Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > General Topics > The Lounge
o

Notices

The Lounge A Catch-All Area for NON-GUN topics.
PUT GUN TOPICS in the GUN FORUMS.
Keep it Family Friendly. See The Rules for Banned Topics!


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-23-2015, 10:37 AM
Sclays Sclays is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Iowa
Posts: 111
Likes: 33
Liked 77 Times in 33 Posts
Default Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?

Stumbled into a gun cleaning video. Two guys both agreed that Ed's Red is the best. They offered up the formula for this home brew cleaner: equal parts:
Automatic transmission fluid
Mineral Spirits
Acetone
Kerosene (refined)

Mixed the stuff up and tried it out.
Works great.

These guys claim that the recipe is 30 or 40 years old and widely known. I'd never heard of it.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-23-2015, 11:03 AM
Doug627's Avatar
Doug627 Doug627 is offline
SWCA Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 3,387
Likes: 15,202
Liked 10,129 Times in 2,501 Posts
Default

I will stay with Hoppe's Elite. Although, I hear skunk spray will clean a barrel and hide your scent at the same time.
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #3  
Old 08-23-2015, 11:08 AM
G-Mac's Avatar
G-Mac G-Mac is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: CNY
Posts: 4,278
Likes: 6,968
Liked 4,812 Times in 1,416 Posts
Default

I heard of Ed's Red many years ago...on the internet, of course.

Never bothered to mix up a batch. I buy my gun cleaner ready to use.
__________________
'Merica!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-23-2015, 11:19 AM
AKtinman AKtinman is offline
SWCA Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MN, At The Lake
Posts: 649
Likes: 628
Liked 1,093 Times in 272 Posts
Default

The formula was put together by Ed Harris.

Brownell's sells it in bottled form so a person doesn't have to mix up a gallon of the stuff.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-23-2015, 12:03 PM
Rule3's Avatar
Rule3 Rule3 is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 22,063
Likes: 10,777
Liked 15,463 Times in 6,787 Posts
Default

You can mix small portions. I made it a few times only to clean some mil surplus rifles and shotgun bores.

It works but I find it smells and is very "messy" to use.

Dislike the smell of tran fluid anyway.
__________________
Still Running Against the Wind
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-23-2015, 12:29 PM
LoboGunLeather's Avatar
LoboGunLeather LoboGunLeather is offline
US Veteran
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 7,518
Likes: 19,273
Liked 32,340 Times in 5,474 Posts
Default

I doubt that any commercial producer has ever done as much research and development work on firearms cleaning products than the US military. If you want really good stuff at very reasonable prices watch on-line sources and gun shows for GI surplus "Rifle Bore Cleaner MIL-C-372B & AM 2 6850-00-224-6657", manufactured for Uncle Sam by Phipps Product Corporation, circa 1960's to 1970's. Usually seen in 1/2 pint or 1 pint OD green metal cans. Typically a buck or two per can.

Nothing better for heavy fouling and removing copper residue in the bore, bolt, gas cylinders & pistons, whatever. This is what we used in the Army for pistols, rifles, machineguns, all of the small arms.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #7  
Old 08-23-2015, 02:01 PM
tndrfttom's Avatar
tndrfttom tndrfttom is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: So. Florida
Posts: 766
Likes: 2,080
Liked 1,711 Times in 520 Posts
Default

When I shot Bullseye in the 1980s the local shooters touted two cleaners: Ed's Red (referred to by some as "red juice") and Marvel Mystery Oil. Both seemed to work well on cleaning and lubricating my Model 41, 52 and Government Model. (Since I only shot cast bullets I hadn't tried it on copper deposits in a barrel). I later read that Ed's Red was a variation of an old government arsenal cleaner that substituted transmission fluid for whale oil and was supposed to work well in rifles on copper jacket fouling. I believe Brownells sells the stuff by the jar if you don't want to mix your own.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-23-2015, 02:20 PM
Warren Sear's Avatar
Warren Sear Warren Sear is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Twin Cites, Minnesota
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 10,957
Liked 10,857 Times in 3,275 Posts
Default

FYI, power steering fluid is almost identical to automatic transmission fluid, but has no red dye.

Acetone is nasty stuff. It will remove firearm finishes, and no doubt causes cancer if you live in California.

Last edited by Warren Sear; 08-23-2015 at 02:22 PM.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #9  
Old 08-23-2015, 02:35 PM
ChattanoogaPhil's Avatar
ChattanoogaPhil ChattanoogaPhil is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 14,661
Likes: 7,937
Liked 20,623 Times in 5,958 Posts
Default

I've used a variety of cleaning stuff. Some works a bit better than others but they seem to pretty much work as advertised minus 20%.

The only thing that REALLY delivers is what I use to clean my suppressors of lead. "The dip" hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. Drop the baffle in a mason jar of it and it starts smoking! It's awesome. The downside is that the product is lead acetate. Bad stuff. Wear gloves and leave it outside to do it's thing and ain't nothing works better for lead removal. Nothing.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #10  
Old 08-23-2015, 05:09 PM
chief38's Avatar
chief38 chief38 is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 17,759
Likes: 7,835
Liked 25,615 Times in 8,661 Posts
Default

I don't know how dirty some fellas let their guns get before cleaning them, but I clean them after each shooting session and they are never so dirty that I have a problem cleaning them with almost any cleaner. For the last 40 years I've been using Rig #2 Oil which is a cleaner, lubricant and rust inhibitor and has proven itself to me time and time again over the 40 years. For newly acquired guns that are really filthy I use good ol' Hoppes #9 (cleans better than the Rig#2) and then convert back the the Rig#2 when the gun has been properly cleaned. When I am at the Hunting Lodge and some of the fellas are using Remoil I'll just use that as it works very well too. In fact, MOST of the popular gun cleaners, lubes and rust preventatives work very well for 99%% of all our needs.

