I have a cabinet full of cleaning products. Hoppes 9 is my go to one. Guns just don't feel clean unless they smell like hoppes to me. But I hate wearing gloves when I clean. Hands sweat and it's hard to thread the patch through the slot on the rod. I know hoppes and MPro 7 make cleaners that are non-hazardous and I have a spray bottle of the hoppes elite. But spraying it on a patch doesn't drench it like dipping it into a jar does. Anybody know of a product like that?

Hoppe s is great, BUT, if you use it on nickel plated guns be sure to remove it completely. Hoppe s will cause nickel to flake off.
I no longer use it on my nickel guns.

Give froglube a try.

You can always transfer Hoppes elite into a wide mouth jar that you can dip a patch in.

I think that's a widely believed myth, which has been discussed many times here. Hoppe's #9 won't hurt a nickel finish.

For general gun cleaning purposes, it is difficult to do any better than mineral spirits, aka paint thinner. Your nearest paint store, Wal-Mart, or Home Depot is a good source. That's what the Air Force uses for gun cleaning at their ranges. Everything goes through a parts washer with high flash point mineral spirits - called PD680 Type 3. The USAF central gunsmith shop also uses PD680 to clean everything from .50 M2s to M9 pistols.

Listen up brothers/ sisters, is the old Hoppes good for cleaning COPPER out of a barrel? Well then, if your nickel Colt is cleaned with Hoppes and it attacks the copper substrate under the nickle finish , Whudda ya think? If it will remove copper out of the barrel , what will it do to remove the copper substrate under your nickle plated finish? Nick

The gun shop I normally visit started carrying a few solvents by KG Systems which I had never heard of until a few months ago. I was curious to try something different and so bought the "KG-12" solvent. It reads on the label for "quickly removing copper fouling."

Well I've used it so far on a model 686, a Ruger Redhawk, and SP101. It's not as quick a solvent as some others I've used but the nice thing is that it doesn't contain ammonia or have any strong smell. It's water based and I could probably get away with cleaning guns in the house with it. From my observation I think it does a better job than M-Pro7. A few areas on the Redhawk required some harder scrubbing with a brush but it does the job and left it clean.

KG-12 Big Bore Cleaner: Metal Protective Coating | Firearm Lubricants | Industrial Coatings

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

S&W does not use copper in there nickel process, so it should be go to go on S&W's. Colt is a whole nuther thing.

CHarlie

Gunzilla I have thrown out everything else!

S&W DOES NOT use a copper substrate to their nickel plating, so ammonia (which Hoppes does not even contain at present) will not damage Nickel plating. It's a total myth that it does.

I use RIG #2 Oil which cleans, lubes and protects, HOWEVER that product will not clean like Hoppes does. When I have a really filthy firearm I need to completely go over, I break out the Hoppes and give it a nice bath.

Unfortunately as I have found with most things like cleaners and solvents........ the better they work the less safe they are for humans. You just need to use them in a ventilated area and wear gloves. use the more aggressive cleaners only when you have to and use the milder ones like Rig#2 and Remoil the rest of the time.

If you do use Mineral Spirits, it's best to do it outside, and away from lit cigarettes or other sources of ignition. Having a high flash point, MS is not nearly as flammable as gasoline, and is generally safe. But it will burn.

+1 for the KG products.
I still wouldn't drink it though.
I also use Eezox but it is the most pungent of solvents I have (not counting the heavy ammonia ones).
Clean a gun with it and you will be able to locate it with your eyes closed within 100 yards.

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Nemo

Sir,

I have a bottle of M-Pro 7 and I just remove the whole spray apparatus and dip my patch in the bottle the way we do with other solvents.

Regards,
Andy

I have found the micro-pipettes very useful for applying liquids to the patches.
Montana X-Treme Solvent Pipettes Package of 8
This way one can get just the right amount on the patch without any "runs, drips, or errors".
I don't like a patch that's dripping wet.
Yeah wearing gloves is a hassle but if you get the thinnest ones that are
as tight as possible they do work. I just don't like sweating inside them.
After seeing what some of the solvents will do to gloves, I am glad I wear them.

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Nemo

I keep a quart bottle of Ed's Red (sans lanolin) at hand, and dole it out from a small, strong glass bottle that once held hot sauce. But I've used mineral spirits, penetrating oil, etc. when necessary. Hoppe's smells right, however, like fond memories. For most stuff, just be sure to ventilate and avoid flames!

IMHO, it is just as important to use COTTON patches of the right size -and properly fitted jags, nylon or bristle brushes, brass brushes as needed, and good rods -as it is to use a particular brand of cleaner. Gentle friction is an important part of the cleaning process. Solvent seems to be largely a liquid phase to help carry away loosened power and primer residue.

Becoming fond of the Slip 2000 products. they dont have not a strong smell and keeps the wife happy

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The American dream is alive

Hoppes 9, for copper removal and I like to splash a little on myself before I go out clubbing, it attracts the ladies who like to shoot. Works better then cologne!

Gunmetal (Hoppes 9) Fragrance Oil, Perfume & Body Oil

I just knew someone had to make this.


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Nemo