I remember reading somewhere a recommendation to use carburetor cleaner as gun cleaner.

Anyone here used it? What were your results?

I use it to help clean my barrell of moly buildup and i guess it is pretty good on powder residue as well.
Just be careful to be in a well ventilated area and I hold the rifle muzzle down where the runoff will not matter.
Use the small stiff hose on the can to place nozzle inside the chamber.
this ensures no carb cleaner is inside the action or on the stock.
APB

I use it, but as a general degreaser, not as a solvent for regular cleaning. I spray trigger groups to clean any solvent residue out of them. This helps especially in winter when the residue can cause the trigger to "freeze" or become sluggish.

quote:

Originally posted by prof242:
I use it, but as a general degreaser, not as a solvent for regular cleaning. I spray trigger groups to clean any solvent residue out of them. This helps especially in winter when the residue can cause the trigger to "freeze" or
become sluggish.

prof242, How do you think the carb cleaner works as compared to brake cleaner. Just wondering the pros and cons of the two. I've been using the brake cleaner but have wondered if the carb cleaner works better, leaves films etc. Thanks, Greg

In the event you have a synthetic stock which is often painted, carb cleaner will do a real mess of it most of the time. Perhaps there are finishes out there resistant to the stuff, but suggest care. Brake cleaner is widely used by both civilian and military for cleaning their AR15/16's and other mil. type firearms. I have used on rifles w/ painted stocks and not found it to disturb or dissolve the finish when some got on the finish. In short, I would not use it when brake clean is availble. Just a suggestion.

BERRYMANS.... You can get it at your local auto store. Works great on heavy carbon. DO NOT get this stuff on plastics or your fancy Weatherby stock. Eat the finish right off. This also includes your plastic perscription glasses. You can get it in spray or liquid form.
I use it in the chambers of my G3's and gas system on my AK's. Cover the area up with a rag and give it a quick shot. When it dries it does not leave a film. It's in a red, white and blue can.

GT

Gentlemen,
I have used a product from W.W. Grainger for years and I have had no problems with it getting on the stock or anywhere else. It also cheap and I used to buy by the case. They call it a "Degrease Cleaner" and it works verywell.
I use it to clean Bronze brushed after using Copper solvent and I use to flush the bore prior to using a light oil on the final pass down the bore. I have4 not tried either the Carb or Brake cleaner so I can not tell if this is better or not, but It has always worked for me

The comments about dangers of carb cleaner to stock finishes is correct. My rifles get taken apart and thoroughly cleaned at the end of each season. This way, there is no chance of the cleaner getting on the stocks.
Brake cleaner also works well overall, but with triggers, esp Rems, the carb cleaner seems to do a better job.

quote:

Originally posted by LE270:
I remember reading somewhere a recommendation to use carburetor cleaner as gun cleaner.

Anyone here used it? What were your results?

I have used GM TEC - excellent for removing the carbon residue then you use something like Wipe Out or Sweets to get rid of the Copper. Trouble is that the vapours are so offensive.

I now use MP7 - supposed to do the same thing but non toxic & no smell. I do think attacking the carbon first helps the copper cleaners to work better.

Good Luck
JohnT

LE270.............. Give this site a try.

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

Great info.

GT

There used to be a fellow on this Board who worked where they made both Brake Cleaner and Carb Cleaner. He explained that the only difference between them is that the Carb Cleaner is designed to leave a slight trace of lubricant(oil) once it drys.

I've no idea if they all are made like that or not.
---

Agree that you have to be careful with them because they will disolve some Stock finishes. I use them to spray clean my Bore Brushes - behind - where I'm shooting.

