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Cleaning Up Your Act

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Phoenixphire

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
396
Location
Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
imported post

Just looking for some suggestions on materials and methods for firearm maintenance...

How often to you clean?

Do you do a simple strip and oil, or a more through wipedown?

What do you use, do clean and to lube?
 
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Evil Ernie

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
779
Location
Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
imported post

Depends on what firearm I'm cleaning.
If its one of my sidearms: full teardown, clean with CLP and/or Hoppes #9.
If its one of my MN's, Enfields, Mausers, etc: Full teardown, clean with Windex (for the corrosive ammo residue), clean with CLP and Hoppes.
If it's the Yugo SKS: Same as above
If it's the AK......uh....who cleans AKs?!?!?!?

Everything (AK aside) gets a CLP wipedown afterwards. I've purchased some Remwipes at Wallyworld (they were on clearance), so I'm gonna give that a try on the AK.
 
Sig229

Sig229

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
926
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

I use Hoppes No 9 bore solvent, sometimes the copper solvent.
And after drying the bore and other parts, I use either Castrol Synthetic gun lube or if the local gun store doesn't sell that, I use Mobil-1 5w30 Fully Synthetic motor oil.

You folks should try synthetic gun lube. Even after a few magazines of shooting, the lube is still on the moving parts and offers amazing heat and friction reduction that regular oils just dont seem to match.
 
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Dustin

Regular Member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
1,723
Location
Lake Charles Area, Louisiana, USA
imported post

I usualy shoot around 65 to 100 rounds thru my XDMeverytime I go to the range.

EVERY time afterwards, I Field strip, lube and Q-Tip every spec. of my weapon.

Of course this might just be a Marine thing :cool:

I'm pretty sure after the Torture Tests I've seen, cleaning like this is not needed.

On the other hand, I also carry this weapon. Ifever I have to defend mine or my families life, I DO NOT want a dirty weapon to be the reason, It,didn't perform correctly.

IuseMilitary CLP on all my weapons. I've got gallons of it...some how....
 
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tarzan1888

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
1,435
Location
, , USA
imported post

Dustin wrote:
I usualy shoot around 65 to 100 rounds thru my XDMeverytime I go to the range.

EVERY time afterwards, I Field strip, lube and Q-Tip every spec. of my weapon.

Of course this might just be a Marine thing :cool:.....
Click to expand...

No its not........I do the same thing. I clean and lube after every use. I use several different solvents...depending on which gun and the need and several quality natural and synthetic lubes....again depending on which gun and need.



Tarzan
 
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Evil Ernie

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
779
Location
Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
imported post

Dustin wrote:
I usualy shoot around 65 to 100 rounds thru my XDMeverytime I go to the range.

EVERY time afterwards, I Field strip, lube and Q-Tip every spec. of my weapon.

Of course this might just be a Marine thing :cool:

I'm pretty sure after the Torture Tests I've seen, cleaning like this is not needed.

On the other hand, I also carry this weapon. Ifever I have to defend mine or my families life, I DO NOT want a dirty weapon to be the reason, It,didn't perform correctly.

IuseMilitary CLP on all my weapons. I've got gallons of it...some how....
Click to expand...
CLP is a grunts best friend! Doesn't taste too bad on an MRE cracker either!! I was able to "aquire" a gallon waaay back in the day, but have long since run out. Now I have to buy the lil bottles at wally world. Doesn't really seem like the same stuff, or maybe I've had too many CLP crackers...heh...
 
S

Silverfox44

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
82
Location
Tukwila, Washington, USA
imported post

I ordered a new Gun Video the other day and low and behold this fellow who is a certified gunsmith cleans all his guns with SIMPLE GREEN.

I tried it and it does remove all the particulates etc but removes any and all lub that might be on the barrel.
 
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Evil Ernie

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2007
Messages
779
Location
Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
imported post

We used to run Simple Green full strength thru the M60's and M16's after a rousing three day romp with blanks and MILES gear. It's the easiest way to get the carbon out of that stupid gas impingment system on Stoners Abortion...Yes, I'm bashing Stoners stuff....get over it.

Dustin, CLP on a cracker during cold weather operations...spreads like butter...LMAO!!!
 
deepdiver

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
imported post

An SA factory rep recommended Simple Green for the XDs. I've never tried it but maybe I will start. I've been primarily using Blue Wonder cleaning products and Gun Butter for most lubing for the last year. Both have been satisfactory to me.

