Solvent Junkie.....

[SSN Vet]

O.K. I'll admit it. I clean pretty much everything with nitro. solvent (Hoppes or Outers).

On my stainless PT-111, I clean the innerds of the receiver with a Q-tip dipped in Hoppes, and I even clean the powder stains on the muzzle with a cotton rag dabbed with Hoppes.

This hasn't discolored the stainless at all, and when the Q-tips and Rags are no longer wiping up any black. I switch to Rem Oil.....spray everything down and wipe it dry. Then I spray the slide and re-assemble.

On both my .22 and 30-30, I clean the inside of the receiver and, the bolt and trigger mechnism with Hoppes as well.

I've tried Rem Clean, but the "gritty stuff" just seems to make things dirtier so that they take even longer to get clean.

Hoppes just seems to cut to the chase and get the job done.

I'm finally noticing some dark staining at the end of my stainless pistol barrel. Is this copper build up? I mostly shoot white box FMJ, so I'm guessing yes. Time to get some copper solvent.

The reason I'm questioning my practice is that most of the cleaning threads I've read hear seem to favor using solvent only on the bore.

Am I all screwed up?

 

[Lonestar]

Hoppes is some strong stuff and I know its bad on some finishes like nickel plating from experience

I switch to Rem Oil.....spray everything down and wipe it dry. Then I spray the slide and re-assemble.

I use Hoppes for the bore, and do exactly what you do.

 

[SSN Vet]

PS....

I know I over clean....

I'm not satisfied untill I get every spec. of black out that I can. I guess it's a fetish!

The only way I've been able to get the stains off of the breach face is to dip a bronze 12 ga. brush into Hoppes and lightly scrub.

 

[1911 guy]

Solvent is fine.

You're not discoloring the muzzle with the solvent. I think you're on to something when you mention copper fouling. For the breech face, try a toothbrush or the firearm specific brushes sold in most shops. Copper on one side for heavy stuff and nylon on the other for when you don't want much abrasive. As far as solvents only in the bore, I use some on everything but the grip panels when cleaning a 1911. Powder residue gets everywhere in a pistol. Solvent is made to get rid of powder residue. I fail to see a problem. If you haven't noticed the solvent pitting your finish before now, that's not the problem.

Hoppes is good stuff, but it used to be better. Maybe they changed the recipe because it was causing shooters to grow three arms, I don't know. The best solvent out there, IMO, is called Shooters Choice. It cleans like Hoppes used to. For copper fouling, though, you may want to try a copper specific solvent like Sweet's.

 

[OldBillThundercheif]

This stuff is outstanding. Try it and you will renounce the slimey stuff forever.
Graphite uber alles.

 

[rockstar.esq]

I've tried Butches Bore Shine and have determined that it is more expensive than Hoppes, smells worse than Hoppes, and doesn't work any better than Hoppes...

I've also tried Tetra slimey goopy stinky clear greasy get everywhere solvent and I guess I could summarize by stating that it doesn't work well either...

I've tried the Outer Foaming cleaner and although it does change a pretty blue color, I'm not convinced that it works any better than Hoppes. As an added plus it stripped the blueing off of my revolver! Again not a fan... :banghead:

For getting metals to look like they once did one product that actually works well is Flitz metal polish on a microfiber cloth. One thing to note is that you MUST READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS! I've had tremendous results with it. Although nothing seems to work as well as I'd like for copper, those little lead removing cloths intended to be used with jags work like gangbusters! Huge fan of the lead removal cloths!!!

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Hoppes is good stuff, but it used to be better. Maybe they changed the recipe because it was causing shooters to grow three arms, I don't know. The best solvent out there, IMO, is called Shooters Choice. It cleans like Hoppes used to. For copper fouling, though, you may want to try a copper specific solvent like Sweet's.

Hoppe's No.9 used to contain nitrobenzene. It was removed from the formula because it's very carcinogenic. Unfortunately, it's no longer as good a cleaner as it used to be.

Shooter's Choice is the same thing as GM Top Engine Cleaner, from what I've read. It's good stuff but reeks, IMO. I find Hoppe's to be a good enough cleaner for me and I like the smell, so that's what I used on my smokeless guns.

The best cleaner I've found so far for black powder is Windex.

