Ultra sonic cleaner

[robledor]

Hello Calgunners
Need your collective intelligence and experience. After a day of shooting can I put the pistol in the cleaner run the cycle and would the pistol be clean? How does the process work?
Also is it safe on every finish or can it harm polymer or steel? Thank you

[rodralig]

Following

[CessnaDriver]

Mine uses water with simple green, so can’t put assemblies in you can’t fully dry out. You still have to clean barrels properly, I don’t put them in.

[Gun Kraft]

Cleaning depends on how good the ultrasonic cleaner is, what kind of solution you're using and its temp. Regarding process you follow manufacturer's recommendation.

Generally speaking it's safe for polymer, steel, blueing, cerakote, tritium sights, etc. May damage zinc slides (think .22 firearms) or other cheaper metals.

[hermosabeach]

Gents - I'd suggest youtube.

As the cleaners need to be full of solution, you can't run them with just 1/2 liquid, some have easy fixes.

They will fill a jar with parts and solvent and drop that into the ultrasound tank.



I might step back and ask a different question about Gun cleaning.

I would be more concerned with someone dropping a complete slide into a cleaner than running a gun sprayed off with powder blaster.

Why
A complete slide has holes. Holes hold moisture. Moisture means rust


If I were to clean a slide in an ultrasound-
Full disassemble.
Glock - remove the one time use firing pin channel liner.

Once clean - remove - dry
Reassemble
Lube appropriate places
Test function as springs and Sears need to be in the right spot.


If you are going to drop a complete gun into ultrasound bath of #9, please take video and post results!!!

If this works - game changer

[sonofeugene]

Ultrasonic cleaners are good, but they have limitations. Like if you drop a whole gun into a cleaner filled with water and simple green, the gun may get cleaned but you then have to repeat that process and rinse it a few times to remove the simple green completely. Then you'd have to figure out how to dry it completely.

I would never drop a whole gun into an ultrasonic bath, regardless of the cleaner in it. First, I would disassemble the gun into its basic break down condition. The smaller components, including the barrel can then be put in the cleaner and then rinsed and thoroughly dried. The frame I would simply spray some gun cleaner in it and dry it. The barrel, before it goes in the cleaner, should be cleaned the conventional way. All parts should be clean and dry before applying lube again.

And frankly, a gun doesn't need an ultrasonic cleaner at all. I've worked all my life in an industry where ultrasonic cleaners are used on a daily basis. I do not have one at home. And I think they are unnecessary unless you are fixing and repairing old guns that need a lot of work.

[sonofeugene]

Not #9, but how about sonic clean with CLP then blow off the excess. Hmmm....

That's what I do, but without the ultrasonic cleaner. I simply spray it into all the nooks and crannies over a waste can and then blow dry with compressed air. No need for the ultrasound.

[CessnaDriver]

Generally I use mine on AR parts or parts that may get extra nasty, there isn’t a ton of reasons why you need one for handguns. I agree with that.

[hermosabeach]

Disassemble

Not #9, but how about sonic clean with CLP then blow off the excess. Hmmm....

If you have not disassembled a few semi auto slides... it's a fine thing to do.

We all learn and this forum helps a ton!!! I screw up during a disassembly pre internet and was stuck with parts. Ugh!


You have a firing pin channel
You have a channel for the extractor
You have cut outs for sights - holes - dovetail- etc
You have little metal springs in different places on different models.

You have threads and screws. Would these small sonic booms allow water to get in between the screws and the threads?

Would water stay in the firing pin channel and rust the pin - or the slide?


How would one completely dry the slide or frame?


I would guess - vacuum chamber. Pull a vacuum and hold it for 2 hours - then repeat a few cycles.

[mikeyr]

hit everything with compressed air when done to dry it out...easy.

[hermosabeach]

Video

hit everything with compressed air when done to dry it out...easy.

Please take a video of your method. I'd love to see how it works out

[sonofeugene]

Please take a video of your method. I'd love to see how it works out

Do you think it wouldn't work? I do it all the time with every gun I clean. I clean, then I spray it with compressed air. Then I lube.

[Gun Kraft]

I would be more concerned with someone dropping a complete slide into a cleaner

A complete slide has holes. Holes hold moisture. Moisture means rust

Sounds like someone who has never used an ultrasound cleaner and possibly doesn't know how they're used.

Step 1: place entire slide in cleaning solution and run cleaner.
Step 2: rinse slide in water, blow excess off with compressed air.
Step 3: place entire slide in special light oil bath designed to displace/absorb water and run cleaner. Blow excess off with compressed air.

I've done this for years on Glocks, Sigs, Les Baers and other slides with absolutely no problems. Ditto revolvers of various makes/models. Remove the grips, ultrasound entire revolver using the steps described above and no problems with rust.

Ultrasonic cleaners are good, but they have limitations. Like if you drop a whole gun into a cleaner filled with water and simple green, the gun may get cleaned but you then have to repeat that process and rinse it a few times to remove the simple green completely. Then you'd have to figure out how to dry it completely.

I've heard some people use stuff like simple green, but I prefer using the chemical solutions the manufacturer sells/recommends as the cleaning agents.

I would never drop a whole gun into an ultrasonic bath, regardless of the cleaner in it.

See my previous comment about cleaning entire revolvers. YMMV, but I never had problems with this method.

And frankly, a gun doesn't need an ultrasonic cleaner at all.

Agreed. Just like I don't need an uplula to load magazines. But it makes my life easier and gets things cleaner quicker and better than I could do it otherwise. It's expensive and it isn't needed. But it's a nice luxury and I value having it.

[MrTokarev]

If you have not disassembled a few semi auto slides... it's a fine thing to do.

We all learn and this forum helps a ton!!! I screw up during a disassembly pre internet and was stuck with parts. Ugh!


You have a firing pin channel
You have a channel for the extractor
You have cut outs for sights - holes - dovetail- etc
You have little metal springs in different places on different models.

You have threads and screws. Would these small sonic booms allow water to get in between the screws and the threads?

Would water stay in the firing pin channel and rust the pin - or the slide?


How would one completely dry the slide or frame?


I would guess - vacuum chamber. Pull a vacuum and hold it for 2 hours - then repeat a few cycles.

[RandyD]

I use a mixture of Simple Green and hot water. You need to rinse off the Simple Green with water. I then use an air compressor to blow the parts dry. For small parts, I put them in a large tea strainer so they are not misplaced. I also can rinse and blow-dry the small parts in the tea strainer. I got the large (5") tea strainer on Amazon.com. I have not had any problems with finishes, but then again, I have mostly blued and stainless steel firearms. If your parts have enclosed areas such as firing pin you need to dissassemble so that these areas can drain.