Firearm maintenance: Stuff that works/Stuff that doesn't

[steve white]

Without chasing rabbits concerning regimens, we all do our best to properly clean and lubricate our weapons, with a view to enhancing barrel longevity and performance. Old products still line the shelves, new products are always coming out. Special needs, such as long term carry/reliability of concealed carry pistols, cleaning of suppressors, heat and extreme cold function entail dedicated treatments.

Which products have PROVEN themselves to be exceptional choices, in your experience? IOW, things you will not be without.
AND, which ones have just not worked out so well over time? Save us all a lot of grief with your warnings!

What works: Copper remover: KG 12--no ammonia at all, leaves a brown residue and cleans copper to non-existence. You will find out if your bore can shoot that clean, however.
Carbon remover: Iosso paste, or KG products.
Pistol slide lube: TW 25B grease by MilTec, or 0000 grease by ALG, or micro-ceramic grease by Ostermayer Jagd.--no, not Oscar Mayer as in wieners...
Also beware anything not compatible with aluminum if your slide runs on that.

What doesn't work: Frog Lube--it will gum up over time, even eat through it's bottle and make a big mess. It is a plant based product, I believe.
Note: there are other plant based products coming by Lubriplate, a water repelling "veggie" grease by Mountainflow, and many others. AND the original Swiss Waffenfett was plant and animal fat formulated and no one ever complained that bores were not pristine with that--even 90 yrs. later in storage, coated with same. So strange...wish we knew more about it, chemically. If any of our European bloggers can comment on the original formulation, please chime in!
G 96 bore cleaner--you better get it all out or watch for rust, IME, YMMV

Your turn--let the games begin!

 

[uplander01]

Wipe Out Bore Cleaner & Accelerator, I haven't used a brush in a bore in over 10 years. Cleans to the point where there is literally no carbon or copper, usually takes a few more fowlers to bring POA and Impact back, it gets the bore that clean.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have tried Hoppe's wad residue remover and found it doesn't work any better than (or even as well as) their #9 powder residue cleaner. Still searching for something that will remove the residue from screw-in chokes. Haven't tried brake cleaner yet. It will probably do the trick. I have used it to loosen stuck chokes but didn't pay attention to what if anything it did to remove wad gunk.

Hoppe's copper remover worked ... I think. Or was it simply all the elbow grease? Seemed to require several attempts before bore was completely clean.

 

[Denvir Tire]

Stainless steel "Tornado Brush"
Heated, Ultrasonic cleaning machine with Dawn dish detergent

 

[Tex .416]

Wipe Out Bore Cleaner & Accelerator, I haven't used a brush in a bore in over 10 years. Cleans to the point where there is literally no carbon or copper, usually takes a few more fowlers to bring POA and Impact back, it gets the bore that clean.

Are you using a bore scope to check?

My experience was quite different. Using only Wipe Out, a significant carbon ring built up in one of my competition barrels.

Soaking the barrel in Hoppe’s Benchrest Solvent over night softened the carbon ring. The first patch through pushed out a big glob of carbon.

Now I use Barnes’ solvent for quick cleaning and is very effective. It is very aggressive. Do not let it soak. It is really helpful for removing copper from a new barrel.

Hoppe’s Benchrest solvent, not No. 9, is what is used most of the time. It can be left in overnight to really help remove stubborn built up deposits.

After a dry patch, Montana Extreme Bore Conditioner is used to clean out solvent and then for storage.

Lucas Red ‘n Tacky No. 2 auto grease is good for surfaces like lug faces. Mobil 1 oil 0w-20w is good for things needing oil.

There are very low cost bore scopes, less than $40, that plug into phones and laptops that are very helpful for looking at the inside of barrels.

 

[uplander01]

Have not had that experience with Wipe Out. I put 2 patchs of Accelerator, then fill bore with wipe out foam with muzzle tipped slightly down. Walk away and come back minimum 2-3 hours later and dry patch until there is nothing on the patches. Sometimes I let sit overnight, sometimes 1 do 2 applications in 4-6 hour time frame. Not sure how a glob would develop, and what do you mean by carbon ring?

