Spray Cleaners

[jonnyc]

I'm looking for a good spray cleaner that does the following:

-Cleans
-Dries itself
-Lubes
-Won't harm rubber or plastic.

Wanted for use in all my guns, but mainly in a .22 Buckmark.

 

[lyricsdad]

I used to be really big into rc cars, and there was this stuff called motor cleaner. it does the exact thing your describing except for the lubing. I dont know how it would be for guns.

 

[jonnyc]

At hobby shops?

 

[lyricsdad]

Yup R/C hobby shops its about 9 bucks a can. cleans like carb cleaner, but not as caustic, like i said, it does not lube, so you may have to lube your parts yourself, but it removes all the gunk that electric motors build up over time, which in a way have the same grittyness and whatnot of gun powder. Your taking your own risk using it, as I have no idea how it works w/ blueing, or any gun parts in general, but.. I does not harm plastics, and the metal motor can.

 

[dghboy315]

slip 2000 comes in a spray can and it is all the rage now. i don't think it dries by itself, though.

 

[Pilot]

I use the Tetra product. Its a cleaner and light lubricant. Spray on, wipe off. Very easy.

 

[Joe Mamma]

One product that I've started using recently is Sheath. It's a rust preventative that's been on the market for years. I use the aerosol (spray) as a cleaner and it cleans very well. It also dries almost completely if you let it sit. But, you will have to use a lube if you want lubrication.

I don't know how you're going to find a product that "dries itself" and "lubes".

Joe Mamma

 

[Buck Turgeson]

I've been using Hornady's 'One Shot'. I ran out of Hoppe's and and figured I'd give it a try. Seems to take care of fouling as good or better than other solvent that I've tried and lubes at the same time. Haven't tried it on really heavily leaded bores yet though. Only disadvantage ... I grew up using Hoppe's and wish they made an aftershave that smelled like it. (Course I'd never be able to get near my wife again)

Buck

 

[jonnyc]

Joe,
I found something called "Super Lube" in an auto-arts store. The label calls it a "Dri-Film Lubricant" with something called Syncolon. It also says it is a cleaning agent. When sprayed on, the carrier liquid evaporates and leaves a teflon-like film. I'm trying it on 2 pistols, but I want to know if I'm missing something already known and on the market. My primary use will be to clean the inner-gunk out of my Buckmark without removing the grips or having a leaky, drippy pistol.
Hope that clears it up.

 

[wally]

Auto Brake Parts Cleaner is $2-3 a can and works very well as the solvent and is safe for most rubber and plastic parts (there are rubber "boots" on drum brake pistons, and rubber hoses as part of the brake lines for suspension movements).

Test a small area first where a blemish won't be seen.

You'll need something else for the lube. So far I've been very happy with the Dupont Performance "Teflon" dry lube, $5 a can from Lowe's.

The only plastic I've had problems with using brake parts cleaner is CZ plastic grips.

--wally.

 

[ulflyer]

Jonnyc, I don't know of anything that will do all you want, but i like carb cleaner followed by either G96 or Remoil in spray cans. Both of these evaporate fairly quickly without leaving a heavy residue. Just cleaned my 22 Beretta pistol that way the other day with a drop of heavier oil on the slide rails. Been using carb or brake cleaner for long time with no ill effects. Not on wood grips tho...likely to cut the finish.

 

[Nortonics]

Birchwood Csey makes some fine spray cleaning products at a more reasonable price than most:

http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/maintenance_index.asp?categoryID=2&subcat=3

 

[Walt Sherrill]

the DUNK-IT stuff works wonderfully. I wonder if it comes in a spray form?

You'd still have to wipe it down, a bit.

(Its unlikely you'll find anything that lubricates that wont' have to also be wiped down. If it didn't need that extra step, I don't know that it would work as a lubricant...)

 

[jonnyc]

Thanks Walt. What about something like that "Super-Lube" I mentioned above? Hypothetically it penetrates, dries, and lubes.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Seems to me that anything that has the necessary solvents to get stuff loose, needs to keep it loose long enough to be wiped off. If it evaporates, I don't see how it can clean, too.

(Cleaning generally occurs when something else comes along and wisks the dirty stuff away -- either a bath of more of the same liquid or a cloth that absorbs and hauls off the mess.)

That was all said/written from ignorance, but it makes sense to me. (I'm pretty sure that's how soap works -- its a surfactant that breaks surface tension and lets you separate the grime from the surface to which it has adhered. I think most gun-cleaning materials work through a similar process. If it doesn't stay in "suspension" [i.e., floating in a liquid] how are you going to get it OUT of there?

Does someone have experience with dry-film lubricants functioning as cleaner's, too?

