best way to clean...

B

Brando1992

New member
I know there's a lot of different methods to clean a gun, i have used hoppes #9 for a few years and it does good enough. But I just bought a smith and wesson shield used and lets just say, the previous owner didn't know to much about guns... This thing is oozing remoil out of every place it can be... yuck. He also didnt realize he handed a loaded gun to a stranger with his wife and baby in the car at an academy parking lot... but back to the over oiled gun situation. I have heard multiple approaches but I think soaking this one might be needed when I do a full strip of the gun. What is a good option that wont mess with the polymer. I plan to soak it and then clean as I normally would with the #9 then lightly oil like usual afterwards.

Thoughts?
 
Soak it in what?
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Thats pretty much my question exactly! haha

I have heard of multiple things people use for all metal guns such as brake cleaner, hot water and dish soap, diesel fuel. But I dont know if they are okay for a polymer gun.
 
If I were you I'd try cotton cloth (I use old t-shirts) and cotton swabs to try to take care of the oil. Otherwise Limnophile suggested some good products.
 
Hot water and simple green ...works.

Worry about rust...you have to get it dry ...and you have to replenish the oil on all surfaces of the gun / take the gun all the way down to a bare frame...and wipe it down when its clean ..use some compressed air..let it airdry before you oil it up again and reassemble.

or use Shooters Choice..( break it down to a bare frame )...spray everything and wipe it clean...reoil and reassemble.
 
The Shooters Choice stuff referenced above should do the trick. Similar products like powder blast or gun scrubber will work too. Just make sure they say synthetic safe. Non chlorinated brake cleaner works great too. Whatever you choose, just field strip the gun and go to town, blasting the stuff into all the nooks and crannies and allow it to air dry/drain. Then wipe it down with a clean cloth and lube according to the manufacturer's specs.

Two caveats:
1) Avoid directly spraying the painted dots on the sights.
2) When blasting the slide crevices, orient the slide vertically with the front sight pointed downward so the crud will drain out of the firing pin channel.
 
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Assuming this gun is dripping in oil and crud like you say, I would soak for 10 minutes in simple green or a dawn dishwashing soap. Then rinse with very hot water and most inpotantly blow it out with an air compressor until you are sure all residue has been blown out and dried. Take the slide apart and do the same thing. Finally, oil sparingly exactly like the manufacturer
says to do it.
 
I wouldn't leave it soaking overnight and you want to dry it off well and reapply oil; but in general rust isn't a problem if you exercise the same kind of caution you would with any other metal piece of machinery you degreased and submerged in water.
 
Spray it well with a plastic-safe gun cleaner, run a couple of brushes anywhere accessible, wipe it out with a rag and Q-Tips, put a few drops of oil where it needs to be, cycle a few times, and you're done.
 
Spray it well with a plastic-safe gun cleaner, run a couple of brushes anywhere accessible, wipe it out with a rag and Q-Tips, put a few drops of oil where it needs to be, cycle a few times, and you're done.
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This....

I'll also add that some guns like to be run wet.....My 1911 is a prime example. I've had AR's that didn't mind being pretty well oiled too. Sometimes it's a good thing......

Most people don't have much of a clue about gun safety. Not surprised at all that he handed you a loaded gun.....that's where your safety training comes in.
 
Many people have no clue how to clean and lube their firearms, I see it every day. It seems to be the younger generations that never wanted to learn about maintenance. I read that 84% of millennials have no clue how to check the oil in automobiles, or even open the hood!
YouTube is your friend!
 
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What Johnny and Damon said. I would just clean it normally and wipe everything down a LOT... unless it was a SD gun. If it is a range toy, nbd. For a SD gun I might shake off my laziness and do something a little more thorough. Or maybe not. Hard to say without seeing it.
 
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