Cleaning your 1911

[Grux]

I am a first time 1911 owner (Kimber) and I was wondering what tips/suggestions do you all have for cleaning your 1911? What are the best methods for cleaning the barrel?

Suggestions for cleaner and lube?

Thanks

[ambluemax]

Search button.....

Q-tips are your friend for the hard to reach spots inside the slide and whatnot

[straid]

Originally Posted by ambluemax

Search button.....

Q-tips are your friend for the hard to reach spots inside the slide and whatnot

I've found over the years that pipe cleaners are even better for some parts of the gun.

[Ranger325]

Originally Posted by straid

I've found over the years that pipe cleaners are even better for some parts of the gun.

+1 on pipe cleaners and bore-snake too (no more rods!)
For lube, I'm currently liking Mili-Tech on pistols and ARs, but thinking hard about FrogLube.
Enjoy...........

[Aaron45]

I think there are plenty of threads already on this, but I personally prefer Break-Free CLP because it simplifies the cleaning process. It's both lube and solvent in one. There are better lubes and better solvents, but like I said, I'll take that in exchange for the simplicity. It's used by the military, so you could do alot worse. Plus, it kinda smells good.

As for the process of cleaning itself, don't worry too much about it. It's a gun, not a surgical instrument. It doesn't have to be sterilized every 100 shots. Toothbrushes and cheap white cotton undershirts are your friend; they make great patches when ripped up. I like to give my barrel a good deep cleaning maybe every 500-700 rounds or so; otherwise I just run a few patches through it. Don't bother trying to remove every last bit of copper during a routine cleaning, because it's all back there after the first shot.

[sousana]

What I've done for the past 40 years is this:

Big vat with wired french fry type basket

dissassemble weapon, place in basket, dunk. Return later and clean.

Nowadays I've gone out and purchased one of those stainless steel deep fat fryers, disabled the heating element and removed the cord, filled the bin with hoppes #9 and use the basket to hold all the parts with the exception of the grips.

When I break in a weapon I use that bore foam every 100 rounds along with a light wipe down and Wilson's Ultima lube.

[Grux]

Originally Posted by sousana

What I've done for the past 40 years is this:

Big vat with wired french fry type basket

dissassemble weapon, place in basket, dunk. Return later and clean.

Nowadays I've gone out and purchased one of those stainless steel deep fat fryers, disabled the heating element and removed the cord, filled the bin with hoppes #9 and use the basket to hold all the parts with the exception of the grips.

When I break in a weapon I use that bore foam every 100 rounds along with a light wipe down and Wilson's Ultima lube.

Wow... How long do you soak it?

[claire]

Originally Posted by Grux

Wow... How long do you soak?

I like about 20 minutes with the Jacuzzi on

claire

[Nathan King]

Originally Posted by claire

I like about 20 minutes with the Jacuzzi on

claire

What moisturizer do you use? I would imagine being submerged in Kerosene and Ethyl Alcohol for twenty minutes would dry the skin.

[sousana]

Originally Posted by claire

I like about 20 minutes with the Jacuzzi on

claire

Actually Claire, you are quite CORRECT lol. After a long day at the range, I get home, break down my weapons and put their parts in individual deep fryers and then go hit our large massage class jacuzzi for about 30 min.

As to how long I let soak, usually, when I hit the range it's a day long event so I get home in the late afternoon, I'll break the weapons down that I fired, and put them in their appropriate baskets and dunk them for usually overnight. Now, to let all know, I only dunk metal parts, not plastic like the frame on a Glock or XD. Metal Hoppes won't harm in the least bit.

[TREEMAN]

Originally Posted by sousana

What I've done for the past 40 years is this:

Big vat with wired french fry type basket

dissassemble weapon, place in basket, dunk. Return later and clean.

Nowadays I've gone out and purchased one of those stainless steel deep fat fryers, disabled the heating element and removed the cord, filled the bin with hoppes #9 and use the basket to hold all the parts with the exception of the grips.

When I break in a weapon I use that bore foam every 100 rounds along with a light wipe down and Wilson's Ultima lube.

Do you re-use the #9

[TREEMAN]

Originally Posted by TREEMAN

Do you re-use the #9

Guess not....

[The_Drizzle]

Originally Posted by Aaron45

I think there are plenty of threads already on this, but I personally prefer Break-Free CLP because......it kinda smells good.

I fixed it for you. I know this is what you really meant to say.

[Horoscope Fish]

Originally Posted by Grux

Suggestions for cleaner and lube?

Use what you can find easily. The debate about the "best" bore solvent and/or lube is never ending.

Just use... Something.

