Comp Cleaning

[bmiller]

What powder were you using?

[colt1911]

and how aggressive was your crimp? id say you crimped through the coating

[earthshine402]

I just did the Harbor Freight glass bead approach, got lots of lead and carbon out of a Bedell comp, est 10k+ rounds through from previous owner. Worked great, but kind of dulled the finish a little.

[teros135]

I soak in a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, then clean it out with wire brush, a small, shaped screwdriver, and q-tips. Works well on carbon, softens lead deposits.

[shooterclay]

Do you take the comp off to clean it? the crud in the comp is hard as a rock.

[teros135]

Nope. Just soak the chambers.

[Sarge]

I just did the Harbor Freight glass bead approach, got lots of lead and carbon out of a Bedell comp, est 10k+ rounds through from previous owner. Worked great, but kind of dulled the finish a little.

It's a pain but I taped the comp with high quality duct tape and then cut out the ports with a razor knife. If you don't deliberately focus the beads on the tape it holds up fine and protects the outside of the comp

[Reshoot]

I am going to be forced to follow your lead, Kevin.

[Gooldylocks]

I soak in a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, then clean it out with wire brush, a small, shaped screwdriver, and q-tips. Works well on carbon, softens lead deposits.

But vinegar would definitely remove blueing, which is the current issue I have. My new gun is blued, including the comp. Hmmmm

[teros135]

I soak in a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, then clean it out with wire brush, a small, shaped screwdriver, and q-tips. Works well on carbon, softens lead deposits.

But vinegar would definitely remove blueing, which is the current issue I have. My new gun is blued, including the comp. Hmmmm

I haven't tried it on a blued gun, just Cerokote over stainless comp. I understand that the above mixture creates a weak acid, which would of course be different than either of the components, but that's more of a guess than a fact. Perhaps a chemistry-minded member can chime in here...

[Gooldylocks]

I soak in a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, then clean it out with wire brush, a small, shaped screwdriver, and q-tips. Works well on carbon, softens lead deposits.

But vinegar would definitely remove blueing, which is the current issue I have. My new gun is blued, including the comp. Hmmmm

I haven't tried it on a blued gun, just Cerokote over stainless comp. I understand that the above mixture creates a weak acid, which would of course be different than either of the components, but that's more of a guess than a fact. Perhaps a chemistry-minded member can chime in here...

Haha that wasn't a question, I was simply stating that as a fact. Vinegar will remove blueing.

[Flatland Shooter]

I soak in a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, then clean it out with wire brush, a small, shaped screwdriver, and q-tips. Works well on carbon, softens lead deposits.

But vinegar would definitely remove blueing, which is the current issue I have. My new gun is blued, including the comp. Hmmmm

I haven't tried it on a blued gun, just Cerokote over stainless comp. I understand that the above mixture creates a weak acid, which would of course be different than either of the components, but that's more of a guess than a fact. Perhaps a chemistry-minded member can chime in here...

Haha that wasn't a question, I was simply stating that as a fact. Vinegar will remove blueing.

The 50/50 vinegar and peroxide mix will do more than remove the bluing.

Years ago I was cleaning my gun which included soaking the barrel and comp in the mix. In the middle of it I got an emergency call and ended up soaking everything for a little more than 3 days.

The stainless steel barrel was just fine but the mixture found shallow spots in the hard chrome and ate away at the steel comp.

The mixture works, but don't leave it soaking more that 10 to 15 minutes.

[MrRick]

There was another thread running around with similar topic. Someone poster that they spray their comp with case lube before he shoots (clean comp already). I tried this before using it on my last match. 300 rounds later I was able to clean it a lot easier than before. I didn't need scrub pad and soak it over night in Hoppes. Hoppes, Qtip and 20 minutes...done.

[orangeman711]

Ralph Arredondo's tool for cleaning comps works really good. Check out Arredondo Accessories.

