a hammer, I use some (read: very little) oil on the internals (sear, hammer axle, etc). Striker weapons (Glock) aren't lubed with anything beyond a residual sheen Hoppes #9. I do not lube the rails on either my Glock or my HK. I do use a little bit of oil on the rails of my Sig. The reason I don't lube the rails on the Glock/HK is because I keep them VERY clean and they are well broken in, they cycle smoothly. When cleaning I double over a patch soaked on Hoppes and force it into the rail groove with a pocketknife and run the patch up and down the insides of the rail.



I have never experienced a FTF, FTE or other problems with my handguns using this method. It might be because I clean them so often there is always sheen of Hoppes on the internal surfaces of my firearms acting as a lubricant.

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DreQo wrote:

Well you're definately a salesman, that's for sure The one question you didn't answer...do you soke the weapon in the the stuff straight up, or with water? I'm wondering so I can determine how much to purchase. If you want to give me advice on how much to buy, that'd be great, too.

I have two pistols, a Smith SW99 .40 and a Walther PPK/s .380, and they are shot anywhere from once a month to twice a week, sometimes less. They are both carried regularly. I also have a mossberg 500 shotty that is fired less often, probably once or twice a month at most. Lastly I have a Winchester Model 70 .308 Stealth II that is probably only fired a few times a year, if not once every few months.

How much cleaner would you suggest I purchase for these weapons, and how would I go about cleaning them? I'm asking here so others can get the same info. I'm guessing my weapons count is about average...maybe a little on the small side, but close .

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Well you can either soak by immersion or soak by leaving a thick film and the quantities involved are obviously different. You can also use a VERY fine messed 'cheescloth' to clean up the solutiion and reuse it a few times before you end up throwning it out.

Most people with just a few guns are fine starting with the 16 oz. size. I would suggest getting it wiht the sprayer attachment.

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I clean my guns everytime I shoot them. I use Hoppe's #9 for the bore and FP-10 for everything else including lube.

There is no excuse for a dirty gun. I've got way too much Marine and Trooper in me to have a dirty gun around. My carry gun gets wiped down at the end of the day and a quick clean and relube if it hasn't been fired for a month, which is very rare. Not taking care of a weapon your betting your life on is nothing but stupid. Even if its just a range gun, it should be taken care of.

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I clean mine after every trip to the range, handguns and rifles. I use M-Pro 7, THE BEST stuff I have ever found.I used to use Hoppes 9, butI heard about M-Pro on Tom Gresham's gun talk show about three years ago, gave it a try on a previously "Clean" firearm and was Amazed at the stuff that came out of it. It cleans up super and it seems to be quicker than Hoppes. I do miss the aroma of the Hoppes though, so I keep a bottle around just for effect. A light oiling after and my firearms are good to go.

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Mine get cleaned after every shoot and wiped down regularly. I don't like carrying "dirty" guns.

Oh, I forgot!! I don't own any guns... :uhoh:

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I clean after each trip to the range. If I didn't fire a weapon for 2 weeks, I clean it then. My USP doesn't really care much if I clean it or not, it'll still spit lead. My M&Pc on the other hand requires a cleaning and lubing regularly or I get FTL's.

When speaking with the armorer at my local range, he said that you MUST lube any carry gun at least once a week and lube safe queens every two or so weeks due to the fact that regular lube just dries up so quickly out here in AZ (especially with the dry months coming up). I follow his advice, he knows far more about gun care than I ever will, so it seems like a safe bet...can't hurt anyways.

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Yes with oil you MUST oil regularily or it will have problems.

HOWEVER, with something like PROLIX (and there is NOTHING else quite like it) you can use the product and put the gun away in storage for at least a decade or more and it WILL be the same as when you put it away as far as the lubrication and rust prevention are concerned. (And that is why we lube guns btw.)

On your carry pieces you should be giving them regular attention however, if for no other reason than you can catch some potential issues that could lead to a malfunction at the worse possible time. I have discovered malfunctions completely NOT related to cleaning and lubing that would have rendered the gun inoperative when doing an "administartive handling" of the weapon I carry. It is admittedly rare, but it has happened.

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What about CLP, specifically Break Free? Where does that fall?

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AbNo wrote:

What about CLP, specifically Break Free? Where does that fall?

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I love Break Free. Been using it for years with fantastic results.

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AbNo wrote:

What about CLP, specifically Break Free? Where does that fall?

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Almost everything on the market these days will have a (clorinated) break cleaner, oil, or something related to ammonia as a base. These are NOT optimum. And since we have better chemistry today, they are sadly out of date.

Sadly "Break-Free" falls into this "old fashioned methods" area along with other products on the market. The military used it in the first Iraq. It turned out to be a problem in the sandy and dusty environment with dirt attachment and resulting jamming.

Break Free is oil based. As such it will behave just like an oil, with the same limitations. It will age after application and the firearm will have to be periodically re-treated to retain protection from rust and to remain lubricated. It will freeze up in cold weather and can turn gummy under certain conditions. Dirty/sand/et al will attach itself. All of these issues can cause malfunctions.

The oil's ability to protect the firearm is removed after a shot or two down the barrel as the oil will flash-off the barrel, leaving a carbon residue on the barrel and providing no protection from wear and exposure until the gun is properly cleaned and re-treated with a protectant/lubricating compound. (This flash off is what is known in hunting as the "fouling shot" by the way, and if you decide to use something that does NOT flash off the barrel then there is no such change in the point of aim after the first shot or two.)

Professional ultra-sonic cleaning definately helps to remove these build-ups, carbon deposits, dirt retention, and gummy remains but the best way to avoid these issues is just to stay away from these products in the first place.

Chlorinated, ammonia, and/or oil based products were all our great grandfathers had to do the job at hand. And they will still do the job too. But they cost a lot in terms of time, effort, and the less than optimum results.

Finally some of the CLP's (Cleaner-Lubricant-Protectant) on the market for your firearms have either teflon, silicon, graphite, or molybedium in their mix. Unfortunately it is HARD to remove these after applying them as they WILL find their way into tight crevices and such. They tend to build up in these areas and lead to jamming. Using ultrasonic cleaning methods help here too. But perhaps the best way to avoid these issues is to not use such treaments in the first place.

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I clean with Blue Wonder, lube with Gun Butter and have been happy with that solution thus far. I think I may try Prolix though and see what happens.