If you hate cleaning guns...and know how to make it easy

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

At the risk of revealing my gun vanity, I'm gonna go on the record as saying I think my pistols are pretty. They're stainless original Vaqueros engraved by Graver Bill. On rare occasions, I clean them up real purdy and have the best intentions of keeping that way.... but the next thing you know, they end up looking rough.

 

While I love to shoot and smell gunpowder burn, I despise cleaning the pistols. Shotgun and rifle, not so bad. I've always thought that my pistols get extra dirty because when I shoot, I hold them really close together and it appears that powder from one gun gets on the other. I don't have nearly the problem cleaning Sugah's stainless Blackhawks with the exception of the cylinders.

 

I've read extensively about ultrasonic cleaners, but have yet to have anyone make it clear whether they will remove powder residue. If I knew they would, I'd get one in a heartbeat. I just read on another thread where Pulp had suggested Sweetshooter.

 

Is there an easy way?

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

I've read extensively about ultrasonic cleaners, but have yet to have anyone make it clear whether they will remove powder residue. If I knew they would, I'd get one in a heartbeat. I just read on another thread where Pulp had suggested Sweetshooter.

 

Is there an easy way?

 

I bought a nice one, but I find myself not using it. I prefer to get my hands dirty, using brushes, swabs, Ballistol, etc. YMMV.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Real easy and fast.

 

if really dirty, I chuck a cleaning rod with brass fixture into my electric drill. Apply my favorite cleaning solutions (sometimes, I just use WD40) and run that brass brush in and out of my cylinder chambers about 2-3 times each.

Then on the outside of the cylinder, i use a toothbrush to scrub around.

 

Then, I spray em with WD-40 to swoooosh away all that loose grime.

 

I also use a toothbrush on the pistol where grime has accumulated.

 

Then I blow it all off with my compressor.

 

Wipe em down and put em away.

 

Takes about 10 minutes or so per pistol.

 

Thats pretty much it.

 

I only take my Rugers apart about once a year (or less) unless they get in the rain.

 

 

 

..........Widder

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Easiest way?

Don't clean 'em. Ta Da - problem solved.

 

On those rare times when I do clean my guns, I have an ultra sonic that I swear by.

It cleans crud, grime, grease very well - sometimes I forget my 73 carrier is brass until it comes out of the cleaner.

Ultrasonic does not (at least mine does not) do much against lead - I still have to get in there and really scrub to get out that 38 spl lead ring out of the cylinders.

 

But for greasy, grimy, Nevada desert sand filled parts - I just take the gun apart and throw everything into the cleaner - let the fluid heat and vibrate for 20 or 30 minutes and everything comes out clean.

Also be very careful about what cleaning fluids you use - some (non firearm intended) cleaners when combined with heat can change the color of your bluing (don't ask how I know this).

[Marauder SASS #13056]

For many years I used a bucket of Dunkit. It was fast and worked well for a quick clean. Just take off the grips, put the guns in the bucket and let them soak for up to an hour. Then quickly brush the barrels and cylinders, wipe off and put the grips back on.:

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=Dunk

 

Then I moved and didn't want to mess with moving it.

[Mean Matt McCord, SASS #24683]

I know of a shooter who owns nothing but stainless steel pistols, and shoots black owder. He told me once that all he does is take the grips off and run them through the dishwasher (just water) for one cycle, then dry and re-oil them. As for me, I have not built up enough nerve to try that.

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Nice pistola BDL!

 

I just clean 'em with warm-hot water, wipe dry, blast with air hose, spray a bit of Ballistol and ....wah lah...done

 

GG ~

[Blastmaster]

Easiest way?

Don't clean 'em. Ta Da - problem solved.

 

- I still have to get in there and really scrub to get out that 38 spl lead ring out of the cylinders.

 

 

 

Chuck up a 45 cal brass brush to your electric drill and run that through each cylinder a couple times. carbon ring is gone.

 

 

Blastmaster

[Buckshot Frank]

If you want to soak parts to ease cleaning, you need a large volume of cleaning solution. I make my own and use it for all of my gun cleaning needs; I follow up with Breakfree CLP for lubrication. Here is the recipe for Ed's Red:

 

Mix equal parts of:

• Acetone
  
• Mineral Spirits
  
• K1 Kerosene
  
• Automatic Transmition Fluid
  

[Mink Shoals Bandit, #49388]

I take the grips off and soak em in a bucket of kerosene or diesel fuel overnight or as long as you want, brush with soft bristle brush, let them dry and spray with G-96 or similar protectant. Works good on long guns too but you have to remove the stock......Works real good on a 1911...............

Mink...........

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

The easy way to keep your guns clean?? Shoot real Black Powder, clean with Murphy's mix, followed by Ballistol. So easy a caveman could do it.

