Gun Cleaner?

[Jackalope33b]

Hey guys!

I see where members have posted " Go to Napa and look for 3M high pressure NON-CHLORINATED brake cleaner. Part #08880, sells for about $2 a can". Well, my Napa store sells this Brake cleaner for $4.00 now. Looks like I missed out on the "sale."
I found this at Walmart today "Super Tech" Brake Parts Cleaner. NON- Chloninated. Part # WM 2417 Cost me $2.78 for a 14.5oz can :) Its a brand name made for Walmart only.. Im no engineer, but the contents in the can are: Methanol 67-56-1, Toluene 108-88-3, Acetone 67-64-1 and Carbon Dioxide 124-38-9.. SO lol, will any of this hurt my new polymer Kahr 380? or am I good to go?
I appreciate the help guys! Ill be off to the range tomorrow to break in my new baby. Thanks for the sticky on the "Proper Breaking in Techniques!"

[OldLincoln]

That's all I've used and it gets the job done. Doesn't hurt anything and the ingredients are pretty much the same.

[jocko]

thats stuff is just as good, many use that also. alot also use CRC non chorlinated. The reason I said the NAPA 3M brand that "NORMALLY" IT IS UNDER 3 bucks all day long and I have found it to be the most powerful of all sprays that I have used. It will blow sh-t out where u never thought sh-t could be, other than that they are about all the same. They won't harm ur polymer, but like some here also they want ty stay with gun scrubber which is just as good, basically the same stuff with some smelley stuff added to it. Never get ay of these spray/gun cleaners on wood grips or u will have to refinish them, same thing for Hoppe's #9..

[Jackalope33b]

Cool deal! I just wanted to make sure I was saving $4 a can that was doing the same job as "gun scrubber".. Looks like Ill be going back to walmart and stocking up before the price goes up ;)
I appreciate it guys..

[jocko]

Hey guys!

I see where members have posted " Go to Napa and look for 3M high pressure NON-CHLORINATED brake cleaner. Part #08880, sells for about $2 a can". Well, my Napa store sells this Brake cleaner for $4.00 now. Looks like I missed out on the "sale."
I found this at Walmart today "Super Tech" Brake Parts Cleaner. NON- Chloninated. Part # WM 2417 Cost me $2.78 for a 14.5oz can :) Its a brand name made for Walmart only.. Im no engineer, but the contents in the can are: Methanol 67-56-1, Toluene 108-88-3, Acetone 67-64-1 and Carbon Dioxide 124-38-9.. SO lol, will any of this hurt my new polymer Kahr 380? or am I good to go?
I appreciate the help guys! Ill be off to the range tomorrow to break in my new baby. Thanks for the sticky on the "Proper Breaking in Techniques!"

to hunt alot of jackalope in Wyoming, Killed the what isnow world record, unbelievable shot 1800 yards and running.:D

heh, thats the truth or I'm riding a honda:D

[TroyKoi]

Sorry I don't know how to post this reply/question! I have some Hoppe's Clean Start - is that chlorinated/non-chlorinated? Have a PM45 I want to prep and don't want to damage -
Thanks!

[Jackalope33b]

According to the senior guys on here, if you buy any Brake Cleaner that is " NON-CHLORINATED ", you should be good to go. It will save you some $$ also. Look at my post above, and see what I bought at Walmart for less than $3.00 It blasts crud away and dries super fastttttttttt. Good luck.


Sorry I don't know how to post this reply/question! I have some Hoppe's Clean Start - is that chlorinated/non-chlorinated? Have a PM45 I want to prep and don't want to damage -
Thanks!

