Cleaning a handgun in the dishwasher

F

FUD

Moderator
:)On the lighter side ... I just saw bits & pieces of the movie "Stop or my mother will shoot" where the woman decides to clean Sly's oily gun with dishwashing soap & water -- she cleaned the bullets in the magazine the same way.

Not that I would ever even consider doing this, but it got me thinking as to what would happen to the gun? If it was dried off right away, would it still be damaged? Does anyone know if our military/government tried something like to when they test to see how much abuse a gun can hold up to?

On a more serious note, once bullets get wet/damp, are they still reliable?

Share what you know, learn what you don't -- FUD
fud-nra.gif
 
Actually, I've heard of this being done with black powder handguns. I'd remove the grips first, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work -- the 1858 Remington replica I used to own cleaned up well with hot water and dishwashing liquid.
 
Actually, isn't hot soap and water necessary for corrosive primers etc.?

(And on black powder things are a lot more corrosive.)

Battler.
 
A gun can be cleaned in the dishwasher--however, you can't wash any dishes in it afterwards.

Various lead compunds are removed from the gun and deposited on the inside of the dishwasher, where they lurk and wait to drop onto your dishes. Lead poisoning is a Bad Thing.

Most factory-loaded ammunition is sealed against water intrusion.

LawDog

[This message has been edited by LawDog (edited May 15, 2000).]
 
Returning to those times when I wore a badge, we had an officer that cleaned his S&W M-66 in the dishwasher. He did it every month after qualification. With him and his family, you would have a hard time knowing if the lead ingested afterwards had any affect on the mental process.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
Not to flame anyone, but here's little something from chemistry.

Lead is not poisonous in its solid metal form. Lead ions dissolved in acidic or other solutions causes the lead poisoning we all know of. I am not convinced that even chewing on lead pellets will introduce any significant amount of lead ions/compounds into my blood stream.

Lead is soluable in Nitric acid. I do not see Nitric acid as part of the dishwashing machine cleaner. That stuff uses lots of bleach.

Final comment: The lead particles can react with the corrosive byproducts of the propellent if the byproducts include Nitric acid. Does anyone know what ingredient goes into smokeless powder? Any nitrogen rich compounds? If so, nitrous oxide will make nitric acid with water. That's the only source I'd be scared of. Can anyone think of another source?

yy. <smirk><wink>
 
As for what's in smokeless powder, here's a sample.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/msds/greendotmsds.htm

it does contain nitroglycerin. i.e. nitro, or a nitrated solution. Therefore Nitric acid was used in process. I'd say, YES it is corrosive to a degree.

Best Regards,
Don

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The most foolish mistake we could make would be to allow the subjected people to carry arms; history shows that all conquerers who have allowed their subjected people to carry arms have prepared their own fall.
Adolf Hitler
 
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