[Grux]

Originally Posted by Horoscope Fish

Use what you can find easily. The debate about the "best" bore solvent and/or lube is never ending.

Just use... Something.

Ok. In the past I've been using Break Free and Mobile 1 Synthetic for lube

[Dave Waits]

It's not Rocket-Science. If you shoot FMJs or HPs use a good copper solvent, cast bullets, use Hoppe's. Clean the frame/slide with Hoppe's regardless.

If it slides-grease it. If it rotates-oil it. Grease on the rails, a good gun-oil on the rest. If you're going to shoot it again within the month you don't need to oil the barrel.Use a rod, push-thru jags,no loops. And a good phospher-Bronze brush. Clean from the breech.

[Grux]

Originally Posted by Dave Waits

It's not Rocket-Science. If you shoot FMJs or HPs use a good copper solvent, cast bullets, use Hoppe's. Clean the frame/slide with Hoppe's regardless.

If it slides-grease it. If it rotates-oil it. Grease on the rails, a good gun-oil on the rest. If you're going to shoot it again within the month you don't need to oil the barrel.Use a rod, push-thru jags,no loops. And a good phospher-Bronze brush. Clean from the breech.

Perfect. Thank you!

[scottl]

Originally Posted by Dave Waits

It's not Rocket-Science.

Reading some of these different threads I am beginning to wonder.
Spray it with this
Lube it with that
No!!Don't wipe it that way.

Something like this would good for a beginner.
http://www.remington.com/products/ac...st-snap-2.aspx

I got an old Hoppes I've had for nearly 30 years.I just buy whatever caliber brush,etc I need and Hoppes oil and NO. 9 solvent

[sousana]

Originally Posted by scottl

Reading some of these different threads I am beginning to wonder.
Spray it with this
Lube it with that
No!!Don't wipe it that way.

Something like this would good for a beginner.
http://www.remington.com/products/ac...st-snap-2.aspx

I got an old Hoppes I've had for nearly 30 years.I just buy whatever caliber brush,etc I need and Hoppes oil and NO. 9 solvent

You know, this just goes to show, cleaning a weapon is as individual as choosing a weapon. No two people will do or pick alike.

[dsk]

Sound like either I or somebody else needs to make a thread about cleaning and sticky it in the FAQ section. This question comes up about every other week.

[Tra Vinh]

Just stick it in the dishwasher !

[sousana]

Originally Posted by Tra Vinh

Just stick it in the dishwasher !

Actually, back in the 80's I think it was, a company came out with a Titanium snub nose 38 that they claimed could be cleaned in the dishwasher. Now, it's just going to take time for me to dig that freaking magazine out and scan the article lol.

[Scoobydo]

Originally Posted by Tra Vinh

Just stick it in the dishwasher !

Good idea, I like that. But cannot afford to do so. The cost for the divorce lawyer is out of my budget. Besides, what the hell, I do love my wife so I'll keep usin Hoppes and CLP.

[OJK]

Originally Posted by dsk

Sound like either I or somebody else needs to make a thread about cleaning and sticky it in the FAQ section. This question comes up about every other week.

Great idea ! - we see a really wide range of almost religious beliefs on how frequently cleaning is needed - I think it is if interest that, when Colt ran that 6000 rounds without a malfunction in 1911 - they cleaned that gun only every 1000 rounds - and I suspect if they thought cleaning it more often was needed to prevent malfunctions and win the contract with Army Ordinance, iit would have been done more frequently - plus, I'm pretty certain we shoot cleaner ammo now than wa used in the test.

They cooled it every 100 rounds but didn't say how -

DSK - I suspect if you have the time to do it and wouldn't mind doing it - you are probably the most qualified to do it.

[chad1911]

This is the method I use for all the 1911's that I've owned:

I mostly use Mil-Comm products, specifically their Firearm Cleaner/Degreaser, and their Synthetic Grease, "TW25B" (whatever that means). It comes in a syringe and is very similar to Wilson's 'Ultima-Lube' grease. Either product is great. For oil, I use Blue Wonder Disotec XFR. A friend recommended it to me and I haven't looked back. It's kept my barrel rust-free without fail.

I field strip mine and use Q-tips, toothbrushes, and those heavy-duty blue paper towels you can buy at hardware stores as wiping rags to get all the gunk out of the gun. I use a Hoppe's Bore Snake for my barrel. Once I've got it cleaned and bone-dry, I use the synthetic grease ONLY on the tracks. I use the Disotec XFR on all the other spots that need lube.

Personally, I've found this to be a great method. The feeling of cycling the slide of a broken-in Kimber lubed up with synthetic grease back and forth is a feeling all it's own. Smooth as glass.