Seasoned shooter advice needed: the best way to clean the frame and the slide ?

[Frogshooter]

Hi guys :) 

I use Hoppe's 9 to clean my barrel and I'm happy with the product, so I would like to ask you, seasoned shooters, what do you use to clean the frame and the slide (minus the barrel) ?

I used to follow the advice of some fellow shooters from my gun club: soak the frame with WD-40, then dry the whole thing.
Yes, soaking the frame with WD-40 will clean a good amount of fouling within the frame, but I still think it will attract more dirt, because I can't dry it everywhere. It's very greasy but it's not a proper lubricant for a firearm.

So I decided to use mineral spirits ("white spirit" as we call it in France), q-tips and patches to clean the trigger bar, frame, ejector etc...
No one around me would use this, people were even shocked I use such a product :( 
They say it's super bad for the metal parts (I don't know how white spirit would "attack" metal parts... ?)

They clean their frames using the same product they use to clean their barrels...Which is said to cause corrosion (I've read that...on my CZ Shadow 2 manual)

So, what is your advice guys ? Thanks :) 

[George16]

I use brake parts cleaner on my shadow 2 frame and slide. I remove the barrel and grips then blast it with brake parts cleaner and blow it with my air compressor. After that, I wipe it down to remove whatever leftover dirt and grime and then lube the parts that needed lubrication.

 

 

[Frogshooter]

I see. Using mineral spirits is bad or not ? 
I can purchase a liter of m.s for about 2 bucks, brake cleaner is way more expensive around here.

[malobukov]

I use Hoppe's #9 for cleaning everything (barrel, slide, etc.)

 

I don't think it's corrosive. According to "#9 MSDS" (link to PDF) it contains kerosene, ethyl alcohol, oleic acid, amyl acetate, an ammonium hydroxide. The only thing on this list that sounds corrosive is ammonium hydroxide, and even that seems to be ok. In any case I wipe it all off after the cleaning, then apply a light coating of regular oil (Lubriplate FMO-350-AW) and put some grease on the rails.

 

White spirit should also be fine, although I would just use kerosene instead. Should also be inexpensive.

 

Edited August 18, 2018 by malobukov
Pressed Enter too fast

[Frogshooter]

You know what ?
"Kerosène" in french means..."jet fuel"  I was like "Wow this guy tells me I should use jet fuel to clean my gun ? What the heck ?  "

Guess I'll stick to the white spirit if you guys tell me it's ok. Got frightened by folks at the range, but I must admit I've heard bulls#!t before (like "never ever scrub your barrel with a brass brush, even a nylon one, use only patches !"...well good luck cleaning a copper-fouled barrel using patches only...)

[GrumpyOne]

As a side note, WD-40 is (in my opinion) one of the worst things you can put on a gun. Over time, the WD-40 will dry and turn to varnish, gumming up the action. I personally have seen this happen. I bought a pistol from someone who had sprayed it down, inside and out, with WD-40 and put it in the safe for several years. When I bought it, the action was so gunked up, i had to strip it down to the frame and soak and scrub all the parts with acetone to even get it to cycle and fire. It has been flawless since I scrubbed it.

[Frogshooter]

I did it once and found the gun to be incredibly greasy and hard to wipe and dry.
Yes, a huge amount of dirt is removed in the process, but I did the same using white spirit.
But I won't soak the frame, I use q-tips and patches to wipe out the dirt, then I wipe it again and lubricate (FP-10 lubricant during summer or Eno's Slide Glide during winter)

[malobukov]

25 minutes ago, Frogshooter said:

"Kerosène" in french means..."jet fuel"

 

good luck cleaning a copper-fouled barrel using patches only

Yes kerosene is indeed the main component of jet fuel, and also the main component of Hoppe's #9, and I think it's in WD-40, too. It is flammable, but so is white spirit.

 

To remove copper fouling I used Birchwood-Casey Bore Scrubber, until switching to polymer coated bullets.

Edited August 18, 2018 by malobukov

[Flatland Shooter]

I've used mineral spirits to soak and clean gun parts for over 40 years.  So far nothing damaged. 

 

I store the "used" mineral spirit in an air tight container.  After a while the carbon residue will drop to the bottom of the can so I filter it out.  A gallon can will last for years.

[Frogshooter]

1 hour ago, malobukov said:

To remove copper fouling I used Birchwood-Casey Bore Scrubber, until switching to polymer coated bullets.

They are in the process of being banned in EU matches.
I've heard numerous things: banned onto closed ranges (lead pollution), banned on all ranges...
I used to shoot ARES epoxy coated bullets, great value, great precision bore-friendly bullets.
But I've switched to copper plated bullets (Los, Campro) or factory FMJs just in case of an incoming ban.

