Gun Cleaners: What Works, What Doesn't

Radiator · 12-26-2005, 21:35

I've been using different cleaners/solvents on a couple of used firearms I've purchased recently. And, over the years I've used all different types of cleaners/solvents. Here's my opinion on what works on what, and other tidbits of useless information.

Hoppe's #9: Gently takes out copper; creeps under and causes the edge of lead deposits to peel up over night. Cleans muzzle smog (powder residue) off immediately. Smells like bananas. Penetrant?

Kano Kroil: Sold as a penetrating oil, but used by benchrest shooters who swear by it. I've only started to use Kroil, so the jury is still out. Smells like Pinesol. Definately a penetrant. (wonder how it works on rusted bolts?)

Hoppe's Elite: It's M-Pro 7. Won't touch copper or clean powder burns off the face of a revolver cylinder, despite what they claim. Seems to clean burnt powder out of the bore as well as M-Pro 7 if you brush, and brush, and brush, ... No odor. Detergent?

M-Pro 7: See Hoppe's Elite above. No odor. Detergent?

Outers Foaming Bore Cleaner: Gently takes out copper, seems to clean burnt powder out of the bore as well as M-Pro 7 if you brush, and brush, and brush, ... The foam keeps the cleaner in contact with the dirty parts. Smells just like Formula 409. Detergent?

Sweets 7.62 Solvent: Agressively and quickly takes out copper just by swabbing with a patch. Removes burnt powder by brushing. STRONG Ammonia odor. Detergent?

Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner: Gently takes out copper. Gel keeps the cleaner in place. Removes burnt powder by brushing. Mildly strong ammonia odor. Detergent?

JB Bore Compound: Removes copper and burnt power,(very well,) just by swabbing with a patch. Seems to have a very fine polishing grit in a paste. Mild odor. Mildly abbrasive.

Remington Bore Cleaner: The liquid equivalent of JB Bore Compound.

Remington Bore Brite: (Bore Solvent And Choke Tube Cleaner) Cleans powder residue and plastic wad material. Doesn't touch copper or lead like they claim. Removes burnt powder by brushing. Mild odor. Penetrant?

RandySmith · 12-27-2005, 08:08

Good info! Thanks for the post.

Randy

The Pontificator · 07-03-2006, 07:58

Hoppes Elite is an excellent cleaner for Glocks.

I've had mixed results when cleaning (stainless) revolvers. As long as I'm shooting hard cast, polymer-coated, or jacketed ammo it works well. If I'm shooting soft lead (CCI Blazer) then I use Kleen-Bore's "Lead-Away" patches first.

RB-17 is another good bore cleaner. It's a gel.

SoFlaDeputy · 07-08-2006, 02:21

I've been using "Butches Bore Shine" and have has great results. Anybody else use it?

Mighty HD · 07-08-2006, 07:53

Believe it or not: Simple green =)

Tombstone · 07-08-2006, 20:55

I just recently picked up some "Butch's Bore Shine" myself and have to say it does a fine job with little effort. Does smell a bit, like ammonia but it sure does a great job of cleaning.

Big Time · 07-08-2006, 21:36

Brake parts cleaner works for me.Then lube with Mobil 1.

kraigster414 · 07-09-2006, 09:14

I am very happy with Hoppe's Elite. It is now my cleaner of choice.

Additionally, I have tossed my Bore Snakes and am back to a conventional cleaning rod, cotton swabs and brass brush. I do not feel the Bore Snakes do an adequate job of cleaning.

Steve in Az · 07-09-2006, 19:41

Breakfree CLP. It's the only thing I use.

mrwiggins · 07-09-2006, 20:45

how do i get the carbon off my revolver cylinder and the back of the barrel?

Stanley2 · 07-10-2006, 12:55

Hello, can some one tell me how good the TETRA GUN products are? Cleaners and solvents?

They are easy to get here in Mexico.

Ghost361 · 07-10-2006, 17:59

Tetra is awesome and definitely the way to go for oil. Everywhere I try to but it seems to say discontinued by manufacturer. As far as a solvent goes I use the Gunslick Bore Foam. I love that all you do is spray it in let in sit for 5 minutes, 3 or 4 strokes with the brush and it is gone. I am very careful not to let it in rifle actions though since it seems to be very aggressive.

Speedrock · 07-10-2006, 21:25

"Tetra is awesome and definitely the way to go for oil. Everywhere I try to but it seems to say discontinued by manufacturer."

http://www.tetraproducts.com/products.asp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kano Kroil: Sold as a penetrating oil, but used by benchrest shooters who swear by it.

Haven't used it a lot but the Bench Rest Crowd locally swear by a mix of 1 part Kroil to 3 parts Shooters Choice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hoppe's Elite: It's M-Pro 7. Won't touch copper or clean powder burns off the face of a revolver cylinder, despite what they claim. Seems to clean burnt powder out of the bore as well as M-Pro 7 if you brush, and brush, and brush, ... No odor. Detergent?