I too have heard Ed's Red works quite well at cleaning however I am not thrilled about the smell, toxicity, and mess that comes with it. I also prefer an all in one type cleaner that also lubes and prevents rust - don't know how well Ed's does that. The other qualities that I like about the Rig#2 is that it will NOT harm wood, plastic, paint, Bluing, Nickel, rubber etc that is commonly found on firearms. I know Acetone does not like some things found on guns.

I suppose if you own a commercial Gun Range and go through gallons and gallons of cleaners a year, the Ed's might be a very efficient and cost affective way to go, but most of us don't use those huge quantities that would change our life styles. I suppose there are some who just enjoy producing their own Brand-X and tweaking the formula to their personal spec's. Nothing wrong with that as long as you enjoy it.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #11  
Old 08-23-2015, 07:01 PM
Harrison Harrison is offline
US Veteran
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 2,601
Likes: 8,743
Liked 1,813 Times in 797 Posts
Default

I have been using homemade Ed's Red for years. I leave the acetone out. I works great for carbon removal, and it gets the lead out as well as plastic wad residue in shotgun barrels. It is not much for copper removal.
__________________
Can my S&W Mdl 10 shoot +P
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #12  
Old 08-23-2015, 07:35 PM
Rule3's Avatar
Rule3 Rule3 is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 22,063
Likes: 10,777
Liked 15,463 Times in 6,787 Posts
Default

Acetone is the chemical that works on shot gun plastic wads,

For those that want to make homemade "stuff" here is a good site


Homemade Firearm Related Products
__________________
Still Running Against the Wind
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 08-23-2015, 07:45 PM
chaparrito chaparrito is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: 5 generations in N. AZ
Posts: 2,343
Likes: 1,942
Liked 3,434 Times in 1,364 Posts
Default

Seems like acetone would be death on bluing. Vinegar and peroxide too for that matter.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 08-23-2015, 10:44 PM
DWalt's Avatar
DWalt DWalt is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: South Texas & San Antonio
Posts: 33,479
Likes: 236
Liked 28,938 Times in 14,012 Posts
Default

Acetone won't hurt bluing but might affect some wood finishes. Its greatest hazard is its flammability. Plain old mineral spirits (paint thinner), all by itself, works about as well as anything else on the market. That is what the military uses at their ranges for general gun cleaning, including bores - They call it PD-680, just a high flash point form of mineral spirits.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #15  
Old 08-24-2015, 12:01 AM
HappyPuppy's Avatar
HappyPuppy HappyPuppy is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 28
Likes: 9
Liked 9 Times in 6 Posts
Default

I mostly use WD40. Kerosene and some lubricants. I use a copper lead solvent for the barrels.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 08-25-2015, 10:54 AM
Bat Guano Bat Guano is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 3,260
Likes: 1,224
Liked 2,526 Times in 1,043 Posts
Default

I started brewing up Ed's Red when my supply of 1960s GI bore cleaner got low (down to my last case or so). Gets the job done well enough and doesn't cost a dollar an ounce.

I like this stuff for nasty carbon buildup. https://www.slip2000.com/slip2000_carbon_killer.php

Gotta admit that I like the smell of Hoppe's #9 though. Like a time machine, it takes me back to my childhood...
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 08-25-2015, 05:59 PM
CptCurl's Avatar
CptCurl CptCurl is offline
SWCA Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Fincastle, VA
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 2,879
Liked 6,282 Times in 910 Posts
Default

For several years I have been using PB Blaster. It is one great cleaner and costs very little. It is available in one-gallon cans at your auto parts store. The gallon can comes with an auxiliary squirt bottle. This is great stuff!
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #18  
Old 08-25-2015, 07:40 PM
Bahamaroot Bahamaroot is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 156
Likes: 411
Liked 310 Times in 83 Posts
Default

Hornady One Shot, works great.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 08-25-2015, 07:50 PM
dkizer22 dkizer22 is offline
Member
Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red? Best cleaning solvent, Ed's Red?  
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 216
Likes: 11
Liked 29 Times in 22 Posts
Default

Ed Red is a great choke cleaner for skeet shooters. Mix a batch an share with friends.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
cleaning solvent spydermanDan Ammo 10 05-01-2015 04:46 PM
What kind of cleaning solvent and oil for the M&P sport 5.56 Tony The Gem Smith & Wesson M&P15 Rifles 20 10-01-2014 05:29 PM
Cleaning Solvent Recommendations Marine Corps Air S&W-Smithing 28 01-23-2014 02:13 PM
Will cleaning solvent harm wood grips MrAmbassador The Lounge 11 06-21-2012 07:30 AM
Cleaning solvent for Case hardened gun mesinge2 The Lounge 7 04-01-2012 09:21 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:38 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)