 

[rookhawk]

Kroil is the best oil for protecting small parts and unsticking screws and pins. It also rots out stocks so it must be used sparingly. Perfect for use with Fine Bronze wool to remove surface rust too.

Ballistol for general lubricant. Doesn't leach into wood.

JB Bore Paste for bore cleaning and restoration.

Wipeout foam is key for cleaning ancient, filthy barrels.

Alternating in cleaning with...

Sweets 7.62 or Shooters Choice

Alternating in cleaning with...

Hoppes Foaming #9

 

[deewayne2003]

Montana Extreme Copper Remover - please pay attention to the "strong odor" warning on the bottle, a buddy of mine opened it up and smelled it and got a chemical burn in his nasal cavity.

Ballistol - Great for blued and wood guns, I rub it on all surfaces including wood.

Castrol synthetic 20W-50 motor oil - Lubricating high volume semi autos.

Kroil - The king of penetrating oils!

Foaming Wipeout/Hoppes #9 - for neglected bores.

Shooters Choice FP10 gun oil - general lubrication

Hoppes #9 - general powder fouling and cleaning.

 

[Tex .416]

Have not had that experience with Wipe Out. I put 2 patchs of Accelerator, then fill bore with wipe out foam with muzzle tipped slightly down. Walk away and come back minimum 2-3 hours later and dry patch until there is nothing on the patches. Sometimes I let sit overnight, sometimes 1 do 2 applications in 4-6 hour time frame. Not sure how a glob would develop, and what do you mean by carbon ring?

Yes, nothing comes out on the Wipe Out patches because the Wipe Out is not doing an effective job of removing it.

A carbon ring is a build up of hard compacted soot for lack of a better descriptor, typically in the first 1” of the throat area. It is very visible with a bore scope.

A load that was known to be very conservative started displaying pressure signs and chronograph checked velocity started increasing inexplicably. That load was using 66 grains RL22, which I since have quit using.

Changing solvents and using solvent soaked patches wrapped around a nylon brush resulted in not having that problem again.

After a good cleaning with the Hoppe’s benchrest solvent velocity went back to the expected speed and the pressure signs vanished.

Buy one of the inexpensive bore scopes, they are a very useful tool for lots of things.

I’ll add one more changed practice, I mostly have quit using bore guides so as to work on cleaning the chamber and case neck areas as they also need cleaning. I am very careful pushing the nylon brushes into the barrel. Once the brush exits the barrel, unscrew it before pulling the rod out the bore end. Do not pull the brush back over the crown.

And please do not ever use a Bore Snake. They drag accumulated crud through the barrel and can alter the crown. Otis makes a nice plastic coated compact cable kit that is easy to use in the field.

Otis Universal Rifle Cleaning Kit

The Otis Rifle Cleaning System All Caliber is for firearm owners looking for a cleaning kit specifically for their rifles. The unique cotton patches...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[mdwest]

Heated, Ultrasonic cleaning machine with Dawn dish detergent

Yep!

I get water as hot as the tap will provide, and use dawn detergent in my ultrasonic cleaner…. Does wonders in a short period of time…

 

[steve white]

Yep!

I get water as hot as the tap will provide, and use dawn detergent in my ultrasonic cleaner…. Does wonders in a short period of time…

I would imagine Dawn is cheaper than the soap based jug of cleaner Brownells sells.

 

[BonUm16]

Works great for lubing the hook on a doublegun and choke tube threads. Or, spend 20x as much for something with “gun” in the name.

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

Renaissance Wax seems like a good product to me.

 

[BonUm16]

In addition to it’s use on sporting gear and guns, Ballistol performs admirably as an environmentally friendly lubricant/rust preventative for gas and electric hedge trimmers.