Has not been my experience with 'Elite at all! 5 min soak in either OEM Glock bbl. or KKm works like a charm on the long coppper streaks that build up from plated and jacketed bullets at the land/groove intersection. Even bullets with exposed lead bases don't take longer to clean. This is with using Brownell's best qual. bronze HD brushes, FWIW.

centennial · 07-12-2006, 11:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Mighty HD
Believe it or not: Simple green =)

Be careful with Simple Green. It will corrode and eventually destroy aluminum. Do not use on aluminum or aluminum alloys. It's great for degreasing steel and plastic.

Most copper solvents are ammonia based and the best copper solvents can actually damage your bore if left in for too long. They must be neutralized by dry swabbing the bore and then the bore needs to be oiled.

I like "WIPE OUT" for cleaning rifle bores. It gets out copper that even SWEETS has left behind and it contains NO ammonia. It can be left in the bore indefinately with no chance of damage.

supertech469 · 07-12-2006, 19:11

love kroil seems to work great for me. i shoot a lot of lead bullets and have had best results with the stuff. just takes a while to get acustom to the smell.

wolfpack_5150 · 07-13-2006, 10:31

Quote:

Originally posted by centennial
Be careful with Simple Green. It will corrode and eventually destroy aluminum. Do not use on aluminum or aluminum alloys. It's great for degreasing steel and plastic.

Really? When I had my dirtbike its what I used and so did the guys around the neighborhood. They used it for years, and there is lots of aluminum.
Not calling B.S., Im just honestly surprised...I knew that castrol "super clean" was that harsh but didnt know simple green was.

centennial · 07-13-2006, 10:51

I don't blame you for being sceptical.

Do a little test for yourself. Drop a small piece of aluminum into a container and cover it with Simple Green and leave it for a few days.

I'd hate to see someone ruin an alloy frame or receiver.

tous · 07-13-2006, 11:22

Quote:

Originally posted by mrwiggins
how do i get the carbon off my revolver cylinder and the back of the barrel?

Bascially, it's:

apply solvent; wait a bit; scrub with a nylon brush; repeat.

Avoid using Lead Free cloth on a blued revolver, but it is excellent on stainless steel.

MPro-7 seems to work well on cylinder faces.

Kurly · 07-13-2006, 11:58

Any comments on Remington's cleaner/lube spray-on product? (Sorry, the exact name excapes me but it's in an aerosol can). I was told by someone at Bass Pro Shops that it was the preferred cleaner/lube product on the market -- above Hoppe's. He also recommended NOT to get a bore snake as they're basically worthless due to contamination issues after you've used them several times. Said all that you're doing is spreading around inside the barrell, what you cleaned out last time.

The Pontificator · 07-13-2006, 14:30

I believe that the Simple Green folks have come out with a second formulation for use on aluminium/alloys called "aviation formula".

VN350X10 · 07-13-2006, 21:31

Two things about Bore Snakes.....

1) they are a fantastic field (or match) expedient & work well.

2) the mfgr's instructions say to WASH IT ! Like anything else, it does get dirty & needs cleaning. After washing, good as new.

If it's just spreading dirt, it's WAAAAAAAY past when it needed a bath. I use them between stages at USPSA/IPSC matches & in the field on my varmint rifles. Wouldn't be without them, but still use rods/patches/jags when I get home.

uncle albert

fastvfr · 07-14-2006, 03:23

I use:

ATX Transmission Fluid for a preservative...

Kano AeroKroil for a penetrant...

Hoppe's Benchrest for copper removal...

Tetra Grease for my heavy-lube needs...

And Mobil1 Synthetic for a liguid lube.

$40 for a lifetime supply of cleaning supplies is a REAL good deal!

Glock4Life · 07-14-2006, 12:11

Thanks for the OP. The best bore cleaner I've ever found is RB-17 Gel. A few swabs with a brass brush followed up with a couple patches and you'll have an instant mirror. It's almost amazing how effortlessly that stuff pulls everything out of the bore AND it's non-toxic, biodegradable and virtually no odor. I also use it on the outside of the barrel as a grime remover. I hit my Glock's internals with Gunscrubber. Those are pretty much the only two cleaning products I ever use on pistols.

***GPalmer*** · 07-15-2006, 11:24

I find that the Bore Snakes have a place in my cleaning kit. I use them for the initial pass through to knoock loose the worst of the buildup and then I go after the barrel with a foaming bore cleaner and run patches and brushes through. Seems to work pretty well.

HiddenEyes · 07-21-2006, 01:33

Wouldn't anything with ammonia be classified as a solvent instead of a detergent? At least as far as the copper goes.

Mr. HE