 

[saltysquid]

Funny thing. I clean mine a lot and I don't think it's because I'm a clean freak but because I just like the smell of the Hoppe's that much. If I don't get a whiff of Hoppe's for a while I start breaking out the stuff and clean anyway. Think that makes me a Hoppe's junkie just waiting for the next Hoppe's fix? I guess at least I'll always have clean guns.

 

[stevelyn]

MPro-7 cleans everything including carbon off the front of revolver cylinders. It doesn't stink and isn't harmful.

 

[5Wire]

MPro-7 cleans everything including carbon off the front of revolver cylinders. It doesn't stink and isn't harmful.

Plus one! Then dried with compressed air. Lubed with dry teflon in all the hot places and with MPro7 Gun Oil or Breakfree CLP blown thin everywhere else.

 

[slylikea_fox]

I'm a huge fan of montana extreme products but they do smell horrible. Some friends have also reported excellent results with shooters choice extreme clean.

 

[1KPerDay]

Hoppe's No.9 used to contain nitrobenzene. It was removed from the formula because it's very carcinogenic.

I suppose I shouldn't have been gargling with it, then...

I love the smell of Hoppe's no. 9. If they made an aftershave I'd wear it.

 

[bruss01]

MPro-7 cleans everything including carbon off the front of revolver cylinders. It doesn't stink and isn't harmful.

Uh-uh, not for me it doesn't. Not with a toothbrush and elbow grease, not with soaking overnight, not with a brass brush, and not even with a rotary stainless brush on the dremmel. Still those little graphite tinted halos around each and every chamber. You maybe have to look a little harder to see them, but oh yeah they're still there. I have found nothing NOTHING that works to take the dingy halos off the front of my stainless GP-100 cylinder. I will probably have to send it out to get it machined off and then plated over with something like NP3 that actually WILL come clean. Really irks me.

 

[sm]

Remember the GI bore solvent?

What was in that stuff? Whatever is was, it worked!

It also kept Mother-In-Laws from coming out in the back yard, stray dogs too <nsert your own tacky thoughts here> and raccoons stayed 50' from a outdoor trash can the patches used with this stuff was tossed into....

I need to find some more of the GI Bore Sovent and LSA made by Bray Oil Co.

 

[ravencon]

I'm a recovering solvent junkie. I've got most of them on my shelf.
My current obsession is environmentally friendly, low toxicity cleaning.
These days I use citrus based cleaners or Ballistol for general cleaning. I reserve the toxic solvents for cleaning the bore.

 

[5Wire]

Uh-uh, not for me it doesn't....I have found nothing NOTHING that works to take the dingy halos off the front of my stainless GP-100 cylinder. I will probably have to send it out to get it machined off and then plated over with something like NP3 that actually WILL come clean...

Don't get the rings machined off, that's , like, abusive, dude. You'll be on your way to a ruined cylinder and a gun worth less if you ever want to sell it.

You can get started removing lead with the flat end of a brass cleaning tool for the heavy stuff. Then try using a lead removal cloth (not on blued guns) wrapped around a flat surface and be patient. The lead will come off. Then use a dry teflon lubricant, like Elmer's Slide-All, or fluids like Corrosion X, or Breakfree CLP to treat the surface. You'll find each cleaning in this fashion makes the bext one easier. Here's a formerly filthy 617, for example:



and a 629 treated the same way:





There's a significant number of folks who leave the lead there on the cylinder. "It's part of being a revolver," they say, "and it tightens up the gap between the cylinder face and the forcing cone."

 

[sm]

Ballistol is what I use for most everything.

This other stuff , mineral spirits, lighter fluid , Dexron ATF, ... not always used for firearms.

 

[eab]

Carb cleaner and paint thiner, Cleans everything up. wipe evey thing it down with some 10w-30 motor oil and lube it up with high temp lithium grease and I am good to go. Much cheaper then dedicated "gun" cleaning stuff.

 

[HiWayMan]

I also use carb cleaner on the guts of some of my guns. Everything else gets a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits and 10W-40, with a final wipe down of 10W-40. Cleans super good and costs super little.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I have started using mostly CLP for cleaning and Lubriplate for lubing.

 

[Troutman]

If you can't get the carbon off the front of the cylinder with the cleaning product your currently using. Use a Lead away cloth. Great for S.S. Being careful for blued, nickel firearms. Works for my S.S.