Am I cleaning the gun correctly?

S

Seminole1986

New member
I try to thoroughly clean my PPK/s and P232 after each session at the range. This includes removing the slide and cleaning w/Breakfree CLP. I tend to apply a bit to the exposed length of the firing pin and scrub w/a nylon brush. Afterward I hand wipe until dry.

My problem is that invariably I find that Breakfree residue will seep onto the chambered round and, occassionally, the upper-most round in the Mag. This can't be good.

What am I doing wrong? What am I missing from the cleaning process?
 
DO NOT APPLY OIL or CLP TO THE FIRING PIN AREA! Brush it with a dry brush and use soemthing that will flash off like Hoppe's #9. You run the risk if deadening the primers with gun oil/CLP/Lube.

If you have no Hoppe's use common IPA or rubbing alcohol.
 
Will is right about the primer problem, but also the residual oil in the firing pin hole will attract dirt and can result in unreliable/irregular firing pin strikes.

Keep the firing pin area clean and dry.
 
I don't think Breakfree will harm primers, but excessive oil does attract dirt and debris. When firing your pistol, powder and brass blow into the firing pin hole. Eventually, this build-up may affect reliable performance; in other words, it may not go bang when you pull the trigger. As stated, cleaning the breech face with a solvent like Hoppe's #9 or blasting it out with an evaporative solvent (re: Gun Scrubber or Powder Blast) will clear the debris without leaving a sticky residue. While Breakfree is a good product, you will have to wipe down your pistol for a few days after using it since it continues to sweat off the gun. Instead, I suggest using G-96. It is a cleaner, lubricant, and preservative that leaves a lot less of a sticky coat on firearm parts.
 
So I clean the firing pin mechanism w/gun scrubber (or super x brake cleaner, as in another post) and let it evaporate off. OK, what now. Am I correct in assuming that I leave it as is w/out a lubricant of any kind?
 
Q-Tips, Hoppe's #9 and Breakfree CLP ---- Keep it simple. All of this is easy to find and you will like the rust protection of Breakfree. Trust me on this.
 
I'm glad I stumbled upon this post.

I've been cleaning my Kimber's firing pin area with Gun Scrubber and then dropping a drop of Tetra Gun Oil into it to keep it from rusting in there. So far with no bad effect.

Are you saying, Will Beararms and all, that I should really just leave the firing pin completely dry, with no rust inhibitor at all? Really? None?

It just goes against my nature somehow...
 
I used to live in the humidity of S. Fla., and I've never had rust on the pin.

I never put any lube in there either. I've found rust where my hand contacts it, where my spare tire does, on the portions exposed by the holster, and on the top of a Sig's chamber(left unblued by Sig.:() My guns were fully detailed at least annually, and all I ever noted was what Trevor said about debris and grime. Whatever you clean the slide and breechface with DOES migrate down in there. So, there must be some lube in there by default, I suppose. But, I feel that purposefully oiling it would eventually cause a problem.
 
Yes, I agree: Do not lube the firing pin or its spring. A patch with a few drops of Militech will do for a swipe of the breechface, but going into the firing pin hole with lubricant is a recipe for a gunk collection. Of course, as noted above, cleaning the space with Hoppe's #9 will leave a very light coat of protection once the solvent evaporates. If you are concerned about rust, use Hoppe's #9; it should do well.

[Edited by Trevor on 12-28-2000 at 06:25 PM]
 
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