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Brake cleaner as a bore cleaner?
fastcarsgofast
Member Posts: 7,179
Any downsides to using this to clean the bore of rifle/handgun?
Comments
Be careful with the stuff as it's way toxic and flammable. Do it outside in a ventilated area. Wear those cheap doctors plastic gloves and plastic safety goggles over your regular glasses so that the spray won't do you any damage.
You can't beat the price, I buy it at Wally World, "Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner", for something like $3 for a big can. Way cheaper then Gun Scrubber. I never had any problem with plastic, best be careful though, some types of plastic will literally melt if they come in contact with the wrong kind of solvents.
I use a GOOD bore cleaner and a brush scrub-down to break loose copper/carbon fouling, then hit it with non-chlorinated brake cleaner to flush the surfaces.
Following this the very first wipe with a patch always comes out clean.
My final step is a light coat of penetrating oil to protect the metal.
I clean with Hoppes, rinse with BrakeKleen, compressed air, and then a good wipe down with CLP. Don't wait too long after using it before you use the oil, it will rust!
Any downsides to using this to clean the bore of rifle/handgun?
As already mentioned, the stuff is great for getting gunk/grease out of the innards of guns, particularly in cases where you can't easily break the gun down for cleaning, either because you don't have the time, or because of technical difficulties in actually doing it.
As a bore cleaner, it will work to some extent, but there are far better products intended for that purpose out there.
Personally, I wouldn't use it as a pure bore cleaner, if I had access to anything better (which I always do, since Rem-Oil, CLP, and Hoppes are available relatively inexpensively at any Walmart, gunstore or sporting goods store).
As mentioned, since this stuff is a solvent that strips out oils, you'll need to oil/lube your bore or any other unfinished parts after using it to prevent rust.
http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm
I switched over to carb cleaner which is as cheap as brake cleaner for general degreasing, but my bore cleaner is homemade "eds Red" which i make for about 30 bucks a gallon.
HUGE downside to using the stuff since under certain conditions it generates phosgene gas.Same as many things we all deal with, it's safe if used properly.
quote:Originally posted by dandak1
HUGE downside to using the stuff since under certain conditions it generates phosgene gas.Same as many things we all deal with, it's safe if used properly.
I agree, the problem is it is too easy to use this improperly. As an example, like many here on GB I live out in the country and burn my trash. So there I am burning everything in a burn barrel except metals and plastics. Cleaning patches soaked in brake cleaner wind up in my waste basket. It gets burned. Potential problem. With carb cleaner just as cheap as brake cleaner and w/o any down side (that I know of of course!) I may as well use carb cleaner as a degreaser.
Use Breakfree CLP Period, no need for anything else. Breakfree worked well for me with my M16. I carried it for 8 years in the Infantry. We were given the little bottles I remember doing the same, but the formulation of that CLP you were issued is different from what's available out here on the civilian market.
US military issue CLP (Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative) is known as the D-5 formula and is made up of 40% cleaner. What you get through civilian channels is called the E formula and contains only 12-20% cleaner.
I've called for the solvent, brake cleaner then BreakFree/CLP regimen on my agency's firearms - including M16's - for many years now. Our overall stoppage rate is extremely low for the high amount of ammunition we go through.
Hitting surfaces with brake cleaner after the solvent removes everything.before application of the lubricant. This leaves zero possibility of stray contaminants that may degrade the lube's performance.