Simple Green as a Cleaner?

[kbm6893]

I have the AGI videos for my AR and S&W semi autos, and the guy in the video says he has tried every cleaner out there, but has settled on spraying the gun with Simple Green and then dunking it in water! Then he thouroghly dries and lubes. How well can Simple Green get copper and lead fouling out? Is it a good idea to use a dedicated cleaner for the bore, but simple green the frame and slide?

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

If you noticed it the AGI films, they don't spend much time cleaning barrels or chambers. They always show a soapy wash followed by a rinse. They don't seem to care if fouling is left in the bore or rifling. There opinion is when you fire another round down the barrel it's dirty again. They are not clean freaks on barrels as they feel more harm is done cleaning guns than shooting them. I don't think simple green does a great job on fouling like copper build up. You still got to use a bronze brush and scrub it out, or special solvents to disolve the deposits.

Washing guns with water is fast to do. Just make sure they are dried before putting them together. They must be 100% coated with oil afterwards also.

 

[alaskavett]

Simple Green

I would not use it as it is very corrosive.

 

[AZretired]

I use it all the time on stainless steel guns and glocks. Let em soak a while then brush then with an old tooth brush, rinse in hot water and let air dry and lightly oil. Easy and doesn't harm the guns.

 

[Marvin S]

It may cause hydrogen embrittlement of the steel. I would sure check that out before I dumped my prize gun in it. I know that most all of these type of cleaners are banned from use on Aircraft cleaning particularly on landing gear trucks.

 

[n4zov]

What effect will water seeping into the barrel-frame joint on carbon steel guns have if the gun is not heated enough to completely dry out all moisture? It seems like a potential source of rust. I know service marksmanship units sometimes use a solvent dunk to clean guns, but those are petroleum based. Cylinder & Slide Shop offers its "Dunk Kit" for this kind of cleaning and it seems like a much better alternative than using Simple Green and water at least on carbon steel guns.

 

[JohnK]

Simple Green is a degreaser, and cleaner, not a bore solvent.

It'll clean metal to THE BARE METAL, so be sure to follow up with preservative/oil.

 

[Combat]

I have used it on cosmoline soaked stocks on surplus rifles.It does a good job on them.I take the rifle apart and spray the stock down,let it sit a little while and then scrub with a nylon brush. I finish up with damp rags till it's clean.

 

[PPCSHOOTER]

ON A S&W AIRWEIGHT PISTOL IT REMOVED THE CLEARCOAT AND ETCHED THE ALUMINUM FRAME. JP

 

[mkk41]

Why do so many people want to use every type of substance to clean their guns except for gun cleaning solvents?

 

[kbm6893]

My gut tells me it's not a good idea, but I do like the idea of dunking a gun and letting it sit for a while. Hoopes #9 is way more expensive to do that with.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

Remember cleaning black powder guns under hot water at the sink is a common practice.

Remember to let them air dry then oil it before storing the gun.

 

[grendelbane]

I use a mixture of hot water and Dawn's dishwashing detergent to clean guns all the time. Especially handy after firing corrosive ammunition. Hot soapy water was the standard 19th century bore cleaner. Just be sure to get it completely dry, and re-oil.

I have used Simple Green before, but usually just grab the Dawn's off of the back of the kitchen sink.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

Simple Green will etch aluminum..
We used to use it alot to clean automotive parts..
If left on an aluminum manifold it would start to corrode & then oxidize afterwards..
I wouldn't be afraid to dunk a Glock under water but wouldn't do it to a wheel gun or carbon steel auto, Just my oppinion..
I have used "Hot Soapy" water to clean a stainless cylinder after honeing but always ran the hottest water I could & then total disassembled & dried the part afterwards with a "Hair Dryer" & relubricated.. Most of us "Gun people" are very "Anal" about our cleaning methods..
Gary/Hk

 

[buck45]

The use of "alternative" cleaning products seems to me to lead to a quick and easy attitude about gun care. My guns are hundreds of dollars of hard earned money and deserve the best care and appreciation I can muster. I'll continue to use Hoppe's, CLP and some Gun Butter and keep it in superior operating condition. Anything less is unacceptable.
______________________________________________
Firearms. Fire Extinguishers. First Aid Kits. When seconds count and professionals are minutes away!
- Stolen from some shooter in Utah

 

[RDak]

My gut tells me it's not a good idea, but I do like the idea of dunking a gun and letting it sit for a while. Hoopes #9 is way more expensive to do that with.

If you want a cost effective homemade dunking solution mix equal parts of automatic transmission fluid, kerosene and mineral spirits. Dissolves carbon and old oil build-up and lubricates at the same time.

I've never used Simple Green to clean firearms but have heard it is not good for aluminum parts.

 

[Spotteddog]

Eh?
I'm WAY too cheap to risk saving $5 bucks, only to possibly damage a $4C, $5C, - $1K, $2K machine? Sure, under severe or combat conditions. Or if out of appropriate oil based solvents. Perhaps even if doing in volume? The ATF/Diesel/Mineral spirits is just as cheap and helps me sleep better at night. But I'm a LOT less adventurous than I once was? (Read that, old and lazy!)

 

[Gunhacker]

Does a great job on cleaning out the fouling in magazines and the nylon/plastic followers.

I won't use it on a blued gun... I've used it on heavily fouled stainless guns that I've purchased used to get them cleaned up, but I do not use it full strength or routinely.

I'm happy with using the "Ed's Red" home made brew for my bore cleaner and general degunking needs.