That may or may not be the case, but as one whot drag raced for 20 years, carb cleaner will leave everything oily. Brake clean will degrease it and completely evaporate absolutely dry. This is what you would want to clean gun parts. I've been told the gun scrubber being sold is just brake clean in a different package.(and price) You need to be a little careful as the parts will rust overnight after cleaning with brake clean just like a brake rotor will, so they need to be oiled. I wouldn't use carb cleaner on a gun. I also used to use Dow bathroom cleaner with scrubbing bubbles on my trap guns and rinse with steaming hot water. The parts were hot enough they'd dry out on their own, put it back together and oil as normal.

quote:

Originally posted by GT1:
BERRYMANS.... You can get it at your local auto store. Works great on heavy carbon. DO NOT get this stuff on plastics or your fancy Weatherby stock. Eat the finish right off. This also includes your plastic perscription glasses. You can get it in spray or liquid form.
I use it in the chambers of my G3's and gas system on my AK's. Cover the area up with a rag and give it a quick shot. When it dries it does not leave a film. It's in a red, white and blue can.

GT

Berryman's is great stuff. Which is probably the reason California has banned it! [All the good stuff is illegal in this state.] I concur in GTI's advise: do not let Berryman's contact your synthetic or painted stock, unless you intend to strip it. The stuff will dissolve any paint or finish there is.


Jordan

Carb cleaner does not leave a oily residue. I regularly use it to clean off surfaces to paint as it evaporates so completely and quickly leaving a prime surface. I use brake cleaner if that is what I have on hand for the same purpose. If there is a difference between the two I can't tell. I buy both by the case.

May be the brand of carb cleaner I use, but it also does not leave an oily residue, I use other low-temp lubricants (like 5-weight synthetic oil, when I can find it) for an extremely light lubrication of triggers.

Had to get an Oil Filter and some Oil today. As I was walking down the local Wal-mart aisle, there were all the cans of Carb & Brake Cleaner.

Right next to them was a HUGE Spray Can of Engine Degreaser for $0.97. Didn't even think to pick it up and see what the ingredients in it happened to be.

BUT, if I didn't already have a bunch of Carb & Brake Cleaner on hand, I sure would have been looking it over REAL close. Should be a great Cleaner for spraying off the Bore Brushes and the price is right.

Well Hell you can not beat that price. Off to WALLYWORLD for me. The stuff I have used in the past was from WW Grainger but it cost more that that.
Thanks for the heads up
Jack

Haven't used carb cleaner, but have used brake cleaner as a means to do a quick clean on 1911-based race guns. It is not unusual to put 400-500 rounds on one of these in an afternoon. Gets carbon and bullet lube out very quickly and effectively.

Have also used varsol as a gun dunk cleaner. Much cheaper than the commercial product for that purpose and just as effective.

I have used many brands and none have had any oily residue. The reason is the goal of carb cleaner is to clean as while leaving nothing behind to attract/hold dirt/dust/gunk/ etc.

I use the cheapest auto store or Wally Mart brake cleaner and it works great!!

Word to the wise...wear glasses when you squirt. That stuff really hurts when you get it in your eyes!!!

I'd be a little careful here. I suspect these may contain Carbon tetrachloride, which is really nasty stuff. I went out and checked my can of brake cleaner, but all it says is that it contains a"petroleum distilate".
Grizz

For metal only, yes I would and do. I ruined a set of factory grips on my Walther PP however, so watch the plastic parts.

I think Wally-World Carb cleaner is the same as Birch-Wood Casey "Gun Scrubber", except is costs a lot less.

if you guys no a amsoil dealer try there powerfoam it will stay in the barrel longer and clean better


www.amsoil.com

most carb cleaners contain MEK. Brake cleaner that I have used contains no MEK. MEK is what gives the problem with plastics and finishes. the breakcleaner is what i use most often. Bill439

FWIW, After reading this thread I used brake cleaner on a 22 pistol. After judicious spraying it DID NOT remove crud from crevasses. It works for flushing out loose stuff but you still have to brush with a solvent. I used ed's red and a toothbrush.

I've used GM top engine cleaner with about two ounces of buleprint ammonia and 4 ounces of Kroil and a teaspoon of Hydrogen Peroxide for cleaning for years. Some say the peroxide isn't necessary. Acts as an oxidizer.

GM Top Engine Cleaner (part number 1052626) come 16 ounces to the can. Split into two 8 ounce batches, add 1/4 cup Marvel Mystery oil.

