Kleen Bore, Gun Blast replacements?

[ArmedBear]

Spray carburetor cleaner (Gumout Spray, etc.) and spray brake cleaner (Brakleen, etc.) appear to be similar to aerosol gun cleaner/degreasers.

Anyone compared them?

Recommendations?

I can get generic carb cleaner REALLY cheap compared to gun cleaner. What, if anything, is the difference?

My Ruger .22 target pistol action is a PITA to clean, especially the nooks and crannies around the chamber face, but it's a breeze with the aerosol. The aerosol sold as a gun cleaner is expensive, though.

 

[DWARREN123]

Bore cleaner should have a copper fowling removeal ingredient while brake cleaner is to remove any oil/grease. Use firearms cleaners for firearms and brake cleaner for brakes.
Brake cleaner can be used to remove old and hardened lube/cosmoline.
Be careful how you use either and follow directions.

 

[ArmedBear]

I don't need to remove copper from my .22 target pistol's action, just carbon fouling.

Is there still any reason not to use carb or brake cleaner for it?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Gunscrubber is basically the same as non-chlorinated brake cleaner. I've used the latter with very good results. Keep it away from plastic and woods, and keep in mind that it'll strip down to bare metal, so you must re-oil afterwards.

Carb cleaner is a different composition and I can't speak to it.

 

[JonP]

Carb cleaner leaves a residue, brake cleaner does not.

 

[The Freeholder]

Brakleen works like a charm. I prefer the red rather than the green, as it seems to be less hazardous to plastic parts if you accidentally get it on any. I also remove actions from the wood before using it, as a rule.

As others have noted, be sure to lube well, because it strips everything.

 

[ArmedBear]

Thanks all!

After a perusal of the labels of the aerosol gun cleaners in my box of cleaning solvents, and a look at the labels of similar automotive products when I was at the auto parts store, I suspected as much.

Brake cleaner it is, then.

I've got other ways to get copper out of centerfire rifle barrels anyway; spray-on nasty solvent degreaser never gets near a fine wood-stocked bolt gun around here. I've never used it for anything but those frustrating nooks and crannies on semiautos like the 22/45, and I fully strip the gun before I use it.

And I'll reiterate for anyone else reading this: OIL any surface touched by the spray-on degreaser stuff. It REALLY degreases metal. Useful if you do any touch-up blueing, but it leaves the gun vulnerable to rust if you don't treat it afterward with oil or something like Rusthunter!