Cleaning a Handgun?

S&WM&P40

New member
So I'M a noobie at cleaning handguns never really owned any other then a 22 revolver. So last night a picked up a cleaning kit at walmart( that cheap Winchester deluxe gun cleaning kit) comes in a cheap wooden case and comes with cleaning gear for guns up to 12G. Picked up some Winchester break free CLP and a small bottle of Remington rem oil. I field stripped the gun and applied a few sprays of the CLP cleaner and cleaned the inside and outside of the barrel with a 40cal wire brush and then followed that up with a few passes with a cleaning patch. Set that aside and then sprayed the spring with CLP and cleaned with with a toothbrush and then with a cleaning patch and set it aside. I then picked up the frame and sprayed it with a little CLP and took a toothbrush and a cleaning patch. Then I took the slide and cleaned that with a toothbrush and cleaning patch with CLP. I then took a cleaning patch and put some rim oil on it and ran it through the barrel and wiped down the outside with rim oil. Did the same with the rest of the parts till they all had been wiped with oil. I then took a clean patch and removed any standing oil from the outside of the gun. Put it back together and I was done. But now the frame is leaking the (God awful STINKY break free) it's coming out of the punch pin's and the trigger housing as well as the take down lever. It would seem that I put to much cleaner on the gun? But I followed the detections on the can. So did i clean the gun right? Side Note the gun have never been fired other then the one round they fire at S&W before they ship the guns. I cleaned it because due to me carrying it everyday the barrel and other parts had build up of lint and dirt.
 

I'm not an expert, but I would say that it is not unusual. The liquid is probably thin, and has the property to spread.. Wipe it down again, and if necessary, in about a week, take the gun apart and wipe with oil again and wipe down.. Just my opinion.. nobody else was responding.
 
A tip for the oozing oil. After you clean the gun, use an air compressor with an air gun attachment to blow the excess oil and crud out of the frame and slide area, before reassembly. This gets the oil out of the cracks and crevaces. You can also use "Canned Air" that is normally used for computers, keyboards, etc. Not as powerful, but will still work. You don't want to leave too much oil or solvent in the gun that may come into contact with your ammo that is in the chamber or the mag. Tests have shown, that the penetrating qualities of gun oil and solvents, can penetrate primer pockets, and case mouths beside the seated bullet and get to the powder or primer, causing misfires or poor ignition.
 
One thing I do after cleaning with solvent is to blow the weapon out with compressed air to help get all that liquid out of the nooks and crannies, then wipe down with the oil patch.

A bigger question I had when reading your post is; how can you have a carry weapon that you have not fired???!! How does that gun handle the ammo you have selected? How fast can you reload? How fast can you correct misfires and clear jams? What kind of recoil and how fast can you get back on target?

Even if this weapon replaces another one of the same manufacturer, caliber and model there can be HUGE differences. Each gun has it's own personality, likes and dislikes and you had better know all of them before depending on that weapon as your primary defense!

Please do not take this post wrong, but it sounds like you need lots of training and practice before you walk around with a gun. Please do not carry it until you have read and practiced much more. Not only could you ruin your life, but you may end up shooting yourself or ME! Carrying a weapon brings with it a huge amount of responsibility and legal liability. Knowledge of how to react in different scenarios, practice shooting in less than perfect range conditions, how to avoid having to use the weapon in the first place, ect., ect., ect. These things must be second nature and actually handling the weapon should not even be a conscious thought but more of an automatic reflex. Right now, you NEED to focus on the weapon, heck you don't even know if it's going to work! Until you have at least 500 rounds through that weapon, don't even THINK of carrying it!

Did not mean to be harsh. Everyone on the Forum will tell you what they think, and for good reason. There is a lot of experience and knowledge here. Your question leads me to believe you lack both. That is not a put down or a personal attack it is an observation (which may be incorrect) and my answer is based on the fact that this site specializes in reality. Good intentions will get you killed!

Look forward to your continuing posts and participation on this forum.
 
A tip for the oozing oil. After you clean the gun, use an air compressor with an air gun attachment to blow the excess oil and crud out of the frame and slide area, before reassembly. This gets the oil out of the cracks and crevaces. You can also use "Canned Air" that is normally used for computers, keyboards, etc. Not as powerful, but will still work. You don't want to leave too much oil or solvent in the gun that may come into contact with your ammo that is in the chamber or the mag. Tests have shown, that the penetrating qualities of gun oil and solvents, can penetrate primer pockets, and case mouths beside the seated bullet and get to the powder or primer, causing misfires or poor ignition.