Great carbon cutter that will not etch your gun. No water in this stuff.

Use Montana Extreme for your copper problems.

LongShot.

Been using Carb Cleaner from Wally World for a lot of years as an action cleaner on most semi auto rifles and pistols (about the best and cheapest I've found)and have not had any problems but I am careful to not get it on any plastic or wood.

Steve E........

the STB brand has a slight lube in it. its a little more but i have never had any problems using it. i use it mostly on rifle bolts and other heavy carbon areas.

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Adams:
I'd be a little careful here. I suspect these may contain Carbon tetrachloride, which is really nasty stuff. I went out and checked my can of brake cleaner, but all it says is that it contains a"petroleum distilate".
Grizz

Carbon tet has been banned for some years now after it was linked to an increase in certain disorders amongst dry-cleaners.

The ingredient in the brake cleaners that does such a good job is tetrachloroethylene, which is similar to dry-cleaning fluid. Just use in a well-ventilated area.

I use my little Model 60 Marlin quite a bit with the grandson. It is touchy on cleanliness as far as jamming. I pull the stock and use carb cleaner to wash it out as I find it impossible to get into it well enough without a liquid wash. I then air dry it, light silicon spray lube and it's slick to go, no trouble. But I always pull the stock.

Until I injured my back, I spent almost 20 years as a automotive master tech and I can help clear up some of the confusion here.

In the past;
Carb cleaner had a lubricant for a number of reasons. Partly because carbs have alot of gravity operated moving parts and wound up springs that need lubed, and partly because the steel stamped parts could rust on short triped cars.
Brake cleaner was made with a now banned dry cleaning solvent that evaporated comepletely called cleurofleuroethane or something equaly unpronounceable. The stuff was awsome, and we all miss it.

In the present day with comercial products;
Carb cleaner and top end cleaners have a lube.
Brake cleaners have no lube and evoporate with no trace, they are normaly alcohol based as well.

Non-comercial brake and carb cleaners like what you buy at Pep-Boys and the like will often be the same product repackaged. If your can of brake cleaner says that it contains petroleum distilates, it HAS a lube even if it says it leaves no trace. If it comtains MEK it will eat paint and plastic. NAPA and CarQuest are both Proffessional parts stores, so you will have an easier time getting a proffesionbal product from them, but they may also carry stuff catered to the non-preoffessional, so read the can. Anything bought from WalMart is buyer-beware, expect it to be anything, especialy if it has a big popular name like STP or Fram.

I can not recomend ZEP products highly enough, they are possibly the best commercial cleaning products arround. They make a Brake clean that will evaporate comepletely and very rapidly, it will absorb virtualy all oils, including synthetics and carry them away as it evaporates. I work now as a semi proffessional woodworker and I once had my vaccum pump fail on a large veneered desktop layup. The vaccum clamp drew the synthetic oil up out of the pump and it spread through the platten of the clamp leaving and cross hatch oil stain on a beuatiful maple desktop. By repeatedly fooding the surface with Zep brakeclean, I was able to remove every trace of the oil with no stain and still aply a water based finish. This is not something that would be possible with a cleaner that left any trace whatsoever behind.

Used on my colt 1911, it will leave the parkerized finish a kinda blackish gray since it actualy penetrates the surface and carries off the absorbed oils. Its imperative to immediately re oil even parkerized finishes in humid weather. I buy it by the gallon and use tuperware containers to store the stuff and just drop striped gun parts in and swish them arround. It seems to last quite a long time before I feel a need to dispose of it, but it must be kept tightly sealed since it evaporates so fast. I dispose of it by simply pouring the old over a piled newspaper on my concrete porch, allow it to evaporate and then throw it in the trash.

Zep products are sold to businesses only, but are handled by reps. Just tell them you have a business doing something and they should sell to you with no problem. You can prolly buy it on the net, but will pay alot extra for shipping since its highly flamable, better to let them truck it over to you.

Both GM and Chrysler brake cleaners are excellent products and available at the dealers, I have no experience with the Ford product, but I assume its good as well.