Ultra sonic cleaner and Black Powder

[wmgeorge]

Got the Ultra sonic about a month ago off eBay, paid like $75 for it. Worked fine on some stuff I tried. Today used some hot water, a little Dawn and 15 minutes later had 3 cylinders cleaner than new.

You do need to wash off with very hot water and then oil ASAP or they will rust... unless they are stainless like two of them were.

 

[Erwan]

This is an excellent solution but be careful not to weaken the springs,

My tank of 10 liters with integrated heating and therefore possibility of cleaning three handguns in few minutes, attention to the products used because some are very aggressive with the weaponry ...
Make your own soup will be good for your weapons...

Spoiler

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks guys real glad to know

 

[wmgeorge]

I would never put an entire gun in my ultra sonic.

 

[whughett]

I would never put an entire gun in my ultra sonic.

I don't own one and no plans for obtaining one, but I am curious as to why one would not clean the entire gun. Would seem, if it cleaned the cylinders why not the rest of the piece. Of course the op mentioned hot water and Dawn, not some aggresive commercial cleaner.

 

[wmgeorge]

It would remove all the lube and who knows what else inside the gun. If you want to do so, that's just my preference. I am the OP.

 

[Gemmer]

While I don't clean my BP guns with an ultrasonic, I have always used warm water and a little dishwasher soap instead of hot water. Believe hot water promotes flash rust.

 

[Crawdad1]

I've heard that also that hot water promotes flash rust. I use hot water and Dawn many times but the difference is as soon as the part comes out of the water I place it in a towel then blast the daylights out of it with WD40. Then I wipe the WD40 off and oil. I've had no problems with flash rust over the years.

 

[Ironhand54]

I have used an ultrasound cleaner for several years. Do I put the whole thing in. Of course I do. Modern and BP. Remove the grips, clean, rinse, blow off with a air gun, wipe down and lube. Fast and easy. Never once had a problem with the finish coming off but it will clear out every little spot where crud can hide. I use water and a modern solvent for moderns. Water and Murphys Oil Soap for BP.

IronHand

 

[wmgeorge]

What about those modern sights?

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

I had always heard use real hot water so it evaporates but I have also found that hot water leaves a flash rust film. don't get that just using warm water and then drying and using ballistol as a follow up.

I have an ultrasonic and use it sometimes for black powder brass but found it's just too time consuming to clean gun parts. By the time you put them in the cleaner and get it going you can run some warm water through the cylinder, wipe it off, and oil. The whole gun is cleaned and I'm on to something else before the ultrasonic cleaner would be done.

 

[4v50 Gary]

What about those modern sights?

No trijicon or other glass enclosed radioactive sights in Ultrasonic cleaners.

 

[dr1445]

i pull my revolvers down and all the parts and frame go in the sonic cleaner with water and dish soap. then a quick water then alcohol rinse. into the oven at 215f, then while hot johnsons paste wax. the moving internal parts are lubed with a syringe filled with mobil 1 during assembly.

 

[goldpelican]

Don't do what I did once - popped a BP cylinder into the ultrasonic after cleaning a bunch of regular brass, forgot I had Lemishine in there. Took the bluing straight off the cylinder.