Comments

1. On October 3, 2020 at 12:54 am, Georgiaboy61 said:

   Old scientist’s trick – let the solvent do the work.

   The following method won’t work in the field unless you can somehow figure out how to make it practical to carry around a sonicator and power source for it, but it works great at home or in a workshop.

   A number of manufacturers – such as Lyman – make electric ultrasonic cleaners or sonicators, which use ultrasonic vibration to enhance cleaning. If possible, get one with a heating element and timer.

   A few minutes before you start work, fill the sonicator with warm water, and add any additional cleaning solvent you wish, such as Lyman parts cleaning solvent, or even a small amount of dish soap or Simple Green grease cutter. Turn on the heating element to further preheat the cleaning bath solution.

   Also useful but not required is a small strainer or wire-mesh filter, which is used to hold the smaller parts while in the bath.

   Once you have the AR rifle or carbine broken down into an upper and a lower, remove the bolt-BCG and charging handle, and break them into their component parts. The smaller parts go into the wire basket and the larger ones directly into the bath.

   Once you have all of the parts in the solution that you plan to clean, start the vibration (most units have a timer) and cover the solution with the unit’s top (if applicable).

   While your small parts soak and sonicate, you clean the barrel and rest of the rifle.

   At the conclusion of the solvent treatment, when the parts are clean, you simply remove them to a drying surface and discard the dirty solution in an approved container or per local recycling regulations. Some solvents are safe to put down the drain with an ample amount of water. Read the instruction label and Haz-Mat info for guidance. The solvent tank can be cleaned out with soap and water, and dried with paper towels.

   Clean further as needed, dry, lubricate parts as normal and reassemble your rifle.
   Easy peasy.

   Another handy tip: disposable blue nitrile gloves of the kind found in drugstores, are great for keeping yourself clean, minimizing exposure to harmful solvents, and making clean-up easier.

   Auto mechanic’s tip: If you do get greasy, dirty, or what have you, then use “Fast Orange” hand cleaner. As anyone who’s ever “wrenched up” and done mechanical work on a car will tell you, there are fewer kinds of dirt tougher to remove than the kind you accumulate working under the hood or under the car itself. “Fast Orange” has mild abrasives, cleaning agents, and a pleasant orange odor, and it works great. Not just on automotive dirt, soot and grease, but the kind from firearms, too.

2. On October 3, 2020 at 8:57 am, BRVTVS said:

   @ Georgiaboy61
   I’ve also heard good things about ultrasonic cleaning for blackpowder guns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1uTuOQgTm4

3. On October 3, 2020 at 9:29 am, Bill Buppert said:

   +1 to Georgiaboy61 and a cautionary note: The ultrasonic cleaner is so good at what it does, it strips all metal parts of lubricity and special attention needs to be paid to proper lubrication after cleaning.

4. On October 3, 2020 at 9:39 am, Robert said:

   Baby wipes. Nothing cleans my ARs better. Cheap, easy to carry and have many other uses as well. Just make sure to completely dry and oil afterwards.

5. On October 3, 2020 at 11:23 am, Chris said:

   Nitrile gloves – unless you want your hands smelling like powder solvent for a day. (Maybe you do….)

6. On October 3, 2020 at 2:08 pm, Fred said:

   I was wondering when Herschel was going to post another vid by this guy. The first several minutes are classic Harrell. If you think he’s funny it will be laugh out loud good. If you don’t, you’re just wrong.

   Dawn Duck Soap. There are households all across the south in which the men and boys all use Dawn Duck Soap for everything. Not only dishes but body, hand, shop, etc. It cuts through grime and grease and sweat and blood (not on your clothes) and guts and feces and it doesn’t have any dangerous chemicals going into open pores, and it does’t have any fancy smells for when you are going right back into the field the next morning. It’s got the duck right on the bottle, that’s how you know. This is an endorsement.

7. On October 3, 2020 at 2:13 pm, John said:

   In 1970 basic we were told to shut up about it around officers
   and take them in the shower with us. Worked well.

8. On October 3, 2020 at 9:57 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:

   @ Bill Buppert

   Re: “The ultrasonic cleaner is so good at what it does, it strips all metal parts of lubricity and special attention needs to be paid to proper lubrication after cleaning.”

   Roger that and thanks. I should have made that point myself….

9. On October 4, 2020 at 10:50 pm, Herschel Smith said:

   @Fred,

   Everything.

   One time a visitor came over to my house with a badly leaking main seal (I assume it was the main seal because of where the awful puddle of used oil was on my driveway).

   Awful puddle it was. Probably more than a couple of quarts. Sitting there for a long time. I assumed that I would have to pressure wash it and still not ever get it back to new conditions.

   My second son was in town and told me differently. He found brushes and Dawn dish detergent.

   He poured on copious amount of detergent and we both scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. Washed it off with hot water, and did it again. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

   The next morning, no sign of the awful oil spill.

   All hail Dawn dish detergent.

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