Aerosal cleaners also waste most of the product and don't really get all of the crud out of the gun. You can strip a 1911 down and clean every part except the bore with an M16 brush and a Q tip and a rag and 3 or 4 drops of CLP. Learning how to totally strip your gun also allows you to inspect for wear or damage and understand how it works
Some of us don't have the luxury of detail stripping a handgun, such as my 75BD. An aerosol cleaner really gets into the small spaces and hoses out the junk.
It is basically the same as the $3 can of brake cleaner at wally world - I use it to clean barrels and choke tubes, but keep it away from fine finishes, wood and plastic
