What do YOU use to clean and oil your gun?

[pattywak]

There are so many different solvents / oils / all-in-ones out there it's enough to make my new to handgun's head spin. Personally, I bought a cheap little kit that had Outer's Solvent and Oil. Now that has just about run out, I sprung for a can of Breakfree CLP that I have not used yet. Looking up information on this one I've come across even more, Ballistol, Gunzilla, etc.

I realize this might come down to almost all well-known ones will work well and it's up to personal choice, but what do you use to clean and lube your gun? Anyone have experience with Breakfree CLP or any other suggestions for me to use?

[Sandman]

CLP on everything.

[Guest bkelm18]

To clean I use RemOil. For lubrication I use Mobile 1 20W50 synthetic motor oil on various spots and Mobile 1 Synthetic red grease on the rails. I know many on here use automotive lubricants. You get pretty much the same thing for less money in larger quantities.

[Guest captdavidjm]

Break-Free products, CLP etc., they just plain work

[Jonnin]

the stuff I find useful: a dowel rod, I have 2, a .22 caliber and a 9mm caliber, home depo has both. Paper towels and q-tips. A cheapo cleaning kit with some swabs and brushes and stuff. Rem oil, 3 in 1 oil, hoppes #9 for the chemistry set. There is not much I cannot do with those.

[Oh Shoot]

Non-chlorinated brake cleaner, Hoppes on BoreSnake for barrel, CLP for lube.

- OS

[frankmako]

hoppies #9 and any good gun oil/motor oil, and gun/auto grease.

[Mike]

Brake parts cleaner and red wheel bearing grease.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Molybendum disulfide grease available in large tubes at Walmart for under $5. For oil I use synthetic motor oil. To clean I use a heavy soaking of WD-40 on the parts to be cleaned followed by a wipe down with rags. If I still have stubborn cleaning to do I use non chlorinated brake cleaner. For the bore I either use a bore snake or if I have been shooting lead I pull a piece of a copper scrub pad through the bore.

Something else I have started using prior to or during a shooting session is a mix of ATF, synthetic motor oil and fuel injector treatment all in equal parts. It keeps the fouling loose and the oils keep the fouling suspended so it is easier to clean later. It seems to extend the number of rounds I can fire in a single session, especially with my rimfires that I shoot suppressed.

Dolomite

[Westwindmike]

Ed's Red Bore Cleaner(homemade), CLP, and Mobil 28 grease for slide rails and heavy contact areas.

[mikegideon]

Sometimes Hoppe's Elite solvent and oil. Sometimes CLP.

[pattywak]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was thinking of picking up some Hoppe's #9 for a solvent then throwing the Breakfree CLP on afterwards for the lube. I've read that since Breakfree CLP is a 3-in-1 kind of thing, it's not great at anything. Would you guys suggest just picking up actual dedicated lube / oil or will CLP be good enough to use?

[NRA]

Been using Hoppes for the longest time. Just discovered Tetra grease......... good stuff!

[daddyo]

You mean I'm supposed to clean them??

[pattywak]

Not as long as you use some clean ammunition. Then you never have to clean your guns.

[Guest bkelm18]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was thinking of picking up some Hoppe's #9 for a solvent then throwing the Breakfree CLP on afterwards for the lube. I've read that since Breakfree CLP is a 3-in-1 kind of thing, it's not great at anything. Would you guys suggest just picking up actual dedicated lube / oil or will CLP be good enough to use?

In reality pretty much anything you use is going to be alright unless you're going to be doing several thousands of rounds between cleanings. It's just a personal preference when it comes to cleaning and oil. Any of the major products out there will do the job. Hoppes has been working fine forever.

[peejman]

You mean I'm supposed to clean them??

+1

I also bought the cheapo Outers kit. I got some Hoppes #9 when I used up the solvent that came with the kit. I also got a can of CLP for when I don't have time, or just don't feel like taking stuff apart. I use the oil that came with the kit on stuff that needs oil. I use dielectric silicone spark plug boot grease on stuff that needs grease.

Edited September 29, 2011 by peejman
spelling

[daddyo]

Mobil 1 and non-chlorinated brake cleaner gets mine clean as a whistle.

[k9wh91984]

Rem Oil for cleaning, smith and wesson dry lube for polymer frame pistol rails Glock, s&w, etc. and Keelube for everything else, friction points on all pistols.

[monkeylizard]

Hoppes #9 and traditional copper bore brush for the rimfire stuff.

Everything else is breakfree and a bore snake.

Hoppes gun oil for lubrication.

[Will H]

I have always just used Hoppe's for everything. I love the smell of Hoppe's, but wife always complained that she did not like the smell. I have recently switched to cleaning with Remoil and lubing with Hoppe's to reduce the smell.

[Troutburger]

Mobil 1 for lube and any old solvent to clean typically hoppes #9.

I have some montana extreme solvent for real fouled situations.

[Lumber_Jack]

Hoppe's #9 cleaner and oil. I use mil-comm TW25b grease on my 1911s. I bought a tube of Montana Extreme grease which works well in very high or low temps, but smells horrendous. So I'm going back to Mil-Comm

[ttocswob]

RemOil if I only had one. And that's all I use on the wife's Berettas, mostly to keep it simple for her. After break-in on the .22, they both run 100%.

Or WD40 for cleaning. Synthetic motor oil (Pennzoil) for point lube, rails, etc. and to oil for storage.

Hoppe's #9 after Windex and water on the corrosive milsurp stuff and muzzleloaders.

I've used gunscrubber, brake cleaner, carb cleaner for really dirty stuff, complete tear-downs.

Wheel bearing grease for rails on the SKS/AK, sometimes CZ-82's.

In short, it all works - just pick whichever best fits the particular gun/application.

[xRUSTYx]

hoppe's #9 for clearning ... FP-10 For lubrication.