# Multiple cleaners and solvents



## Ifferd (May 14, 2018)

Hello to everyone !! 
I've been cleaning my weapons for many years from muzzleloaders to pistols and have noticed something very interesting. 
I often use 2 or three different cleaners/solvents when cleaning the firearm and have seen that after brass brushing the bore with solvent followed by clean patches that the patches will eventually come out clean which is normal. The barrel appears to be "Clean" even a mirror-like finish,, However, I can then follow with a different solvent/cleaner and brass brush again and get even more black/grey powder residue and lead. Basically I have found that a barrel can appear to be clean,,,, but isn't really clean. Hoppe's, DN Alcohol, Rem Oil, Outer's Nitro Solvent etc. They all seem to reveal more grime after each one used,,, Even if the barrel has that mirror sheen with a bore light after the previous solvent used...
Has anyone else noticed this? And as such, I have come to believe that unless a person uses multiple solvents/cleaners, then "Clean" is a very subjective term...
Thanks in advance,, 
Ifferd
:smt1099:smt1099:smt1099


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## wirenut (Dec 16, 2015)

Never had that problem.
I use Lucas CLP for cleaning and Lucas gun oil for the moving parts.
Followed by Mothers mag polish on the shiny stuff.
I do this after every time it is fired, doesn't have a chance to get real dirty.
All of my firearms look like the day I brought them home.


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## Ifferd (May 14, 2018)

wirenut said:


> Never had that problem.
> I use Lucas CLP for cleaning and Lucas gun oil for the moving parts.
> Followed by Mothers mag polish on the shiny stuff.
> I do this after every time it is fired, doesn't have a chance to get real dirty.
> All of my firearms look like the day I brought them home.


Same here, especially with ML, and first range trip with my pistols when new. I seems like the different solvents bring out more grime that I couldn't see. The insides of the barrel were taken to a mirror shine, then cleaned again only to expose more residue that wasn't visible to the naked eye. Seems like the DN Alcohol really gets stuff to come up that the others alone can't expose. The key for me seems to be the brass brush, it gets out residue that patches and swabs simply can't touch.

Thanks for the reply!!


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Many times the new dirt actually comes from the brush and swabs that has the dirt from the first cleaning.


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

Remington Squeeg-E bore cleaners..... They work great......
https://gnarlygorilla.com/remington...MI3LuClpqv2wIVXrbACh3S5AiiEAQYAyABEgLGhPD_BwE

You tube.......


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## Ifferd (May 14, 2018)

tony pasley said:


> Many times the new dirt actually comes from the brush and swabs that has the dirt from the first cleaning.


Good point!! I thought of that too and tested it by using an unused new brass brush for a second trial on several occasions, the same thing occurred. The black residue still came up with different solvents. Basically I've found that using only one solvent, the patches will eventually come out "Clean" but the barrel isn't actually clean. Stuff was left, mostly in the groves, that I was completely unaware of. Just trial and error I guess.

Other important note is that I run tight patches. The range-rod head is large enough to press the patches very tightly into the grooves and lands, that's when I get more residue to show up. A loose patch that requires no pressure will come out looking "clean" but isn't.

:smt1099


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