Best tank solvent for cleaning pistols

[AlaskaErik]

I have a small 3.5 gallon parts washer that I use for cleaning my pistols. I'm looking for recommendations on the best and safest solvent to use. I keep it in my garage, so flammable solvents are something I'd like to avaoid. Some of the pistols that will be cleaned include Glock 23, SA XD-45, NAA Guardian 380, Kahr PM40 and HK USP Compact 40.

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

you really don't need a parts washer...I think a brush/patch and some hoppes #9 and some light oil would do just fine.

Are u putting the whole thing in the parts washer? or disassembling it and putting the barrel in there?

 

[AlaskaErik]

Are u putting the whole thing in the parts washer? or disassembling it and putting the barrel in there?


I only put the all-metal parts in the tank. It just makes it easier to dunk the parts and clean them with a cleaning brush.

 

[ATAShooter]

I rolled over to the local car dealer and slipped a mechanic 10 bucks to give me 3 gal of the Safety Kleen stuff. I strain it thru a cheese cloth then reuse.

My neighbor went to Tractor Supply and got: PSC1000 Parts washer solvent Tractor supply #3893915 for 35.99 for 5 gal. It woorks real good. Watch the polymer frame...don't know how it may affect that. He does 1911's.

 

[JoeHatley]

I use equal parts Kerosene/Mineral Spirits/ATF

Works great...

Joe

 

[Street Survival]

Simple Green

Hi guys,

I was an Advanced Glock Armorer for a medium sized Police Dept. We always used full strength "yellow colored" Simple Green to wash the Glocks, followed by hot water rinse and lubricated with FP-10. If the barrel was extremely fouled up we would use tooth paste to clean the barrel.

This is what I still use today except I don't have the ultra sonic cleaner. Best of all it's extremely cost effective & not a biohazard. Hope this helps you out.

 

[Plink]

I use plain ol' mineral spirits as a tank solvent. They make a non flammable safety solvent for cleaning tanks. Check your yellow pages in the industrial section. We used that at the bike shop and it worked fine for really greasy, dirty parts.

 

[grendelbane]

Simple Green sounds good. For that matter, Dawn dishwashing liquid and hot water does a real good job.

It is a detergent, not a soap. However, hot water and soap worked well in the 19th century, even though they did not have petroleum based lubricants to apply afterwards.

This is an extremely effective, cost effective, and non bio-hazard solution. Naturally, no one wants to use it.

 

[Gordon]

Simple green has been known to attack aluminum and anodizing. I stopped using it after I read a scholarly article. I would NOT use a solvent anymore. I used Stoddard solvent many years, before plastic was used in guns-but no more! Cylinder and Slide sells a special plastic safe wash solution that I use now. I forget what they call it, but a couple gallons lasts for years if you only have a couple dozen guns you shoot pretty regularly.

here's the stuff I use, it's made by Cylinder and slide NOT brownells:


https://shop.cylinder-slide.com/ccp...act=&aff=&pg=prod&ref=407&cat=4&catstr=HOME:4

 

[El Hombre]

Many of the parts washers being sold now are for water based solvents only. Be sure of what your washer can handle before you go to changing cleaners.

 

[g17]

varsol works good if you can get some

 

[Rex B]

dishwasher

Get an old diswasher and use Cascade Complete on potscrubber cycle.
Or use the one in the kitchen when SWMBO is not home

 

[JNewell]

SIMPLE GREEN = bad idea for aluminum

I've posted on this a number of times, and a couple of posts above have ID'd the issue. The armed services prohibit getting SG near aircraft and other aluminum parts because it will attack aluminum. I have personally seen a SIG frame nearly completely de-anodized and according to the factory ruined by "cleaning" with Simple Green in an ultrasonic cleaner. It's fine on steel and presumably ok on plastics, but keep it away from aluminum parts.

 

[Plink]

If memory serves, varsol is just another name for mineral spirits. Handy stuff all around.

 

[gezzer]

Mineral Spirits, for an ultra sound Simple Green cut 50% don't leave aluminum for more than 1 cycle.

For real heavy work #45 cleaner from Du-Lite at 160 degrees works great. Keep the aluminum out of this unless you want to see a big frothing action and then have to search for the dissolved part!!!!!!!!!!!!!!