pre-owned Ruger MKII...grips melting?

[yooper1]

I found a decent condition MKII for $100.

It was filthy

I did the usual cleaning (so far I have not dis-assembled) with synthetic gun scubber.

I then find the grips are "tacky" like paint feels just before it is totally dry.

I take the grips off and spray each one down, take a nylon brush and scrub inside and out.

The darn inside appears to have been / or was melting. At first I thought it was a thick layer of crud, but it is actually the plastic grip softening up.

Oh well....

I guess I need to find some wood grips and replace them. Although I aint gonna get them there $100 grips.

I guess for $100 gun I cannot really complain

Ended up using a whole can of scrubber on it.

How can people let their guns get so dirty?

I guess I should add...

Yes, I know any gun scrubber is not meant for any plastic ...but all my other guns have never melted....yet

 

[wwb]

Never tried it on my RST and Mark II grips to be certain, but I'll give you 10:1 odds the gun scrubber is "melting" the grips.

By the way, after you use that stuff, be sure to give all the parts a light coat of oil or CLP.... in addition to removing miscellaneous crud, it does one hell of a fine job of degreasing everything in sight.

 

[yooper1]

Yup...I think it was the scrubber

I had a plastic handled screwdriver that I used to remove the grips lying on the bench. I did not notice that I was spraying that also.

The bottom of the handle that was lying where the scrubber would pool, was also slightly melted..


DRAT!!!!

DARN!!!


I guess I learned something new


again


and yes...I have oiled it up after scrubbing it

Thanks

 

[rugerjunkie]

I'd never have figured the scrubber would do that to the grips. At least a replacement set of plastic grips are going to be cheap. Depending on the brand of screwdriver...that may be more of a loss!! :lol:

 

[Cholo]

Hey, be glad you didn't spray it in an LCR. No telling what kind of plastic stuff would have melted :wink:

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Care to give us the brand name of that scrubber? I'd like to avoid it.

 

[yooper1]

It is the birchwood casey synthetic spray gun scrubber

I have used it many times before and never had problems.

this is a new can with a new (painted on) label...and a new shape.

I wonder if it is mis-marked as synthetic and it is really regular

 

[Cholo]

I've used the regular stuff for years without a problem. I don't recall seeing the synthetic.

 

[Highstandardguy]

Are you sure they weren't already that way when you bought the gun? Some folks use brake cleaner as a cheap substitute for gun scrubber. It will melt grips and cause other damage to non-steel parts and finishes. Plastic parts can stay 'tacky' for a while.

Actually I use it all the time when I'm only dealing with steel or SS parts.

 

[yooper1]

OK...so I took some photos of the new purchase

Not the greatest photos, but you can see a gun in there.

A bit worn, but still shoots good.

You can see on the right grip, just below the medallion....there is a melted portion.

 

[SteelShooter]

The good old Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber would soften up plastic big time. They are still selling the old version, but now have a new "Synthetic" that they claim does not dissolve plastic.

I just stick with the old stuff, but remove all plastic parts before spraying. Hate to see what it might do to a 10/22 trigger group! Bet it would start bonding stuff together like model glue LOL

 

[blume357]

The good and bad news is now you have to choose what to replace them with.... nice wood or some kind of ergo friendly rubber like from Hogue.

 

[OldSmoke]

Insect repellent can melt plastic parts too.
I used some bug repellent in liquid "lotion" suspension once - the kind you squirt in your hands and rub on your skin - and it subsequently melted the side of my video recorder.

I don't use liquid bug repellent anymore, and other than cheap Ruger .22's, I don't buy plastic guns.

 

[Mobuck]

The old military bug juice would melt everything plastic-sunglasses, watches, what ever. I've seen some polymer framed pistols that had the look of sun oxidized auto trim and I'm sure they had been sprayed with some type of cleaner. I've not had a problem with the synthetic safe spray cleaners but I'm very careful not to hose the polymer frames either.

 

[yooper1]

The good and bad news is now you have to choose what to replace them with.... nice wood or some kind of ergo friendly rubber like from Hogue.

Yes sir

I was looking at all the different wood ones.

But wow, what a price range there is.

Maybe I should just get the $30-ish dollar wood ones from Midway

I like the real light colored wood ones, but they are out of them, so the medium ones look like what is left.

So far anyways

 

[toysoldier]

If you have done any woodworking, grips aren't hard to make from flat stock. I made a set for my MkIII out of rosewood, and plan to make a more "personal" set out of Bradford pear from a storm-felled tree that blocked my drive a few years ago.

 

[mraywi]

I find this thread rather ironic, a lot of people get all nervous when some of us talk of using brake or carb cleaner on our firearms. They say we should use only gun cleaner or lube as they are made especially safe for firearms. I have always wondered deep down if they were correct,now I do not wonder anymore. Grips or other plastic,wood parts need to come off before cleaning regardless of cleaner used!

 

[bicclick]

I have been using gun scrubber since it came out.
DON'T USE IT ON PLASTIC!!
Even the "polymer safe" stuff will ruin plastic because, plastic ain't polymer.... Don't even think of a 22/45 frame, it will turn grey and streak.
I have also used Brake cleaner for over 20 years on all my guns, from bright blued Pythons to Glocks with no ill effects at all.
Some of my Range Buds say they are using "Simple Green"with very favorable results, it's non toxic and can be used in a less well ventilated area.
If any else has any experience with Simple Green please share it.