Real Guns

[a6m5]

I don't think I saved that much compared to buying one pre assembled. Maybe $50-75. I wanted a pretty basic AR. Pretty much the only thing that sets it apart is the nickel boron BCG.

Building it myself was just a personal goal of mine. I've always wanted an AR and after I started researching them I thought it'd be fun to build one.

Now I want to build another.

I see what you mean. Have you shot it yet? On one hand, I think it's cool that you can pick & choose the parts/assemblies you want. On the other hand, it would make me nervous how different parts from different manufacture work together. I hope yours shoot great! 👍

 

[acascianelli]

I see what you mean. Have you shot it yet? On one hand, I think it's cool that you can pick & choose the parts/assemblies you want. On the other hand, it would make me nervous how different parts from different manufacture work together. I hope yours shoot great! 👍

I haven't shot it yet. I just got the last piece on Saturday.

My gun is pretty much entirely built from parts from Palmetto State Arms, but from what I've gathered the interoperability of parts between different manufactures is very good. I know a bunch of people who are using mis-matched uppers, lowers, BCG's, barrels, etc.

 

[Danoff]

How do you guys clean your guns? I just discovered that you can use car degreaser (maybe brake cleaner) on them. I've been using those swab things so far... kindof a pain.

 

[Swagger897]

How do you guys clean your guns? I just discovered that you can use car degreaser (maybe brake cleaner) on them. I've been using those swab things so far... kindof a pain.

Depends on what you're cleaning.. Wood stock, outside exposed barrel, inside barrel, actions, the cleaners you use after certain ammo..

 

[Danoff]

Depends on what you're cleaning.. Wood stock, outside exposed barrel, inside barrel, actions, the cleaners you use after certain ammo..

The only guns I really clean are a 9mm and a .38 revolver. For the 9mm I disassemble the entire thing and get into every little crevice and pin. Generally there isn't much buildup on the outside of the gun (no exposed barrel, no wood), but the magazine, the magazine chamber, the spring, the firing pin... everything is covered in crap. The revolver is simpler to clean but still a lot of tight spots (again, nobuildup on the outside usually).

If I could spray these things down I could see getting a more effective clean much faster than me shoving some soaked swabs through and going at it with q-tips.

 

[Swagger897]

The only guns I really clean are a 9mm and a .38 revolver. For the 9mm I disassemble the entire thing and get into every little crevice and pin. Generally there isn't much buildup on the outside of the gun (no exposed barrel, no wood), but the magazine, the magazine chamber, the spring, the firing pin... everything is covered in crap. The revolver is simpler to clean but still a lot of tight spots (again, nobuildup on the outside usually).

If I could spray these things down I could see getting a more effective clean much faster than me shoving some soaked swabs through and going at it with q-tips.

Well, although there are a lot of uses for brake cleaners and WD40, it isn't something I'd use for my guns unless it isn't coming off...

I use Hoppe's 9 synthetic bore cleaners for all of my guns to remove powder and residue. Normally I'll take the small pads, dip once, run it through the barrels a few times, then get a copper scratcher and run that through to get it to flake off and fold. After that another run of the bore cleaner and it should look clean.

For the actions and firing pins I'll take them out and do the same, then after all that lube them up with synthetic blend. Similar to car oil, I've found synthetic blend lubricant not to be so good on other people's ARs and high caliber, fast firing rate rifles/pistols, as it'll dry up and then it's like metal on metal. