Pistol Cleaning Questions

mambopython

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I am looking for information on product recommendations for cleaning rifles and pistols. I currently have 2 .22lr rifles, a 45 ACP pistol, and a 357 Magnum Mare's Leg. The guy at my local shop recommended a couple bore snakes, some rem oil (I already have), some rem action cleaner, and some bore cleaner (it had a gorilla on it... I can't remember the name). I didn't want to make any uninformed purchases so I figured I would ask the forum!

I appreciate all the help I can get!
 
I use Alcohol 98% for cleaning the deep stuff then Balistol for the rest, only use Bore snakes for a quick cleaning other wise good quality single piece coated rod, Jags and patches..
 
Cheap and easy to make up Ed's Red formula from the web (google for the recipe) for general cleaning of the outside, action internals and bore. Hoppes #9 for some bore cleaning and Wipe Out for serious copper fouling when I find it *COUGH "Mosin Nagant"COUGH".

I've recently tried some EEZOX dry film cleaner and lube for my semi auto .22's. There's not much out there which is any more messy than rimfire ammo in direct blowback semi guns. So far the results from the EEZOX are positive with good lubricity and low fouling retention being noticed. If it works out I'm going to try it on my center fire semi auto handguns next.

Good ol' brake cleaner does a good job of fully flushing away smokeless powder fouling. But it completely strips all oils with it at the same time. Which is why I prefer Ed's Red as a pretty good cleaner that leaves a protective coat of ATF behind when the solvents evaporate.

Really though just about any of the gun products are just fine. The trick is finding the ones that make them affordable to use.
 
Anything I buy that isn't in aerosol form, I put into eyedropper squeeze bottles. All you need is a few drops of solvent or oil. Too many products are sold in wide mouth jars. They actually hope you spill most of the contents, I am sure.
 
Every gun I got (given or bought) I tore apart completely (that is just me and not really needed in most cases) as I wanted to learn about what I have.
I then clean the bore with Hoppes 9 and rod and brush until the patch comes out clean, then with a degreaser (ie: alcohol or something that will not harm plastics as some guns have it) to get any old lube off. I then use Fire Clean to lube all parts (very light and I mean light), then assemble everything taking care to remove any excess lube I caused. Take them out and shoot them for the day. Bring them home and (after making sure they are still safe) do a breakdown (partial teardown) and clean the bore using Hoppes 9 and a brush and rod if an old gun. If it was a fairly new gun then I just use a boresnake and Fire Clean. Then put a very thing film of Fire Clean on everything again, then using a tissue wipe it all down to remove any excess lube (should almost be dry). After that it is all just a very light film of Fire Clean and wipe down of all moving parts I can get to with a breakdown and boresnake through the bore (unless I think or see that it is excessively dirty, then I will do a brush and rod with Fire Clean).
 
Eds red if you want to do it on the cheap.

I don't use snakes. I use a Dewey or Parker Hale rod these days - no aluminum.

Ballistol for oiling, or whatever oil you like, and bearing grease for the sliding bits.

I clean the pistols when they start looking hairy and the revolvers when the cylinder doesn't spin freely.

...or each session for the K22 since the chambers are tight and the barrel leads a bit
 
i use the otis cleaning system. ive tried rods and boresnakes but i find the otis to work the best.
g96 CLP to clean and m-pro7 oil for lubrication.
 
The solvents you have to watch are the ones containing ammonia. Ammonia is an effective copper cutter, but the the rounds you're shooting won't leave significant copper fouling in the bore the way a high velocity rifle might. The problem with ammonia is that as it evaporates, it corrodes the steel under it. Yet you can plug the chamber, fill a bore with ammonia, seal the muzzle to prevent evaporation, and leave it overnight with no harmful effects to the bore. Frankly, its simpler to use Sweets as directed, or better yet, an ammonia free, foaming bore cleaner, like WipeOut to get rid of copper fouling.

