Brake cleaner?

[xiphur]

I have read of many people using brake cleaner to clean their guns. I tried it on my 92FS and was amazed ot how easily it took off all of the oil, grit and grime. It left the metal parts bone dry but that was easily remidied with oil. My question is, is it safe to use this every time I clean my gun? Will it mess up the finish or any thing? Also, i just took the extractor off of my 92FS (the reason i tried brake cleaner) yet i heard that it is not good to remove it often. Is this true? if so what could be damaged?

Thanks for any and all replies.

 

[Murphster]

Brake cleaners may differ in composition, but I believe the main ingredient in most is acetone. It's the same ingredient (I think) that appears in the more expensive produce Gun Scrubber. I have used it in the past. Good thing is it gets rid of dirt. Bad news is it also removes needed lubricants and rust protectants as well. Anything you spray will need to be reprotected and/or relubricated. Brake cleaner will also mar/melt some plastics. It ruined a set of CZ grips in an instant. New Beretta 92FS models have some plastic pieces. I don't know if this is the type of plastic that can be harmed by brake cleaner or not.

As a rule of thumb, I no longer use brake cleaner. I'm aware of many others who successfully use it, however.

 

[Ron Brooks]

I really don't think that the brake cleaner would bother the finish of the pistol. It is possible that it might have some bad effect on any plastic parts, but I would imagine that that would depend on the type of plastic. You might want to look into carberaor <sp?> cleaner instead.

Ron

 

[1 old 0311]

I use the cheapest brake clean I can find ( Autozone $1.89 a can ) I have used it on 4-5 different finishes, including gold inlay. NEVER had a problem.

 

[Plink]

I use non chlorinated brake cleaner and have for years. I've never had a problem on anything except when a little overspray got onto the plastic trigger group housing of a Marlin Camp Carbine. It's been safe on all other polymers I've used it on. Structural polymers such as are used for frames seem to be resistant to it, but non structural ones like the Marlin, can be damaged by it. It has never effected any metal finish I've used it on from blued to polymer coated to plated.

 

[yodar]

brake cleaners

They ere excelelnt for their labeled purpose (as a cleaner)

but it does etch certain plastics

ie:grip panels...I KNOW

It also affects varnishes on stock furniture

yodar

 

[xiphur]

Thanks for all of the responses. Since my beretta is all metal(except the trigger guide rod and grips) I can spray the major parts with out worry. The trigger seems to be made out of a different type of plastic than the grips but i still won't spray there. Maybe one day I'll change out all of the plastic parts for metal ones. Nobody answered my extractor question though. Guess I'll hit up the beretta forum.

 

[coltrane679]

Non-chlorinated seems to affect less plastics than the ohter type.

That said, I usually restrict use to cleaning rifle bolts--I haven't had to dissassemble a bolt in while.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

With chlorinated products it can impact nylon (that is the major HARD plastic used in may weapons), not agressively, but why use it on that.
Acetone is pretty aggressive to most soft plastics (polypropylene and nylon are resistant). Good news is, acetone is top notch at removing most adhesives (is you ever get tape residue left behind give it try--NOT ON PLASTIC).
If you are worried about stripping off the lubrication and there is an Autozone around, try their brake cleaner. It uses a single chlorinated compound that does not seem to strip off the lube quite so much--again, caution around nylon. It is the acetone and the alcohols that dry out the (and cool down) the weapon when used. They are great organic solvents and remove the stuff you want to get rid of, just make sure you hit it with CLP Break-Free afterwards.

 

[wally]

Don't recall the details of removing a Beretta 92 extractor, but other than losing a small spring or pin, if you do it every time you clean your gun eventually the holes may get enlarged enough for the pin to "walk" when shooting which could lead to failure or possible gun damage depending which direction it moves.

Brake parts cleaner with the extension tube is great for flushing out behind the extractor. In my experience Carb cleaners are much more aggressive solvents than brake parts cleaner.

Brake parts cleaner will attack the platic used on CZ grips as well as what has already been mentioned.

 

[1 old 0311]

Hi Wally,

I always remove the grips, wood, rubber, or plactic, before I clean so I can't comment on the CZ grips. I do know that it does not effect the CZ plastic guide rod, in my PO1, or the plastic mag parts.

 

[oweno]

I use the stuff all the time, it's great BUT - I'd recommend that you wear safety glasses when you use it. The nooks and crannies inside pistols can easily cause the stuff to bounce back into your eyes and:

a. This hurts, and

b. It can't be good for you.

Don't ask me how I know this .... sigh ...