[JimC]

Do any of you use soap and water to clean your guns. I used to put whole gun in container of solvent but that's messy and a whole lot of trouble. Seems like there is always lots of grit that comes off better with soap and water. I don't mean the bore but most everything else; of course dry and then oil appropriately. What do you think?

Jim

 

[pisgah]

For really gunky guns, I will often put the whole thing (minus wooden parts, of course) in to a pot of water with dishwahing detergent and boil it for a while. It is absolutely mindblowing to see how much junk will float out of, say, and old S&W revolver, and absolutely no harm is done to the gun. I have had completely inoperable guns work flawlessly after boiling, rinsing, drying and oiling.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Hey I bought a little break open single shot, the barrel was dark with fouling. I used a multi-purpose cleaner and a brass brush to get the fouling out. There were bits/pieces of metal left behind after the cleaning. Rinse with very hot water and a spray down in/out with rem oil. Then several oiled patches down the bore. Came out very clean, still waiting to get to the range and find out how it shoots.

 

[HardBall]

I dunk my muzzleloader barrels in hot water and pump a patched jag up and down- cleans BP like nobody's business. Then I swab it with 70%, or higher, rubbing alcohol, to evaporate any remaining water/moisture, then oil it with BP friendly oil- never had rust. I imagine smokeless firearms would be fine too as long as you can eliminate any remaining water/moisture and re-oil everything.

 

[MikeG]

With old corrosive-primed ammo, soap and water is a good start.

 

[Helix]

I remember when I got my first Ruger 10/22 the manual said that was the perferred method of cleaning: dish soap and water. Never tired it though. Hops #9 works good. Maybe I should give that a shot as it would be cheaper and greener.

 

[twodot]

put them in the dishwasher
..

 

[big dan]

when i was in the marines i used to take my M60 in the shower and run the hottest water that i could tolerate through it... it was amazing the way the crud would wash out of it!! by thoughouly heat soaking the parts the water evaporates almost immediately then get it out in the sun... works great!

 

[Cheezywan]

Water sure is a good solvent. Soap makes it better (wetter). Hot is better yet!
Just get it off of your firearm before your done. Water allows oxygen easy access to steel. Oxygen and steel = rust.

I think if the steel is made to be above 212 degrees AND oiled right after, it should be fine. Boil in oil to be sure?

Won't use that method myself unless I dump a firearm overboard.

Cheezywan

 

[pisgah]

>I think if the steel is made to be above 212 degrees AND oiled right after, it should be fine. Boil in oil to be sure?

If the steel won't take 212, you'd better not shoot it in the first place!

When I boil a gun (soapy water), I drain it in a large colander and immediately flush it with boiling, clear water. Then, in no more than 5 to 10 seconds, when all the water is gone, I drench the whole thing with RemOil, CLP, or similar. This is the only time I use so much oil, but it gives ideal results. After a good wipe-down to remove the excess, the gun is clean as a whistle and good-to-go.

 

[Cheezywan]

>
If the steel won't take 212, you'd better not shoot it in the first place!

When I boil a gun (soapy water), I drain it in a large colander and immediately flush it with boiling, clear water. Then, in no more than 5 to 10 seconds, when all the water is gone, I drench the whole thing with RemOil, CLP, or similar. This is the only time I use so much oil, but it gives ideal results. After a good wipe-down to remove the excess, the gun is clean as a whistle and good-to-go.

I think we agree? I find no fault with your method.

Cheezywan

 

[pisgah]

I think we agree? I find no fault with your method.

Cheezywan

Hmmm... I gotta be careful. I'd hate to get the reputation of being agreeable!

 

[ribbonstone2]

Wife has one of these hand held mini-steam cleaners. Will often borrow it on a really fouled or neglected bore, rig it with a length of hose, plug the hose into the breech end, and let her rip. An amazing collection of the most horrible looking "muck" spatters out of the muzzle of an negelcted bore in the first few seconds... a gray sludge from a BP gun... and even a smokless bore will sneeze out a nasty mess.

A few dry patches, and then if there is jacketed fouling, use your favorite solvent. Once the bore is stripped of oils by steam and still quite hot, those solvents work much faster.
------
One reason not to be an land lord.

When i rented (and before i was married), would often take down cap-an-ball revolvers into their main chunks, remove the grips, hang the parts from hooks, and run them though the dishwasher. While still hot, would dry and oil. Worked great.

 

[pisgah]

Wife has one of these hand held mini-steam cleaners. Will often borrow it on a really fouled or neglected bore, rig it with a length of hose, plug the hose into the breech end, and let her rip. An amazing collection of the most horrible looking "muck" spatters out of the muzzle of an negelcted bore in the first few seconds... a gray sludge from a BP gun... and even a smokless bore will sneeze out a nasty mess.

.

Ribbonstone, for some reason this really got a laugh out of me! But, you know, I'm going to have to try that. I can certainly see how it would work like a charm.

 

[Cheezywan]

Hmmm... I gotta be careful. I'd hate to get the reputation of being agreeable!

Secret is safe with me. We gotta stick together on stuff like that.

Ribbonstone got me thinking about what could be done with a pressure cooker and a length of gas line or similar hose?
Interesting!

Cheezywan

 

[miestro_jerry]

In the Army, I was told if nothing else, clean my weapons in warm soapy water, it does work and surprisingly well.

Jerry

 

[slim 60]

this makes me wonder how a pressure washer[with soap an water] would work on the bore of a fouled out rifle..slim
barrel material is usually pretty good metal..of course you leave it dry afterwards..

 

[Cheezywan]

I'm more interested in the effect that the steam would have. Ribbonstone's description "painted" a picture in my mind. I liked the thought that conventional solvents would work better on a warm bore.

I don't think water pressure alone would have much effect. Been wrong at least once before though!

I never seem to have a fouled bore around when I need one.

Cheezywan

 

[ribbonstone2]

totally oil free and steam-hot (call it 200F by the time it quickly dries), will be amazed how well and how quickly jacket fouling solvents can work. that seam cleaning method works very well when corrosive ammo has been used and is probably better than any other method for black powder fouling.

Just need to "butch up" the design of the little seam units so they're man-friend, add a flex hose, and a selection of common gun-sized breech tips, and go into bussiness.

 

[Cheezywan]

Wondering if soap was added to the water when you did this ribbonstone (Or if it would make any difference to the mission)?
A one-way flow of live steam would seem to be purdy perswasive to most crudd in my mind.

Flash-dry and re-oil sounds good!

Very interesting post.

Cheezywan