Silicone Rag

9

9x18_Walther

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I just picked up a Birchwood Casey silicone rag and I swear this thing is dry as a bone. It seemed like it had nothing compared to the G96 silicone cloth (no weird smell however!).

Out of curiosity, should I skip the rag? What do y'all use after casual handling of a gun to remove fingerprints and prevent rust?

Dry cloth?
Lightly oiled cloth?
Silicon cloth?
 
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I always wipe my guns down with a silicone rag after use. Never thought of rejuvenating them with silicone spray. Thanks, g.wilikers.
 
I have one in my range bag but never use it. When I'm done shooting, I just slide the guns into a sock and take 'em home. I usually clean them that day; if not, the next.
 
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Yeah, I bought one of those once and it was dry as a bone as well. I use the hoppes and they are quite good. I wipe all of my firearms down with them after cleaning.
 
I buy them from my LGS with their logo on them. They're cheaper that way. They've always been soaked in the stuff.

I cut them up and use them for cleaning patches. Work fine.

I'll wipe the crud off the exterior of the gun with them, then wipe the excess off with an old T-Shirt.
 
I have stated my method before here abouts, and continue to use it:

After cleaning my guns, I oil them down using a well saturated patch with my 50/50 mix of motor oil and machine oil, leaving a very heavy coating. After assembling the gun, I wipe it down using a lint free shop towel. This keeps it in good shape until the next firing/cleaning.

Bob Wright
 
G96 is good stuff but I must be allergic to the perfume they use.

The G96 silicone cloth is supposed to have just silicone on it but the cloth has the same smell as G96 (how do I sum it up Christmas + cinnamon?).

Felt kind weird after using it. My sinuses have been plugged since and I haven't been able to hear out of my left ear for a week).

Making my own cloths seems like a good idea. What spray should I use (are all 100% silicone sprays made equal?).
 
I imagine the silicone component in the spray cans is the same from brand to brand.
The differences, if any, would probably be the propellant.
Might be wise to let the sprayed cloth air out a bit before wrapping or wiping the guns.
To give the propellant time to evaporate, just in case it's something harmful.
And do the spraying outside if possible, too.
 
Valid point

I imagine the silicone component in the spray cans is the same from brand to brand. The differences, if any, would probably be the propellant.
Click to expand...
Basically, you are correct and the dryness does not mean that it has lost it's protective qualities. Instead, I go by feel as the "dry" silicone will rub off, on your fingers. I too treat my cloths and gun case linings. ..... ;)

Does it work great? I suppose as so far, I don't have any problems. .... :)


Be Safe !!!
 
Thanks for the advice all.

I treat everything like my child, thus the slight OCD about my stuff.

A lot of the pure/100% silicone sprays do vary in the solvents (according to the SDS).

Amsoil Silicone Spray (doesn't say pure, but the SDS seems to suggest so) actually seems to the have the least number of solvents and other junk/propellants.
 
Maybe not what you are looking for. But I use a cotton rag with some type of generic gun oil on it to wipe down my guns after use and before storage. I have never seen the need to use anything else and never had any problems with finger prints etching into metal or rust. And I live in the humid south - Georgia. The metal gets a light coat of oil - no problems with the oil dis-coloring or soaking into wood stocks.

The oil I use is whatever I got the best deal on last. Which has been either Breakfree/CLP or Shooters Choice primarily for the last 15 or so years.

Regards,

Rob
 
I do both, wipe surfaces with a good oil and wrap in a silicone cloth.
We also live with high humidity and so far nothing treated this way has ever come to grief.
I once treated a favorite trap gun this way and plumb forgot about it for at least five years in some corner of my parents' house.
It was still just fine, thankfully.
(The range got sold for home development and I got sidetracked with other pursuits).
 
Maybe not what you are looking for. But I use a cotton rag with some type of generic gun oil on it to wipe down my guns after use and before storage. I have never seen the need to use anything else and never had any problems with finger prints etching into metal or rust. And I live in the humid south - Georgia. The metal gets a light coat of oil - no problems with the oil dis-coloring or soaking into wood stocks.
Click to expand...
Prety much what I do, but I keep a specific "oily rag" in a ziploc bag to do it with. Usually its a 6" square cut from an old t-shirt. After a couple of years it becomes so impregnated that its better than many commercial products.

With a new one I drip some gun oil randomly over it folded 3~4 times before bagging. In use I oil liberally all the moving parts & then wipe down thoroughly with the "oily rag" It both collects excess oil while distributing a thin layer overall & re supplying itself all at the same time. A "new" ran usually lasts several years before shredding & needing to be replaced.
 
Best be careful which rag you use to wipe your hands and face.
No kidding.
I've done that, grabbed the oily one by mistake to wipe with.
Wonder if gun oil is good for the complexion.
 
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