 

[jonnyc]

What you say does make perfect sense. The flow-through is fine since I want to spray it through my Buckmark over a bin; no wiping needed. I just want to clean the piece completely without taking the grips off, and not have a leaky mess afterwards. I might have to consider two products; an evaporating cleaner that is OK on plastic and rubber, and then some kind of penetrating dry lube.
I'm not too demanding, am I.

 

[lyricsdad]

I would try out the "motor spray" i suggested. As I stated it does everything except lube. which you could probably get some sort of dry lube from the gun shop. I may just pick up a can and try it out on my p22 as I am nearing the 10,000 round mark and have not fully taken it apart. I have just been field stripping it. The way I would clean my elecric motors was the put the spray straw into the motor, and over a bin i would spray until it came out clear. and would do this from different angles. Until i was satisfied w/ the outcome. Like I said it dries itself, almost too dry.. evaporates in a few seconds. Then I would oil the bushings and bearings w/ silicon oil made for bearings.

I used the same stuff to clean my airsoft gun, no problems. Does not affect the pastic, paint, etc. removed grease easily as I also would use this stuff to clean my wheel bearings on the car. Everything in R/C is really small but detailed. I used to use either the "trinity" "team associated" or "duratrax" stuff, it all seemed the same anyways.

 

[jonnyc]

If it's safe for the rubber and plastic it's worth a try. Now to find a hobby shop. Let me know if you find a brand-name I can ask for.

 

[MillCreek]

For my Ruger Mark II's, which are somewhat of a pain to field strip, I use CRC non-chlorinated Brakleen in the green can. After reading the MSDS sheets on several cleaners, I thought that this would be the safest on any rubber and plastic parts and still be relatively cost-effective, a good cleaner and not be overly toxic to me (I was originally trained as a chemist back in the early 80's). I still, however, only use it outside, take care to avoid breathing the fumes and wear eye protection.

After I swab the bore with some Shooter's Choice on a patch, I lock the bolt back and spray out the chamber, breechface and spray the inside of the bolt from the rear of the gun. This does an excellent job of flushing out fouling and residue. I then give a quick shpritz of BreakFree CLP spray to the inside of the bolt, buff a little bit of Tetra gun grease on the outside bolt faces and am good to go.

 

[jonnyc]

Before I started this thread, I checked my brake cleaner. It specifically states to avoid overspray onto plastic and rubber parts. I didn't think that would be a good thing to have under my Buckmark grips.

 

[MillCreek]

Please note that any brake or carb cleaners that contain chlorinated solvents such as methylene chloride or the like should not be used on plastic or rubber parts. They can degrade such parts. Non-chlorinated cleaners will often say on the label that they are safe for use on rubber and plastic. That is what you want to look for. However, even non-chlorinated cleaners will still often strip paint, camo, or any wood finishes.

I personally only use the CRC non-chlorinated Brakleen on my stainless steel handguns that have rubber grips. If I have a pressing need to use a spray cleaner on my other handguns, I will use the Shooters Choice polymer safe degreaser, but take appropriate caution even with that.

 

[lyricsdad]

The stuff i am talking about should be safe, It is recommended that when you get a new set of tired, you are suppose to spray the rubber down and make sure they are clean and dry, then spray the rim down to make sure all contaminates are removed, then when they are dry you can glue the tires on the rim. Like I said when i get a chance I am going to pick some up and try it out.

Johnnyc just ask for "Electric Motor Spray" I used to fix all my friends dremals w/ that stuff. The motor would sieze up and i would remove them and spray the 540 sized motors out and lube the bushing up for them, good as brand new!

 

[jonnyc]

Went to the local parts store and found some electrical cleaner that specifically said HARMLESS TO RUBBER AND MOST PLASTICS. I'll give that a go and then the DRI-LUBE stuff I mentioned above.
Thanks to all for all the above suggestions.

 

[kokapelli]

Since I stopped using oil and grease on my guns about two years ago, I find I don't need spray cleaners anymore.

Like Wally I used DuPont super dry lube up to about six months ago and now use RD-50 dry lube carried at Home Depot. When cleaning with these dry lubes I only need to brush out everything except the barrel and breach face which still need a good cleaner.

The lubricity of RD-50 is excellent and nothing, including lint and dirt will stick to it.

 

[pythonguy]

Call me crazy but why not use Breakfree CLP, EEZOX, or and of the many many cleaners made for firearms instead of these other cleaners meant for other things. Why take a chance of ruining a valuable gun? I don't get it, is it to save a few dollars? I can imagine some future posts of guns not working and being of lousy manufacture after using items not intended for the purpose of cleaning a gun gunking up the works. General purpose silicon sprays, RC model cleaner, don't you have any sporting goods stores that stock firearms and their supplies? Am I missing something here? Hell you can order dirt cheap for several online e-tailors, use the proper cleaner for the job. :banghead: