Ultra Sonic for cleaning

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RHFactor

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I have a commercial grade Ultra Sonic cleaner from a jewelry store. Is it ok to strip the gun down and put it in there? I recently bought a model 61 S&W and it is packed with dirty lubrikants that I can't get to with normal tools or brushes. If it is ok to use....any suggestions what to use in it. thanks
 
I have never done it but I did have a friend that used to do it. I would check with your local trusted gunsmith first.
 
The important thing is what you put in the tank to clean it. I suppose you could use some sort of industrial detergent but that would be water based and the gun would have to be heat dried after a clean water rinse to remove detergent residue. Some industrial detergents will attack aluminum or the anodized layer on the alum. if left in for too long. Shooters Choice sells some kind of solution for gun cleaning in ultrasonic tanks, but it is expensive. I have a two gal. ultrasonic tank that I got on ebay, but have not used it on guns yet. I used to use a comparable tank at work for cleaning steel gun parts, but the solution they had is really expensive, like 50$ a jug of it, so I used theirs instead of buying it! You cannot use any kind of substance that will give off flammable or explosive fumes in the ultrasonic tanks, like alcohol, kerosene, maybe alot of petroleum based stuff. Or you are not suppoed to. I might consider doing it outdoors, and if it blows up the tank, at least it did not blow up the house! You can use your tank, but give careful consideration to what you put in it. Maybe plain water would work to some degree, but then you would still have a water soaked gun to contend with.
 
I bought a refurbed commercial cleaner and was absolutely shocked at how clean it got things with Mpro7. When it was done (15 minutes) parts were near surgically clean.

Advice? Make sure you oil it afterwards. Warm is better then cold. Keep you finger out when it is running. Wear earphones. Mine is loud!
 
I bought the L&R ultrasonic guncleaner, I really like it. The solution was about $40 a gallon but I haven't used a gallon yet in three years you only use a couple of ounces and I reuse the solution a couple of times.

Why shouldn't I put a finger in the solution when its running?
 
Friend of mine had a BIG ultrasonic cleaner at work. He filled it with water, and then put his gun parts into a glass jar filled with solvent which he then immersed in the sonic bath. Worked fine, and didn't get gook all over the sonic cleaner.

IIRC, he used to mix up some concoction of stuff like MEK, acetone, and the like. (Probably not the best for use with a Glock!)
 
Why shouldn't I put a finger in the solution when its running

You can, it doesn't hurt at all.
BUT..... over time it can cause major problems with your bone marrow.
This little monster was discovered in the early days of ultrasonics when jewelers were in the habit of just reaching into the running tank to pull things out.
 
finger in ultrasonic

ouch!!! I use one for cleaning air pack parts for my Fire dept. Reached in a got in azone where the waves intersect and resonate with alot of power and it only took about two seconds for it to hurt like H@#$#$. They do work great on the gun parts.
 
This little monster was discovered in the early days of ultrasonics when jewelers were in the habit of just reaching into the running tank to pull things out.
Click to expand...
Hey, jewelers, that's me. Been doing that for years. I wondered why my fingers were all floppy now. :eek:
 
Brownells sells firearms cleaner specifically for Ultrasonics. You dilute it, so a gallon, though expensive, goes a long way.
 
Brownell's also sells the L&R sonic cleaner and lubricator specially designed for handguns.I have one, it works very good.
It helps to have a small air compressor to blow the
water/solution out of the gun; I bought one at Sears for
about $140. I shoot/clean two guns once a week, so it saves
me considerable work and time.
 
My gun club offers ultrasonic cleanings at $10 per gun. Thinking about doing it with my 686 since cleaning revolvers are always such a bitch.
 
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