All posts tagged 30 Caliber

BreakFree CLP and it’s time to move on

We all know that most of the Military has been using a CLP for cleaning, but now that we’re actually in full fledged combat in parts of the world, certain things are becoming out dated.   I’ve noticed for years that Breakfree CLP is a very good gun cleaner and protector, but it always seems to disappear from your gun even if you don’t shoot it.   I’ve put enough guns in gun safes for long periods of time to notice which guns hold lube, and if you are a Sig Sauer fan you should know that those guns need lubrication to keep up with the modern world.   I have picked up some of the Mpro7 products to test them out due to friends telling me about it and here’s some feedback.

I am not one to like wearing gloves but if you are around all of this stink, it’s something to be concerned about.   Gun cleaning supplies like CLP are smelly and in the winter you may have issues with ventilation.     MPro-7 cleaner does an outstanding job of stripping gun oils and carbon off of your gun and this is a must for anyone running a direct impingement firearm.   The Pro-7 gun oil also seems to  hold on to firearms better and I could feel the difference on my Sig handguns as soon as I racked the slide.   I’ll have to shoot them for awhile to tell if they hold up better than when I used CLP, but I have had guns jam on me after 400rds or so when I only used CLP and let them sit for a few months.

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Cleaning guns, the right way

The is a right way to do things and a wrong way to do things, there are also many ways to do get the same job done, but efficiency really matters to most of us.   I do admit that I like cleaning some of my firearms, some guns are really annoying to assemble and re-assemble.   The Ruger MKII is probable the most annoying handgun I ever owned, but my tolerances for complicated things has increased and I probable should have never sold it.   The real problem with guns like that is when you haven’t shot them in awhile and the learned knowledge floats out your brain.  I’ve read several issues of SWAT magazine where excessive gun cleaning can cause damage and after watching a recent DVD from Dean Caputo on the AR15 I thought I’d bring this up.

 

 

Boresnakes are definitely the fastest and easiest to use, but it won’t do a very good job on a really dirty chamber or in the bolt carrier of an AR15.  You will still gun cleaning supplies other than just CLP Break Free and a bore snake.   The Otis gun cleaning kits that are specifically designed for the M16 or AR15 is probable  the most complete gun cleaning kit for an AR15, but they gotta be used the right way.  One of the biggest screw ups I see with the cleaning tools are the chamber brushes.   The chamber brush is only meant to be pushed down so far and the fast majority of the ones I have come across look like someone tried to jam it down the barrel.  Watch what you are doing so you don’t damage the gun doing something you aren’t suppose to be doing.

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Time to get your gear in order and your gun cleaning supplies

There’s a certain point where a gun owners really can waste enormous amounts of time if they aren’t keeping there gun cleaning supplies in order.   There are lots of cleaning tools that will speed up your cleaning time and reduce the amount of money you’ll spend on cleaning pads and cleaning fluids.  I must have the same bottle of Break Free CLP gun cleaning and lubrication that I had 5yrs ago.   I hardly go through gun cleaning solvents because the tools that I am using now are so good at getting the debris and grud off the guns that solvents really only get used for cleaning the bore if I am using lead bullets.

Last year I got an Otis gun cleaning mat from my wife for a Christmas present and it’s really helped keep me from losing parts and messing up my living room rug. Otis gun cleaning kits are compact, versatile and easy to use on various firearms.   I’ve had a few issues with bore snakes and some of my semi-auto rifles and the Otis cleaning kits were great companions for people that want to clean a firearm on a firing range or on the road.   The tools that fit in some of the kits are great for the AR15 style firearms because some can be stowed in the grips or butt stocks.