[malobukov]

31 minutes ago, Frogshooter said:

banned onto closed ranges (lead pollution)

That's strange, I would expect FMJ (with lead bottom exposed to hot gasses) to shed more lead than a bullet that is covered with polymer from all sides.

 

And if the concern is lead that escapes where rifling cuts into the bullet from the sides, then copper plated bullets have the exact same problem.

[Frogshooter]

Yeah it seems very strange to a lot of EU shooters too.

[Hi-Power Jack]

4 hours ago, malobukov said:

I use Hoppe's #9 for cleaning everything (barrel, slide, etc.)

 

Hoppes #9  - been using it since the Civil War     

[George16]

1 minute ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Hoppes #9  - been using it since the Civil War     

 

Didn’t realize you’re that old Jack 

[Chills1994]

I have used 91% (or higher) isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle to blast dirt/carbon/grime/etc. off a disassembled gun before.

 

I do it outside with the major gun components in  a shallow metal cake pan lined with an old T-shirt...and of course with eye protection and old clothes on.

 

I have also used old gasoline before... letting a field stripped  gun soak in a pan of it for two or three days...and sloshing the pan back and forth  twice a day.

 

I think most copper fouling removers contain some ammonia.  

 

I guess...in theory... you could use regular household ammonia or window cleaner to get rid of copper barrel fouling (as long as it doesn't pit or etch the barrel itself).

 

These were all metal stainless steel or aluminum alloy framed guns by the way.

 

 

 

 

[GrumpyOne]

49 minutes ago, George16 said:

 

Didn’t realize you’re that old Jack 

He's been using it since the Civil War, but he has been wishing he had it since the Revolutionary War.

[RangerTrace]

Cylinder and Slide "Dunk Kit", a bristle brush and an air compressor.  Works like a charm and quickly.  

[Sarge]

6 hours ago, GrumpyOne said:

As a side note, WD-40 is (in my opinion) one of the worst things you can put on a gun. Over time, the WD-40 will dry and turn to varnish, gumming up the action. I personally have seen this happen. I bought a pistol from someone who had sprayed it down, inside and out, with WD-40 and put it in the safe for several years. When I bought it, the action was so gunked up, i had to strip it down to the frame and soak and scrub all the parts with acetone to even get it to cycle and fire. It has been flawless since I scrubbed it.

I will spray my gun down with WD40 if it was a rainy match and the gun got really wet. This holds it over for a few days until I find time to clean it.

[Hi-Power Jack]

11 hours ago, George16 said:

 

Didn’t realize you’re that old Jack 

 

Not THAT old.   Hell, my GrandFather is STILL using Hoppes #9.     

[Steve RA]

But his Grandfather is only 211  !!!     

[techj]

If I get a new or used gun that has a lot of gunk or preservative on it; I will soak/scrub in mineral spirits (removing the grip panels first) and then dry with compressed air.  It then gets a spray on coating of Ballistol and more compressed air.  To me the only downside of mineral spirits is that it will strip all of the lube off so you really need to dry and lube the firearm ASAP.

 

After that I just use Ballistol as my CLP and it has worked well on all of my firearms.  The few that require grease in certain spots I will use tetra.

 

Only time I use anything else is if I suspect that some grit is stuck where I can't get to it without disassembly and don't want to disassemble, I will use some Hornady One-Shot gun cleaner/lube on it.

[yigal]

15 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Hoppes #9  - been using it since the Civil War     

 

3 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

Not THAT old.   Hell, my GrandFather is STILL using Hoppes #9.     

 

2 hours ago, Steve RA said:

But his Grandfather is only 211  !!!     

and i thought he was joking

i clean my gun  after each practice  in same day.

[practical_man]

Frogshooter

 

any of the polar solvents will work fine for powder residue. Mineral spirits, acetone, kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel.... some leave more oil residue than others. 

 

I like brake cleaner aerosol to blast away gunk. 

 

I also use mineral spirits mixed equal parts with automatic transmission fluid. Makes a great powder solvent without completely stripping oils from the metal like acetone does. It also makes a great penetrating oil. Doesn’t seem to harm Glock or HS2000 plastic frames either. 

 

Plain mineral spirits is also a good option if you don’t want the lubricant

[RGC]

On 8/18/2018 at 2:34 PM, George16 said:

I use brake parts cleaner on my shadow 2 frame and slide. I remove the barrel and grips then blast it with brake parts cleaner and blow it with my air compressor. After that, I wipe it down to remove whatever leftover dirt and grime and then lube the parts that needed lubrication.

 

 

this!

[Flatland Shooter]

On 8/19/2018 at 1:16 PM, practical_man said:

I also use mineral spirits mixed equal parts with automatic transmission fluid. Makes a great powder solvent without completely stripping oils from the metal like acetone does. It also makes a great penetrating oil.

 

Never heard of this. I like the idea of leaving a little oil on the gun parts.

 

Thanks.