So...what does everyone use to clean their guns? And to oil them? You can go nuts on deciding what to use and every manufacturer claims to be the best, etc. I'm a new gun owner and I'm currently using Hoppe's 9 solvent and oil. Seems like you can't go wrong with this stuff. Some people swear by Ballistol, CCP, lithium grease for rails. What say you?
Yet another gun cleaning, lube, protect post
- Thread starter Zeego
- Start date
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mark_s
Bearcat
I use Hoppe's 9 for cleaning and either Rem Oil or Corrosion X (for guns) for lubrication. The only exception would be with my revolvers. Those, I first "hose out" with Ballistol, then use the two above mentioned products.
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
Zeego said:
Hi,
You won't go wrong sticking w/ Hoppe's No. 9 and most any kind of "plain ol'" gun oil as marketed by Hoppe's, Outer's, or others, regardless of what somebody tells you about all the high dollar products on the market!
But let me ramble just for giggles:
For cleaning, there's really no reason to buy solvents much pricier than good ol' Hoppe's No. 9. At the other end of the spectrum, there are cheapskates who think even Hoppe's No. 9 is too 'spensive. Truth is, they probably can't even afford to be shooting, but we know that's never stopped anyone from burning gunpowder, so there's a homebrew called Ed's Red one can make in the garage. It's equal parts Dexron ATF, mineral spirits (paint thinner), kerosene and acetone. Some leave out the acetone lest it damage plastic finishes. ER works well for powder fouling, and some say it works on lead as well as Hoppe's. (I might argue depending on my mood and the degree of leading I'm dealing w/ at the moment!) For all intents and purposes, though, Ed's Red won't touch copper, while Hoppe's No. 9 at least tries.
Many companies make "special" copper solvents, too (including Hoppe's.) They're pricey. Most work ok. Again, if you're a cheapskate, but have an Ace Hardware store near you, they have a product called "Janitorial Strength Formula" ammonia (Cat. No. 10183A) that's 10% ammonia (about twice the concentration of household ammonia, which really doesn't work worth a darn.) A quart is reasonably priced and is about a double lifetime supply. A patch dipped in this stuff will make some of the commercial copper solvents look like they're taking a nap. Use it OUTSIDE, though: it'll strip your sinuses as quickly as it does copper!
For lubrication, about a gazillion guns have been lubed and protected for decades by that most basic product, 3 in One, too. A nickel's worth of research (or simply reading the label?) will reveal the "3" stands for "lubricates, cleans & prevents rust." A "CLP" by any other name... (Sorry, Mr. Shakespeare!)
Fortunately for other vendors and their claims, there's as much misinformation about 3 in One out there as you'd like to believe, even though most of it can be disproven by the more literate types who love to read the MSDS on most anything. It's mineral oil, not vegetable oil (well, not in the last few million years?), doesn't glom up or solidify any more than any other similar product, blah, blah. I was in the bicycle business for a few years, and you wouldn't believe the stories we heard about how bad it is for bikes! Yet bringing the cost of research up to a dime, one finds it was originally developed for use on... drum roll, please... BICYCLES!
Gun owners have just taken over the myths from the cyclists, IMO. Truth be known, a 55 gal barrel will fill an awful lot of 3 oz containers, and I wouldn't be surprised to see several "brands" of gun oils come from the same barrel... even those who swear by Mobil 1 for their guns can attest to how many times they can fill that little bottle from a $6 quart jug of M-1!
Gun grease is kinda like oil: pick one that fits your budget or comes in an attractive package. They all work. The clear and white ones aren't as messy as the black ones... sometimes. Otherwise???
For long term storage and rust prevention, there are a few products out there of the "light cosmoline" type. Brownell's sells full strength cosmoline IIRC. Lee Liquid Alox bullet lube is an almost full strength "cosmoline family" product. There was a grease on the market for decades called RIG that did a great job. I'm told it's off the market... back on the market... off the market. So if you can't find it, don't be surprised. Just stop by the drug store and come home w/ a small jar of Vaseline. Dunno what your definition of "long term" is, but I've stored blued guns wiped down w/ a VERY light coating of Vaseline up to 15 years... (yeah, it's dry here, but you get the point.)
As for the best product of any of them? That's the one YOU use... the rest are all junk. Just ask anyone! They'll all work: the secret to making one or another do its job is applying it to your gun while everyone else argues which one's best over a beer... or two, or three...
Just one guy's opinion, ya know? I'm sure there will be some who'll tell me I'm way off base. Oh, well... my guns don't know that, so please don't tell THEM!
Rick C
For cleaning:
Patch Worm
1" cotton squares
Hoppes #9 (am I the only one that misses the glass containers?)