[BeerBaron]

There was another thread running around with similar topic. Someone poster that they spray their comp with case lube before he shoots (clean comp already). I tried this before using it on my last match. 300 rounds later I was able to clean it a lot easier than before. I didn't need scrub pad and soak it over night in Hoppes. Hoppes, Qtip and 20 minutes...done.

yes I spray mine before shooting with hornady one shot (but not the case lube, it's the 'one shot, gun cleaner and lube'. I spray it liberally, let it sit for a few min, then wipe any excess off the outside.

it works pretty well but you have to start out with a super clean comp. it's getting to that point that's the hard part!

the bead blasting approach seems like a good way to go about it.

[MrRick]

Would love to do the bead blasting but would be afraid my TiN coating will go with it. It is already getting worn out inside the comp though.

[Sarge]

Would love to do the bead blasting but would be afraid my TiN coating will go with it. It is already getting worn out inside the comp though.

Heck with inside the comp. Whether the pretty gold color is blasted off or covered in crud, you can't see it either way

[magnum3571]

I usually soak it to Hoppes. Then brush/bore snake/pick tools.

[B_Seehawer]

Easiest way I've done mine is with a Dremel engraving tool and a beveled nail. Like a miniature jackhammer.

My buddy ended up rounding every edge off on his Limcat comp from blasting with glass beads so much.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bamboo]

I use a similar vibra-etching rig as above (different brand, though).

Also, a paint can opener from home depot, the one with the bottle cap opener, can be ground to fit the comp and works well as a scraper.

Another trick I use is to mix some lanolin based wire rope grease (fluid film brand) and MEK or Acetone and let it sit in the comp chamber until all the MEK/Acetone evaporates. The lanolin seems to get under the carbon/lead buildup and makes scraping it out a pretty easy job.

Not recommended, but if you have access to the proper haz mat handling gear and bottle of Hg, well....that works pretty darned good and requires almost no effort.

[Sarge]

Easiest way I've done mine is with a Dremel engraving tool and a beveled nail. Like a miniature jackhammer.

My buddy ended up rounding every edge off on his Limcat comp from blasting with glass beads so much.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's a lot of blasting with glass beads to reshape a comp! Only needs done once or twice a year. Complete should be obsolete before damage happens

[Alan550]

I'll go back to my original posting on here a few years ago regarding comp cleaning........and IT WORKS!

Before the match and after every stage in a match, spray the inside of the comp with a lanolin-based case lube... Dillon, Frankfort Arsenal, MidSouth Shooters Supply, they are all pretty much the same. Shake off the excess and go shoot it. The lanolin softens up the fouling, and the comp can be cleaned at home after the match with any good bore cleaning solution and cotton swabs. Be sure to spray the comp after EVERY stage, and even if you don't get around to an immediate cleaning at home, it keeps the fouling soft. I've even waited a few days before cleaning and it WORKS!

No harsh chemicals to worry about peeling finishes or harming any part of the gun, inside or out. I got the original idea from watching a top-level shooter use gun oil in his comp during a match and just brain-stormed the idea of using case lube instead.

Serendipity!

Alan~^~

Edited June 30, 2016 by Alan550

[Jimboslice]

I use Evinrude Engine Tuner to clean/soak my entire gun.

It comes out as a foam so I'll just pull the barrel and spray everything down a couple of times to really get it coated then let it sit overnight. When I look at it in the morning there's a ton of gunk in the tub and everything is fairly clean. I'll usually wipe everything down to get the excess gunk off and use a bronze/brass bore brush to scrape the carbon out of the comp. It doesn't get everything on the first go but it works for me. Next time I clean it I'll take pictures for reference.

Also, the stuff has lubricant properties as well so if you don't completely wipe it down it'll run a local match without having to re lube everything...........ask me how I know!

[USNRET]

I use Carbon Killer from Slip 2000.

[Bamboo]

XDM, I wonder if SeaFoam XD16 would do the same thing.  I know folks who use that stuff once or twice a year on $25k outboards to remove carbon buildup.