Cleaning a Handgun?

At what stage would you use a boresnake in the cleaning process? Does it bypass any of the other steps? I have plenty of 100% cotton t-shirts that need to be thrown out full of holes, so i think that will work for awhile. Also what is the microfiber cloth used for in the cleaning process. Is it the same as the t-shirts or patches? I guess you would use them to wipe the gun down after using solvent and oils to get excess off?

As to the Solvents, and Oils, i don't really have a preference i just don't know whats best and the M-Pro 7 seemed top of the line. If you have suggestions on other cleaners and oils not mentioned i am all ears i haven't purchased a single thing yet.
 
At what stage would you use a boresnake in the cleaning process? Does it bypass any of the other steps? I have plenty of 100% cotton t-shirts that need to be thrown out full of holes, so i think that will work for awhile. Also what is the microfiber cloth used for in the cleaning process. Is it the same as the t-shirts or patches? I guess you would use them to wipe the gun down after using solvent and oils to get excess off?

As to the Solvents, and Oils, i don't really have a preference i just don't know whats best and the M-Pro 7 seemed top of the line. If you have suggestions on other cleaners and oils not mentioned i am all ears i haven't purchased a single thing yet.

The Bore Snake is good to use on the range while the gun is still warm after you're done shooting. Many ranges won't allow you to break down your firearm and clean it on the firing line. The bore snake gets a lot of the residue and other debris out of the barrel and chamber area making it easier to clean when you get to an appropriate place.

I use the microfiber cloth or cotton diaper to wipe up excess fluids and keep finger prints off of the finish of the gun when I'm done cleaning it. The microfiber cloth isn't as absorbant as the cloth diaper, so I use it when I simply want to wipe down the exterior of the gun. This minimizes the possibility of removing the light coat of oil that's good to have on the exterior metal surfaces of the firearm. A cotton cloth will work, but may be a little too absorbant and you will notice little patches of lubricant missing where your fingers held the barrel.

I personally use a combination of the Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber and Mil-tec. I'm not sure what the "top of the line" cleaning/lubricating brands are. All I know is that the products I listed in a previous post work well and aren't too expensive. Mil-tec works best in moderation, so a little will go a long way.

You could probably find all of the cleaning supplies at your local Wal-mart, provided they have a decent firearms section. The ones here in PRHI are pretty sad. While traveling through "gun friendly" states, I've found many Wal-mart stores with an excellent selection of supplies I normally use. I requested that the local Wal-mart stores here in PRHI bring in some of the cleaning stuff I like, but haven't seen anything change yet. I'm not holding my breath. :sad:




gf
 
Nah, you did OK. Break free is designed to do that so it gets the dirt & debris outta the nooks and crannies of a military weapon. I just lay it aside and wipe it down with a small towel the next day and it'll be gone.
 
Boresnake is bad JUJU

Do not use a boresnake if you value accuracy.
Nylon is abrasive to steel, actually it is the dirt and crap in nylon, but if you do not believe me look at a pulley used for nylon rope.

When you pull through a bore snake it does not come perfectly squarely out of the crown. over time you will wear a groove only a few thousandths of an inch but none the less it will destroy accuracy. It happens a lot in rifles and it is almost always fixable by cutting a new crown.

I cannot recommend boresnake
 
If thats even possible with a boresnake i will skip it and just use the more traditional cleaning methods. I don't think i could fire enough rounds through a gun to have to break it down on the spot to clean it at the range.
 
I have been using the new M-Pro series of surfactants.

Not totally sure what my verdict will be yet.

I am not quite sure if the stuff works better than Sweet's.

-Doc
 
I remember reading an article in either Guns and Ammo or American Rifleman where the author contended that most of us over-clean our firearms. I have to agree. If you're shooting modern propellants and non-corrosive primers very little cleaning is required and all that disassembly/reassembly only loosens pins, strips screws, etc. A little solvent thru the barrel on a brush and a few clean patches followed by an oiled patch would suffice in most cases.
 
Do not use a boresnake if you value accuracy.
Nylon is abrasive to steel, actually it is the dirt and crap in nylon, but if you do not believe me look at a pulley used for nylon rope.

When you pull through a bore snake it does not come perfectly squarely out of the crown. over time you will wear a groove only a few thousandths of an inch but none the less it will destroy accuracy. It happens a lot in rifles and it is almost always fixable by cutting a new crown.

I cannot recommend boresnake

Never heard that about the Bore Snake. I've got a couple and used it a few times. Works great on my shotgun, and my hunting rifles in the field. I've never heard of any problems, but it does make sense and is something I'll be looking into.


gf
 
I remember reading an article in either Guns and Ammo or American Rifleman where the author contended that most of us over-clean our firearms. I have to agree. If you're shooting modern propellants and non-corrosive primers very little cleaning is required and all that disassembly/reassembly only loosens pins, strips screws, etc. A little solvent thru the barrel on a brush and a few clean patches followed by an oiled patch would suffice in most cases.

