Cleaning advice?

[Turbo2Point4]

i'm fairly new to guns and the cleaning as far as whats needed and how often. i have cleaned the guns after shooting everytime with remoil, i was told i could just use the remoil and didn't need to use a solvent, because remoil was a cleaner and lubricant. so basically my question is should i use a solvent every time, every other time, not at all if i clean them after each use with remoil, and should i switch to a cleaner, then use a lubricant after, or just continue to use the remoil? thanks

 

[GNLaFrance]

What kind of guns and ammo are we talking about here? That may have a bearing on the answers.

My thinking: As a general rule, if the oil won't remove the fouling, break out the solvent.

 

[rouchna]

This is a question to which you will get many answers. Take this as an opinion and not a fact.

Breakfree CLP to clean
Eezox as a Rust preventative.
Slip 2000 for lube.

I have tried many different products and found that these work best for me.
I'm sure others will be along shortly to chime in.

Good luck. A well maintained (quality)firearm will outlast you.

 

[zmayhem]

I clean mine after shooting every time with M-Pro 7 and use a VERY SMALL amount of Wilson Combat Grease on the rails and 1 or two other spots where metal touches metal. That's on my Glock though, which are very forgiving and don't need much lube. Honestly every gun is different, some are designed to operate wet (with more lube) and some dry (barely any lube). There was a really good thread on here that a well respected gunsmith wrote on what he uses...
Here it is: http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=56213

I would at least clean with Simple Green or CLP break free if i were you and lube with 30 or 40 weight motor oil at a minimum. Some helpful instructions I believe are in the thread I linked to, if not here is a video of a basic cleaning which I would do after each trip to the range: (you don't have to use these products, but I would do the cleaning at least with your product of choice)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZf4mUM10Vc

 

[Turbo2Point4]

What kind of guns and ammo are we talking about here? That may have a bearing on the answers.

My thinking: As a general rule, if the oil won't remove the fouling, break out the solvent.

Remington 870 12ga Federal target/game ammo

Mossberg 500 20ga Remington game ammo

s&w bodyguard .38 Remington UMC .38 Special +P

 

[Turbo2Point4]

thanks for the advice given so far

 

[hairba111]

Never, ever put a firearm to bed dirty. A clean arsenal is a happy arsenal.

 

[SuperMag]

Here's a tip that has served me well for many years. Cleaning bolts, actions, and other parts is a cinch if you combine a cloth and a toothbrush. Put a few drops of cleaning solvent on a piece of cloth, and wrap that over the bristles of your toothbrush. Hold the cloth over the bristles by pinching the cloth on both sides of the brush, and scrub away at the dirty part.

The bristles force the cloth into the part's recesses, and some of the bristles poke through, adding to the scrubbing power. The cloth picks up and holds the metal/powder/carbon fouling.

As the cloth becomes dirty, rotate it to a clean section on the brush and continue. This works way better than a brush alone or a cloth alone. Give it a try and see if it doesn't speed up your cleaning process. It certainly does for me.

If you use the specialized gun-cleaning brushes (toothbrush bristles on one end and a narrow single row of bristles on the other end), the cloth over the small end works great for narrow openings like down into magazine wells and even inside of magazines.

I prefer the cheap red or blue cotton "shop towels" available from auto parts places. Buy a pack of 'em, and you can launder them and reuse 'em.

 

[SuperMag]

For areas that the wrapped-over cloth won't fit, you can put a cleaning patch in there, place the brush bristles atop the patch, and scrub away. The bristles hold the patch in place as you scrub. That works really well too.

 

[Boom Boom]

In no particular order, I use:
Ballistol
Militec-1
Hoppe's #9 solvent
KleenBore lead away cloth, cut into patches as needed
Cotton patches

 

[Demoneyes86]

I use Hoppes #9, mobil 1 10-30 and mobil 1 syn grease. And the obvious patchs and bore snakes.

 

[Turbo2Point4]

the way i've done it so far is soaked a mop of the proper size and ran it through the barrel a few times, then i've used patches to wipe clean, and continued to run clean patches through until clean then as far as the trigger and outter parts of the gun i've just sprayed and wiped off, so i'm guessing i haven't quite cleaned them as well as needed, my other worry was that i was wiping too much of the lubricant off.

 

[frdfandc]

I've been using Hoppes #9, Breakfree CLP and RemOil for all my firearms.

2 shotguns, 2 bolt actions, 2 pistols (soon to be 3), 1 semi-auto rifle.

 

[Turbo2Point4]

I've been using Hoppes #9, Breakfree CLP and RemOil for all my firearms.

2 shotguns, 2 bolt actions, 2 pistols (soon to be 3), 1 semi-auto rifle.

what kind of semi-auto rifle? i've been thinking about building an ar15

 

[frdfandc]

what kind of semi-auto rifle? i've been thinking about building an ar15

I just picked up a Ruger 10/22. Gave it a good cleaning the other night.

Haven't made it to the AR stuff yet. Still filling in some other selections first. But once I do get an AR, I'm going to assemble it myself.

 

[Turbo2Point4]

I just picked up a Ruger 10/22. Gave it a good cleaning the other night.

Haven't made it to the AR stuff yet. Still filling in some other selections first. But once I do get an AR, I'm going to assemble it myself.

cool, i think putting one together would be a good learning experience, should learn more about the rifle that way, and be more comfortable breaking it down and reassembling.

 

[Demoneyes86]

Ar15 easy to take care of. My materials said above are mainly used on my ar's.

 

[Turbo2Point4]

Ar15 easy to take care of. My materials said above are mainly used on my ar's.

i've seen the cleaning stars for ar 15's are those really needed?

 

[Demoneyes86]

i've seen the cleaning stars for ar 15's are those really needed?

I looked over clandestines thread he had posted and i started using some of the things he suggested and it works for me. Inexpensive and seems quite reliable. Mobil one is good enough for my vehicles its good enough for my guns. It doesn't burn off as easy as most of the gun oils/lubes i have personally tried. Take a look at the thread someone posted it above you can be the judge yourself.

 

[Gino z32]

Hoppes #9 to clean, mobile one to lube, and common sense everywhere between.