# Gun Cleaning



## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

I posted this question in another (i.e. wrong ) forum and should have asked it here. Can you/ Would you use an ultrasonic cleaner to deep clean a gun? I have read about how important to clean a new gun and I have 2 coming in a day or two. How is the best way to do it if you used a U-S cleaner? I'm new to the forum and learning the hard way so far. Thanks for any replies.


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## TurboHonda (Aug 4, 2012)

That's a good question. I'll be watching for the answers myself. I've always been as concerned about the lubrication and protection as much as the cleaning. I suppose a good cleaner/lubricant could work wonders in an ultrasound machine.


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## ardx1 (Nov 29, 2012)

I use an ultrasonic cleaner with a built in heater, but I only put the barrel, spring, guide rod in the solution. (jewelry as well) I have not tried putting plastic or putting an entire slide in it yet. I use half windex and half water, and have a can of compressed air to make sure everything is dried before I reassemble my weapon(s).

I have put in bolt/bolt carriers from my SKS, Mosins, and dads AK and other rifles as well. Basically anything metal that I can dry completely.

Hope that helps.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

They work great,but you have to pay attention to the solution used for the use or purpose,specifically the ingredients.I recall one guy stripping the blue off the gun with the solution he used,but that was years ago.Things have changed some since then,hopefully others here have used them to help you better.


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## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks to everyone for the help. I found a solution used for gun cleaning at Brownells so I believe it will be safe enough to use. I will use an air compressor and heat gun to ensure dryness. From what I have read, as long as there is no ammonia or chlorine in the cleaner it's OK....but I keep on checking before I drop a new Bodyguard and SR22 in there! Anymore info from anyone is welcome. You can get excellent deals on Ultrasonic cleaners on ebay, l lot cheaper than I paid for mine a few years ago. Again, thanks


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## CPT.ZERO (Nov 30, 2012)

Hi from Italy.

Guy,
if your handgun is either of gold, buy a US cleaner... if not, just provide a common gas tank (1 gallion) and a can flat and large.

Disassemble the gun, put it in 3 gas fingers and clean it with a brush.

That's all you have to do !


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

CPT.ZERO said:


> Hi from Italy.
> 
> Guy,
> if your handgun is either of gold, buy a US cleaner... if not, just provide a common gas tank (1 gallion) and a can flat and large.
> ...


What's a gas finger?


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## jdeere9750 (Nov 28, 2008)

VAMarine said:


> What's a gas finger?


Not sure why I laughed so hard at this, but I did.


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## Harryball (Oct 10, 2012)

vamarine said:


> what's a gas finger?


a boom boom...lmao....


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Harryball said:


> a boom boom...lmao....





jdeere9750 said:


> Not sure why I laughed so hard at this, but I did.


I was thinking more like "pull my finger".:anim_lol:


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## jdeere9750 (Nov 28, 2008)

VAMarine said:


> I was thinking more like "pull my finger".:anim_lol:


That's exactly what I was thinking.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

I was thinking butt plug. You guys are bad,butt it is funny.

Don't take it personal CPT ZERO,it's all in fun.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Ultrasonics will do a good job of loosening the crud but it will not necessarily move the crud out of spring and pin pockets or similar semi closed areas. Using ultrasonics in industry is quite common but the items being cleaned were typicaly dissassembled in my experience. I clean periodicaly with soap and water but only dissassembled items. Water or soap deposits left in spring pockets pockets can be detrimental to the gun's health. IMHO


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

I got a chuckle too but I bet CPT.ZERO's English is better than you guy's Italian.



Welcome to the forum CPT


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## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks for the help and laughs,...found Slip 2000 725 degreaser for sonic cleaners and going to give it a try. Rinse well with demin water, apply CLC and Birchwood gun oil and that should take care of most of the job. I think I will pass on the gas..........


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## MuteTurkey (Nov 27, 2012)

^ pun intended?


