break cleaner on guns ?

[leroyd92]

a neighbor of mine does duty work and i wondered to his house a few hrs ago. he basically cleaned the [censored] out of his carry with break cleaner and compressed air. then he shot some pb-blast in the trigger system and brushed some grease on the barrel parts... back together it went and in the holster it goes..


anyone else clean them like that ?

 

[chevrofreak]

Non-chlorinated brake clean works quite well. I use it on my AR's when they get filthy. I wash out the barrel extension with it, and flush the gunk down the bore. It will leave white spots if you get it on the anodized parts, but it eventually goes away.

I used to use hot water and a toothbrush to clean my Glocks, and compressed air to dry them.

 

[Robenstein]

Works just as good as Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber. I just don't use it around plastics/polymers. I have seen some plastics that do not respond well to it.

 

[dnewton3]

I use non-chlorinated brake cleaner all the time.

About the only time I've had an issue is when I carelessly forgot about the varnish finish on my old .22 rifle stock; the chemical reaction messed up the varnish. Other than that, I've never had an issue. Works great for a lot less money than gun-specific cleaners. I would be very interested to see the actual chemical DNA of both a brake cleaner and a gun-specific cleaner; I suspect they are very similar.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: leroyd92
a neighbor of mine does duty work and i wondered to his house a few hrs ago. he basically cleaned the [censored] out of his carry with break cleaner and compressed air. then he shot some pb-blast in the trigger system and brushed some grease on the barrel parts... back together it went and in the holster it goes.. anyone else clean them like that ?


My method is similar, except I don't like brake cleaner. I use clean Kerosene instead. It will not harm anything on a firearm, including plastics and stock finishes. It will still blow completely dry with compressed air. For lubrication I use Mobil 1.

 

[leroyd92]

[censored]...looks like i have no excuse anymore...


i found my new way to clean my sidearms.

 

[FastGame]

I also use non-chlorinated brake cleaner all the time. I would agree with dnewton3 on wanting to see the make up between the two....my $ says they are the same stuff.

 

[bubbatime]

Brake cleaner does work good on carbon. It is pretty aggressive and there is no need to use it every time, maybe once every year or two for a deep clean.

 

[Tempest]

Chlorinated brake cleaner will melt cheap plastics like grips. I've found it not to harm things like Glock frames, but best to keep it away from plastics in general.

Non-chlor I've never had a problem with.

 

[ammolab]

Break cleaners that ruin plastic or stock finish are too risky for me.

Buy QD electronic cleaner at Walmart. Much less risk of damage!

 

[Astro14]

I bought half a dozen cans of MAF cleaner on sale at our local AP store. I reckon if it's safe for automotive plastics, it's OK on gun polymer...no damage noted yet...

But I certainly don't use it on a rifle with a wood stock!

 

[BlownF150]

I wouldn't use it on any firearm I cared about. As such I use brake cleaner for automotive purposes and keep it well away from my firearms. With AR's it is a big no-no, not only the plastic furniture but there is a small rubber insert and maybe an O-ring providing extra tension for the extractor. Not exactly parts you want to damage unless you enjoy extraction issues. For those that think non-chlorinated stuff is safe on plastics, CRC certainly doesn't think their's is.

http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=05088

 

[FastGame]

I don't use the brake cleaner on guns with plastic, rubber, and anywhere near wood.

The New non-chlorinated Gunscrubber.
Hexane
Isopropyl Alcohol
Carbon Dioxide

Brakleen non-chlorinated
Methanol
Acetone
Toluene
Heptane
Carbon dioxide

Super Tech non chlorinated
Heptane
Acetone
Toluene
Carbon dioxide

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: BlownF150
I wouldn't use it on any firearm I cared about. As such I use brake cleaner for automotive purposes and keep it well away from my firearms. With AR's it is a big no-no, not only the plastic furniture but there is a small rubber insert and maybe an O-ring providing extra tension for the extractor. Not exactly parts you want to damage unless you enjoy extraction issues. For those that think non-chlorinated stuff is safe on plastics, CRC certainly doesn't think their's is.

http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=05088


CRC is also one company that uses overly harsh solvents for their silicone spray, which is why I wont use it on certain surfaces where I can use several other brands.

 

[billt460]

Has anyone held a can of brake cleaner that had the word firearms mentioned on it anywhere?

 

[FastGame]

Originally Posted By: billt460
Has anyone held a can of brake cleaner that had the word firearms mentioned on it anywhere?


Hold Mobile 1 in your hand and tell us where it has the words firearms...

Originally Posted By: billt460
I've been using Mobil 1, (I live in the desert and use 20W-50), for many years now. It works better and stays put longer than all of these overpriced gun oils. A quart will last you close to a lifetime.

 

[Robenstein]

Well Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber is pretty darned close to brake cleaner. Especially the old formulation that was not "synthetic safe"

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: FastGame
Hold Mobile 1 in your hand and tell us where it has the words firearms...


There is nothing on a firearm Mobil 1, (or any other motor oil for that matter), will harm. This thread is full of how detrimental brake cleaner is to plastics and rubber.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein
Well Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber is pretty darned close to brake cleaner. Especially the old formulation that was not "synthetic safe"


Another problem with brake cleaner, "Gun Scrubber", and the rest of these aerosol cleaners, is how they act like a refrigerant to the metal they come in contact with. I gave up on "Gun Scrubber" back in the 70's when I lived in Illinois. I noticed it didn't take but a couple of seconds to get the metal so cold it would frost up with frozen condensation. A couple of minutes later it would thaw, leaving visible wet condensation on the metal. Not something that lends itself well to a firearm. Especially in hard to get areas like a trigger group. It's an all but guaranteed rust maker.

 

[Pablo]

Don't use BRAKE cleaner on guns (What is BREAK cleaner anyway??)

There's really no need, with the aerosol too much gets breathed in and as stated it's nasty on wood and plastic.

That said I have tried it outdoors inside my AR bolt carriers on the hard crud that builds up over the years and didn't find it all the effective. It's better to soak in Ed's Red or other cleaner then brush.