Ultrasonic Cleaners On Firearms

[G. I. Shooter]

Does anyone use ultrasonic cleaners on their firearms and if you do what brand and types of additives? I recently saw a thread where the user posted his use of a ultrasonic cleaner that really looked like it got into places that are REALLY hard to get at if you even can. I spent 23 years in the military and am a stickler on field stripping and weapon cleaning. The ultrasonic cleaners I googled up are really inexpensive, maybe I am looking for a new toy!

[bbqncigars]

I used the large one from Harbor Freight *gasp* to successfully clean my 2206. It went in whole without the grips into a hot water/Dawn solution. My lord, what a bunch of crud was left sitting underneath the plastic tray. It's a pity it's not big enough to hold the Automag frame.

[1sg]

I routinely use mine for small parts up to and including BCGs. It does a great job of removing fouling especially in the hard to reach areas. The trick is to ensure you throughly dry each part following every ultrasonic treatment followed of course by a lite lube. Been doing this since I was a young troop with no issues...

Post script: I’ve had great success using Distilled water and a little Dawn...

[Geno44]

I have one and use it for other things but not guns. Don't do aluminum or anodizing in one. I'm not sure how you would get under the side plate of a revolver to get rid of all moisture or how you could be certain to get the internals of a slide assembly dry in a pistol. Maybe someone who does this could help on that subject. By the way, make sure you get one with adequate cleaning and heating watts. I haven't looked a prices lately but last time I checked, something decent was going to be around $200. maybe they have come down since then. I'm on my third one and it is probably four years old.

[mbliss57]

I have one and have done my revolvers and semi autos without any issue. I have found I can clean my guns ( from 1 range trip) just as quickly by hand unless I get a really dirty one. So new acquisitions that are obvious shooters get dunked immediately. The results are fantastic. Small parts to rifles like the BCG are worth using it for as well.


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[andyinlz]

I have a large 5 gallon medical industry heated ultrasound. Found on Ebay.

Usually filled with a water-based solution mfg. for general ultrasonic use. Lots to choose from.

I suspend much smaller containers with more vigorous chemicals in the water solution.

Ed's Red is a favorite....but be careful of any flammable liquid. Always keep the smaller container covered to reduce surface misting/evaporation of the liquid and the attendant fire risk.

Every used revolver has its grips and sideplate removed and gets a good ultrasonic cleaning for an hour or so, and then soaks in the liquid for a few days after turning off the power to the machine.

Keep covered!

Great first step with a new-to-me revolver.

[jtj5002]

Will it clean extractor channel and firing pin channel without disassembly? Will leave moisture in them and cost rust issues?

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[andyinlz]

If Q above is directed at me, I have no semiautos.

And, Ed's Red has no water....all oil derivatives. ATF, odorless kerosene, acetone, etc. Google is your friend.

[Troystat]

Just be careful of what you use for a cleaning solution. A friend of mine put one of his model 41 mags in one and used Hornady one shot case cleaner and it stripped the bluing off it.

[Big Shrek]

I like dropping slides into my HF ultrasonic.
Also use a synthetic oil bath instead of water...
then lay it out on a cloth to air-dry.

Mine sees more motorcycle parts than gun stuff tho
Hence the oil bath...

[Veracity2371]

Do I need to completely disassemble the slide from my 659 before putting it in an ultrasonic cleaner? If it helps, I have a Harbor Freight cleaner and I would be using Hornady One Shot cleaning solution. No idea if that matters.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

One of my favorite pistols in a result of my gunsmith "doing me a favor" and throwing a newly acquired but filthy Model 39-2 into his ultrasonic cleaner. He was prepared to buy me another pistol to replace the one he thought he had ruined, I took the opportunity to upgrade all the springs and turn it into a fine shooter.



After this experience I subsequently bought a battered up ex-PD 6904 and had him perform the same service (except not by accident!), in this case we reblued the slide as well.



They make for a cool looking pair of shooters and conversation pieces at the range.



The lesson learned here is a word of caution to be careful what you put in there, and at the same time you can have some fun with it.

