Simple Green or Glass Cleaner for Barrel Cleaning

[joliver]

I've read on several forums that some folks use Simple Green for bore cleaning. My question is: what strength? Do you dilute it with water or use it as it comes from the bottle?

Some other folks recommend SOS glass cleaner, especially the one with vinegar in it. The recommended mixture was to dump a 22 oz bottle of the stuff in a gallon milk jug and then fill the jug with water. Opinions?

Jerry Oliver ::

 

[Sully]

Save your money for powder.Just use plain water. It works and is fairly cheap.

 

[brubincam]

around here its over a dollar for a 20 oz. bottle,i think it must be a secret that water can actually be taken from a faucet in your very own house,believe it or not {RIPLEY} it doesnt cost anything at home,,, :shake: :shake:

 

[riarcher]

Sully is right on the money. :agree:

 

[Deadeye]

Yep, water will do it but glass cleaner will do it better
and recently I tried formula 409, just happened to have some on the bench and WOW! squirted some in the barrel , some on a patch and everything came out on that 1 patch.
The 2nd patch was almost white, couple of dry patches and the last one was white. Usually takes 4 or 5 with windex
and more with water. Never used simple green but hear that it's good.

 

[twsteven]

I'd be carefull using anything with vinegar in it. I believe I once read where it will remove blueing.

 

I'm with you, Sully, although bottled water costs more per gallon than gasoline in some areas at least! I am continually amazed at the various strings here and on other sites about magic formulas for cleaning BP gun bores (and also for lubes). Plain water or soapy water works as good as anything I have tried that is commercially made. Simple and fast. Water does not even have to be hot, but maybe in winter time you'd want to warm it a little. And it is Pc for whatever that means to anyone. I am sure that the other products work fine, but they just are not necessary, plus some of them will eat at the finish on your gun stock or metal parts.

 

[jbarclay]

I have been using Windex with Vinegar in my SXS between stations. It works well in by GPR 50 at the range as well. I stick a plastic hose on the nipple and put in a glass of the Windex and with a tight patch on the rod, pump the Windex back and forth. Just a couple of pumps and its done.

 

[Lonegun1894]

This is my first post, and i have nowhere near the experience as many here, but i've tried plain water, soapy water, windex, windex, and rubbing alcohol. All did the job, but i'm down to using just the alcohol and the water. Alcohol at the range cause it evaporates, and soapy water at home. No harm done as of yet, and trying to keep it that way. And thanks to all the pros on here. I've been reading as many posts as i could, and have already learned a lot and had many questions answered. Thank you all.
Paul

 

[LRB]

Like deadeye, I recently tried 409. Much superior to windex. Put on a patch, don,t squirt down the barrel. Wipe it out, don't wash it out. Chase with wd-40, drain, wipe it out, oil.

 

[joliver]

jbarclay,

I read in one post that vinegar can harm wood or metal finishes. Any truth to this?

Jerry ::

 

[Stumpkiller]

I read in one post that vinegar can harm wood or metal finishes. Any truth to this?

Probably. It is acidic. I never held a gun while eating salad or fish & chips so I can't say for sure.

Alcohol will eat gun finishes, too. Wipe the gun occasionally with paste wax or beeswax for protection against such things.

 

A gunsmith, I worked for once, used vinegar to strip the blueing off of firearms, he was going to re-blue.

Sooo, you can take you chances, with vinegar, if you want to ...

Bill

 

[big bore 75]

I have a good friend who every time he come back from a N-ssa national hes using all sorts of wild cleaning methods, windex, 409, simplegreen, oxyclean diluted with water, and even swears by diet right??? I really don't know if folks are telling him to use it or try it.
Then I come over and set him back to the right road and use good old hot water, it has never failed sometimes a bit messy but works and has worked for centuries why change a good thing. bb75

 

[vautrain]

Diet Rite and other sodas have acid(s) that will do a real number on paint. Not sure what they'd do, over time, to the inside of a barrel.

 

[tobias]

Ahhh finally a post that I can contribute to LOL!. Don't use vineagar if you want to maintain the blueing or the finish on your wood. It will eat right through the blueing and will leave your wood with very unsightly white spots at the least. It will over time with continued use cause rust to build up around the areas that you only thought you had cleaned.

If one uses anything with vineagar in it make sure to thoroughly flush the entire piece with fresh plain water and dry thorougly. I don't know much at all about BP as I am just learning buckets (thanks to finding this forum) but I do know about refinishing of firearms. I was taught by an old gunsmith here and then later by my college professors while I was taking wood working classes. Gunsmith in Georgia said the same things that professors in Idaho did about using vineagar.

Don't get me wrong it is a wonderful cleaner and will indeed clean your guns slicker than snot on a teaspoon but extreme caution should be used insuring that all surfaces that even remotely have been exposed to vineagar soulutions be rinsed with clear plain water.

I hope this makes sense and helps you in your quests.