 

Jefro

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

I use a drill with a brush or scrubbing pad to clean inside the cylinders, but that doesn't really bother me as long as the gun is working well. We're not talking underwear here. Even if I have a wreck, nobody's gonna look at the innards of my guns, so I don't care much how the innards look.

 

What I'm trying to figure out is how to get the gray/dark gray/black off the exterior, shiny part, of the stainless....you know, where the engraving is....what people see. Creeker, will an ultrasonic cleaner get it off?

 

 

 

 

 

 

And on a side note: Here's a scene I'm writing for Grey's Anatomy

 

Kepner: Patient took a bazooka round to the belly button, what should I do?

 

Bailey: Before you do anything, check his underwear.

 

Kepner: Not good.

 

Bailey: If he'd listened to his momma, he wouldn't be here with dirty underwear. It's not always a car wreck.

 

Kepner: What are we going to do?

 

Bailey: There's nothing that can be done. His underwear is dirty.

 

 

 

And in February:

Buck D. Law: I'd like to thank the Academy and my momma...and Sugah for making me mind my momma.

 

 

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

The easy way to keep your guns clean?? Shoot real Black Powder, clean with Murphy's mix, followed by Ballistol. So easy a caveman could do it.

 

Jefro

 

 

IROT is gona resent that!

 

 

..........Widder

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

The easy way to keep your guns clean?? Shoot real Black Powder, clean with Murphy's mix, followed by Ballistol. So easy a caveman could do it.

 

Jefro

 

I knew someone would say it. I've shot black powder before, I do agree when it comes to cleaning my stainless pistols, black powder is a breeze. But then the rifle and shotgun becomes the issue. I can't win for losing!

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

Don't clean 'em. Ta Da - problem solved.

 

You'd be proud of me. If I had them here, I'd take a photo and post it. They have lots of...uh...character, yeah, that's the ticket!

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

If you want to soak parts to ease cleaning, you need a large volume of cleaning solution. I make my own and use it for all of my gun cleaning needs; I follow up with Breakfree CLP for lubrication. Here is the recipe for Ed's Red:

 

Mix equal parts of:

• Acetone
• Mineral Spirits
• K1 Kerosene
• Automatic Transmition Fluid

 

I had never heard of this before, but there's a lot about it on the internet. There's even a video on youtube.

[Shooting Bull]

Right after I retired from the Air Force I got a part time job as a range master for one of the local gun stores. The main job of the range masters was to keep tourists from killing themselves with the rental guns but, a secondary job was to keep those rental guns clean. We had a big automobile parts washer in the back room full of low odor mineral spirits. That worked so well I now have the same set up in my garage.

 

Safety note: Ed's Red is EXTREMELY flamable. Be careful how and where you use it.

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

I bought a nice one, but I find myself not using it. I prefer to get my hands dirty, using brushes, swabs, Ballistol, etc. YMMV.

 

I'm thinking (dangerous for sure) that if an ultrasonic cleaner would remove the powder residue, every so often I could just take my grips off, drop 'em in and let 'em go. Take 'em out, let 'em dry, relube what needed it and rock and roll. I just can't find anyone who can tell me for certain that it will clean off the powder residue....off of STAINLESS pistols....

 

I looked for a photo that would show what I'm talking about, but the only photo I can find that shows the residue is an old photo of another pair of pistols. Zoom it in and take a look on the barrel of the right gun just under the front sight. Also the cylinders. In another six months, these pistols would need cleaning.

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

Safety note: Ed's Red is EXTREMELY flamable. Be careful how and where you use it.

 

Is that true if the acetone is left out?

[Matthew Duncan]

I don't clean them and say that I do

 

Next problem...

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

I knew someone would say it. I've shot black powder before, I do agree when it comes to cleaning my stainless pistols, black powder is a breeze. But then the rifle and shotgun becomes the issue. I can't win for losing!

Well, for smokeless I like M-Pro7 and Ballistol. Good Luck

 

Jefro

[Shotgun Bandit]

I second the mouton for M Pro7.......Works fast .....best part no smell i use it in the house with no complaint's frum da spousal unit

[Tuco Forsyth #72674]

I visit the local McDonalds grease trap late at night and clean my guns with old french fry oil. Smell so good and makes me hungry at the next match.

[Ranger John Paxton #17833]

Buck, I started using a product called Lead Away by Klean Bore over twenty years ago. It is a cloth that simply wipes away all carbon and lead. No scrubbing. Used it on my stainless duty pistol for years. It always looks like new and will simply wipe away the black ring on the face of the cylinder. You can cut a piece and put it on a cleaning rod and use inside the cylinder and bore also. They last a long time and they run about $4.58 on line. Go to google and get a list of all the placed that carry it.

 

Ranger John Paxton

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

Real easy and fast.