[N_Frame.SquareButt]

I have a gun cleaning service and use one. My solution is water with Simple Green. Heat it up to 140F and run parts for about 15 minutes. Works great on trigger assembly's out of shotguns. Cleaned an original 1873 the other day that I believe had never been cleaned. Threw all the internals in the bath and 15 minutes later, they looked great.

[HardToHandle]

/\ Nice example of lemonade from lemons.

I use compressed air to blow out moisture post ultrasonic cleaning, as my choice is always water based solutions. Some of the petroleum brews give me the willies in an electric device. I have not noticed any rust issues, but I am also a data point of one.

[Model52guy]

I have used the ultrasonic cleaner for some pistols and parts. It works well but......... some of the earlier models S/A the M41, M52, M39, M59, etc have “blind holes” with springs and plungers. The M41 has a blind hole that holds the extractor spring and plunger, the 39, 59 series have blind holes that hold the spring plunger for the safety and the 52 has an additional blind hole in the slide for the bushing lock. Any pistol with blind holes will hold moisture And debris After ultrasonic cleaning and it cannot be removed unless You remove the spring/plunger assembly. So, yes ultrasonic cleaning can be used but be careful.

[pasnyder]

I bought the Hornady cleaner when they first hit the market, so I have been using it for years. the model that I have isn't even available any more, but is still works. I clean every gun part that will fit in the cleaner with it, frames and slides included. I am stickler for gun cleaning, so I take everything apart as far as possible. After they come out of the cleaner, I rinse and blow dry with compressed air. I probably spend more time cleaning guns than shooting them. Hornady has brass case cleaner and gun parts cleaner. DO NOT use brass case cleaner on gun parts.

[Erich]

Originally Posted by SPEEDGUNNER

The lesson learned here is a word of caution to be careful what you put in there, and at the same time you can have some fun with it.

Man, that's cooler than a fan, SPEEDGUNNER! Thanks for showing them off - and for the thoughtful lesson. HardToHandle is right: a fine example of making lemonade!

[BMCM]

I have a heated 30Liter tank which is just shy of 8 gallons.

My cleaning solution is water based using a gallon of Simple Green's aircraft cleaner then topped up to the close to the fill level so it's about a 6:1 ratio

This is the stuff I use...


I go with a water based solution because quite often the parts cleaned are on their way to the blast cabinet for re-finish and it is very important to not allow any contaminants in the blast media. So not only is the tank for general cleaning but to thoroughly degrease any parts destined for media blasting.

Any weapon destined for tank cleaning first gets detail stripped right down to the bones. I don't put assembled guns in the tank nor assembled slide or frames. Whether the solution is water based or solvent based, No amount of blow drying will ever get all the fluid out of all the recesses nor all the junk/dirt that is now in solution trapped in some recess like the firing pin channel or the safety plungers under the backsight or under the mag catch nut for example.

My 5906 in the tank for initial cleaning...


Painted elements... Leave anything with paint on it in there for more than a minute or two and the paint will be gone. This affects the white dots or outlines on your sights and the red dots on the frame. Oh, and by the way, don't put night sights in the tank

Aluminum parts... The test to see if the ultrasonic transducers in your tank are working as they should is to suspend a strip or two of kitchen aluminum foil in the tank and run it. In short order, the foil should be covered in dents holes and pitting and if you leave it in there long enough it will disintegrate. So yeah, these things will eat aluminum. The tank will also eat anodizing off aluminum so if I need to clean an aluminum frame in the tank I will hold the frame inverted by the bottom of the magwell and swish the dirty bits in the tank for just a few seconds once or twice. That is sufficient to loosen or remove any gunk on the frame and whatever is left (if anything) will be taken care of as I dry if off. Never ever leave aluminum parts immersed in the tank unattended.

A side note... Never ever run the tank dry. Without a fill in the tank running it dry will kill the transducers and ruin the device.

In the end the tank is quite handy to have and is somewhat of a labor saving device that helps the detail cleaning go much quicker. But...It does not negate the need disassemble the weapon and clean individual bits by hand prior to reassembly.

