View Full Version : Dirty dirty dirty gun
Recession
12-10-2010, 9:26 AM
I bought a used gun off of my friend. It looks like it has gone through hell and back. I asked him when's the last time he cleaned it and his response was "you're supposed to clean these?"
It's caked on with fouling, carbon, dirt, dust, rust, etc. etc.
It was so dirty, the FFL had to wipe it down with some elbow grease to read the serial numbers off of it.
I've always used a few squirts of CLP to clean my firearms, but I have a feeling that this thing will require a little bit more than that.
So, what would you recommend (procedure and products) to give this thing a good thorough scrub down. Someone recommended that I soak it over night in a very strong solvent solution.
Black Majik
12-10-2010, 9:32 AM
Slip 2000 overnight.
Ledbetter
12-10-2010, 9:35 AM
I would soak overnight in CLP, wipe off and repeat as needed.
Avoid anything with ammonia in it (Hoppe's) if you're soaking overnight.
tacticalcity
12-10-2010, 9:38 AM
I like dirty dirty dirty girls better.
GWbiker
12-10-2010, 10:26 AM
Remove grips and drop gun into a bucket of kerosene for a couple of days. That will help loosen up the caked on crap.
Uh, California residents can legally purchase Kerosene, right?
magsnubby
12-10-2010, 10:26 AM
I like dirty dirty dirty girls better.
....with guns.
Black Majik
12-10-2010, 10:27 AM
Uh, California residents can legally purchase Kerosene, right?
Yup. 10 day waiting period and thumbprint is all that is needed.
baz152
12-10-2010, 10:37 AM
Some gun ranges have a cleaning service where they use an ultrasonic cleaner which will cut through all of the carbon in under half an hour and the cost is usually about $30; otherwise I would use Shooters Choice an a brass brush (IMO that is by far the best cleaner on the market). After using CLP for years I have found that it is only good for the lube part and limited at the protection part but no good for cleaning.
Give it a splash of the hoppe's... applied liberally. Let it soak in a little bit, then wipe it off with a rag that's also hoppe's covered. It should melt away. I'm not a fan of overnight soaking with any kind of penetrating solvents; but if these guys have done it with slip 2000 safely, then take their advice if you want.
Also, a stiff bristled plastic brush should be able to take care of all the nooks and crannies, and maybe a dentist's pick (CAREFULLY steel on steel can be hazardous). You can usually find them at gun shows, or any other place people sell cheap tools.
Remove grips and drop gun into a bucket of kerosene for a couple of days. That will help loosen up the caked on crap.
Uh, California residents can legally purchase Kerosene, right?
Yes, but not for long. Soon they will ban the sale of all liquid fuels like kerosene, gasoline and diesel because nobody is smart enough to handle them properly... it's for our own safety. However if you have a fuel container already, you will be grandfathered in, unless it's a high capacity fuel container, then you're guilty of a felony.
magsnubby
12-10-2010, 11:09 AM
[QUOTE=Munk;5425419Yes, but not for long. Soon they will ban the sale of all liquid fuels like kerosene, gasoline and diesel because nobody is smart enough to handle them properly... it's for our own safety. However if you have a fuel container already, you will be grandfathered in, unless it's a high capacity fuel container, then you're guilty of a felony.[/QUOTE]
But it's for the children And no private citizen needs high capacity fuel containers.
icentropy
12-10-2010, 11:13 AM
How about soaking in Simple Green overnight? That stuff cuts threw oil/grease like crazy without damaging any plastic. AFAIK.
don't forget your old toothbrush.
Ledbetter
12-10-2010, 11:25 AM
Another effective overnight soak would be Kroil penetrating oil. Smelly, but works good. You can put in some Marvel Mystery Oil too, if you have any.
sequoia_nomad
12-10-2010, 11:37 AM
And you bought it? Must be something special, I wouldn't buy a gun that's been obviously neglected unless it's something hard to find that I really want. I'd recommend repeated scrub downs with Hoppes #9 and a stiff toothbrush. Hoppes will soften up a lot of nastiness.
Another effective overnight soak would be Kroil penetrating oil. Smelly, but works good. You can put in some Marvel Mystery Oil too, if you have any.
they say Marvel Mystery Oil can heal, cure or fix anything....
i know... who is "they?" dunno....
zdragon
12-10-2010, 12:20 PM
i'd blast it with non chlorinated brakleen.
sevensix2x51
12-10-2010, 12:27 PM
heck, just take it apart and grease the inside anywhere that its still shiny. good to go!!! :D
sigfan91
12-10-2010, 12:49 PM
Glocks are dishwasher safe. :D
Tom Slick
12-10-2010, 12:54 PM
Ultrasonic cleaner with water and dish detergent. After 30 mins in the tank and A little work with a toothbrush it'll be spotless.
shtr45acp
12-10-2010, 12:54 PM
Simple Green...soap/water/brushes and lotsa elbowgrease. For the dark bores, try Sweets, but follow directions there.....Good luck
1911su16b870
12-10-2010, 1:09 PM
Simple Green...soap/water/brushes and lotsa elbowgrease. For the dark bores, try Sweets, but follow directions there.....Good luck
...just make sure your rinse off the Simple Green and then dry the gun with dry air or with heat.
All these posts and no one has asked what kind of gun it it?
Well?? What kind is it?
And the obligatory....
:useless:
All these posts and no one has asked what kind of gun it it?
Well?? What kind is it?
That's what I'm thinking--I want to see something awesome. If it's just another everyday glock, I'm going to be super upset. :rolleyes:
First, take the gun and smack it over your friend head for being stupid (might knock some sense into him). Try using some good automotive intake cleaner (carbon remover) and scrub it with a tooth brush after letting it sit for a bit.
