Welcome-Here is what this one is about.

[Graybeard]

This forum can be used to collect special "tricks" from special cleaning techniques of bores, stocks and firearms to making buttstock cartridge holders to putting together a small survival pack. The list could be endless. Everyone has some little trick up their sleeves that someone gave/taught them or that they came up with themselves that they can pass on to others.

[Doc Silverfinger]

:-) So, I love using "Shooter's Choice" to clean my guns (I shoot strictly smokeless...), trouble is, it's so darn expensive!
      Recently, a highpower rifle-shootin' friend of mine told me that most of the hi-power shooters use an automotive product from GM, called
"GM Top Engine Cleaner". He claims that it's the same thing. I've used it with success. Anyone else use this stuff? :-)

                                                                        Doc

[Arrroman]

I've used Gumout carburettor cleaner and the like for years, don't think you should leave it on blued surfaces for very long though. For cleaning out the trigger assemblies and anything with old congealed oil it can't be beat.

[RD]

For cleaning trigger assy's on shotguns, just plain old gas is hard to beat.Starting fluid works great also and evaporates extremely fast.

[savageT]

I'll add to the list of good cleaners various brands of Brake Parts Cleaners (aerosol).  I had to clean up a new shotgun that I got for the grandson and after spending a couple hours and a bunch of patches saturated with various gun cleaners such as Hoppe's #9, Shooters' Choice, Outers, etc., I was still pulling out dirty patches from that cosmoline-like grease they use on their barrels.  When I showed it to the boy, he said Gramps had to do a little better.......!!  So I purchased a can of brake parts cleaner, saturated a couple patches and swabbed the barrel out.  Lickity-spit clean just like that!  There are good gun scrubbers on the market (like Birchwood-Casey's), but this was alot cheaper at Wally-World auto-supplies dept.  Just be careful where you spray the stuff, and keep it outdoors.  Pretty flammible and toxic fumes too.

Jim

[oso45-70]

savaget,, you have to be very carefull not to get this on your stock, it will
  eat your finish like a hog eats slop, but i bet you knew that huh?
  have a good day, the last time i pm ed you under another name.
                                  joe

[Nightrain52]

One other thing besides stock finishes it will destroy any plastic parts like some cheap trigger guards. When using spray brake parts cleaner it's best to take the action clear out of the stock and use it outside.

[GuntherII]

Hey, I love this forum even though I'm only part Injun. I maybe know a few Injun tricks but a lot of stupid paramedic tricks which would need to be in a different forum.

Try this, if you have a real dirty sidearm, just throw it into a parts washer for a few hours, removing the wood or plastic grips or anything else not solvent stable. Finish off with a dab of good grease on a q-tip for lubrication purposes. It might not take the very last of the copper or lead out but it will take most.