Cheers
Bill

[BigBoy99]

My wife bakes a lot of bread and I time cleaning to her baking. When she is done with the baking and has turned off the oven, I take the gun parts out of the cleaning solution I put them in the oven to dry. (I let the oven cool a bit before putting in the gun parts and all plastic parts are removed.) When the metal parts come out of the oven, all moisture is gone. They then receive a good oiling.

[pennzy]

I don't own one but a friend has told me he uses a solution of Ballistol and water. After the water evaporates it leaves behind an oily film. Can anyone tell me how well they work on revolver cylinders and forcing cones?

[paulj84003]

In the 70's and 80's i used ultrasonic cleaners 6 of them, at the police range for cleaning model 59 S&W's. after firing each officer locked the slide back placed the 59 in the ultrasonic cleaner slide down and left the cleaner on for 10 minutes up to 4 59's at a time, after removing the 59's from the cleaner they were blown dry 50 psi with compressed air. 7 1/2hp 80 gal tank. the solvent used was paint thinner with Hoppies no 9 added mixed 2 quarts Hoppies 9 to 5 gals paint thinner. CLP was then used to lubricate again using air to spread it. after 10 pistols had been cleaned the solution was replaced and the used solution poured into a 50 gal drum to decant for reuse the next week. I began using paint thinner in 1946 to clean firearms along with Hoppies no 9. still use it. The bore was cleaned by brass brush using the same cleaned before placing the pistol in the ultrasonic cleaner.Model 59's have aluminum frames, we had no issue with the anodizing.

[runscott]

I acquired a Hornady's ultrasonic cleaner, but haven't yet used it - it was super-super-cheap and I thought I might use it to clean brass, but never did. I also have a compressed air system from Harbor Freight.

So, given the above, after distilling all the great information you all provided, is the following a workable plan?

1) remove revolver side-plate and grips
2) use a non-water solution such as Ed's Red
3) use compressed air to dry, not worrying about liquid remaining I can't get to, since I didn't use a water-based solution

I've never even taken the side-plate off any of my old revolvers, so please forgive my ignorance, but would I then need to spray lubricant on the internals before I put the slide-plate back on, or would the Ed's Red solution provide the needed lubrication?

Also, I would like to do this with my 1983 P226, but the frame is aluminum, so I guess that's a no-no?

[andyinlz]

Any new/old S&W I receive has the grips and side plate removed and it soaks in Ed's Red for a few days, with a few hours of ultrasound applied along the way.

It then drains a few days.

See my post above.

[brosky]

I've been using a HF Ultrasonic cleaner for about two years and really like it. I do a two stage approach. I disassemble every gun as far down as a I can down or to at least the point where every part can be seen, so that I can later be able to blow them out with compressed air. The first soaking and cycling is Shooter's Choice Ultrasonic Cleaner Step One cut with the proper amount of hot distilled water. Before putting any parts in I do the obvious and knock off any heavy grease and dirt with Brake Clean. Then I use the heater in the unit to warm it up further and run the process for about ten minutes, depending on how dirty the gun actually was. Then I do a very hot water rinse and a complete blow out with about 25lbs constant air pressure through a nozzle.

Then I do a microfiber towel wipe down and I run the parts through another 5-10 minute cycle of warmed Gunzilla, after which I let the parts hang and drip the excess back into the container. I bought tall rectangular containers from the Container Store to keep the solutions stored in and it allows for them to be deep enough to submerge most any handgun frame and related parts. Bent coat hangers work well to pull the parts out and then to hang them. I just fill the HF tank to the proper level with hot water after the container is placed inside and turn it on.

Gunzilla is expensive, about $150 for a Gallon, but by only putting pre cleaned parts inside the solution, it lasts a long time because whatever dirt and grease comes out and settles to the bottom can be later strained through a coffee filter and the mix reused again and again. That insures that any gun internals are really cleaned and well coated with the solution. Lastly, I wipe the excess down with paper towels and keep those in plastic baggies to preserve the Gunzilla that was picked up and I use that for wiping guns down before assembly or to coat them for storage. Very little gets wasted.

[runscott]

Originally Posted by andyinlz

Any new/old S&W I receive has the grips and side plate removed and it soaks in Ed's Red for a few days, with a few hours of ultrasound applied along the way.