 

if really dirty, I chuck a cleaning rod with brass fixture into my electric drill. Apply my favorite cleaning solutions (sometimes, I just use WD40) and run that brass brush in and out of my cylinder chambers about 2-3 times each.

Then on the outside of the cylinder, i use a toothbrush to scrub around.

 

Then, I spray em with WD-40 to swoooosh away all that loose grime.

 

I also use a toothbrush on the pistol where grime has accumulated.

 

Then I blow it all off with my compressor.

 

Wipe em down and put em away.

 

Takes about 10 minutes or so per pistol.

 

Thats pretty much it.

 

I only take my Rugers apart about once a year (or less) unless they get in the rain.

 

 

 

..........Widder

 

Widder has your wife complained about her tooth brush tasting funny?

 

Randy

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

Buck, I started using a product called Lead Away by Klean Bore over twenty years ago. It is a cloth that simply wipes away all carbon and lead. No scrubbing. Used it on my stainless duty pistol for years. It always looks like new and will simply wipe away the black ring on the face of the cylinder. You can cut a piece and put it on a cleaning rod and use inside the cylinder and bore also. They last a long time and they run about $4.58 on line. Go to google and get a list of all the placed that carry it.

 

Ranger John Paxton

 

I have one of those and it will get it off. The problem is I forget to do it until my guns look SOOOOOOO bad. It's sorta like telling a feller to take his vehicle to the car wash....not realizing he has been mudding and has more weight in mud on his vehicle than the vehicle weighs.

 

When I clean my pistols, there's such a reduction in weight that I start shooting high....cause my arms are anticipating the guns to be heavier.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

 

And on a side note: Here's a scene I'm writing for Grey's Anatomy

 

Kepner: Patient took a bazooka round to the belly button, what should I do?

 

Bailey: Before you do anything, check his underwear.

 

Kepner: Not good.

 

Bailey: If he'd listened to his momma, he wouldn't be here with dirty underwear. It's not always a car wreck.

 

Kepner: What are we going to do?

 

Bailey: There's nothing that can be done. His underwear is dirty.

 

 

 

And in February:

Buck D. Law: I'd like to thank the Academy and my momma...and Sugah for making me mind my momma.

 

 

Very funny and I don't even like medical dramas

[Cope Daniels]

I have one of those and it will get it off. The problem is I forget to do it until my guns look SOOOOOOO bad. It's sorta like telling a feller to take his vehicle to the car wash....not realizing he has been mudding and has more weight in mud on his vehicle than the vehicle weighs.

 

When I clean my pistols, there's such a reduction in weight that I start shooting high....cause my arms are anticipating the guns to be heavier.

 

 

Did the Lead Away work?

[Buckshot Frank]

I had never heard of this before, but there's a lot about it on the internet. There's even a video on youtube.

 

Ed's Red is popular with the military surplus rifle crowd. When you buy an old rifle that has been covered in cosmolene for 40 years, you need a lot of cleaner to do the job. Cleaning a few surplus rifles with Hoppes would bankrupt someone .

 

I've made gallons of the stuff in the past 10 years. I mix it up in glass jars (mason, pickle, jelly, etc). I started marking measuring lines on outside of the jars with sharpie, so I don't have to measure anymore. Just pour the first ingredient to the first line, the second ingredient to the second, and so on.

 

Ed's Red costs about $20 to make about 2 gallons ($10 per gallon). Compare this to the cost of those little jars of bore cleaner, and you can see why I love the stuff.

[Dick Dastardly SASS #45219]

Ho the fire,

 

When the match is over, a spritz of Moosemilk (1 part Ballistol : 10 parts water) down the bore and a pull of the boresnake and yer good to go. I've won many a six pack of my favorite malt beverage by demonstrating how I can clean my pistols, rifle and shotgun all sparkling clean inside fifteen minutes. I've yet to buy any on that bet and my guns are cleaner, with no rust, than most that shoot heathen fad smokeyless powder.

 

That's what I writ in a previous thread. Of course, I only shoot the Holy Black, the One True Powder, Black Powder, pushing Big Lube®LLC bullets. That's why my cleanup is so easy.

 

DD-DLoS

[The Original Bad Bob]

I use carb and choke cleaner followed by Rem Oil. Works great!

[Shooting Bull]

Is that true if the acetone is left out?

 

 

That's a good question. Wish I had a good answer for you but I really don't know. Sorry

[Buckshot Frank]

Is that true if the acetone is left out?

 

All four components are flammable. Don't smoke while cleaning your guns or clean them near a heat source .

[Barkeep Casey]

Buck,

To get rid of the pesky dark powder rings etc. I take Flitz and super soft steel wool and polish it all up shiny, then clean the bore, cylinders and lube. Keeps them looking like new.

[Barkeep Casey]

Thought I better add with Stainless guns!