Thanks for the tips. I don't think the problem is the oil it seems to be leaking the CLP break free and that is leading me to think I used to much. Next time I know not to follow what the can says. That crap stinks like hell.
 
There are many different methods to clean a firearm. The owner's manual should give you some insight on how to properly clean your firearm. There are many diffrent cleaning solvents on the market. I personally use a product called "Gun Scrubber" which is manufactured by "Birchwood Casey" for cleaning my firearms, and use "Miltec" for lubrication after I'm done cleaning. I don't use the compressor or compressed air as I feel it is not necessary and can result in the loss of intricate parts. As I said earlier, there are many different ways to clean a firearm. As with ammo selection, holster selection, etc. YOU will ultimately need to decide on the best method for cleaning your firearm that works for you.

When cleaning your firearm, do no use too much solvent or lubrication. If you over lubricate your firearm, you will get the "oozing" that you experienced, AND the excess lubrication will cause dust, dirt and other debris to stick to the internal parts of your firearm, making future cleanings more difficult.

When cleaning a semi-auto firearm, don't forget to clean your magazines. A baby bottle brush works great and costs a lot less than the specially designed brushes to clean magazines.

Be sure to clean your firearms in a well ventilated area. Cleaning solvents and lubricants contain various chemicals that can cause health problems if inhaled over time.

As for your statement about carrying your firearm before having test fired it on the range, I strongly recommend that you put several rounds through it. It is essential that you fire any new firearm to ensure proper sight alignment, ammo feeding reliability and function of the firearm. As a previous poster stated, each individual firearm has it's own "personality". You may experience feeding problems with certain ammunition. Other problems with the firearm may be discovered as well. It's a whole lot better to figure out that you've got a problem while on the range than in a SD situation! :eek: Common problems with new firearms are failure to feed, failure to extract, and stove pipe malfuncitons. Running a few boxes of factory target ammo as well as the ammo you will use for SD will ensure that everything is working smoothly.

LMK if you need further info.



gf
 
One thing I do after cleaning with solvent is to blow the weapon out with compressed air to help get all that liquid out of the nooks and crannies, then wipe down with the oil patch.

A bigger question I had when reading your post is; how can you have a carry weapon that you have not fired???!! How does that gun handle the ammo you have selected? How fast can you reload? How fast can you correct misfires and clear jams? What kind of recoil and how fast can you get back on target?

Even if this weapon replaces another one of the same manufacturer, caliber and model there can be HUGE differences. Each gun has it's own personality, likes and dislikes and you had better know all of them before depending on that weapon as your primary defense!

Please do not take this post wrong, but it sounds like you need lots of training and practice before you walk around with a gun. Please do not carry it until you have read and practiced much more. Not only could you ruin your life, but you may end up shooting yourself or ME! Carrying a weapon brings with it a huge amount of responsibility and legal liability. Knowledge of how to react in different scenarios, practice shooting in less than perfect range conditions, how to avoid having to use the weapon in the first place, ect., ect., ect. These things must be second nature and actually handling the weapon should not even be a conscious thought but more of an automatic reflex. Right now, you NEED to focus on the weapon, heck you don't even know if it's going to work! Until you have at least 500 rounds through that weapon, don't even THINK of carrying it!

Did not mean to be harsh. Everyone on the Forum will tell you what they think, and for good reason. There is a lot of experience and knowledge here. Your question leads me to believe you lack both. That is not a put down or a personal attack it is an observation (which may be incorrect) and my answer is based on the fact that this site specializes in reality. Good intentions will get you killed!

Look forward to your continuing posts and participation on this forum.

I have to agree here. If you carry it for defense, better put at least 50-100 rounds of the carry ammo through it to make sure.
I own a S&W M&P 45 auto. They make great firearms and all the reviews indicate they will handle most ammo with no issues, but you may be betting your life on the reviews. Fire 100-150 rounds of target ammo just to make sure the firearm has no general issues. Then 50 or 100 of the carry ammo to make sure it feeds, fires, and ejects reliably…

Mine weeps a little after the cleaning. Just keep wiping it off. If it’s dripping out then perhaps use a little less for the final assembly.

Peace…
 
I watched this video of a guy cleaning a SW40VE like the one i want to get, and i want to make sure i purchase the correct items to clean it with.

YouTube- cleaning my SW40VE

I know i will need a cleaning kit but what about solvents and oils?

This guy is using a proper solvent but he is also using WD-40 instead of proper oils. I read a few places that WD40 will gum up and have brown buildup.

