Gun Cleaning and Lube on a Budget

N

NYRanger

Inactive
1. Brakleen Non-chlorinated brake cleaner for all metal and mechanisms (keep off rubber,plastic and finishes)
2. Original Windex (with ammonia) for cleaning copper fouling and all non-metal surfaces
3. 10-30 Fully Synthetic motor oil for lube & protect metal surfaces.
4. Pencil graphite powdered for dry lube.
 
Last edited:
Why? Gun cleaning supplies are not that expensive and go a long way. I do strain used Hoppes through a coffee filter to reuse after using it to soak choke tubes to remove the plastic wad residue.
 
Want to get those choke tubes clean without soaking? Spray some brake cleaner inside then use a bronze brush on a short rod chucked in a cordless drill. A few seconds back and forth and done - perfectly clean.

Otherwise anything you have to be careful about getting on other parts easily would be a no go for me. Wd-40 is a good solvent, as are a lot of other cheap alternatives and pick any auto lubricant or grease.

Anytime a maker puts "gun", "fishing", or similar hobbies in the name of a basic product, the price triples and the amount decreases significantly.
 
Anytime a maker puts "gun", "fishing", or similar hobbies in the name of a basic product, the price triples and the amount decreases significantly.
Click to expand...

The most egregious overpricing I've seen was for model train lubricant. $14.99 for 1\4 oz. The ingredient listed was #10 machine oil.
 
Itsa Bughunt said:
Do people still make and use Ed's Red? It's mostly kerosene and transmission fluid. It seemed ok for routine cleaning.
Click to expand...
Brownells sells it: http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...solvents/ed-s-red-bore-cleaner-prod19936.aspx

p_083150001_1.jpg


But it's not just ATF and kerosene ... A quick search of the Internet turns up innumerable recipes, all claiming to be Ed's Red but ranging from three to five or more components. Some include Acetone, others don't. Some include lanolin, others don't. If you want to try the stuff, just buy a bottle from Brownells and see how you like it.
 
Last edited:
I use Synthetic motor oil now. Not because I'm cheap, but because it works, and has worked for me for 20+ years. What I do is every spring when I change the oil in my push lawn mower, which holds 24 ounces, the remaining 8 ounces gets used for gun lube.

In a pinch, I've heard of people using kerosene or diesel fuel for cleaning. Smells bad, but I guess it would work.
 
16oz Hoppes 9 Bore Solvent- $12 , 16oz Mineral Oil for Gun and Intestinal lubrication- $2. Should be 2 year+ supply for 10/22 and three handguns maybe a little extra Mineral Oil if not enough Fiber in my diet :rolleyes:
 
Constantly surprised at people who pay a minimum of $300/pistol, shoot ammo at $10 a box for 9mm, and yet think a $6 bottle of clp, one that will clean that pistol many times, is too expensive. Windex?
 
Windex is for copper fouling. More common in rifles. it's the ammonia that does the work. But be sure to clean it off right away because it can hurt your barrel.
 
Keep in mind that some manufacturers advise against using ammonia based cleaners for polymer guns and some of the non-blued finishes. Some nickel finishes can be affected as well. The statement that Windex is good for all non-metal parts is over broad
 
I never made my own Ed's Red. I guy I did some work for gave me a quart of it. I like CLP. Bought a gallon and split it with my brother and some of his friends.
 
Ed's red was originally designed to clean black powder guns. It has no copper removing properties designed into it although it does clean "loose" copper from a barrel and help to eliminate copper fouling with consistent use.
I use a derivative of Ed's red for gun oil which is just a 50/50 mix of kerosene and ATF as suggested by the inventor. There are just four ingredients in the mix added in equal amounts: Kerosene, ATF, mineral spirits (Stoddard solvent/paint thinner), and Acetone. For long term storage of a black powder gun you can add up to 1 pound of anhydrous lanolin but it is not needed or desired for the cleaning process.

I have found the 50/50 mix of ATF and kerosene is an excellent penetrating oil and also works well as a tapping oil for aluminum.
 
Another route

I have had good results with Hoppes Elite Gun Cleaner. What I like most about it is that it's non-toxic. Additionally, it cleans all types of fouling. I think those factors combined make it highly preferable to Brakleen and Windex. I also like Ballistol multipurpose for it's non-petroleum based formulation. Powdered Graphite Dry Lube is a fantastic gun lubricant that has high thermostability and it's non-toxic.
 
I've used the 4 part ed's red recipe for several years now. It works nearly as well as hoppes #9 on copper fouling but eds red is far more effective as a lead remover. Let it soak in the barrel for 45 minutes and the lead fouling comes out in big chunks. I use it for everything except black powder. For that I use warm soapy water and ballistol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top