Recession
12-10-2010, 6:45 PM
All these posts and no one has asked what kind of gun it it?
Well?? What kind is it?
And the obligatory....
:useless:
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6315/trsv.jpg
Chief-7700
12-10-2010, 7:25 PM
Remove all parts in the slide and frame and start cleaning. Once clean replace all the springs:
Main spring
Firing Pin spring
Recoil spring
Plunger tube spring
Sear spring.
I like dirty dirty dirty girls better.
herpes , AIDS, HIV.. etc?
sequoia_nomad
12-10-2010, 7:37 PM
herpes , AIDS, HIV.. etc?
:puke:You Nasty!
Beetle Bailey
12-10-2010, 7:45 PM
Congrats on the Les Baer TRS. Range report after you get it cleaned up? :)
Wow is that a Les Baer? (Can't really tell because I'm on my phone). If it is, then like someone else said, go pistol whip your friend.
SarcoBlaster
12-10-2010, 8:24 PM
Wow is that a Les Baer? (Can't really tell because I'm on my phone). If it is, then like someone else said, go pistol whip your friend.
Yep, Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special.
Pistol whip your friend before you clean it so it doesn't get all dirty again. :D
RedHedInAYellowTruk
12-10-2010, 8:37 PM
That's just heart breaking to see such a magnificent piece treated in such a fashion! Down with the unworthy friend! I'm glad you rescued it.
Baconator
12-10-2010, 9:03 PM
If it were a Glock, you wouldn't need to clean it.
:hide:
Recession
12-10-2010, 9:33 PM
So I'm halfway through cleaning this thing and discovered it actually has a smooth blued finish. The gun was so gritty I thought it was parkerized. Lol!
Looks like a lot of the internals will need replacing.
It wasn't my intention to rescue it as I didn't know it was in such bad shape. I was given a trade offer that was really hard to pass up. He shot my S&W 686 and decided he no longer wanted to be a Chuck Norris but Clint Eastwood instead. Very strange fellow.
I'll post pictures up again once I have this thing cleaned up and follow up with a range report as well.
I might need a tetanus shot after this because of all the rust that I'm coming into contact with.
sequoia_nomad
12-10-2010, 9:34 PM
That's sad. Well worth the effort though, I'd say!
Beetle Bailey
12-10-2010, 9:59 PM
LOL you thought it was parkerized?? The worst I've seen is a stainless steel bushing so dirty you couldn't tell it was SS, but that's near the muzzle. . . :) At least he broke it in for you.
Recession
12-10-2010, 10:02 PM
*sigh* just noticed that the Cocobolo grips are chipped and cracked. :chris:
What the hell did he do to this thing.
Paul S
12-10-2010, 10:03 PM
If it were a Glock, you wouldn't need to clean it.
:hide:
OH PUH-LEEEEEZE! You better hide behind the couch. :D
freonr22
12-10-2010, 10:08 PM
Remove grips and drop gun into a bucket of kerosene for a couple of days. That will help loosen up the caked on crap.
Uh, California residents can legally purchase Kerosene, right?
I know you have started, but take the grips off, field/detail strip and doo this ^^^^ you will be happy
timmyb21
12-11-2010, 7:04 AM
Call Les Baer if you think parts need replacing. I believe they warranty their stuff, don't send it to them without a good cleaning first.
mike100
12-11-2010, 7:49 AM
Pics if you can please before you clean it. how does one actually use a firearm long enough to get dirty like that without even thinking about cleaning it?
why would you buy it?
HPGunner
12-11-2010, 8:23 AM
I was given a trade offer that was really hard to pass up. He shot my S&W 686 and decided he no longer wanted to be a Chuck Norris but Clint Eastwood instead. Very strange fellow.
Wow - I wish I had that trade offer. A Les Baer for a 686. Wow. Being that it's a Les Baer its a well worth investment of your time and effort and a 686. Looking forward to seeing pics of this baby fully cleaned up.
I personally think it's kinda cool that such an expensive gun got so filthy to begin with. I believe it's a true testament to the quality that the top tier 1911 manufactures put into their pistols, when they can get that filthy and still function (it did still function right?)
I will probably never get mine that dirty, but I do enjoy the looks on peoples faces when they see me beating my Ed Brown SF up during matches. It gets run hard, smacked against barracades, and on foul days it gets water or dust inside it.
I enjoy seeing these finely built machines getting run hard, and tested to their limit. I believe in modern pistols, their are no safe queens :43:
Congrats on the TRS. That's a sweet pistola.
Bigtwin
12-11-2010, 4:20 PM
Man I hope you got a good deal on that one! If you didn't pay too much, after all the work cleaning you may have yourself a fine LB1911!
Man I hope you got a good deal on that one! If you didn't pay too much, after all the work cleaning you may have yourself a fine LB1911!
He traded it for a S&W 686!! I think he got a great deal and definitely came on top in that trade.
Bigtwin
12-11-2010, 4:51 PM
He traded it for a S&W 686!! I think he got a great deal and definitely came on top in that trade.
Damnit...I missed that part. Sorry!:p
That said...I agree he came out ahead.
Spirit 1
12-11-2010, 5:36 PM
For future reference: on MilSurps with Cosmoline hard as titanium or for some other heavy duty cleaning chores like the gun here diesel fuel works fine. On long gun actions with cosmo I cap a 3" or 4" PVC tube, slip the metal parts in all assembled, fill tube with diesel & let her soak, cuts through everything. Let sediments settle out of the used diesel and it can be used again & again, so it's real cheap.
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