Kerosene for cleaning

sgt127 · Jul 11, 2022

I remember I had an old LT. He was on the army pistol team, Vietnam Era.

he told me after a day at the range, they just tossed their pistols in a vat of kerosene, scrubbed them, bore brushed them, used a little compressed air to blow them out.

Squirted a little oil on the rails, barrel hood and bushing. Good to go.

I’d gone shooting twice with my P365 without cleaning it. Maybe 450 rounds.

Sat down at the bench. Saw a little bottle of kerosene that I keep handy for…well…stuff that requires kerosene. Figured I’d try it.

Scrubbed the bore, slide, rails, mag Well etc.

I’m impressed. Great solvent. Seemed to clean like a champ. Dried clean. All jacketed bullets, so no lead.

Oiled as usual.

tmd16556 · Jul 11, 2022

I’ve used it for auto parts cleaning, great for wheel bearings. It’s a decent soaking solvent and leaves oil behind to stop corrosion until you can get around to wiping down and oiling, unlike mineral spirits.

Buzznrose · Jul 11, 2022

Most of the third world cleans their guns with diesel fuel and lubes them with motor oil and axle grease.

Fighting over what gun cleaner is best is surely a first world problem.

sgt127 · Jul 11, 2022

Buzznrose said:
Fighting over what gun cleaner is best is surely a first world problem.

Its truly amazing a thread will go to 10 pages everyone coming up with “proof” that theirs:
Cleans better
Lubricates better
Prevents rust better.
Makes men more confident
Women more attractive
Bullets go faster.

I have guns from the 30’s that have probably never seen anything more high tech than 3 in 1 oil.

I still use LSA on my AR.
Ballistol for 98% of cleaning and lubing.
And, whatever is laying around. Lucas gun oil. Rig. White lithium grease. Red and Tacky grease.

I have yet to have a gun fail because I used the wrong lubricant.

Jonesy814 · Jul 11, 2022

I have used a variety of gun cleaning products. I have not found one that works any better than the others

ColtPythonElite · Jul 11, 2022

Well, kerosene is one of the parts of the famous Ed's Red....

cfullgraf · Jul 12, 2022

I use Ed's Red for cleaning my firearms. It works well.

Kerosene and Diesel fuel are good solvents for cleaning but the latter leaves a bit more oily residue on the product. Not necessary a bad thing but it depends on what your are looking for. Ed's Red, by its nature has a variety of components that leave an oily residue. Kerosene and Dextron ATF leave some oily residue while acetone and mineral spirits wash the oiky residue away.

Cleaners like brake clean tend to wash away all oily residue left by the cleaner. I use Brake clean and carburetor cleaner when I want to REALlY clean an action to to get rid of residual grease and its associated clay by products.

Anyway, by mixing my own Ed's Red, I get several years of gun cleaner at a reasonable cost to make.

loadedround · Jul 12, 2022

Guys, what do you think the main ingredient in Hoppes is? Sure isn't whale oil!

JohnKSa · Jul 12, 2022

The main ingredient in Goo Gone is basically a low-odor, reduced-toxicity kerosene equivalent.

Hoppes #9 has kerosene as an ingredient along with acetone (the main ingredient), ethanol, oleic acid and some other goodies. <<Edit: Hoppes has changed their formula since this information was correct.>>

Remington1911 · Jul 12, 2022

Not long after I got married, back when we had our last good pres #40. The wife still painted her finger nails. I looked at the bottle, and it was basically acetone. And the cost of that little bottle.....well tough when you get tossed out of the house for getting married, and you are living in an 8'x40' trailer....that stuff was expensive. So ace hardware and a can of acetone.

The FiL oiled his guns with old motor oil and grease.....not just a 3rd world thing, a country boy US thing as well.

243winxb · Jul 12, 2022

#9

edwardware · Jul 12, 2022

sgt127 said:
. . . they just tossed their pistols in a vat of kerosene. . .

Works great, but it's far messier than is necessary. Seems you'd spend more time mopping up kerosene than you'd save vs using a toothbrush, rag, and CLP in a dropper bottle.

If you have a rack full of guns then running a dip tank or parts washer is great. Cleaning one or two at a time that way is a waste.

