The title pretty much says it all. I like shooting guns, but I don't exactly like to clean guns. Then I see that there are these cool ultrasonic cleaners that are advertised as an easy way to de-crudify stuff! For example, there's this one: https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...rasonic-case-cleaner

Anybody use ultrasonic cleaners? How has your experience been?

I've used them. They work as advertised for getting all of the crud out of tiny crevices. I never thought that they did a spectacular job on the bore however.

One caveat, it makes a huge mess if you're not careful pouring the solution, and drying your parts.

Hmm... So, they may not quite be the "easy button" for gun cleaning? I'm looking to indulge my laziness more than anything.

If you’re looking to indulge your laziness, dial back the cleaning. Wipe the big chunks off, relube, and rock on. Or get a glock.

quote:

Originally posted by ShneaSIG:
Hmm... So, they may not quite be the "easy button" for gun cleaning? I'm looking to indulge my laziness more than anything.

Then just clean them less frequently.

It's definitely not a "drop in dirty gun, pull out clean gun" situation. By the time you disassemble, clean, thoroughly blow out any remaining moisture with compressed air, and relube/reassemble the only part it saves is some scrubbing work on the dirtiest or hardest to reach places.

They're not useless, and can be quite handy, but they aren't an auto-cleaner either.

Well, fiddlesticks. I was hoping somebody had made something that's basically a dishwasher, but for guns.

More seriously, though, this sounds like something to do every once in a blue moon for the guns that see heavy range fun, yes?

Man I hate cleaning guns. Pistols not so bad. But ARs and my MPX. I've thought about getting one to drop the bolts/BCG in.

If only I could stick the chamber in there too.

It's great for a funked up barrel or small part with lots of hard to get at corners and such...

I could also see it for possibly my titanium 22LR can. Dunk and let it run for a day.

I got a L&R for the department. It's far from a great solution to routine cleaning in that setting.

It is great for someone doing fire4arm's maintenance. If you aren't going to break down the firearm to every individual part, don't bother. While it might break up the dirt and grime in those small areas, if there is no way for them to be flushed out, it simply solidifies. Found that out the hard way when a Glock sticker channel got gummed up and caused the firing pin to lock forward.

If you go that route, spend the money for a decent one. the cheap Harbor Freight are not the same as Crest and L&R.

Too bad you aren't in FL. My son loves to clean guns.

He knows that clean guns mean range trips and he's of the age (12) where he's allowed to shoot any of my guns with me.

Plus he thinks me letting him clean the guns "by himself" is really cool.

quote:

Originally posted by rsbolo:
Too bad you aren't in FL. My son loves to clean guns.

He knows that clean guns mean range trips and he's of the age (12) where he's allowed to shoot any of my guns with me.

Plus he thinks me letting him clean the guns "by himself" is really cool.

Would the lad like to make a couple brief trips to Missouri each year?

I have a ultrasonic that I got from cabelas, it has a tank heater and I just use distilled water and simple green. Let the tank heat up and get good and hot and the parts will flash dry as soon as you take them out and set them on a towel for a few minutes. I run for about 5 or 10 min, scrub the real heavy stuff with the simple green water then run it again and things come out pretty clean. Don’t put anything anodized or night sights with paint on them or you’ll risk messing the finish up but for rifle/shotgun bolts and pistol barrels and what not it is nice.

I have this one from Hornady:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...sc=1#customerReviews

Looks to be discontinued but it has worked great for years. I use it for cleaning brass, .22LR suppressor baffles, and other gun parts.

I drop the entire P320 FCU in it and it comes out very clean. I then spray off the FCU with some alcohol and then add lube back where needed and it's done. It's very fast and easy. I clean the slide and barrel by hand while the FCU is cleaning in the ultrasonic.

Some of the more aggressive cleaning solutions can remove the finish on gun parts, especially if you use the heater to warm the solution. So I wouldn't drop an entire gun into one unless I was sure it was a very mild solution. I've noticed it lighten the finish on some of my suppressor parts for example.

I have one from Harbor freight, use it to pre clean the components, so far nothing has discolored and it helps get things really clean, springs, FCU, bolts etc it gets into all the areas.

Air dry and then clean and lube it cuts down on the scrubbing, I usually have one in the ultrasonic while I'm doing another.