Gun cleaning

[BucknRut]

Alright fellas,
I just got back from the range and as I was cleaning my rifle, I kept saying "there has got to be an easier/better way!" So what is it??

I am a perfectionist when it comes to cleaning, so I don't mind spending the time, but I never have "system" I stick to to get the job done.
*What is your "standard proceedure" for cleaning (especially the barrel)?
*How do you carry/store your cleaning kit so that it is organized (and stays clean)?

Might as well add anything about "degreesing"...I KNOW I leave my metal coated, but I am always scared about protecting it.

All opinions appreciated!
Thanks Guys
Joshua

[AlaskaCub]

One word "WIPEOUT". This stuff is the bomb. No more leaky solvents, and splashing brushes. It removes powder fouling as well as copper. Made life so nice when I found it. Just foam up the barrell till you see the foam starting to come into the action, and the let it sit ( I normally dont need to leave it in there more than 30 minutes but you can). Run a patch through on a jag till its clean and you get dirty blue/black patches and then a shiny bore, done. You dont even need to apply oil to the bore after your done. I have tried other foaming bore cleaners but they did not work as well as "WIPEOUT". Oh and I dont work for them or have any affiliation to them, the stuff just rocks and I aint afraid to say it! I got it at Sportsmans Warehouse on a reccomendation from a friend.

[gogoalie]

Degreasing...

Boiling hot water, a 5 gallon bucket, & some simple green or dish dawn detergent...dip the greased parts in the hot water & add detergent & let sit for sometime, & your parts will be degreased, but the water should still be hot when you remove you parts to keep from rusting. Metal heated to a certain degree will repel water naturally with evaporation.

[AlleninAlaska]

I'm a big fan of Barnes CR-10.

[AlaskaCub]

Allen I used to use CR-10 for copper fouling(it was the best I had found of Hoppes and others) and I would scrub and scrub and scrub, and you know how if you shine a light in the crown you can see the copper streaks in the riflings, one 30 minute soak with Wipeout and all the streaks that were going away little by little with tons of elbow grease with CR-10 where gone immediately, that is no lie. I was sold after that. No more stinky ammonia gun room!

[AlleninAlaska]

CR-10 is designed to be left in the barrel to work on the copper fouling, not too be scrubbed. Leave CR-10 in the barrel for up to 30 minutes and you should not have that problem. It's just like Sweets 7.62, Amonia based.

[AlaskaCub]

I know Allen you soak a patch and run it through and let it soak, you do that over and over and over and a nylon brush should be used to run through what like ten times or something on the next interval, anyway this process takes a lot of time,is messy not to mention the ammonia smell. With the Wipeout you only have to do it once, thats it.No ammonia smell, no scrubbing with the nylon brush and no repetetive procedures. I can thoroughly clean 3 rifles in less time than it used to take me to do 1. I would try it if you havent, I saw the light bigtime and I am anal about clean weapons when they need cleaned.

[Jason in Anchorage]

da bomb

WIPEOUT...gun cleaning has never been so easy and thorough...go but some.

[GreginAlaska]

I just make my wife do it...very easy.. HA! like that would ever happen.

[stevelyn]

I too am a perfectionist when it comes to gun cleaning and maintenance. I use MPro-7 to clean everything with and Break-Free CLP to recoat and lube. I don't spend a whole lot of time on barrel cleaning either. Just long enough to get the powder fouling out.

From time to time I'll check copper fouling by pulling a white patch just inside the muzzle and hitting it with a Sure Fire light to look at the barrel walls. If it looks like there is getting to be a heavy build up, I'll use Tetra Copper Remover. Otherwise I don't worry too much about it.

[bizymocha]

My Thoughts

I have had great luck with Wipeout also but it is a bit pricey at $11.00 for a 5 oz. can. JB Compound will still do a great job as well but it IS work!
Has anyone used Ballistol?

[AKmud]

Brake-Kleen and a Bore Snake to get the heavys out at the range then I do a more thorough job at home. I have a solvent tank and sometimes actions get to soak in it for a while if they are really bad (like my AR-15 after a day of training!). I like Gun-scrubber, but it is expensive and Brake-Kleen does a very good job (and is cheap!). A good air compressor is mandatory equipment for me.

[BucknRut]

Can I use any of the cleaners you guys mentioned on all types of metals (stainless, blued). Should I disassemble everything first? Any bad reactions to plastic, wood, composites? Do you apply any oil once you have finished cleaning?

Thanks for all the help
Joshua

[AKmud]

Gun Scrubber is good for all surfaces. Brake-Kleen is good for metal and some plastics. It will eat the plastic follower on a Rem. 870 shotgun though (don't ask me how I know....)

[Tony G]

When using wipe out, I run several patches first thru the barrel with wipe out accelerator on the patch. This removes the powder fowling so the regular wipe out works even better/faster. I also have found that after the patches come out clean, to run a wet patch with the accelerator on it thru. It comes out looking like carmel. When the wet patches come out clean then I run the dry patch thru. I really like wipe out, It costs some but you get alot of cleanings per can. With practice you learn to cant the barrel so the foam stays out of the action area.