STAINLESS STEEL CLEANER QUESTION

Has anyone used Greased Lighting, CLR, or ZEP purple degreaser on their stainless steel firearm? Any recommendations pro or con would be much appreciated. I need to reduce the amount of time spent cleaning my guns. I thoroughly clean after each trip to the range with Quick Scrub III but I find that "Once is not Enough".

Nope, none of those, but I'm always on the prowl for a good cleaner. My wife is smell-sensitive, and if I want to clean guns in the house I need something less aromatic than Hoppes, etc. Due to this I've tried a lot.

I have found Blue Wonder cleaner removes carbon fouling better than anything else. It also stinks to high heaven, smelling like Pine Sol in an enclosed space. It's also kinda pricey, as many of these "boutique" cleaners are.

Brake cleaner works very well for powder residue, Cosmoline, built-up grease, etc. This should only be used outside as it contains benzene, which is a nasty chemical.

Old timers used lighter fluid (like the Ronson brand, the kind used for Zippos, etc), as it contains benzene and a little kero, which also breaks things up and lubes a little.

My current favorite goes by the silly name "Gunzilla", and is fairly expensive. However, it cleans really well, and is a true "CLP" in that you don't need anything else. It leaves a small amount of lubricating residue, and the next time you clean it dissolves this residue, taking all the gunk with it. Great stuff, and very low odor.

I've used Turtle Wax Chrome Polish to remove caked on crud from cylinder faces and chambers, but soon realized that was more work than it was worth.

If you don't have the chemical/scent sensitivity issues, just use "Ed's Red" (homebrew - look it up), make yourself a dunk tank, and toss your (metal only, please) guns in the bath when you get home, then wipe 'em down later. It'll break down any internal lube, but it has its own lubricating properties.

I've always wanted to give Thompson's Bore Butter a try as a preservative on my nitro powered guns. It works great on black powder guns, and smells great, but it's not a cleaner.

If you've got the bux, a couple of places are selling ultra sonic cleaners of various types that you can just throw your gun in and it'll come out clean. You still need to lube and rust protect it, though.

-- Sam

Did you fellers ever think that maybe you are overdoing the cleaning bit? I'm not knocking what you do (if you're happy, more power to you).

I am a serious shooter. I don't shoot great numbers every time I go out but try to get to the range a couple of times a week. I'll normally shoot 80-100 rounds of center fire a trip.

I just wipe my guns off when I return. When they get so
grungy I'm embarrassed, then I do a good cleaning. That generally does NOT include any brushing, etc. I use Ed's Red and patches and a cleaning rod.

I cast my own bullets and I get NO leading. There is no build up in my barrels, just my cylinder chambers get carboned up. Ed's red removes that quite nicely.

I used to shoot modern bench rest. In talking with several name barrel makers, I learned that most barrels are retired because of bad cleaning practices. Now, if you want to win benchrest matches, you clean! However, with pistols and revolvers you don't have to over do it.

Mine get it every 300-500 rounds and that is enough. My guns are stored in a climate controlled home, so rust is never a problem. I do wipe my guns off after use, but no deep cleaning until they "NEED" it...

If I am on a hunting trip, I keep after my guns because campers and tents don't have central heating or a/c.

YMMV
Dale53

Dale,

As I shoot more and get older I get less picky about my cleaning. However, I live on the rainy side of Oregon, and I don't like to leave a bunch of carbon in my guns, as it attracts moisture which can lead to rust. I agree though; If I'm bringing the same guns to the range all the time, they tend to get cleaned "as needed".

Especially things like Glocks, which don't care. Now my Sigs, where I use a lot of grease on the rails, those I clean religiously. The grease attracts dirt and turns it into an abrasive slurry. Plus, they're carry guns.

I also have a somewhat embarrassingly large collection at this point, and I take different guns to the range quite often. If I don't clean 'em when I get back I can forget about them, then pick up a dirty gun 6 months later. I've actually taken to keeping notes...

-- Sam

I use "Hoppe's Elite Gun Cleaner", essentially odorless and non-toxic. It does a pretty good job on the bore, chambers and gun, and once in a while, on the stainless guns, I use a "Lead Away" cloth to get rid of the serious stains and carbon build-up. On the blue guns I use a tooth brush to scrub inside the frame and the end of the cylinder and a soft brass brush to lightly scrub around the forcing cone. A good oiling is required after using a water based cleaner.

...Jimbo

I've heard Simple Green recommended as a cleaner for stainless steel revolvers. I haven't tried it for that, but it has a pleasant odor, and works well on other things.

I'll second the use of Simple Green. I bought a KM77MKII that was part of an estate. The rifle had either been a wall hanger or in an open cabinet in the living room of 2 smokers for years. The exposed parts were literally golden in color from the nicotine. Using a 1:1 solution with water, it was wipe on-wipe off for that crud.

