Thread: Noob Q: better/best brands of gun solvent and gun oil

Any recommendations? Any brands to avoid?

This will primarily be for pistols, but at some point I may purchase a 12-gauge shotgun too.

Thx,
Peter

Well I avoid hydrocarbon based solvents altogether. I use whatever is handy to clean my weapon: 409, Windex, Simple Green.

The salts that develop in the combustion process aren't soluble in hydrocarbons anyway; they're soluble in water based solvents. A hydrocarbon based solvent will continue to act as a solvent even after you have cleaned your weapon...which is to dissolve other hydrocarbons...like the oil you use to lubricate and protect your gun.

I use an ammonia compound to deal with copper fouling, then a water based wash.

Finish by rinsing with 90% alcohol to displace any remaining water and lubricate with whatever you like.

I use multiple types depending upon the application, such as, Shooter's Choice All Weather High-Tech Gun Grease, Otis 085 Ultra and dry lubes, such as a special graphite compound developed for nuclear power plants.

Otis 085, which acts as a solvent/bore cleaner(which it does very well), prevents rust, conditions metal surfaces, penatrates, disperses moisture, and lubricates. I carry an Otis all caliber cleaning kit, in the field as well as my BOB and it works very well, with minimal weight.

Shooter's Choice All Weather High-Tech Gun Grease, is great for metal to metal contact areas. Such as frame rails, rotating bolts, etc...

Dry lubes work very well, in very dusty enviornments.

I use pure alcohol or acetone as a degreaser, depending on the firearms finish and composition.

I've been using Break Free CLP for 20+ years, good stuff.

+1 on the Breakfree CLP.......Cleans, Lubricates, Protects and its used by the military ..........

And another vote for Break Free CLP. My supply is the old stuff (works noticeably better than the new non-carcinogenic version, especially regarding the "Clean" portion of "CLP"). A buddy was a tank mechanic in the Marines, then with the Guard. When the "carcinogen" early version of CLP was required to be trashed by the military, I got two gallons from him. Practically a lifetime supply (especially if the carcinogen scare is real).

Note: you need to shake CLP well before using. A portion of it is parafin-based, and that portion separates if left unmoving.

For copper removal, there is nothing better than Montana Extreme. Brass-brush scrubbing is usually done with that, patched dry, then final bore dressing for storage with CLP. I also like Shooter's Choice for bore solvent. For powder fouling, nothing wrong with good ol' Hoppe's Number Nine, and the extra benefit is the smell which gives you that "red plaid hunting coat, pipe smoking, Model 12's and Model 70's, O'Connor versus Keith" instant nostalgia.

I've been experimenting with the foam bore cleaners, and I think they work pretty good (and great for lazy people), particularly on a gun that you know was squeaky clean before you shot it. But somehow, when I know a bore has been neglected (or when cleaning a used gun just bought), I cannot help but think the brass brush is necessary.

For exterior surface protection and prevention of fingerprints, best kept secret on the planet is Johnson's Paste Wax (or the Minwax equivalent). Big yellow can lasts for years, use it on wood and metal with no worries, and makes ol' Betsy shine like a new penny. For extreme weather hunts, lay it on thick and don't polish it off. Gun looks like hell, but CANNOT rust. Easily buffed off back at home.

I like to know what other people have success with.
Mike

I have always used break free or hoppes 9. I just started using hoppes elite and am really impressed by it. I have taken guns that I cleaned with BF or #9 and cleaned again with Elite and got a bunch of crap out with it. It is spendy but it has almost NO odor and is non toxic. Here is a link to a pretty good cleaner review.

Cleaning solvent reviews

I use Hoppes 9 and Ballistol. I want to try CLP.

Originally Posted by rolandson

Well I avoid hydrocarbon based solvents altogether. I use whatever is handy to clean my weapon: 409, Windex, Simple Green.

The salts that develop in the combustion process aren't soluble in hydrocarbons anyway; they're soluble in water based solvents. A hydrocarbon based solvent will continue to act as a solvent even after you have cleaned your weapon...which is to dissolve other hydrocarbons...like the oil you use to lubricate and protect your gun.

I use an ammonia compound to deal with copper fouling, then a water based wash.

Finish by rinsing with 90% alcohol to displace any remaining water and lubricate with whatever you like.