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Some guns were not designed to be cleaned very well

My first semi-auto was a Russian SKS which was when they were going for under $100.   The Russian SKS is a very well thought out semi-auto because in my opinion, I like the operation and disassemble more than the M1 Garand.   I think the Garand is  a fine rifle and far more accurate than an SKS, but the stripper clips and lighter ammuntion is better suited for WWII combat although it was not introduced that early.   The AK ended the short adventure of the SKS much in the same way the M16 shortened the life of the M14.   They were all very well designed and reliable firearms, but they were not modern enough for combat.   One gun I have found that I still enjoy shooting and operating with is the FAL.   The triggers on these guns are a little hard to drop in weight, and the mounts on them really need to be locked in place with something other than just a screwdriver.   The .308 caliber will do a number on scope mounts especially exposing any operator failures to properly “lock it down”.

One thing that made me a fan of the DSA FAL I own is that it was designed to be easy to operate and maintain.   I’ve heard many firearm instructors that I respect say that the M16 does not need to be cleaned as much as people think and lubrication is more important than scrubbing every spec of carbon off the firearm.  I still enjoy cleaning some of my firearms just because I like inspecting the geniousness of the designs.   I literally can clean and FAL with gun cleaning supplies like the Hoppes bores snakes.  The Otis gun cleaning kits aren’t necessary on one of these guns and more appropriate for more complicated designs.  The FAL is hands down the simplest battle rifle to clean.

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.308 rifle cleaning on the move

The tactical world is loaded with tons of doodads and accessories that are very well thought out, but sometimes it takes as much time to learn how to use them as it probable took to create the device.    Experience is what we learn from and we get it an many ways.   If you have ever had to pack a backpack and go on a week or longer hike, you’ll know the importance of packing “only what you need to survive” which is a line I stole from Spaceballs the movie.   It’s funny that I have actually seen people go on camping trips with things that plug in and need electricity, and those are the people you’ll probable never see on a camping trip again.   My Boy Scout Troop usually had 2 or 3 campers a year, the new guys, do something like that and the City slicker attitudes usually mean a short stint in the Boy Scouts of America.

When it comes to carrying a firearm like a DMR or Sniper rifle, adding weight to something that is already heavy is not something you are going to want to do.   If you could remove 1 or 2 lbs of weight from a rifle, you can add on the weight of the ammo that replaces it.  I don’t know a single shooter that wouldn’t rather carry more ammo than carry more gun.  There are cleaning systems like boresnakes that are fast and easy, but for serious cleaning, you are going to like the Otis gun cleaning kits for the sniper or DMR.  This gun cleaning kit is meant for a .308 rifle, bolt action or semi-auto, it doesn’t matter.    I’m sure there are people that think they need a cleaning rod for bolt guns, maybe some guns need it, but how the heck do you carry a cleaning rod into the field?

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Boresnake life span, are they worth it?

Are they worth it?  Do they hold up to heavy use?   I have the same 22 caliber bore snake and it has been used in 22LR rifles, AR15 rifles, M4 Carbines, AK74 and Mini 14s.   The same bore snake is approximately 6yrs old and probable gets used about  50 times a year.   I usually run the snake through the gun about 2 times.   I may only need to do it once, but i’m use to using cleaning rods and just get in the habit.   I almost only use Break Free CLP on my firearms, and the occasional grease application, and gun cleaning is now simple.

Cleaning revolvers is probable easier than some semi-autos because there is nothing you really need to disassemble.   I have been using the Hoppes boresnakes for rifle the majority of the time because handguns just don’t seem to be that much of a hassle and I’m really not that worried about how clean the barrels are for any particular accuracy reason.    When it comes to cleaning out a bolt action rifle like a Winchester M70,  It sure does make a difference in cleaning time when you do a one, two, and then just wipe the gun down and put it away.   If you clean the guns often, from my experience there is very little worry about hard to clean areas.

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If there is a faster way to clean a revolover…

Please show me how I can clean a revolver faster than if I were using a boresnake?   I’ve got several boresnakes that are showing a good bit of wear, but they are still getting the job done on cleaning my rifles and I don’t even think they have gotten to their half life yet.   Just wash them in the wash machine if they start to show signs they are getting too slimy.   The only difference between the pistol and rifle bore snakes is the length and although you can still use a rifle boresnake but it may flop around a little too much.

