TomKat
Member
Noob question... I just bought a P95 and don't want to damage the polymer. I've heard that some cleaners will do that. Which ones should I stay away from? I use CLP on my shotgun, but am unsure if that will damage the P95...
Cleaners for poly guns
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The Lone Haranguer
Member
The type of polymer used in gun frames is impervious to normal gun cleaning products. This includes harsh degreasers like GunScrubber as well. Just to be safe, if you select such a product, look for "synthetic safe" on the labeling. I have damaged other plastic parts (e.g., magazine floorplates) with it. Although I personally dislike CLP as a purely cleaning product, it will definitely not harm your frame.
railroader
Member
I use gunscrubber, synthetic safe cleaner on my p95 and p97. Ruger polymer will discolor from regular gunscrubber and stuff like brake cleaner. For some reason ruger polymer is different than other guns like glocks and XDs. Mark
gglass
Member
Hoppes #9 works fine on Ruger polymers.
Zerodefect
member
I used CLP on my p95.
Obviously the barrel is removed when you use solvent, so It's nowhere near the plastic. Then I hosed of the bore cleaner with CLP. I think I only used bore solvent on her once, when I bought her used.
Obviously the barrel is removed when you use solvent, so It's nowhere near the plastic. Then I hosed of the bore cleaner with CLP. I think I only used bore solvent on her once, when I bought her used.
TomKat
Member
Thanks, I guess there wouldn't be much residue in the polymer frame anyway, right? just the barrel, slide and rod/spring I assume. Being plastic I might not even need anything for it (or am I thinking wrong...)
TC
TC
REAPER4206969
Member
There are no common solvents that will harm polymer pistol frames (at least Glock.) However there is no real reason to use any solvents or oils on the frame.
possum
Member
the only thing that i know of that may harm a poly frame that some folks may use is carb cleaner. break cleaner is fine, but don't use carb cleaner. and if you want to use something like gun scrubber, buy the break cleaner at wal mart it is the same stuff and alot cheaper.
swinokur
Member
Simple Green can harm metal parts. If you use it, be every careful to not get it on your internals
swinokur
Member
so noted.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
The off the shelf product is corrosive to aluminum over time (as noted, there is an aviation formulation that is not), but surely not Tenifer-treated steel.swinokur said:
MillCreek
Member
I would avoid any chlorinated solvents on any polymer parts.
Snarlingiron
Member
I posted this on another forum, but it is probably appropriate here.
I just attend a Glock Certified Armorer's class in Nacogdoches, Texas. Our instructor, Erich Clark, told us about an incident where a gentleman used brake cleaner to clean his gun, fired it and inhaled some white smoke that lingered a bit and suffered some serious and long lasting health issues. Frankly, I had my doubts about the accuracy of the story, but I was trying to find a reference to the type of gas that is produced and ran across this post on the internet:
http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm
The gas is Phosgene gas and it is very serious stuff. Now I use Brake Cleaner products, and I will have to say that Erich's story sounds much more plausible to me now, although the gentleman in question would have had to use the product almost immediately before firing his weapon. All of this stuff I have used evaporates very very quickly.
I am not one to go into a panic because a product contains something that may be harmful, but this bit of knowledge could be useful. Apparently the compound that can produce the phosgene gas under the proper circumstances is tetrachloroethylene, so forewarned is forearmed.
Not all Brake Cleaners contain this compound. For example Non Chlorinated Brakleen by CRC contains only Acetone, Naphtha, and alcohol (per their MSDS sheet). This is what I use.
Per Erich, halogenated cleaners should be avoided for use on Glocks. I would assume the same to be true for other polymer framed guns.
I just attend a Glock Certified Armorer's class in Nacogdoches, Texas. Our instructor, Erich Clark, told us about an incident where a gentleman used brake cleaner to clean his gun, fired it and inhaled some white smoke that lingered a bit and suffered some serious and long lasting health issues. Frankly, I had my doubts about the accuracy of the story, but I was trying to find a reference to the type of gas that is produced and ran across this post on the internet:
http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm
The gas is Phosgene gas and it is very serious stuff. Now I use Brake Cleaner products, and I will have to say that Erich's story sounds much more plausible to me now, although the gentleman in question would have had to use the product almost immediately before firing his weapon. All of this stuff I have used evaporates very very quickly.
I am not one to go into a panic because a product contains something that may be harmful, but this bit of knowledge could be useful. Apparently the compound that can produce the phosgene gas under the proper circumstances is tetrachloroethylene, so forewarned is forearmed.
Not all Brake Cleaners contain this compound. For example Non Chlorinated Brakleen by CRC contains only Acetone, Naphtha, and alcohol (per their MSDS sheet). This is what I use.
Per Erich, halogenated cleaners should be avoided for use on Glocks. I would assume the same to be true for other polymer framed guns.
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