Anyone know what the best value cleaning kits , solvents and oils are?

Is a synthetic product like Birchwoods a good solvent?

Link Removed

Also what is a good oil, i have heard many things. I was looking at this same branded synthetic oil.

Link Removed


Any input on cleaning kits, solvent, oils would be much appreciated to me and i am sure the OP would like some input on some of this too.
 
I'm not an expert, but I would say that it is not unusual. The liquid is probably thin, and has the property to spread.. Wipe it down again, and if necessary, in about a week, take the gun apart and wipe with oil again and wipe down.. Just my opinion.. nobody else was responding.

+1 Not unusual. Just take it apart and wipe it down again.
 
As I read this thread I get the impression that you are reading too much into cleaning, have overwhelmed yourself with too much stuff, and have some of that "more is better" syndrome that surrounds a new gun and the excitement of having it and spending the money on it. Most new semis are easy to take apart and with the pieces in front of you a little cleaner and a little lubrication is all you need. Forthe barrel, make it easy and buy a boresnake--one, two, three and done. Have fun--I actually enjoy the cleaning more than the shooting---it's some of my relaxing time. Choose good ammo and ask around--some shoots dirty and others shoot a lot cleaner---probably for 100 rounds you may not even have to clean everytime.
 
GET SOME TRAINING!

And, as has been stated, "less" is better as regards solvent and oil when cleaning your gun. I use old toothbrushes and Q-tips when cleaning my weaponry and use "just enough" solvent (and even less oil) to get the job done.

Welcome to the site!
 
I watched this video of a guy cleaning a SW40VE like the one i want to get, and i want to make sure i purchase the correct items to clean it with.

YouTube- cleaning my SW40VE

I know i will need a cleaning kit but what about solvents and oils?

This guy is using a proper solvent but he is also using WD-40 instead of proper oils. I read a few places that WD40 will gum up and have brown buildup.

Anyone know what the best value cleaning kits , solvents and oils are?

Is a synthetic product like Birchwoods a good solvent?

Link Removed

Also what is a good oil, i have heard many things. I was looking at this same branded synthetic oil.

Link Removed


Any input on cleaning kits, solvent, oils would be much appreciated to me and i am sure the OP would like some input on some of this too.

:no:No way! :eek: IMO WD40 is not good for the gun, man. Use proper Gun cleaning stuffs.
 
Less is MORE

if you sweat on your gun a lot, you may actually want to occasionally spray the trigger group and mainspring with WD 40. I personally do not. but i know people who do.

The oozing and seeping is a definite sign of too much goop. When running brushes or patches, spray them, not the barrel. Exception: a very dirty barrel might need direct spray, but rarely. Shotguns and BP rifles, can be a different story.

go lightly. oil attracts dust and lint. after cleaning, as i reassemble i spray a patch, and use that to lightly oil the rails and friction points. then i run that oiled patch thru the bore once, reassemble, and done.

Once in a while i dissamble the magazines, to clean and lube, again lightly. i'd suggest you never actually spray the gun with solvent or oil. use a patch, and wipe it down. Unless you dunk your gun in a toilet (actually did that once, to my everlasting embarrassment) or a swimming pool or the like, and then after you clean and dry it, go ahead and spray the hell out of it with rem oil and hang it up to drip dry!

Othe than that, less is more.
 
Thats old school epic fail on the cleaning of a gun. Haven't seen that movie since i was too young to understand everything in it.


Anyone have any recommendations on cleaning kits, solvents and oils?
 
Thats old school epic fail on the cleaning of a gun. Haven't seen that movie since i was too young to understand everything in it.


Anyone have any recommendations on cleaning kits, solvents and oils?

Keep the WD-40 away from your firearms. It has many good uses around the house, cleaning and maintenance of firearms isn't one of them.

Before you start cleaning your firearm, make absolutely sure that it's unloaded and that you have secured (as in locked up or put away in another room whenever possible) all live ammo.

Suggestions for cleaning solvents:

Mil-tec
Break Free
Hoppes products
Birchwood Casey products

I find that "Gun Scrubber" (Birchwood Casey product) is very effective. Once I'm done initially blasting the heavy dirt and debris, then I break out the brushes and cleaning rods to finish up the cleaning. I use Mil-tec for my cleaning and lubrication needs.



gf
 
Thanks for the recommendations gf, i will be looking into the M-Pro 7 products for cleaning and lube, but what about a bore brush or cleaning kit, what is something inexpensive that works well? Do you have to spend a lot of money to get a quality kit? I don't have to have a large kit i just need it for a handgun, not a full kit.
 