Pretty much what i gathered from some research; basically don't over clean your guns. I was planning on cleaning my gun new and then i read a lot about not over cleaning or over oiling anything. I hear the biggest issue with guns sent back to the factory is over oiling, with the 2nd biggest problem being under oiling, so take what you will from that, i guess it just takes experience to oil your gun properly.

I also saw a good video on cleaning your magazines, which from what i understand, should not be neglected. I hear just wiping out the inside of the magazine, blowing it out with air and wiping the spring off go a long way. I hear you can even "very lightly" oil the spring with a cloth that already has a little oil on it, but that use caution because of contaminating your ammo.
 
Cleaning is NOT overrated if you want your gun to do it's job

The claim for WD-40 (not mine, by the way, jut what i've heard) is that it displaces water. Literally forces water out. So, if you carry IWB and sweat a lot, you may consider spraying the trigger group with some WD-40. Personally i use Rem-oil for the job, also for the rails, the barrel, and (in my Beretta) for the rotating lug and its track down the frame.

I know Rem-oil won't gunk up, but slowly evaporates. I also know it won't melt the hard rubber or plastic grip panels. WD-40 can do that to some plastics. Every month or so, even if i haven't been to the range, i break down my carry gun and lightly oil everything using a cotton patch sprayed with Rem-oil.

But i always clean a gun after its been fired. Unlike some of the other opinions, i personally will not leave a weapon dirty; I have been know to be up well past midnight cleaning guns after a day at the range, once the kids are in bed. A dirty weapon can fail in accuracy, in cycling, feeding, or in firing. Reliable performance when you need it, means keeping your weapons clean, IMHO.
 
Cleaning? What's that? :) Does a couple of passes with a bore snake count?

BTW, the words "WD40" and "Firearm, gun, pistol, rifle, shotgun, revolver" (you get the picture) have no place in the same sentence. Save the WD40 for squeaky hinges.

To the original poster; you mentioned wiping down the exterior of the pistol, you also need to run a couple of dry patches through the bore.
 
Hey smith934: Answer to your first question on boresnakes--the answer IMO is YES. I do not wait for thousands or hundreds of rounds to be fired and on my 22s I fire CCI minimags, which are as clean firing as you can get for the money IMO. I look in that bore and it is as clean as a jag or a brush and a mop and and patch. and a heck of a lot easier. Interestingly, there have been many comments about some firearms that have "sharp" edges around the slide and resulting cuts and bruising as you poke and preen with brushes and patches--nevere have such a problem with a boresnake
 
Cleaning weapons

:biggrin: I was always taught to clean after every practice!:laugh:

Like Mr Cooper, Carry! Carry! Carry! Keep it close and learn it well. If you do not carry then you will not learn. Everything is washable. If you get too much oil/cleaning solution then keep wiping it it stops weeping.:yu:

To not carry because you are a NOOB is a bad idea!
 
Hey smith934: Answer to your first question on boresnakes--the answer IMO is YES. I do not wait for thousands or hundreds of rounds to be fired and on my 22s I fire CCI minimags, which are as clean firing as you can get for the money IMO. I look in that bore and it is as clean as a jag or a brush and a mop and and patch. and a heck of a lot easier. Interestingly, there have been many comments about some firearms that have "sharp" edges around the slide and resulting cuts and bruising as you poke and preen with brushes and patches--never have such a problem with a boresnake

Actually it wasn't a serious question, but l appreciate your backing me up. I shoot precision rifle (F class) and am not a fanatic about cleaning. I don't use the boresnake on the precision rifles. That said, when I do clean (200 rounds generally) I always fire a fouler before I put the weapon back in my safe. My carry Kimber has gone as many as 2K rounds with nothing more than an exterior wipe down and a couple of boresnake passes with no failures. Same for my Glock. When I do clean I do it right though.

My AR's run great as long as they're kept wet. Have used them on weekend classes of 500 to 1K rounds with no cleaning and just keeping them wet.

The only firearm I have that demands a through bore cleaning is my .17 HMR. 50 rounds and accuracy goes to pot.
 
I shoot f class as well

Actually it wasn't a serious question, but l appreciate your backing me up. I shoot precision rifle (F class) and am not a fanatic about cleaning. I don't use the boresnake on the precision rifles. That said, when I do clean (200 rounds generally) I always fire a fouler before I put the weapon back in my safe. My carry Kimber has gone as many as 2K rounds with nothing more than an exterior wipe down and a couple of boresnake passes with no failures. Same for my Glock. When I do clean I do it right though.

My AR's run great as long as they're kept wet. Have used them on weekend classes of 500 to 1K rounds with no cleaning and just keeping them wet.

The only firearm I have that demands a through bore cleaning is my .17 HMR. 50 rounds and accuracy goes to pot.

Please post a sub MOA target and join the sub MOA club in social groups. We need more riflemen
 
For handguns and rifles I use Butches Bore Shine and Wipeout (for bad copper fouling). For ARs it's Slip 2000 solvent and lube and keep them wet.

If I've been shooting lead in a handgun (45 ACP mostly) I use mercury to get the lead out. I know some people run in fear from mercury but I've been doing it for years and I'm too damn old to worry about it, besides it works better than anything.
 

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