I have always liked Hoppes boresnakes, but I recently dug out a Ruger GP100 that was a rack queen and took it to the range for a day.   I didn’t put that many rounds through it, but after spending years of range time with Glocks, XD’s and Sigs, it was fun to break out a .357 magnum and do a range  report.  The Hoppes Boresnakes that I have for my handguns have not been used that much, and when it came time to clean the gun, i popped open the cylinder, rang the bore snake through each hole, then the barrel and was trying to figure out what else I needed to do.   That was it!

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Watch it with those gun patches

I will admit that I have stuck gun cleaning patches in some of my firearms.   I tried to do a fast clean with a Hoppes gun cleaning kit patch on a 22LR and punched a whole through the patch and had trouble getting the cleaning rod out of the firearm.   Another time I used a wrong size cleaning patch on a Otis gun cleaning kit and almost broke the wire trying to get the patch out.    I read something funny on the internet about this happening to a few other people and they had to put the gun in a vice or wrap the cord around a tree and  yank.   That’s never a good thing.

There is still nothing wrong with using a cleaning rod, but I think boresnakes really did do damage to the old cleaning rod relic sales.   When you can simplify your gun cleaning supplies, and you can cut down on the amount of exposure to the toxic chemicals, you really are sold on upgrading your gear.   I still haven’t gotten around to putting an Otis gun cleaning kit into my butt stock or grip, but I may do so in the near future.   Cleaning brushes are something else I hate dealing with because if you don’t keep them organized, it’s hard to tell which caliber is for which, and you’ll know soon enough when the gun isn’t getting cleaned.

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Keeping it simple, but still wash your hands

I’ve often found it difficult to clean my firearms while wearing gloves, this gets right back to the problem that I have often come across when handing the AR15 rifle with them on.  There are smaller parts to take apart on the M4 Carbine and even though I have to get my hands dirty, I can’t get to all of the parts with gloves on.   There have been times I only fired less than 20rds through a rifle and I wasn’t in the mood for a full firearm disassemble.   If I have a firearm that has gone on a camping trip like my Marlin 336 lever action or a Winchester Model 70 bolt action, I still clean them after every trip even if they have not been fired.   Moisture can get to these types of firearms and I have had many wars with rust in the past.

There are traditional cleaning kits that may work for you, but since I have bent rods cleaning firearms, I strongly recommend against anything but a once piece rifle cleaning rod to prevent damage or issues.   Boresnakes will speed up the process of cleaning your bore and avoid the problems of putting cleaning patches, but you still need to use lube and wash them on occasion.   Otis gun cleaning kits can fit in a rifle stock, your pistol grip or your butt stock depending on how many tools you think you want to store there.

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Keeping your guns clean and preventing rust

There has  been much improvement in synthetic lubrication in recent years and I’m hoping that the older toxic gun cleaning materials that I have in my home will eventually get used up and cleaned out.  I’m not going to push Green Energy or some environmental issues on  you, but I have often wondered if I should have been more cautious in the way I cleaned some of my guns and my exposure to some of it.   I’m aware that good ventilation is important, but there are many times when I have attempted to use gloves while cleaning, but it’s very hard to get some parts back into place when you are  using them.

There was a time when I had large containers of Hoppes gun cleaning liquids and those were some of the harshest.  I’ve moved towards using Break Free CLP for most of my gun cleaning, but in recent years I have been using Mobil One synthetic oil for most of my lubrication.  Gun cleaning supplies are becoming easier to use and the old cleaning rods of the past can become your newest rack queen.   I use pistol cleaning rods fairly often, but I rarely use my one piece cleaning rod and mostly use Otis gun cleaning kits or boresnakes for my semi-auto rifles.   The less you have to touch your firearms or the dirty gun patches or cleaning brushes the better you’ll be.   Long exposures to toxic materials does catch up to you.

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