BREAK FREE CLP

[alwslate]

I agree with the above posters who use it more for lubrication and rust
prevention than heavy cleaning. I have used it for many years and really
like it.

 

[HorizontalMike]

I have and will occasionally use CLP for lubrication, however, I keep going back to Hoppes #9 and Hoppes oil.

My thoughts on all of the multitude of opinions about what is the "BEST", is that it should not really matter.

Maybe an analogy is in order to explain my opinion... Full synthetic motor oils are all the rage. Mobil-1 advertises up to 15,000miles between oil changes! My concern/question is WHY would someone want to leave any dirty motor oil in their auto for that many miles?...:

• What? Save a FEW $$$ on oil, but still wear out your auto at the same rate/speed/miles...?
• Too lazy to want to deal with normal maintenance of the things you own?
• Bragging rights, because YOU are using the BEST of the BEST products?

ANY motor oil will work, and work well, for the first 2-3,000 miles (or so) if you change your motor oil regularly. SOoo...

The same principal goes with cleaning and lubricating your weapons. Do it frequently, as in after EVERY range day/trip, and you should have no problems. If you plan on shooting 500rd in a session, then clean/lube your weapon more frequently during the day. This is common sense, not rocket science...

Your mileage may vary...

 

[Wee Hooker]

I've been using BF CLP as part of my firearms cleaning routine for a good dozen years now. Once the gun has been cleaned traditionally, I run a CLP dampened patch down the dry bore and wipe all exposed internal /external surfaces with it (sparingly) on another patch. This catch's anything missed and keeps everything protected nicely. Lastly. I use it as a lube wherever a thin oil is called for. Great stuff!

 

[dfariswheel]

If I recall correctly, the Vietnam lubricant was LSA.
CLP didn't come out until the late 70's or early 80's.

My first CLP was a partial quart bottle given to me by an Army officer who's unit was issued it to clean M48 and M60 tank barrels

 

[chief38]

IMHO for a heavy duty cleaning NOTHING beats good old #9! That is always what I use on a newly procured gun when I get it home. Since I don't but new guns theses days, the old #9 is terrific!

On my Sig P365, the gun hardly even gets dirty since I'm shooting Factory Copper Jacketed ammo. After 150 - 200 rounds it's barely even dirty so the BF - CLP is more than adequate. If I was shooting 200 rounds of Lead - I think not. The Sig P365 is the only gun I use it on (so far) and one of the very few I exclusively shoot Copper out of. Most of my shooting is in .38 Spl. .45 acp and .45 Colt and I prefer either Rig #2 Oil, Remoil or better yet....... Hoppes #9.

I also agree the best out of the 3 attributes is probably its lubrication, second it's rust prevention and cleaning would be the last of the 3.

 

[Harkrader]

I was with a unit in a steamy, hot, tropical environment, complaining about having to carry two or more chemicals to clean my guns. A former USMC colleague handed me BFCLP and said to us it for everything. He said it was created for field use.

I tried it and liked it, from the lack of odor to the way it seemed to stick "just right" to required surfaces such as slide rails. I've used it ever since, going to specific cleaners only as necessary. The "P" for "preservative" has worked very well for me, with some guns sitting for a couple years after having been cleaned and lubed with it, and they can go straight to the range and shoot.

I keep lead and copper removers for the occasions when they are really needed, but otherwise use BFCLP exclusively. It has my endorsement.

If anyone from BFCLP reads this, call me for a paid endorsement . . ..

 

[Enigma]

Been using it since 1981. It has been reformulated more than once, and no longer contains 'loose' particles of teflon that need to be shaken up before use. The original formula was found to not provide very good lubrication after Desert Storm, hence the reformulation. I'm NOT in love with it like Big Army is, but I use it when I must. When I was stationed at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, I only used it on shoulder-fired weapons. Machine guns got either LSA or TW-25B, because CLP didn't do the job in the extreme heat. Rifle Bore Cleaner does a much better job of removing (especially hardened) carbon. So does Kroil, which I used to clean 60mm mortars.

 

[Jebus35745]

Shot a Hammerli 280 in bullseye 20 years ago and Hammerli recommended it to lube & care for the gun. If they like it, has to be a good product. Been using it ever since, Larry

 

[Mister X]

I used to use BF CLP. My wife always complained about the smell and headaches from it plus it felt like it was diddling with my nerve endings, so I ditched it. I figure it's likely contains some mild neurotoxin, so no thanks. There are plenty of safe non-toxic products out there that work well enough for my needs.

 

[vortex360]

I grease my 1911 up with Lucas Extreme Duty gun oil and it is like a gel, stays on there and prevents rust. Smells kind of bad but it doesn't evaporate much, if at all.

 

[chief38]

Well as you can see, I've got a whole selection to choose from depending on what I think would work best for a particular situation...... and that does not include what I just keep on the Work Bench (4 or 5 more) for easy reach.

 

[ContinentalOp]

FWIW, I've used Break Free CLP for a long time, though now I only use it for cleaning and preservation, using Gun Butter for lube. I had good results using it as lube.