It then drains a few days.

See my post above.

Yep, I based my notes mostly on what you posted. I just wanted confirmation from others, and also information about lubrication and drying.

[Veracity2371]

Originally Posted by BMCM

[...]
My cleaning solution is water based using a gallon of Simple Green's aircraft cleaner then topped up to the close to the fill level so it's about a 6:1 ratio.

For aircraft means safe on aluminum?

Originally Posted by BMCM

[...]
Any weapon destined for tank cleaning first gets detail stripped right down to the bones. I don't put assembled guns in the tank nor assembled slide or frames. Whether the solution is water based or solvent based, No amount of blow drying will ever get all the fluid out of all the recesses nor all the junk/dirt that is now in solution trapped in some recess like the firing pin channel or the safety plungers under the backsight or under the mag catch nut for example.

My 5906 in the tank for initial cleaning...
[...]

Greatly appreciate this. If you were using an ultrasonic cleaner for a 2nd gen-- say, a 659, with the adjustable rear sight-- you would be completely disassembling everything, including the rear sight?

Forgive my ignorance, but would that mean the pistol would need to be sighted in again after reassembly?

What kind of loctite would be best for the screw that holds the safety lever/decocker together?

The only thing that gives me pause, because I have never completely disassembled the gun, is the potential for mixing up parts like springs. If I disassemble I will of course be exceedingly careful, but if anyone could screw it up, that'd be me. Any tips for success? I take it the backstrap (aluminum on the 659) stays out of the ultrasonic cleaner.

[runscott]

Originally Posted by Veracity2371

The only thing that gives me pause, because I have never completely disassembled the gun, is the potential for mixing up parts like springs. If I disassemble I will of course be exceedingly careful, but if anyone could screw it up, that'd be me. Any tips for success? I take it the backstrap (aluminum on the 659) stays out of the ultrasonic cleaner.

Take a picture each time you take something apart, detailed enough to where you can figure out how to put it back together.

[SWCZSIG-Vinny]

How effective is ultrasonic cleaning of just barrels vs soaking them overnight in Hoppe's before brushing and patching?
Specifically de-leading and de-cruding the twist grooves.
Any words of caution, suggestions or recommendations?

[K Frame Keith]

Starting around 1986 my agency transitioned from S&W model 67 revolvers to the HK P7M8 recently adopted by the NJSP. The HK weapon, unlike the Combat Masterpiece, were filled with a complex array of piano wire springs. Cleaning after qualifications was seriously more complicated with the new weapons. (Side note: I had a fellow officer confide in me that he cleaned his M67 in the dishwasher. ). Guys were dislodging the springs in the HK handguns while cleaning.
The solution was for instructors to clean weapons using ultrasonic cleaners. I don't remember the brand, but I do recall they were foolishly expensive and the cleaning solution was a toxic hazard. Later the solution became Eco-friendly but was still expensive. We later used the cleaners/solution to clean Glocks, Smiths, just about everything really. Never harmed the finish on anything. Excellent on MP-5 Bolt groups. A final side note: a fellow Officer sent an M-19 to Armaloy for plating and ended up with a new gun after they left his gun in a chemical bath too long. I suppose ultrasonic cleaners have come down in price since then.

[K Frame Keith]

P.S. Ours worked really well on carbon and crud.

[BMCM]

Originally Posted by Veracity2371

For aircraft means safe on aluminum?

The cleaner is safe yes, it is the process thats tough on aluminum 40khz sonic waves beat the snot out of aluminum.

Originally Posted by Veracity2371

Greatly appreciate this. If you were using an ultrasonic cleaner for a 2nd gen-- say, a 659, with the adjustable rear sight-- you would be completely disassembling everything, including the rear sight?

Yup, but the windage slide is staked in place on the elevator. Typically to disassemble that requires one to break the windage screw (it's considered a consumable part) so that I would not take apart and it if needed deep cleaning I'd probably hose it down with some CRC brake cleaner...The nasty stuff in the red can

Originally Posted by Veracity2371

Forgive my ignorance, but would that mean the pistol would need to be sighted in again after reassembly?

