Brake Cleaner
 

I have heard mixed reviews about using brake cleaner instead of powder solvents to clean your guns. Anybody have any experience with this?

I don't with my gun, I tend to want to only used products designed for gun cleaning. But that's just me being conservative

my uncle (a class 3 FFL or whatever it is) swears by the stuff, he gets the brake cleaner without chlorine in it whenever there are cases on sale. I've used it a little, seems to work well.

Are you talking about BrakeFree or aerosol carb cleaner?

BrakeFree is the commercial verion of CLP (Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant) that the military uses, it is very good stuff, and does exactly what the name implies.

Carb cleaner (I think the same stuff is also packaged as brake parts cleaner) should be used sparingly and only for "deep cleaning", as it will take all of the oil (and I do mean ALL of it) off of your parts, making it neccessary to recondition them by oiling and heating to regain the lubricity your firearm requires.

Brake Cleaner / Carb Cleaner

the other stuff is Break-Free not Brake-Free... I know its good stuff but Brake Cleaner + motor oil is a much cheaper solution :P (that is if the brake cleaner works without fucking shit up)

I'd keep it off of plastic parts, but other than that it works great for cleaning.

We routinely throw our M16s into a commercial parts cleaner which uses a substance much like brake cleaner / carb cleaner / etc. Like said before, it strips it dry and too much friction in it can take off the blueing. But nothing a good coat of oil afterwards can't fix and it surely makes cleaning after a range pretty quick.

I think thats a little harsh personally...

It's great for getting oil and loose fouling but won't do anything for leading or copper fouling. My cleaning routine involves less and less as time goes on. Wiping surfaces and scrubbing stuck-on fouling with a brass brush and then relubricating is enough. More pistol barrels are ruined by cleaning then anything else so I avoid using solvents and cleaning as much as possible. The barrel seems to get cleaner and shinier the more I shoot it just like Schuemann says.

http://www.schuemann.com/Content/clean0.htm

http://www.schuemann.com/Content/clean0.htm

I use the brake cleaner after the bore cleaner. I've had bore cleaner remove bluing so I like to get it all off.

I also shoot black powder cartridge and use it for water displacement and degreaser after cleaning.

One caveat...don't even set the part down without re-oiling. This stuff strips all lube and protective grease from whatever it touches. It apparently starts to rust immediately.

I noticed that a few seconds after I get it on my hands, I can taste it. That's probably not good.