Unless you're shooting corrosive, water isn't necessary. The other problem is that standard Simple Green will eat anodized aluminum, like many pistol frames and ARs.

I do shoot corrosive 7.62x39 Yugo M67 and use Simple Green Aircraft cleaner (safe for aluminum) to clean. Other guns that don't see corrosive get USGI Rifle Bore Cleaner which I get online from a surplus place.

For gun oil I've been using Aeroshell Fluid 18. It's a thin, penetrating gun oil that's worked very nicely for me over a few years. And it's about 1/2 the price of CLP.

CLP works fine too.

H

Buy AeroShell Fluid 18 - 1 Gallon - MIL-PRF-32033 at SkyGeek.com

Buy Simple Green 13406 Extreme Aircraft Cleaner - 1 Gallon at SkyGeek.com

Different guns get different products used on them.

Eezox is by far the best solvent and rust preventive I've used in forty+ years of maintaining fire arms. It's the best I found for cleaning old mil-surps, cutting cosmoline and removing rust and corrosion.

For lubrication I use syn motor oil, CLP and Militec and what ever free samples I can get.

Ballistol for black powder and initial cleanup after corrosive ammo.

Guns that need grease get Tetra grease, usgi grease or Lubraplate 130-A.

If you have just a few guns CLP should cover all the bases.

hoppes elite to clean
Gun Scrubber polymer safe to rinse
Mobil 1 to lube

Frog lube. It works great.

Here is a home brew CLP

Navigation

All the evidence on the web seems to indicate that Hopps Elite/Mpro 7 are the best for cleaning. Eezox is the best to keep rust off long term.

Me? Hoppes 9 to clean and FP10 or Mobil 1 10-30 to lube. On the rails of my weapons I use a small amount of grease. It stays put there better than oils.
Dave

I use this stuff exclusively on my autos, applying it to the slide, barrel linkage and trigger connector. You won't believe how slick it feels after it's on.

FTI, Inc. - Tetra Gun Care Products

I'm changing to frog lube.

Originally Posted by Spitpatch

And another vote for Break Free CLP. My supply is the old stuff (works noticeably better than the new non-carcinogenic version, especially regarding the "Clean" portion of "CLP"). A buddy was a tank mechanic in the Marines, then with the Guard. When the "carcinogen" early version of CLP was required to be trashed by the military, I got two gallons from him. Practically a lifetime supply (especially if the carcinogen scare is real).

Note: you need to shake CLP well before using. A portion of it is parafin-based, and that portion separates if left unmoving.

For copper removal, there is nothing better than Montana Extreme. Brass-brush scrubbing is usually done with that, patched dry, then final bore dressing for storage with CLP. I also like Shooter's Choice for bore solvent. For powder fouling, nothing wrong with good ol' Hoppe's Number Nine, and the extra benefit is the smell which gives you that "red plaid hunting coat, pipe smoking, Model 12's and Model 70's, O'Connor versus Keith" instant nostalgia.

I've been experimenting with the foam bore cleaners, and I think they work pretty good (and great for lazy people), particularly on a gun that you know was squeaky clean before you shot it. But somehow, when I know a bore has been neglected (or when cleaning a used gun just bought), I cannot help but think the brass brush is necessary.

For exterior surface protection and prevention of fingerprints, best kept secret on the planet is Johnson's Paste Wax (or the Minwax equivalent). Big yellow can lasts for years, use it on wood and metal with no worries, and makes ol' Betsy shine like a new penny. For extreme weather hunts, lay it on thick and don't polish it off. Gun looks like hell, but CANNOT rust. Easily buffed off back at home.

Switch out to a nylon brush when you are using copper solvents like Montana Extreme copper solvent. I agree that it is the best copper solvent currently available, but when you use it with a brass brush you are just dissolving the brass brush and leaving the residue in the barrel. Try using just a nylon brush and patches and your gun will get cleaner faster as the solvent is not working on the brass brush, just the bore.

I used to use CLP for everything, but found that Hoppes #9 works better for cleaning, especially barrels. I still use CLP for some things, but use Hoppes gun oil and Hoppes gun grease a lot, too. CLP is a better lubricant than most oils or greases in very cold weather.

I use Hoppes #9 and their oil. Have for 15 years.