cleaning colt commander

[emmie]

wanting to clean and oil my new- old 1970's? plated colt combat commander.
I am not sure what type plateing is on it and somewhere in back of my little mind something sayes some cleaning productes or lubes will discolor,or react to the plateing?
all my others are blue,and I use shooters choice-butches and wipe down with break free clp,on them.
any problems here or has old age bit me in butt again?

thank you for your time-emmie

 

[dfariswheel]

If it's the original factory finish it's either bright nickel, or satin electroless nickel, also known as "Coltguard".

If it's mirror bright it's standard nickel. If it has a satin, frosty look it's electroless.

Some bore solvents CAN damage nickel plated finishes, especially the newer, more aggressive copper solvents.

Ordinary solvents like good old Hoppe's #9 can damage the finish IF you allow it to stand on the finish for long periods of time.

This isn't a problem as long as you clean the gun as you normally would, then wipe all the bore solvent off the gun.
As long as you don't allow the solvent to stand on the finish for longer than is absolutely necessary, OR allow it to "soak" into scratched or damaged areas, you should have no trouble.

 

[1911Tuner]

Clean

If you can detail-strip the gun, just place the slide and frame in the dishwasher with the dishes. Cascade works well. Set it to heated drying.
Oil it up and put it back together. Ba-Da-BING! Clean pistola.

If you can't detail-strip it, don't despair. We have instructions contained in the Clinic sticky thread at the top of the page. If you get stuck, we'll help.
If you can assemble a model airplane, you're over-qualified for a 1911 detail-strip and reassembly.

 

[ClarkEMyers]

Although I have used the dishwasher

Although I have used the dishwasher I usually boil in pans on the stove with dishwashing soap - Cascade has indeed worked well for me - a tank line of boiling soap and then hot water for a rinse with a prompt wipedown. Dishwashing soap is mostly formulated to rinse clean. The dishwasher was usually full of car parts that needed heavy degreasing - run an empty load afterwards.

I used to do this especially with my (blued) .22 magazines when I was shooting bullseye - careful with plastic followers. I've used electric toothbrushes and WaterPiks as well especially with blackpowder or particularly incomplete-burning loads/cartridges.

It made me feel good to know things were really clean. I wasn't mixing any different super lubes with different and possibly incompatible super ingredients - there may not be any incompatible ingredients for all I really know. There have been some in different automotive greases and different home formulated mixes, based on cheaper bulk automotive products, when used for firearms.