What is THE gold standard way of cleaning the MPX gas system?

[rowdyb]

Exactly as the title says, what is the best way to clean the gas system?

 

Not the fastest, not the cheapest, not the easiest. But the one that takes the most carbon and crud off and causes the least issues to the parts themselves.

[Miranda]

I'm thinking you want to avoid sulfuric acid...

 

I am curious because I have powder residue on my slide that seems impervious.

so what ever cleans the gas system, I will try on my 'bumps.'

 

how bad is your build up? 

 

miranda

[Nolan]

So far the most effective methods for me have been switching back to an open style gas plug from the adjustable type, having spare gas plugs and gas pistons, replacing the gas piston rings frequently and using an ultrasonic cleaner, along with aggressive physical cleaning, ie... picks, scrapers and a bronze bore brush for the gas cylinder.  All of the name brand ultrasonic gun cleaning fluids I've tried have all worked about the same, which is to say, mediocre, so no magic bullet there.  I also only shoot either JHP or Total Metal Jacket, no coated or plated bullets.

 

It's a pain in the nether regions and the damn carbon is so hard to see against the black parts, I've thought about having the parts hard chromed, notice I only said 'thought'.

 

Nolan

Edited August 1, 2022 by Nolan
DOH!

[2011BLDR]

Using an ultrasonic cleaner on high heat for 4 hours, picks, brass brushes, a reamer down the gas plug expansion chamber ( or a Dimond bit on a Dremel also works), key is do a little manual cleaning after 3 hours in the tank the back in for an additional hour... replacing the gas piston  and plug rings rings frequently  I also try shoot either JHP or Total Metal Jacket, if you have to use traditional FMJ your looking at a lot more time scraping the comp a lot more often. with  coated or plated bullets every thing is gonna cake up faster and be harder to clean.... My experience running the MPX since day 1 in PCC (2016)

 

[Sinister4]

Jhp bullets, clean powder,   no coated or exposed lead,  brass brushes and brass picks. Clean often before any massive buildup

[rowdyb]

Specifically the piston and rings.

[Darqusoull13]

10 minutes ago, rowdyb said:

Specifically the piston and rings.

Swap them for new/clean ones. You asked fastest after all ! Jokes aside we do swap clean parts in for dirty ones at the office when it takes too long to clean stuff and can't justify the downtime. 

Then again, you could swap to a JP-5 and not clean for a while. Just trying to save you time in the long run buddy!

[Miranda]

I went and did what reading I could find on the 'net.

 

The residue is pretty much everything in the powder AND

what is in the primer.  so think carbon, cellulose and nitro-cellulose

with any lubricants like petroleum jelly.

A lot of the reading seemed related to crime scene

and washing the stuff off before the cops give you a paraffin test...

 

I have not tried this and I will soon.

I know acetone will thin/dissolve nitro-cellulose

('tis a glue for model airplanes, more on this later)

and something to thin any oil/lube

some mix of airtool oil or paint thinner, and acetone with agitation

should wash it out.  What combo is where testing comes in.

Be careful with flame and spark 

there is a lot of easy to light flammables in that solution...

 

One thing I did not expect was the nitro-cellulose in the residue.

As it is the magic propellant I thought it all burned.

This stuff will encase most things and will dry fairly hard.

If dealing with the airplane glue is any guide,

I can state that acetone will dissolve it and that

it is slow to soak in.  agitation and brushing is pretty quick.

if the lubricant is a wax, then heptane may be needed.

I do not know if mixing heptane with acetone will keep

the solvent properties of either.

 

I'd start with just acetone and agitate to see what that does.

 

miranda

 

 

 

[rowdyb]

4 hours ago, Darqusoull13 said:

asked fastest

I said NOT fastest haha

[rowdyb]

4 hours ago, Darqusoull13 said:

Swap them for new/clean ones. You asked fastest after all ! Jokes aside we do swap clean parts in for dirty ones at the office when it takes too long to clean stuff and can't justify the downtime. 