For your purposes I'd use Hoppes #9 just because I like the smell, and any light machine oil to work through the bore, then patch dry. Your autoloaders might appreciate a small dab of grease, on those moving surfaces that show wear. I use Lubriplate 130-A, which was formulated for use in automatic weapons for the US military, I got mine from Brownells. A can will last many years, so be sure to keep it well sealed and uncontaminated. Use one piece cleaning rods like Dewey or Tipton, use only high quality bronze brushes if you have stubborn lead fouling as sometimes occurs in a .357, be sure to use a brass jag to push the patches through, and patches should be 100% cotton and cut to the correct size, although large patches can be punched off center, and larger patches can be used with small jags. An M-16 style steel jointed rod is useful for field use, and the handle section with the short accessory rod is useful for handgun barrels and revolver cylinders. You might prefer a .17 caliber rod for use with a .22 brush for your rimfires, and the .17 jag will work with an oversized patch. A nylon parts brush, or even a toothbrush is useful for cleaning small parts, bolt faces, and bolt recesses.

When you're faced with a lead fouled bore, use a bronze bore brush dry, no solvent or oil, and push it all the way through the bore. Some folks prefer to remove the brush prior to pulling the rod back, so as not to pull loose fouling back into the action. After 20 or so passes, use a couple of patches wet with dime sized stains of solvent to push out any loose fouling, pushing each patch right through the bore. Then run a dry patch or two right through the bore to remove the solvent. If the bore is badly fouled, you may have to repeat this procedure several times. Once the lead fouling has been removed, and the bore is dry, put a dime sized stain of oil on a patch and work it back and for through the bore advancing an inch or so at a time, then patch dry with a single patch or two pushed right through. Powder fouling alone is easily solved with a dime sized stain of solvent on a patch, work the patch back and forth through the bore, then patch dry as above.

When cleaning be sure not to allow solvent or oil to enter the inletting of wood stocks. This will soften the wood and destroy the accuracy of your rifle. You should seal the inletting of your wood stock with an appropriate wood finish like True Oil or boiled linseed oil.
 
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WD-40 for cleaning and oiling, if something is stuck in the bore i use Hopes9.
on really cheap riffle i take in the swamp i use linseed oil.
never had any rust in any of my guns, some of them are sitting at 75% humidity for years. some i take hunting (rifle)in the rain for days.

i find that wiping everything before cleaning help remove most of the black powdered stuff, then i clean and oil.
check the rust test before you buy anything, some gun oil actually promote rust (froglube).
 
WD-40 for cleaning and oiling, if something is stuck in the bore i use Hopes9.
on really cheap riffle i take in the swamp i use linseed oil.
never had any rust in any of my guns, some of them are sitting at 75% humidity for years. some i take hunting (rifle)in the rain for days.

i find that wiping everything before cleaning help remove most of the black powdered stuff, then i clean and oil.
check the rust test before you buy anything, some gun oil actually promote rust (froglube).

Frog Lube ?!? I don't think so
 
.......When cleaning be sure not to allow solvent or oil to enter the inletting of wood stocks. This will soften the wood and destroy the accuracy of your rifle. You should seal the inletting of your wood stock with an appropriate wood finish like True Oil or boiled linseed oil.

I did lots of head nodding while looking at Boomer's reply. But this was a key item. I've seen FAR too many stocks and handgun grips with no finish at all on the hidden edges and faces. The end grain of wood is like a sponge that will happily soak up gobs of machine oil that'll darken the ends of the stock to a blackish colour. And once it's in there it's all but impossible to remove. So the first thing that I tend to do with any gun I get the first time I clean it is set aside the wood to coat the unfinished inside parts with a couple of coats of finish. I like the ones that really soak in so I tend to use the can of Minwax tung oil furniture finish I've got. But thinned down polyurethane varnish will coat and soak in well too. Use mineral spirits or low odor paint thinner to thin the polyurethane varnish. And use the old "original" style product. The water borne version can't be thinned as easily and won't soak in correctly. It tends to stay on the surface instead. Brush it on, let it soak in for a while then wipe off any excess. Repeat with one more coat after the first dries overnight.

With handgun wood grips I do the inside faces and any edges that don't look like they have any finish. You can spot this right away with the end grain. The water like thinned sealer will soak in and leave the end grain looking dry right away if it's not already sealed.
 
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