For years I have used Mpro-7 as a cleaner. Problem is this formula seems to separate and has cloudy almost cottage cheese like material in it after long periods of storage.

What is everyone using as a cleaner?

Not interested in Hoppes but what other cleaner has the trust had good results with? I have all the oils and lubes covered, just thinking to switch to a new cleaner.

Thanks

For removing most soot type residues and old lubricant, I use 99% isopropyl alcohol (I believe the 91% is probably effective as well.)
Rifle bore cleaning: usually TM Solvent and Gunslick foaming cleaner. Sweet’s 7.62 for heavy copper fouling
Pistol bore cleaning (removable barrels): immersion soaking in traditional Hoppe’s #9
Hard to remove carbon, as on breech faces: Bore Tech Carbon Remover

“Ed’s Red” (Ed Harris) works well for everything except copper fouling. An internet search will provide the recipe. Use caution with it on polymer parts and wood stock finishes. The acetone component can damage some of them.

I like Mpro7. I'm not sure what long term is, but I have used some of it a decade later without an noticeable change in the product.

https://www.breakthroughclean....er-16oz-bottle-clear

Whatever that doesn’t clean, I follow up with Boretech Eliminator.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
“Ed’s Red” (Ed Harris) works well for everything except copper fouling. An internet search will provide the recipe. Use caution with it on polymer parts and wood stock finishes. The acetone component can damage some of them.

I use this also but don't add the acetone.
If I'm cleaning a shotgun I will add the acetone to the mixture in a separate container.

I’m curious what acetone does for a rifle or handgun cleaning solvent. To remove plastic shotshell wad/cup residue makes sense, but I can’t imagine it helps with metallic (copper or lead) fouling.

Out of curiosity I tried some acetone on a P320 I fired yesterday and hadn’t yet cleaned. Acetone worked about as well as mechanical scrubbing with a paper towel on the carbon gunpowder residues, or maybe as well as the 99% isopropyl alcohol I usually use. It didn’t work as well as Bore Tech Carbon Remover, though.

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The acetone is for Shotgun wad residue. As I posted, I leave it out of my main solution and add it in a separate container only if cleaning shotgun barrels.

I use Bore Tech carbon and copper cleaner on rifles. On pistols right now I'm using the BT carbon cleaner as well, but I can't help but feel it's a waste. I have used it on shotguns, and it works.

I tried Butch's Bore Shine, but couldn't tolerate the stank (And almost ruined the paint on the patio furniture) so I put it on the shelf for a rainy day. The Bore Tech stuff does a more than satisfactory job, though.

I've used 99% (and 91%) iso alcohol before, and it does work, but acetone is, has been mentioned, not the most effective cleaner in the world. I have a container of MEK I've been wanting to try as a test, though.

I have used Simple Green with great results. Easy to find and inexpensive. It is a must to follow up with a quality oil because SG will strip off any previous lubricant from metal.

After watching a YouTube video about taking-down, cleaning, and reassembling a 1911 (I was new to the platform art the time) and the guy used CLP to clean, I thought "Really?" So I tried it. Darned if it didn't do the job.

I get a good coat of CLP everywhere, incl. a wet patch down the bore, go back and wipe it all off (brushing bore and other especially fouled bits, as necessary, first), lube 'er up, and done.

Mind you: I've gone from "Gotta be white glove clean" to "Eh. 80% is good enough" in recent years

I’ve also been a long time MPro7 fan due to its excellent carbon removal ability and low toxicity. However, it ain’t cheap. So I was bored one day and tried making some Ed’s Red, one batch with acetone and one batch without, and with lanolin oil added. Ed’s Red about on par for carbon removal (more so with acetone added), and the lanolin provides a bit of rust protection that MPro7 cleaner doesn’t provide. For the price and ease of cleaning, it’s a compelling option. Especially since most people have the ingredients sitting in their garage already.