[drgad]

For the record, if you have a Big Lots nearby, they sell a can of the non-chlorinated brake cleaner for 2.00 (at least in my area of SC). . . MUCH cheaper than the Breakfree stuff. :):)

[MERCTECH]

I got the napa brand non chlorinated break parts cleaner it was $1.87. It was next to the 3m stuff for $4.00

[jocko]

Sorry I don't know how to post this reply/question! I have some Hoppe's Clean Start - is that chlorinated/non-chlorinated? Have a PM45 I want to prep and don't want to damage -
Thanks!

bet it is non cholorinated. I would think it would tellyou that somewhere. Not to much cholorinated stuff around any more. If Hoppe's makes it and it is a spray,, I wuld say it is safe to use

[TroyKoi]

bet it is non cholorinated. I would think it would tellyou that somewhere. Not to much cholorinated stuff around any more. If Hoppe's makes it and it is a spray,, I wuld say it is safe to use
I've had this can for a Long time - "Hoppe's Clean Start" Cleaner/Degreaser. Contains Isopropyl and Methyl Alcohol - it's so old, they probably didn't have to list chlorinated situation. It's only five bucks, but I hate to throw away usable stuff!

[jocko]

Ifin doubt only useit on the metal like the etire slide. I can't hurt anything tere. error on the side of caution... if it is that old.

[TroyKoi]

Ifin doubt only useit on the metal like the etire slide. I can't hurt anything tere. error on the side of caution... if it is that old.
Thanks! Headed to get something new -

[TheTman]

I use electronic parts cleaner. Have a big can on hand, seems to work ok. Says safe for plastics.

[TroyKoi]

Hey - just went to NAPA and bought the NAPA Non-Chlorinated brake parts cleaner#4800, for $3.29
Up at the top of the can under "directions" it sez, "May be harmful to plastics." Did I get the right stuff?
Thanks!

[TheTman]

I imagine it would work, aren't any plastic parts up in the slide that I know of. Just don't let any get on your frame. I didn't go out and buy anything, just had that electronic parts cleaner on hand, and noticed it said safe for plastics, so I figured it wouldn't hurt if I got some on the frame. Someone else had mentioned they used the electronic parts cleaner so I tried it, seems to work fine.

[jocko]

Hey - just went to NAPA and bought the NAPA Non-Chlorinated brake parts cleaner#4800, for $3.29
Up at the top of the can under "directions" it sez, "May be harmful to plastics." Did I get the right stuff?
Thanks!

actual part number is 08880 and it is black can by 3M. If it says non cholorinated, ur OK

[OldLincoln]

From all I've read it's the chlorination that screws up the poly frames. I can say they mess with the slip on grips however so I am careful about spraying.

[TheTman]

I think chlorine makes stainless steel rust quicker for some reason. I'll have to ask my son the chemical engineer about that. It must be ok if you get it rinsed off quickly, or the stainless steel tubs in some washing machines would be rusted.

[jocko]

I got a buddy who swears he cleans his polymer guns, all models with the hottest "DAWN" soapy water he can make and just rinses the polymer portion in it and the steel slide he cleans with heavier stuff.

Dawn has no oils in it ..

I have been around a along time and for sure around polymer guns and polymer gun owners. and I can't remember anyone ever ruining a polymer gun with any spray cleaners. This is not ur cheap ass plastic guns. this polymer is tuff as nails and I don't think the gun industry would make polymer guns that could not take a wide multitude of cleaning chemicals. The know people don't read directions alot until after the fact, .

If you buy ay gun spray cleaner it willbe OK for polymer guns, If you buy these non cholorinated spray cleaners in wal-mart, napa, auto soze they are also OK to use to. Most of the time these cleaners are half the price of some of our gun cleaners and basically the same thing. surely none of use believe company like Gun Scrubber actually makes their own cleaners , nor do they pressure can fill them either...

[TroyKoi]

Hey - I'm in NC. When I went in my local NAPA, I grabbed the first thing I saw with NAPA and Non - Chlorinated on it. Turns out its a green and blue can with "Macs" and the number 4800. I didn't see the 3M...
Did see CRC non-chlorinated.

[OldLincoln]

BTW, LostAgain posted he got a chemical burn from Crud Buster. Out of curiosity I looked up the product to see what is in it. I didn't find the contents but did find a big warning on the product page "DO NOT USE ON PLASTICS OR POLYMERS". I have gotten a little of each brake cleaner I've used on the poly with no ill effects, but then haven't used a chlorinated cleaner.