I live in the California valley, so the climate isn't an issue for me...summers are pretty hot, but I store the guns in an indoor safe...

I use Hoppe 9 in the barrels, but I find Ronsol lighter fluid and a toothbrush does the job really well. I spray the guns down with Breakfree CLP to store until the next time I go to the range.

For the revolver innards I use 20w-50 motor oil. Cheap and seems to do the job well.

I recently discovered "lead away" cloths.They are great at cleaning a stainless steel pistol.

Stan in SC

For my single action SS guns, I soak the cylinder and base pin in Simple Green for a while before brushing. The rest of the gun gets cleaned with Ed's Red- cheap to make, and has almost no smell at all. Here's the recipe:
http://home.comcast.net/~dsmjd/tux/dsmj ... ds_red.htm
Note: I leave the acetone out; it's unnecessary.

After I'm done I touch up with a Lead-Away cloth.

Jeff

JB Bore cleaner-the only way to go-a little dab 'll do ya

Does anyone use Blaster PB as a lubricant?

For lubricant when it is all clean. Put some STP Oil Treatment on the base pin and the front of the cylinder where it meets the frame and some on the back of the cylinder where the teeth are. When you put the base pin back in do it slow and rotate the cylinder so it will spread out the thick STP It will make it smooth as butter and help keep down wear. Also cock the hammer back and put a drop down on the bottom where everything moves. Works GREAT.

As for cleaner as of late I use Ed's Red but that is only with Cast Bullets no jacketed. If I shoot any jacketed out of it I use some Sweets to get rid of the copper in the bore.

As for the front of the cylinder I use one of those yellow lead away wipe cloths. But really I do not see a need unless it is just for looks.

But I could be wrong?

STP? Isn't that a bit thick? I imagine it also attracts a lot of dirt. I've used CLR and a few other "miracle products" but ended up going back to the old Hoppe's stuff. For degreasing, I use brake parts cleaner. I take it outdoors. The fumes are nasty.

If the surfaces are smooth (I polish my base pins), all they need is a drop of Rem Oil. Too much oil is just as bad as too little. It causes you to need to clean the gun more frequently than needed.

Hint - if you spend more time cleaning a gun than shooting it, it's either a 105MM howitzer, or you're doing something wrong.

A lifetime of cleaning the front of stainless revolver cylinders with ease can be had for the price of a single can of Brasso metal polish. Whatever chemicals they use plus the ultra-fine micro-polishing abrasive in it will wipe off carbon and lead fouling with just a bit of rubbing.

STP works great for me. But maybe I am just odd as after I go to the range and shoot 50 or 100 rounds I will clean it after the day of shooting as I would do with any firearm I have. If you take care of them they will take care of you.

The STP idea I got from a friend that has been shooting the Ruger .44 Mag for over 30 years as well as a long distance pistol shooter with some wins to his name at 100 and 200 yards. And has informed me that with the STP he shows little if any wear after 60,OOO rounds fired through one Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag and that is hard to argue with.

And I will add he does not shoot low end rounds or even mid to low range bullets. His normal rounds are between 310Gr and 335Gr from his Ruger's

I just wish for the items I have to live a long and trouble free life and if I can do anything to help do that then so be it.

Has anyone used Greased Lighting, CLR, or ZEP purple degreaser on their stainless steel firearm?

Click to expand...

Nope. Hoppes #9 is used for both stainless and blued.

The blast rings stay put after the wipe down. No need to remove them ... just wipe the scorch marks to get the surface residue off the cylinder front. Tis all that is required. In the past, I've always wet patched, brushed, then dry patched the barrel/chambers, but now I usually skip the brush unless I see severe leading.... which usually means getting out the de-leading tool.

Re: STP. Some time ago someone mentioned using Mobil 1 grease with good results. Anything beats the $25/pint that some of these magic potions cost.

I found some of the Hoppes Elite at a local shop. It looks to be about the same thing as Gunzilla, but I haven't used it yet.

Pretty much anything will remove small amounts of carbon. Some guys don't even use a CLP or a solvent, just wipe everything down in gun oil. It still floats the worst of the gunk away.

-- Sam

Yosemite Sam you are correct I have also heard some like the Mobil 1 synthetic grease as well. But STP is cheaper and I have not had a problem with it thus far. But for grins I may try the Mobil 1 but a bottle of either may last you a life time lol.

Finished my concotion of Ed's Red yesterday. The kerosene was a little hard to find. Have not used yet however it is potent stuff. All in all, not a bad day. Was hoping Bin Laden would try to carjack me so I could read him his terrorist bill of rights...after...well, we won't go there.

Thanks for all the great advice and alternatives. :lol: