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Posted: 9/27/2021 9:38:15 AM EDT
[#1]
 Cleaning and preserving your firearms on the cheap. |
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Posted: 9/27/2021 9:51:06 AM EDT
[#2]
Used it for years on firearms.
Solids sink to the bottom. Not much odor, and if you want to pay a little more, you can get odorless. Keep it covered, and takes a long time to evaporate. I purchased an el-cheapo parts washer off eBay, threw away the chinese pump, purchased an actual solvent pump, and added a automotive remote oil filter before the pump, so no crap comes out of the discharge nozzle. About every 2 years, the filter is replaced, and about every 5-6 years it gets fresh mineral spirits. 
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Posted: 9/27/2021 10:00:03 AM EDT
[#3]
I just lube with one of the red formulas you make yourself. Include ATF and other stuff from the auto parts store. Recipes are online.
Anyway, most of the filth just wipes off and I can chip off the little carbon ring on the back end of the bolt with my fingernail. One addition I put in myself, I evaporate the alcohol off of some dry lube and add in the teflon left behind. You'll need a few ball bearings or nuts in the bottom of your bottle to stir up the teflon but you wouldn't believe the round counts on my BCG's after seeing them. |
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Posted: 9/27/2021 10:50:25 AM EDT
[#4]
Yup. Use it on stripping cosmoline. Like mentioned before, solids sink and you can pull out clean metal parts. Oil them up and done.
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Posted: 9/29/2021 7:48:20 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted: Soaked the BCG in it overnight and once taken out, there was nothing to clean. The carbon just dissolved. Nice. I did overlubricate it as usual as it came out bone-dry. Yup. It works. Years ago I started using OMS mixed with Break Free. I imagine if you Google it you can still pull up info on "Quib's Odorless Mineral Spirits CLP Mixture". ETA: http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum/showthread.php?1607-QUIB-S-ODORLESS-MINERAL-SPIRITS-CLP-BOLT-CLEANING-PROCEDURE |
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Posted: 9/30/2021 9:47:46 PM EDT
[#6]
I’ve been using mineral spirits for a few years to clean guns and it works great. I use a small parts washer from Harbor Freight.
Another cleaner that works well is naphtha. |
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Posted: 9/30/2021 10:49:51 PM EDT
[#7]
Don't use naphtha...
Very low flash point, and can cause liver & central nervous system issues. |
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Posted: 10/2/2021 7:02:43 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Used it for years on firearms. Solids sink to the bottom. Not much odor, and if you want to pay a little more, you can get odorless. Keep it covered, and takes a long time to evaporate. I purchased an el-cheapo parts washer off eBay, threw away the chinese pump, purchased an actual solvent pump, and added a automotive remote oil filter before the pump, so no crap comes out of the discharge nozzle. About every 2 years, the filter is replaced, and about every 5-6 years it gets fresh mineral spirits. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GXYAAOSwBK1hRPk8/s-l1600.jpg @Cressida I am jealous. I wish I had room for that type of setup. Thank You for sharing.... and reviving my "faith" in American resourcefulness. |
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Posted: 10/2/2021 8:33:27 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Don't use naphtha... Very low flash point, and can cause liver & central nervous system issues. Many parts washer solutions use naphtha. It works fine as a cleaner. All chemicals carry health risks including mineral spirits. Don’t drink either of them. |
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Posted: 10/3/2021 7:47:04 AM EDT
[#10]
I soak the unassembled bolt carrier group in a zip lock bag filled with Motorcraft carburetor cleaner.
The stuff in the pour can, not the spray. It’s paper towel wipe clean in the morning. |
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Posted: 10/3/2021 2:38:11 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Many parts washer solutions use naphtha. It works fine as a cleaner. All chemicals carry health risks including mineral spirits. Don’t drink either of them. I go for the one with the lowest flash point, and least health risks. You do what ever turns you on. Do you use naphtha to light your charcoal also ?  There is a reason why charcoal lighters are mineral sperits... |
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Posted: 10/4/2021 12:14:34 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I go for the one with the lowest flash point, and least health risks. You do what ever turns you on. Do you use naphtha to light your charcoal also ? There is a reason why charcoal lighters are mineral sperits... Not sure why you're all emotional about what people use for cleaning. Both work fine. Use whichever one you like to use. I'll do the same. |
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Posted: 10/4/2021 12:28:03 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted: Soaked the BCG in it overnight and once taken out, there was nothing to clean. The carbon just dissolved. Nice. I did overlubricate it as usual as it came out bone-dry. If you're going to soak it overnight, a lot of stuff works well. My usual way of cleaning a BCG is to spray it very generously with lube oil before leaving the range, and set it on the shelf at home overnight. By the next day, the carbon just wipes off of the BCG. |
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Posted: 10/4/2021 1:44:00 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not sure why you're all emotional about what people use for cleaning. Both work fine. Use whichever one you like to use. I'll do the same. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I go for the one with the lowest flash point, and least health risks. You do what ever turns you on. Do you use naphtha to light your charcoal also ? There is a reason why charcoal lighters are mineral spirits... Not sure why you're all emotional about what people use for cleaning. Both work fine. Use whichever one you like to use. I'll do the same. Not sure if you have some reading comprehension skills issue, or agreeing with me. Personally I won't put out false or bad info that could effect the health and/or safety of other members, unless it is so over the top, that it's plain that it was a joke. Have a good day. |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 7:36:34 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not sure if you have some reading comprehension skills issue, or agreeing with me. Personally I won't put out false or bad info that could effect the health and/or safety of other members, unless it is so over the top, that it's plain that it was a joke. Have a good day. White gas stoves have been around for a long time. Guess what white gas is? It’s naphtha. If it was toxic, it would not be used so commonly for cooking. There are a number of types of naphthas and some, depending on the components and intended use, are more flammable than others. Naphtha is a very safe solvent. Works quite well for cleaning which is probably why it’s so commonly used in the automotive parts cleaning world. |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 7:56:12 AM EDT
[#16]
LoL dude, apples and oranges.
get a life... |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 8:36:26 AM EDT
[#17]
This may surprise you but mineral spirits is in the same chemical family as naphtha.
More like FL oranges vs CA oranges |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 11:04:31 AM EDT
[#18]
This was an interesting thread before the cat fight.
Please LET IT GOOOOOO, fellas. |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 11:31:47 AM EDT
[#19]
Sorry guys, just one more...
Quote HistoryQuoted: This may surprise you but mineral spirits is in the same chemical family as naphtha. Yeah, star stuff... just like lead & gold. Just 3 little protons between the two, but what a difference. MSDS: Mineral spirits flammability rating - 2, Flash point: 109°f Naphtha flammability rating - 3, Flash point: -7°f Naphtha: Contains Benzene - which can cause blood disease, including anemia and leukemia (cancer). Mineral spirits: No known carcinogens. |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 1:09:13 PM EDT
[#20]
Naphtha VM&P MSDS
From the MSDS Carcinogenicity : No known significant effects or critical hazards Odorless mineral spirits MSDS From the MSDS Component Carcinogenicity None of this product's components are listed by ACGIH, IARC, OSHA, NIOSH, or NTP. Benzene is believed to be the carcinogen. Not all naphthas contain benzene. Bottom line is, both are effective cleaners and both are safe for people to use. Both carry some minor health risks like all chemicals but are considered to be very safe overall. Use whichever makes you happy. |
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Posted: 10/6/2021 1:29:01 PM EDT
[#21]
Aka Stoddard’s. I use it in aviation, and there isn’t much it won’t clean off. And for those things, I bust out the acetone.
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Posted: 12/15/2021 12:52:36 AM EDT
[#22]
Recently got a parts washer for working on vehicles after years of not having one. Filled it with PSC 1000. Smells like naphtha. Cleans quite well. So, today I emptied out the mineral spirits, cleaned out, and refilled the small 3.5 gallon parts washer I use to clean guns (working capacity about a gallon or so) with PSC 1000. Cleaned an AR and a Glock after shooting and it worked as well as mineral spirits. Cheaper too.
You can get a 5 gallon container for about $40 or so at places like Tractor Supply. I bought it at a local farm store. Mineral spirits is about $14 or so per gallon. PSC 1000 MSDS if you are interested Search for PSC 1000 |
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Posted: 1/22/2022 11:06:31 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Aka Stoddard’s. I use it in aviation, and there isn’t much it won’t clean off. And for those things, I bust out the acetone. M.E.K. 
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Posted: 1/23/2022 11:51:23 AM EDT
[#24]
Some carrier keys have a sealant under them. I would make sure it was compatible with the type solvent I was using before I soaked the carrier in it.
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Posted: 1/25/2022 12:53:41 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: PSC 1000. Flash point is still lower than mineral spirits, but not as bad as Naphtha. |
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Posted: 1/25/2022 1:24:07 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Used it for years on firearms. Solids sink to the bottom. Not much odor, and if you want to pay a little more, you can get odorless. Keep it covered, and takes a long time to evaporate. I purchased an el-cheapo parts washer off eBay, threw away the chinese pump, purchased an actual solvent pump, and added a automotive remote oil filter before the pump, so no crap comes out of the discharge nozzle. About every 2 years, the filter is replaced, and about every 5-6 years it gets fresh mineral spirits. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GXYAAOSwBK1hRPk8/s-l1600.jpg Great idea, I need to get myself a parts washer, I’ll file that filter mid into my memory for later use |
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Posted: 1/25/2022 10:09:55 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Flash point is still lower than mineral spirits, but not as bad as Naphtha. Not that I care but since it’s so important to you….. Mineral spirits flash point 109* F could be a little higher or lower depending on brand PSC 1000 flash point 149*F And PSC 1000 is a naphtha |
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Posted: 1/25/2022 12:49:45 PM EDT
[#28]
Crap, you are right.