FL-NC · Jul 12, 2022

It will work as a cleaning solvent, but I don't like the smell. Very common to see it in use in places like Colombia, where it is called ACPM (acete combustible para motores) on their M60 MG's, Galils, etc. Not sure what effect it would have on wood. I prefer MPRO7 (no smell), Hoppes (not a bad smell) and carb cleaner or brake cleaner (for junkers that get real dirty real fast like my SKS, and only used outside).

herrwalther · Jul 12, 2022

Buzznrose said:
Most of the third world cleans their guns with diesel fuel and lubes them with motor oil and axle grease.

If they clean them at all. I have been a few places where if you ask when the last time they cleaned their rifle, you got some very interesting looks.

I use my preferred gun cleaner because it smells good, sprays easy, cheap and easy to get at my LGS. I have no belief it is a magic bullet formula and nothing else will work for cleaning.

Gary W. Strange · Jul 12, 2022

A bench rest shooter, who shot some amazing, long groups, told me he used windex, to clean his barrels. He said it is a good bore cleaner. I have never used it myself. I use hoppies #9 and kroil, and finish with a mop, with breakthrough gun oil.

Zerodefect · Jul 12, 2022

Works great on motorcycles, don't see how it couldn't on a pistol.

tark · Jul 12, 2022

loadedround said:
Guys, what do you think the main ingredient in Hoppes is? Sure isn't whale oil!

Beat me to it!! :cuss:

tarosean · Jul 12, 2022

sgt127 said:
Its truly amazing a thread will go to 10 pages everyone coming up with “proof” that theirs:
Cleans better
Lubricates better
Prevents rust better.
Makes men more confident
Women more attractive
Bullets go faster.

all can be summed up with alcohol.. :neener:

Buzznrose · Jul 12, 2022

tarosean said:
all can be summed up with alcohol..

And with a sufficient amount, makes one 8 feet tall and bulletproof!

sgt127 · Jul 12, 2022

tarosean said:
all can be summed up with alcohol..

I’ll try that next. Seems like a waste though.

Possibly a really cheap Vodka.

tmd16556 · Jul 12, 2022

I would guess vodka might be good for cleaning corrosive Eastern European ammo. It’s mostly water (60%) but has a solvent for carbon.

Of course you’re paying taxes on vodka so denatured and water to the ideal ratio would make more sense.
I like a good drink and I like a clean gun, but I see nothing good coming from a “one for me, one for you” process.

Ethan Verity · Jul 12, 2022

I have a lot of kerosene around since old kerosene lamps is another interest of mine... good to know it works, though it would not be my first choice for cleaning guns.

Random 8 · Jul 12, 2022

Almost all of my gun cleaning products come from the automotive section or the fuel pump. The one exception is CLP. I use it for quick and dirty cleaning or long term protection. Other stuff works, but it's convenient and in a spray can.

I don't generally use kerosene, but I do use a fair amount of gasoline and #1 winter diesel. Both have different uses, both work very well. For an all-purpose solvent I mix the 2 roughly 50/50. Kerosene would do the same as #1, but I have ready access to the diesel. I find gasoline or starting fluid to be a superior solvent to diesel or kerosene. The diesel will get you some good lubricating and protecting properties. For small parts I prefer a soaking in gasoline and a light mist of JB-80.

Alte Schule · Jul 12, 2022

tarosean said:
all can be summed up with alcohol..

And copious amounts when finished.

ms6852 · Jul 13, 2022

sgt127 said:
Its truly amazing a thread will go to 10 pages everyone coming up with “proof” that theirs:
Cleans better
Lubricates better
Prevents rust better.
Makes men more confident
Women more attractive
Bullets go faster.

I have guns from the 30’s that have probably never seen anything more high tech than 3 in 1 oil.

I still use LSA on my AR.
Ballistol for 98% of cleaning and lubing.
And, whatever is laying around. Lucas gun oil. Rig. White lithium grease. Red and Tacky grease.

I have yet to have a gun fail because I used the wrong lubricant.

I would like to add that bullets do go faster, if and only if you squeeze the trigger harder.

Kerosene for cleaning

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