Break Free CLP (clean lube protect)
Q tips. Lots of Q tips.
Lubrication:
Break Free LP (lube protect)
White grease (only on bolt/hammer rub point)
RemOil (mainly for corrosion resistance on blued guns. Spraying it from the aerosol can)
My current 22/45 scheme is:
Q-tip clean through the ejection port every 500-1000 rounds. I use a patch worm with 1" cotton squares soaked in Hoppes #9, alternating with a couple dry patches, until clean.
Field strip and clean every 2000 rounds. Patch worm with 1" cotton squares soaked in Hoppes #9 again.
Detail strip and clean every 10k rounds, or when OCD kicks in.
The sharp end of a Patch Worm works well to scrape carbon in the corner at the breech.
A Q-tip soaked with Hoppes #9, patience (let it soak), and paper towels are all I use to clean the receiver. I will follow up with CLP behind the ejection port, wipe out, then reapply a thin coat. I do use a toothbrush looking brush from Harbor Freight to clean the ejector. Brass & nylon ones are cheap there; buy a bunch.
On the bolt, I soak the breech face with #9, and the sides with CLP. I use a brass brush on the extractor and Q-tips to get the headspace inset. I pull the firing pin out every 4-6k rounds, and the extractor at 10k or whenever it breaks.
On reassembly a very thin later of grease is applied to the bottom of the bolt where the hammer rides. Start and the back and taper to the front. You don't want it getting into the bullet area.
After putting the pistol back together, I apply CLP to the rear portion of the locked back bolt and cycle a few times. Then lock back the bolt and Q-tip anything wet visible in the bullet area.
When it is field stripped, I Q-tip clean the lower, especially the sear/hammer interface. A small drop of oil on the sear/hammer interface is good. I also put a drop of CLP on the mating surfaces between lower and upper.
The suppressor and host are cleaned every time they are used.
Patch Worm
1" cotton squares
Hoppes #9 (am I the only one that misses the glass containers?)
Break Free CLP (clean lube protect)
Q tips. Lots of Q tips.
Lubrication:
Break Free LP (lube protect)
White grease (only on bolt/hammer rub point)
RemOil (mainly for corrosion resistance on blued guns. Spraying it from the aerosol can)
My current 22/45 scheme is:
Q-tip clean through the ejection port every 500-1000 rounds. I use a patch worm with 1" cotton squares soaked in Hoppes #9, alternating with a couple dry patches, until clean.
Field strip and clean every 2000 rounds. Patch worm with 1" cotton squares soaked in Hoppes #9 again.
Detail strip and clean every 10k rounds, or when OCD kicks in.
The sharp end of a Patch Worm works well to scrape carbon in the corner at the breech.
A Q-tip soaked with Hoppes #9, patience (let it soak), and paper towels are all I use to clean the receiver. I will follow up with CLP behind the ejection port, wipe out, then reapply a thin coat. I do use a toothbrush looking brush from Harbor Freight to clean the ejector. Brass & nylon ones are cheap there; buy a bunch.
On the bolt, I soak the breech face with #9, and the sides with CLP. I use a brass brush on the extractor and Q-tips to get the headspace inset. I pull the firing pin out every 4-6k rounds, and the extractor at 10k or whenever it breaks.
On reassembly a very thin later of grease is applied to the bottom of the bolt where the hammer rides. Start and the back and taper to the front. You don't want it getting into the bullet area.
After putting the pistol back together, I apply CLP to the rear portion of the locked back bolt and cycle a few times. Then lock back the bolt and Q-tip anything wet visible in the bullet area.
When it is field stripped, I Q-tip clean the lower, especially the sear/hammer interface. A small drop of oil on the sear/hammer interface is good. I also put a drop of CLP on the mating surfaces between lower and upper.
The suppressor and host are cleaned every time they are used.
I've tried every cleaner product. Hoppes 9 is my favorite, it's as good as any of them. FP-10 is the best general lubricant. I use a silicone cloth to wipe down guns for storage.Zeego said:
Don't use grease on the rails of a .22, it can drag enough to make it fail to cycle especially in the cold.
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
98_1LE said:
Hi,
Nope!
And I'll do you one better: the little glass bottle in my kit is refilled when necessary from a quart bottle. Of the "real" Hoppe's No. 9! For those of you who grew up before environmentally friendly products, including the "new" Hoppe's No. 9, you know what I'm talking about!
Rick C
Pal Val
Buckeye
+1 to no grese on the rails. If you polish the mating surfaces until they're totally smooth, a drop of CLP will do the job, only it will not gum up even down to sub zero temperatures.
I had the bolts of my squirrel rifles malfunction than once because the lubricant froze on them.
I had the bolts of my squirrel rifles malfunction than once because the lubricant froze on them.
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