Dunking and sloshing cleaning system in Guns Magazine

[flinttim]

November issue. Do it your self system with a bucket and mineral spirits. Anyone done it and how did it work ? OK for the finish of most guns ?

[crawfish]

Don't use that system BUT I have a Safty-Kleen vibrator parts cleaning tank in my shop. It is large enough to hold a barreled action from a rifle and it has on occasion. It has also don it's magic on very dirty handguns. Gets them squeaky clean the cleaning solution also leaves them slightly lubricated, not enough for long term storage but enough for day to day use. I still need to use a bore cleaner for copper and lead but for getting gunk out of an action or bolt or anything you don’t feel =like or have time to strip down it works like magic.

[RemingtonDave]

When I was buying milsurp rifles by the dozen I used straight mineral spirits to clean off the years of cosmo and grime.
I built a tank using 8" PVC pipe about 5' long with both ends capped, then the pipe was cut length-wise a little above the half way point. The top piece was hinged to the bottom for a lid.
Filthy rifles were put in and soaked in mineral spirits for a while then scrubbed with a parts brush.
They come out squeaky clean but a little dry.
Currently I use Ed's Red in a stock pot for handguns. The grips are removed and the gun is field stripped and submerged in the Ed's Red, then a tooth brush is used.
The Ed's Red has mineral spirits in it as well as other fluids to lubricate the inards.
The mixture will dry but leave everything lubed.
So......
The pure mineral spirits will clean up the metal without hurting the finish but might leave the inside dry and unprotected.


RDave