No not necessarily. You just take care to not change your windage or elevation settings. You can remove the elevator from the sight base without changing any adjustments by depressing the spring loaded plungers on each side of the base at the front. Those are two separate spring loaded plungers housed in the elevator, that's NOT a pin running side to side.

Originally Posted by Veracity2371

What kind of loctite would be best for the screw that holds the safety lever/decocker together?

The pink stuff (low strength). You'll have to get at an industrial supplier like McMaster-Carr, Grainger, MSC Industrial etc. Loctite 222 or 222MS (for Milspec). It's unlikely you'll find 222 at the local auto parts store. Low strength is all that's needed, you merely need to prevent vibration from loosening the screw but not require excessive force or heat to remove it for maintenance. An even better solution would be swap in a decocker body and ambi lever from a 5906 and do away with the screw entirely. Save the original parts though in case you want to restore it. And changing the decocker body requires checking the decock timing which if out of spec will require fitting a new sear release lever.

Originally Posted by Veracity2371

The only thing that gives me pause, because I have never completely disassembled the gun, is the potential for mixing up parts like springs. If I disassemble I will of course be exceedingly careful, but if anyone could screw it up, that'd be me. Any tips for success? I take it the backstrap (aluminum on the 659) stays out of the ultrasonic cleaner.

Well usually field stripping is all that's needed for routine maintenance. Detail stripping like I've done here is not to be undertaken lightly. There are a few bit that can be damaged if not disassembled correctly and/or in the proper order. And there are a few tools needed that aren't usually found at the local Ace Hardware. However there is no shortage of help here on the forum to guide you through such a process if you decide to tackle it. In my view the single best way to learn the inner workings of a firearm or any mechanical contrivance for that matter, and truly understand how it functions, is to take it completely apart then put it back together and have it still work perfectly. And like runscott said, take pictures as you go so you have a reference for how the bits go back together.

And it's best to clean that aluminum backstrap in the sink with some Dawn and a toothbrush. If it's REALLY cruddy you can swish it about in the tank for a few seconds without harm, just don't drop it in there and leave it. The ultrasonic waves will eat the anodizing right off

Cheers
Bill

[rosewood]

Originally Posted by SPEEDGUNNER

One of my favorite pistols in a result of my gunsmith "doing me a favor" and throwing a newly acquired but filthy Model 39-2 into his ultrasonic cleaner. He was prepared to buy me another pistol to replace the one he thought he had ruined, I took the opportunity to upgrade all the springs and turn it into a fine shooter.



After this experience I subsequently bought a battered up ex-PD 6904 and had him perform the same service (except not by accident!), in this case we reblued the slide as well.



They make for a cool looking pair of shooters and conversation pieces at the range.



The lesson learned here is a word of caution to be careful what you put in there, and at the same time you can have some fun with it.

So, what did it do? Remove the black anodizing off the frame and the blueing on the slide? Have you done anything to protect the frame if the anodizing was removed?

Rosewood

[grcoffman104]

Originally Posted by Geno44

I have one and use it for other things but not guns. Don't do aluminum or anodizing in one. I'm not sure how you would get under the side plate of a revolver to get rid of all moisture or how you could be certain to get the internals of a slide assembly dry in a pistol. Maybe someone who does this could help on that subject. By the way, make sure you get one with adequate cleaning and heating watts. I haven't looked a prices lately but last time I checked, something decent was going to be around $200. maybe they have come down since then. I'm on my third one and it is probably four years old.

Use a hair dryer on low to dry hard to reach places, if not totally pulling the gat apart

[brosky]

Shooters Choice Ultrasonic Cleaner Step One is non corrosive to aluminum and other metals. I have cleaned anodized parts in it with no problems and it did NOT remove the paint on any guns or sights, but I never ran the cleaner longer than 12 minutes total. 6-8 minutes is usually enough to clean the dirty guns with only the worst requiring more time. It too is expensive at $50 per gallon, but it's mixed with water when you use it so a gallon lasts a long time.

Solvents & Lubricants - Gun Degreasers - Shooter'''s Choice