I was looking at the centigrade number Will need to give that a try, |
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Posted: 1/25/2022 4:40:23 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Crap, you are right. I was looking at the centigrade number Will need to give that a try, 
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Posted: 1/27/2022 11:05:18 AM EDT
[#30]
Why bother to soak a BCG overnight?
Wipe it out, squirt some more CLP or motor oil in there, and go drink beer. I’m sure there’s plenty of stuff that’ll clean it up if left for 12+ hours. What we want is stuff that works in less than 12 minutes. For me, that’s CLP and an AP brush. |
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Posted: 2/25/2022 6:27:26 PM EDT
[#31]
Will mineral spirits damage a nib bcg?
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Posted: 2/26/2022 11:36:12 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Will mineral spirits damage a nib bcg? Nope. It's a mild solvent but works very well. |
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Posted: 2/27/2022 4:55:32 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I soak the unassembled bolt carrier group in a zip lock bag filled with Motorcraft carburetor cleaner. The stuff in the pour can, not the spray. It’s paper towel wipe clean in the morning. I have one of the gallon cans of carb cleaner with the dip basket in it. I have a BCM BCG that I wanted to get "Filthy-14" dirty while running suppressed. This was the only way I could get it clean. Not sure if I want to drop a NiB in there, though. |
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Posted: 2/27/2022 12:19:13 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Nope. It's a mild solvent but works very well. That's good to know since I've heard that hoppes #9 and similar ammonia-based cleaners will damage the nib finish. |
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Posted: 3/1/2022 8:42:43 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have one of the gallon cans of carb cleaner with the dip basket in it. I have a BCM BCG that I wanted to get "Filthy-14" dirty while running suppressed. This was the only way I could get it clean. It's what I use to clean suppressors. |
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Posted: 3/8/2022 6:54:56 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's what I use to clean suppressors. Any Cerakoted cans? I have an RC2 in FDE that I have been reluctant to dunk in case it eats Ckote... |
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Posted: 3/10/2022 1:35:53 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Any Cerakoted cans? I have an RC2 in FDE that I have been reluctant to dunk in case it eats Ckote... Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: It's what I use to clean suppressors. Any Cerakoted cans? I have an RC2 in FDE that I have been reluctant to dunk in case it eats Ckote... Lots of stuff eats Cerakote, so definitely something to be careful with. And just about any cleaner will strip it in an ultrasonic as well. Go to Ace Hardware and buy some rubber stopper plugs and plug the bore (it may need some slight trimming with an exacto or utility knife to fit). Place the can muzzle end down between two boards or similar to make room for the plug, then fill with whatever cleaner you want without exposing the external finish. I use CLR and soak for at least 48 hours, empty and wash out with water thoroughly; then fire a magazine or so through it while the carbon is still moist and soft. You'll get a carbon sludge shotgun:  It isn't a bad idea to pull a bore snake after each of the first 2 or 3 shots as well -- you can get some nasty gunk going back into the barrel if the can is really dirty. CLR with a 48 hour soak and shooting is also how Surefire recommends deep cleaning. |
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Posted: 4/3/2022 3:46:19 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Lots of stuff eats Cerakote, so definitely something to be careful with. And just about any cleaner will strip it in an ultrasonic as well. Go to Ace Hardware and buy some rubber stopper plugs and plug the bore (it may need some slight trimming with an exacto or utility knife to fit). Place the can muzzle end down between two boards or similar to make room for the plug, then fill with whatever cleaner you want without exposing the external finish. I use CLR and soak for at least 48 hours, empty and wash out with water thoroughly; then fire a magazine or so through it while the carbon is still moist and soft. You'll get a carbon sludge shotgun: https://i.imgur.com/331YwNd.jpg It isn't a bad idea to pull a bore snake after each of the first 2 or 3 shots as well -- you can get some nasty gunk going back into the barrel if the can is really dirty. CLR with a 48 hour soak and shooting is also how Surefire recommends deep cleaning. Jesus wept 
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Posted: 4/3/2022 5:48:18 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Lots of stuff eats Cerakote, so definitely something to be careful with. And just about any cleaner will strip it in an ultrasonic as well. That is why when I coat something, it's always with KG GunKote. Have never had any solvent of any type even phase it. |
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Posted: 5/9/2022 6:34:34 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have one of the gallon cans of carb cleaner with the dip basket in it. I have a BCM BCG that I wanted to get "Filthy-14" dirty while running suppressed. This was the only way I could get it clean. Not sure if I want to drop a NiB in there, though. Most won’t want to incest in an entire can. The motorcraft cleaner can be poured into a gallon zip lock bag with the BCG. The solvent is then poured back into the can and reused. I’ve used a can for a year or two, before discarding. I haven’t tried a NiB bolt overnight. I have soaked one for a few hours without issue |
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