Cleaning off factory packing grease/oil?

[sbarkowski]

What do you guys use to clean off the factory anti-rust grease/oil from a new firearm before firing? Someone recomended brake cleaner, but I dont know if that would harm the finish, synthetic stocks, walnut etc.

 

[1KPerDay]

Are we talking cosmoline or more recent preservative? If recent, I just use a good gun solvent like Hoppe's No. 9. Break-Free CLP works also. You can also try simple green. Keep all of this away from wood just as a general rule. I haven't had my wood stocks hurt by this stuff but you should be careful, particularly if your wood is oil-finished.

I wouldn't use brake cleaner, personally.

If it's cosmoline... you got your work cut out for you.

 

[ACBMWM3]

Brake clean would be ok if you spray a little on a cloth and rub JUST THE METAL!
Do not touch plastic woode rubber etc... with it. It will eat through it.

 

[Kurt_D]

non-chlorinated brake cleaner is fine and won't hurt plastic, though I've never had regular brake cleaner hurt anything either. It will remove any packing grease/oils and put a dent in cosmoline (that stuff just keeps regenerating). I wouldn't put it on wood though.

 

[CoRoMo]

Is brake parts cleaner okay to use on chrome lined parts of ARs?

 

[moooose102]

if it has a wood stock, remove it and spray the metal down with "gun scrubber" for synthetic stocks. i use that exclusivly because now days, you never know where plastic will turn up. again, if it is a wood stock, it is a good time to give it a coat or two of johnsons paste wax to help preserve and protect the wood. also, even though you spray cleaned it, give the chamber and barrel a good cleaning with normal cleaning solvents. there is nothing like starting out with a nice clean gun from the start.

 

[Boba Fett]

From my Mosin Nagant to my AR-15, I've cleaned the packing grease with the Hoppe's Elite cleaners and have had no problems. If it is something that is really stuck on, I might use some Break Free solvent, but I've only used it in a few instances (mainly to get really stubborn deposits out of my Mosin).

 

[LibShooter]

Mineral Spirits

I used mineral spirits. It worked well and didn't have an overwhelming smell.

Pour it on a cloth and wipe. Repeat as necessary while watching the History Channel. Finish with your lube of choice.

I've never used mineral spirits on a gun with wooden parts, so I don't know how it would affect wood.

 

[hadmanysons]

Hoppe's or CLP. That's what I use on my guns.

On a lighter note, my first shotgun I shot straight from the box with no cleaning. Shot about 500 rounds through it before I cleaned it, ever. No problems. Much older and slightly wiser now however