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## Dragonheart (Jan 30, 2012)

I have used a sonic cleaner for several years. If you decide to to go that route get a cleaner that is large enough, about 6 liters. Also do a search for "Ed's Red Cleaner". This is a mix your own gun cleaner posted by an engineer at Ruger. This stuff works so well you will throw away the store bought stuff. I have never had a problem using Ed's with plastics, like Glocks. However, fiber optic sights are a problem with any solvent. I have never had a problem immersing my Meprolight sights. For my barrels I give a scrub, then a sonic cleaning, then a good scrub, but this will not remove all the fowling. To completely clean the barrel I plug the chamber then fill the barrel with Kroil Penetrating Oil and let it soak overnight. This stuff will get under fowling and rust and lifts it off. It works wonders on a rusted nuts & bolts. I then brush the barrel with a stiff nylon bore brush. After the third or fourth patch the patch comes back completely clean.


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## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

>Dragon,...thanks, I read about Ed's Red the other day while still checking all this info out, and that does sound like a good brew. I would leave out the acetone and combine the three main ingrediants,..I don't think acetone is good for polymer frames and parts ( like Ruger grips). I am going to give it a try for sure! Also, ultrasound is not good for polymer!!
>MateTurkey,...yea it was, hehe


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## theshootersbench (Dec 9, 2012)

hello friends, i am an ffl dealer and a long time gun slinger. there are so many aproaches to a simple thing these days, firearms are no exception. don't make things complicated when cleaning your firearms. nothing will replace a good stripping down and cleaning of your piece. it's true, a new firearm may sometimes have milling shavings still inside the action, particularly in handguns of mass production, and more in particular, semi autos. revolvers are less likely to have problems on that note. get yourself a bottle of hoppes#9, a good cleaning kit with proper sized brush and jig. do not use rem oil or wd 40 and such as lube. keep in mind, all plastics are petroleum based, under heat certain lubes will turn to a plastic sludge which is the most common occurence with my experience. there are only a few points of a firearm that needs lubrication . most people think that they need to slick the whole thing up...no, .... no matter what you clean your guns with,........ wipe off the excess especially inside the action of semi-autos. all well made firearms are milled from steel that is tolerant of heat and friction. too much lube is worse tan no cleaning at all...........trust me......take your new piece out of the box,. strip it down, use air to blow it off if you like. clean the bore with hoppes, clean the feed ramp[in semi autos] with the same, wipe down the whole action including the recoil spring,extactor, ejector[do not unpin the ejector or extractor] also, clean the follower[top portion of a clip in semi autos]...major malfunctions from dirty or rough follower. apply very small portions of hi temp grease to the following..........friction points at the hammer and cam, firing pin spring,recoil spring,trigger cam. no lube inside the slide is recommended, it will migrate into the hot spots and foul your piece. use the correct loads, don't go on a whim til' you talk to an old bird like me. some guns will eat it all,..some like their brands......hope i helped.............email me, [email protected]


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## Glenn62 (Dec 8, 2012)

Hello theshootersbench thanks for your post re avoiding excessive lube. Re ultrasonic cleaners I have no experience to share but I have found something from Germany to assist barrel cleaning that you guys inthe USA probably have but will mention just in case. After multiple brushing with solvent and swabbing out barrel with patches I thought my barrel clean but then I pushed a tampon like plug designed to enter and follow the grooves, it came out dirty and showed I had to improve my cleaning. They are abit dear but I like knowing my guns clean.


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## DanOh (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks for all the comments, but I wanted to say about this thread, This is not for everytime cleaning of your gun. After a ay at the range and a few hundred rounds, I still field strip and clean my gun the basic way. The use of an ultrasonic cleaner would be for once or twice a year to get down inside where field striping doesn't reach. To get out those oils that have sat increvaces and in between pieces that slide past each other that are not reachable except thru complete disassembly. I saw Hickok45 show how to take apart a slide for a Glock to clean out the striker pin and other areas in the slide that normally are not done in routine cleaning.


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