Then again, you could swap to a JP-5 and not clean for a while. Just trying to save you time in the long run buddy!

I no longer want a 4grand pcc, sorry. Life is forcing some changes

[Darqusoull13]

5 minutes ago, rowdyb said:

I said NOT fastest haha

Well either I can't read or you forgot everything is a competition!

[rowdyb]

7 minutes ago, Darqusoull13 said:

Well either I can't read or you forgot everything is a competition!

First line, second paragraph of my original post.

[Nathanb]

Order a second piston and tappet. That way you can swap in a clean one and work on the dirty. It’s a cheapish easy way to allow cleaning on your own time

[Bdh821]

What are you using for ammo? 

[rowdyb]

I no longer own one after a serious string of malfunctioning in important matches. But I'm thinking gett8ng one again. I'd be shooting jacketed in it

[Bdh821]

I feel like I should do a big long write up on maintenance on the MPX… I’ve been asked enough at this point and I personally love the platform!  After all, I got 4th at Nats in front of   Draqusoull13 only because of the MPX

[Sinister4]

17 hours ago, Bdh821 said:

I feel like I should do a big long write up on maintenance on the MPX… I’ve been asked enough at this point and I personally love the platform!  After all, I got 4th at Nats in front of   Draqusoull13 only because of the MPX

  Also would like to know your most dependable loads as well for running 100% and cleanest , thank you

[rowdyb]

I ended up going the blowback route, but I still think this would be a good sticky eventually for others.

[Dirty_J]

I used a 1/2” flex-hone on my housing bore. 
 

Had multiple plugs and pistons. Used one while the others soaked in chemicals. 

[Miranda]

what chemicals?

 

[Bdh821]

21 hours ago, Sinister4 said:

  Also would like to know your most dependable loads as well for running 100% and cleanest , thank you

4.5gr Sport Pistol under 115gr RMR FMJs @ 1.125” with Fiocchi SPP and nickel plated Speer Gold Dot once fired matching head stamp.  This gets me around 140pf ~1200-1230fps
 

I’d say the primer/brass isn’t as relevant. I just use that brass for my major match ammo since I have a ton of it.  I also use Everglades 115rn plated projos for club matches. I haven’t really found much of a bench rest accuracy difference between the 2.  I also have a ton of RMR 115s and they’ve been extremely accurate out of my MPX’. I don’t get anymore carbon buildup on the factory comp if I use plated vs RMR fmj 

Edited August 4, 2022 by Bdh821

[Dirty_J]

9 hours ago, Miranda said:

what chemicals?

 

Anything and everything. The more caustic the better. 

[Bdh821]

4 minutes ago, Dirty_J said:

Anything and everything. The more caustic the better. 

I don’t use any special oils or solvents. 
 

Breakfree CLP and Hoppes #9. Acetone to dry everything before oiling.  My range bag has clenzoil that I use too. It smells nice.

[ard212]

On 8/4/2022 at 11:54 AM, Bdh821 said:

I don’t use any special oils or solvents. 
 

Breakfree CLP and Hoppes #9. Acetone to dry everything before oiling.  My range bag has clenzoil that I use too. It smells nice.

+1 for Hoppes #9, also, considering the price of an MPX, if you had the money to buy one, I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest your time is worth more than the spare parts that would be required to just do a "quick" clean up of the gas system and once that no longer works just replace whatever is giving you problems.

 

Don't know, just my 2 cents.

[Miranda]

14 hours ago, ard212 said:

+1 for Hoppes #9, also, considering the price of an MPX, if you had the money to buy one, I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest your time is worth more than the spare parts that would be required to just do a "quick" clean up of the gas system and once that no longer works just replace whatever is giving you problems.

 

Don't know, just my 2 cents.

Not a bad outlook to consider it a consumable.

The price of the parts involved is where this idea rides...

 

miranda