What do you use to clean your pistol?

[Thumper]

I use Hoppes and Break Free too. The one thing I do differently is after I scrub everything down with the Hoppes, I use my compressor to blow it all out of the gun before lubing. WATCH YOUR EYES on that one!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[WJP9]

I use an aeresol type solvent spray to blast out excess powder and debris....I follow up with a solvent soaked toothbrush, barrel brushes and pads, q-tips on the slide grooves and hard to reach spots, and then oil neccessary parts. Quick yet effective. I clean em after I shoot em and they stay in great condition.

[Beprepared]

Asking how to clean a gun is not a stupid question in any way. There are different methods and many different products available.

Actually, this is a good thread for me, it's quite interesting to find out how other people do it and what they use. The dishwasher method is the most fascinating. The hot soapy water and oven drying is great too. But, somehow, I don't think that I can get myself to do that to any of my guns. I'm pretty happy with my current technique.

The only thing that I can add here that I did not see mentioned ( perhaps because I am just wrong) is that I like to clean and lube my gun when it is brand new, before I ever shoot it. Why? Well, who knows what is on it and how much is on it. I also (perhaps mistakenly) believe that Breakfree CLP (my product of choice) should be coating the barrel prior to use. I think that if I shoot it without Breakfree that it gets off to a bad start and that with Breakfree, cleaning is easier from day one. This could be nothing but superstition on my part and I would be interested to hear what others think about that.

Outside of Breakfree, I use copper solvent on the bore as infrequently as possible and I use Tetra Lube on slides.

I'm might try that MPro7 stuff that ewayte mentioned, just for kicks. This is the blurb that caught me... "All M-Pro 7 products are odorless, non-toxic, non-hazardous, biodegradable, non-flammable and can be commercially transported world-wide." Hmmm, interesting.

[Rocnerd]

Check to make sure unloaded and field strip. Wipe down major crud buildup with cloth. Use brass brush on barrel, couple patches with CLP on barrel, and then patches and Q-tips with CLP for frame, slide, and spring assembly. Occasionally I take down mags and clean making sure to leave only the lightest coat of oil on spring. Break Free CLP works well.

[P95Carry]

Beprepared - your mention re new guns is valid - and yes I too would do a fairly deep strip and clean before use. Never shoot straight out the box!

Very often ex factory means over-lubed, some of which will only spray around with shooting. Of course total bore and chamber clean is the real biggie so no lube there to up pressures.

[Eddie A.]

I use Militec 1 and Hoppes 9, does the trick every time. I think bore snakes are the best way to go as far as cleaning the bore and barrel are concerned. I've never used it, but I've heard a lot of great things about blue wonder.

[sheepdog]

There are probably as many favorite cleaners and modes of cleaning as there are posters on firearms boards. Everything from soap to Ed's Red home made stuff to high-tech, high dollar products. I really like MPro7 because it seems to strip away crud-including oil-and doesn't smell. I use brake cleaner to blast stuff out from time to time, too. I re-lube with FP-10 or Militech (on stainless). For a "quick clean," between full cleanings, I use FP-10 because it has excellent rustproofing characteristics, according to my informal tests.

[P95Carry]

Let me add for reference, for folks who may be interested -

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Ed's Red Recipe

You can mix your own "Eds Red" very easily and inexpensively... it is nothing more than Gen'l. Hatcher's formula for Frankfurt Ordnance Solvent updated to modern materials.

To make one gallon mix:

1 qt. Type III Automatic Transmission Fluid

1 qt. Kerosene

1.qt. Turpintine or Mineral Spirits

1. qt. Acetone

Mix in a gallon metal can such as a paint can.

You can use a pan such as used to chaing oil in a car to soak parts for cleaning.

This solvent is pretty strong, but it cleans better than anything I have run across... just a note tho the acitone will evaporate if it is not stored in a tightly sealed container

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Let me add this one tho to help people who need to clean BP guns or post corrosive ammo use -

3 pts - Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
3 pts - Peroxide (std 3%)
2 pts - Murphy's Oil Soap

I goes by various names - I know it as "Panther Pi$$"!

I made a whole gallon and it'll last way beyond my time!! I took a pint to keep in one of the peroxide bottles for regular use - keep it out of light. Main amount stored in dark corner in old yellow anti-freeze jug (rinsed out of course).

This stuff can be used cold on patches and I have found it more than effective.

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[AzQkr]

Field strip the weapon, making sure it is unloaded first, of course.

Non chlorinated break cleaner using the jet nozzle supplied with it on all parts.

Toothbrush with breakcleaner parts that require more cleaning of crud if the first spraying didn't get everything.

Bore brush the bore with hoppe 9 and then wet patches with breakfree, more dry patches till the barrel is dry, then one lightly oiled patch down the tube to just lightly coat the bore.

Grease on certain moving parts and oil as necessary on the rest.

Put it back together and oil the outside and wipe excess.

I would not use breakfree to clean the gun myself, but I've used it to oil the gun parts for years.

Brownie

[Garg]

Break Free CLP and/or M-Pro-7 to clean.
FP-10 or Militec-1 to lube.

[dahose]

Brake Cleaner and lube it with Syntec oil or Wheel Bearing Grease

[INTJ]

Laugh away, but I usually clean my Glocks with hot soapy (Dawn dish detergent) water. Dry them in a 100 degree oven, which is not as hot as a car is in the summer. Follow with a good lube.

You know I was wondering if anyone would take me seriously if I should tell of cleaning my M16 in such a fashion. Held it under the shower, soap, rinse, dry. Liberal amounts of Breakfree afterwards.

[hsuCowboy98]

I perasonally like CLP, Shooters choice for my barrels, rem oil for brush cleaning, and bore blaster for quick break downs.

I also use alot of "Ed's Red" that can be made by the gallon for about $11.00. It works very well for general soaking, cleaning, and bores. The recipe is found here:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews/edred/hs.asp

Bore Snakes are good tools for quick cleaning at the range, and I always run one through my guns before I put them back in the case...It does wonders for helping clean up later on, as while the barrel is still hot, alot of stuff can be easily broken up by the bore snake and some clp. But I do not rely on one to be a thorough cleaner. Makes a good case accessory though.

I usually use clp for lube, but in a dropper or using Q-tips, as I do not like to have excess oil flying around.

A great brush that I have found for cleaning the inside of slides, and outside of barrels, and overall exteriors is the colgate battery powered toothbrush. the nylon bristles will not harm your finish, and the oscillating action of the brushes really helps get deposits off the weapon, esp if the brush is soaked in rem oil or clp.

Other than that, all I can say is be as thorough in your cleaning and maintainance as you want your gun to be reliable in the field.

[Bud White]

I should make up some eds red i keep reading about it and as much as i go though ..

How is the smell though ?

[Bud White]

Forgot simple green works pretty well to