Thanks for the recommendations gf, i will be looking into the M-Pro 7 products for cleaning and lube, but what about a bore brush or cleaning kit, what is something inexpensive that works well? Do you have to spend a lot of money to get a quality kit? I don't have to have a large kit i just need it for a handgun, not a full kit.

A universal handgun cleaning kit shouldn't run more than $20 - $25. I've seen them at Wal-mart, The Sports Authority, Big 5, etc. Best price was at Wal-mart. If you rather put together your own, you could do that as well. I've got several that I've assembled. I picked up a handgun rod, brushes for the various calibers, patch loops for the .22 caliber and one for all other calibers, a firm bristle tooth brush, a few cloth diapers, some cotton patches, a steel wire brush, a few dental picks and scrapers, and a nice Plano case to house it all. Total cost came out to just under $20. I have a couple of universal cleaning kits, and a few that I've assembled on my own. I keep one kit in my range bag, one in the vehicle, and one I use when I teach classes so students know what they would need to clean their firearms. Many of the items can be found around their homes. It's just something basic to get them started. As they get more into shooting and the finer points of cleaning their firearms, they will discover other tools that work well. I personally like the wooden applicators (looks like a q-tip, but on a long wooden stick). The cotton tip can be used to clean, and the wooden stick can be cracked at an angle and used as a scraper in the "hard to reach" places.


Cleaning a firearm is a very personal thing. There are many ways to do it, and all kinds of equipment that does the job. As long as the end result is accomplished, then you've done good.



gf
 
Walmart has a universal handgun cleaning kit by Remington for like 8 bucks, its just a few brushes and rods and also a few mop brushes. It didn't say only on the kit but it stated 9 mm, 357 sig and a couple others on the brushes included but nothing about .40 caliber on it.

Is this too cheap of a kit to combine with some good M-Pro 7 cleaner and oil? Will i have to get a kit that specifies a .40 caliber brush or one too big might not clean well?

Or maybe i should spend a little more on the Reminton Fieldmaster kit that has cleaning patches and more items? Its like $18 at my walmart.
 
Walmart has a universal handgun cleaning kit by Remington for like 8 bucks, its just a few brushes and rods and also a few mop brushes. It didn't say only on the kit but it stated 9 mm, 357 sig and a couple others on the brushes included but nothing about .40 caliber on it.

Is this too cheap of a kit to combine with some good M-Pro 7 cleaner and oil? Will i have to get a kit that specifies a .40 caliber brush or one too big might not clean well?

Or maybe i should spend a little more on the Reminton Fieldmaster kit that has cleaning patches and more items? Its like $18 at my walmart.

The $8 kit should work for you. You might want to pick up a .40 cal brush and any other calibers that you might need, but aren't included (like a .45 cal if you have the pistol or plan on picking one up in the near future). Stuff can always be added to the kit. I would recommend picking up a couple of microfiber cleaning cloths and cotton diapers from the automotive section. As for cleaning patches, you can use an old t-shirt and cut it up into the correct size for the calibers you'll be cleaning, or you can pick up a bag of patches from Wal-mart. If you use a t-shirt, be sure it's 100% cotton. Cotton blend fabrics don't clean as well. Be sure the patches match the calibers you're cleaning, or if you want to pick up commercial patches and save some money, you can pick up 12 gauge patches and cut them into 1/4s'. A sharp pair of scissors should do the trick.

Thing to keep in mind is that you want a brush that is bigger than the barrel, but not too big (like you wouldn't want to clean a .357 mag using a .45 cal brush). A Bore Snake would be a good thing to have as well. Only problem with the Bore Snake is that you have to get one in each caliber. They usually run between $15 - $20 each.

The Fieldmaster is a good cleaning kit, but has a bunch of stuff you might never use. You'll probably spend the same amount of money picking up the less expensive kit and adding to it. Even if you spend a little more, you'll end up having a bunch of stuff that you'll actually have use for, and the patches will be a lot better than the synthetic fabric patches that come with most commercial universal cleaning kits. I have friends who have picked up a small tackle box that they use to store their gun cleaning supplies. Being that you have a preference in cleaning oil and solvents, all of the stuff probably won't fit into the box that the economy kit comes in. :biggrin: Another thing you might want to think about picking up would be "Flitz" metal polish in the gray tube. It works great to remove minor surface rust that may pop up on your firearm.



gf
 

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