As far as preservation...My Beretta 92FS spent over 20 years in storage, in a foam-lined case (which most "experts" say is a no-no) with nothing but a light coating of Break Free CLP. I got it out of storage, cleaned it with some Gun Scrubber, lubed it, and it's been running fine since, with no sign of rust on the steel parts. Same with my 642ND.

Having said that, I'm planning on trying some of the non-toxic products available when my current supply runs out. In the meantime, I use nitrile gloves and safety glasses when cleaning my guns.

 

[chief38]

Unfortunately, most of the non-toxic stuff I've tried over the years (not just for guns) never worked all that well. I wish it did, but we pay a price for non-toxic in the fact that it lacks performance. If you find one that works great and is non-toxic, please let us know.

 

[italiansport]

We used to clean around 300 rental firearms every week when I was assisting in gunsmithing at the Scottsdale G C. Our primary cleaning product was Hoppes with a lot of scrubbing. The primary ammo used in the rentals was lead bulleted MAGTECH which was reliable but not particularly clean running. A thorough scrubbing with Hoppies was the first step and we used to probe recesses with Hoppe infused Qtips. I used to follow up my examples with a coating with Rema Oil sparingly where there most rubbing and friction would occur. This stood us in good stead with revolvers and semi-autos but we tended to use CLP after the initial cleaning on the Class III full auto rentals. We would also resort to military grade gun grease if the full auto were expected to get an extensive workout. With some tweaks and special consideration required for some examples this is how we kept these guns in good operating condition with is essentail to have pleased users.

 

[chief38]

PSA NOTE:

One should always wear Nitrile Gloves when cleaning firearm not just because of the chemicals we use, but mainly the heavy metals like Lead and Mercury that are present from Ammunition & Primers. The Chemicals don't help either, but mainly I do wear them because of the component contaminations. I'd still use gloves even if using a non-toxic chemical.

It is a good habit to wear glasses as well. After a cleaning session, my glasses are always sprayed with solvent or oil that shoots off of the toothbrush I use. I'd rather clean off the glasses then get that stuff in my eyes. There is also a chance that a Spring or a piece of Crud will go flying and glasses are a way to prevent injury. Just saying........

 

[oneounceload]

Is Breakfree good for lead removal from shotgun barrels? Been shooting trap lately and would appreciate hearing what others are using as far as a bore cleaner. Have tried Remington Bore scrubber and Hoppes but is there anything better and really works?

Are you sure it is lead and not plastic? The shot tends to stay inside the shot cup until it exits the barrel.

The best bore cleaners for shotgun barrels I have found are non-chlorinated brake cleaner and WD-40.

 

[Mister X]

Unfortunately, most of the non-toxic stuff I've tried over the years (not just for guns) never worked all that well. I wish it did, but we pay a price for non-toxic in the fact that it lacks performance. If you find one that works great and is non-toxic, please let us know.

How specifically did they not work or perform well?

I don't use CLP anymore, but I tried the M-Pro 7 and Hoppes Elite CLP and both worked fine for my purposes. I believe both are discontinued, but I would imagine other currently available options would work fine as well.

My father and grandfather both used Hoppes oil for years and little did they know it contained nothing more than mineral oil. A
Navy SEAL might have more demanding needs, but the average civilian gun owner simply doesn't often need that kind of performance.

 

[S&W forever]

I buy CLP by the gallon. great stuff and its like WD40 million uses for it. I had a fire ant nest the size of spare tire in my back yard. I try it all from sprays to powder and nothing worked. I day I grab my spray bottle of CLP and sprayed the nest. The next days it looked a nuke when off. killed them all, I have no clue how it killed the ones underground. But it was ground zero......... Try it!

 

[chief38]

I buy CLP by the gallon. great stuff and its like WD40 million uses for it. I had a fire ant nest the size of spare tire in my back yard. I try it all from sprays to powder and nothing worked. I day I grab my spray bottle of CLP and sprayed the nest. The next days it looked a nuke when off. killed them all, I have no clue how it killed the ones underground. But it was ground zero......... Try it!

If nothing else, it more than likely cut off their ability to breath - but hey, if it works.........

 

[chief38]

How specifically did they not work or perform well?

I don't use CLP anymore, but I tried the M-Pro 7 and Hoppes Elite CLP and both worked fine for my purposes. I believe both are discontinued, but I would imagine other currently available options would work fine as well.

My father and grandfather both used Hoppes oil for years and little did they know it contained nothing more than mineral oil. A
Navy SEAL might have more demanding needs, but the average civilian gun owner simply doesn't often need that kind of performance.

In general, the non toxic stuff I've tried just doesn't clean or perform as well. I was not referring only to gun products (stated in post above) but for most cases.

Birchwood - Casey makes a Synthetic Gun Oil that use to contain Teflon and it was great! They removed the Teflon and while it's OK, it's not as good as the old stuff. Cleaning products like the old Hoppes #9 that contain Ammonia works great on vintage guns - the non Ammoniated stuff is OK (and safer I suppose), but not as good IMO. Some of the water based solutions I use around the house & garage do not work nearly as well as the older toxic chemicals - although they are much safer I would assume. While we should and do pay attention to health risks and environmental issues, sometimes I just wish I could buy some of the good ol' stuff that worked so well.

While we do need to find safer alternatives, sometimes the end result is a product that just doesn't work as well.