I generally field strip and clean my firearms after going to the range each time. The exception is if I am planning on shooting again in the next week and am not planning to carry the weapon or use it for HD in the meantime. If I am in a time crunch, sometimes I will field strip, do a quick "spray and wipe" and relube.
 
Michigander

Michigander

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
4,818
Location
Mulligan's Valley
imported post

Charcoal starter to degrease, synthetic motor oil for parts that rotate or need coating, and bearing grease for the stuff that slides. Works great. I saw the light on this about a year ago and stopped investing in overpriced gun products.
 
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Phoenixphire

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
396
Location
Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
imported post

Michigander wrote:
Charcoal starter to degrease, synthetic motor oil for parts that rotate or need coating, and bearing grease for the stuff that slides. Works great. I saw the light on this about a year ago and stopped investing in overpriced gun products.
Click to expand...

I understand your point on the matter.

However, I am a big fan of using things specifically designed for a purpose. This is especially true on my "large" investments. I use synthetic oils and high quality filters in my cars, well-manufactured components in my computers, etc.

I don't want to spend money for the sake of spending money, but I will spend a few extra dollars on quality.


I am interested in this "Gun Butter" product. Seems to have a good deal of endorsement behind it, and I haven't found any negative reviews of the product.
 
deepdiver

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
imported post

Phoenixphire wrote:
Michigander wrote:
Charcoal starter to degrease, synthetic motor oil for parts that rotate or need coating, and bearing grease for the stuff that slides. Works great. I saw the light on this about a year ago and stopped investing in overpriced gun products.
Click to expand...

I understand your point on the matter.

However, I am a big fan of using things specifically designed for a purpose. This is especially true on my "large" investments. I use synthetic oils and high quality filters in my cars, well-manufactured components in my computers, etc.

I don't want to spend money for the sake of spending money, but I will spend a few extra dollars on quality.


I am interested in this "Gun Butter" product. Seems to have a good deal of endorsement behind it, and I haven't found any negative reviews of the product.
Click to expand...
Gun Butter is good stuffs IMO. It is an oil, but stays in place like a grease. I also like that it is tinted red making it easy to see and goes on in little, very specifically placed "dots" of the product. It makes it very easy to see where it is smearing and therefore needed to be used on the pistol. The applicator is like a dull needle tip so you can put just a drop or two exactly where you need it. The tinting and drops allowed me to see exactly where it was actually doing any good. Found out that I was oiling in places where I thought there was contact but there is not. I now have learned over time exactly where to oil my pistols and where it is unnecessary. A little bit goes a long way and even a small container lasts a long time.
 
Michigander

Michigander

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
4,818
Location
Mulligan's Valley
imported post

Phoenixphire wrote:
I understand your point on the matter.

However, I am a big fan of using things specifically designed for a purpose. This is especially true on my "large" investments. I use synthetic oils and high quality filters in my cars, well-manufactured components in my computers, etc.

I don't want to spend money for the sake of spending money, but I will spend a few extra dollars on quality.


I am interested in this "Gun Butter" product. Seems to have a good deal of endorsement behind it, and I haven't found any negative reviews of the product.
Click to expand...

My cars and guns get the same thing. Mobile 1. :cool:
 
thnycav

thnycav

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
305
Location
Windsor VA, ,
imported post

Black powder weapons can get real dirty and they are hard to clean. I use a combination of the following.

Murphy's oil soap, rubbing alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide. They all come in 16 ox bottles so you mix equal parts of all. Just let it soak for about 15 minutes and rinse with hot water, dry and use your favorite oil. It will take the worst carbon off it. You do need to make sure you do mix all three. I have a friend that tried it and forgot the Oil soap and it too the blueing off it.
 
CrossFire

CrossFire

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
407
Location
Irving, Texas, USA
imported post

Question, I just recently bought a Sig Mosquito. According to the manual Sig recommends tha you not use a metal wire brush when cleaning. Since the cleaning kit I bought came with wire brushes how valid do you think this recommendation is?
 
Sig229

Sig229

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
926
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

CrossFire wrote:
Question, I just recently bought a Sig Mosquito. According to the manual Sig recommends tha you not use a metal wire brush when cleaning. Since the cleaning kit I bought came with wire brushes how valid do you think this recommendation is?
Click to expand...

I own mostly Sig's and I follow the manual to a T.
If one of the best gun manufactures says not to use wire cleaning brushes, there must be a reason.
Even if I dont know what it is.
 
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