[WGSNewnan]

i just about ruined a glock 26 with non chlorinated brake cleaner from autozone. i heard everyone constantly saying it wouldnt hurt anything but boy was i wrong. the grip turn sticky immediately. needless to say i havent used it since. i stick with simple green and a tooth brush. spray everything down, brush it clean, rinse with clean water and blow dry. i then wipe everything down with a rag with clp. works very well and no caustic chemicals.

[jocko]

I use 3M on my G19 and have for 3 years, also used it o my Smith M &P. both of my poly kahrs... ALL OVER. Grips looks as good as the day I took it out of the box. I have no idea what brand or what u used but I can tell you 3M will not hurt polymer what so ever.But again one should go with what he thinks is best for him/her..

Personally, what you should have done with your report was also list the name of the product so that we can all stay away from that brand, instead of trying to group all non cholorinated cleaners as harmful, which we know they are not.

[Jackalope33b]

That sucks! Sorry to hear that.. I thought Simple Green will attack Aluminum if NOT washed away completley?


i just about ruined a glock 26 with non chlorinated brake cleaner from autozone. i heard everyone constantly saying it wouldnt hurt anything but boy was i wrong. the grip turn sticky immediately. needless to say i havent used it since. i stick with simple green and a tooth brush. spray everything down, brush it clean, rinse with clean water and blow dry. i then wipe everything down with a rag with clp. works very well and no caustic chemicals.

[WGSNewnan]

That sucks! Sorry to hear that.. I thought Simple Green will attack Aluminum if NOT washed away completley?
ive never seen anything. and ive used it on numerous alum frames. as a matter of fact - its what we used in my sig armorers course. every bench had a bottle.

the story behind that - simple green is water based and alkaline in nature, the water if not removed from the alum, will corrode the alum. we cleaned each part, dropped in bucket of water to rinse, dried with compressed air, and wiped each part down with clp.

you know what i find funny about the whole brake cleaner thing - there is only one way to find out if it is harmful to your gun and then it is too late. people will spend several hundred dollars on their weapons and then they try to be cheap on the cleaning supplies. really doesnt make sense to me.

i can assure you i wont make that mistake twice.

[WGSNewnan]

BTW - hot soapy water also does a fantastic job. dish detergent cuts grease, grime, and carbon deposits like gangbusters.

[garyb]

If I were not certain of a cleaner to use, I'd simply use Hoppe's or MilCom's gun cleaner. Safe and both work very well if wiped out dry after using. I had asked Kahr what cleaners they recommend when I first got my PM. They would not suggest anything. I have a batch of Hoppe's in my inventory that I would not hesitate to use, but switched to MilCom products. Their cleaner works great. If I use either cleaner I make sure I wipe it all out and dry, then follow with the MilCom TW25b oil and grease products. Good stuff.

[Richardh]

I just bought the 3M 08880 at NAPA for $2.19. Have not tried it yet.

[jocko]

ive never seen anything. and ive used it on numerous alum frames. as a matter of fact - its what we used in my sig armorers course. every bench had a bottle.

the story behind that - simple green is water based and alkaline in nature, the water if not removed from the alum, will corrode the alum. we cleaned each part, dropped in bucket of water to rinse, dried with compressed air, and wiped each part down with clp.

you know what i find funny about the whole brake cleaner thing - there is only one way to find out if it is harmful to your gun and then it is too late. people will spend several hundred dollars on their weapons and then they try to be cheap on the cleaning supplies. really doesnt make sense to me.

i can assure you i wont make that mistake twice.

all people who have used non cholorinated brake cleaner would not be telling ANYHONE to use this stuff if it was harmful. or did harm to their weapons. I have used it for over 3 years, many the same way, not one report.

good ol dawn in hot water will clean very good, just takes longer due to no pressure behind the solution like most compressed canned sprays. Being cheap on cleaning supplies is not the same IMO as just wise buying. these gun makers who make cleaners etc, know they can make a nice fancy can and get double or more for basically the same thing like CRC or most all brake cleaners, Electronic cleaners etc, which are all alot lower in price than gun cleaners, certainly not "cheap"..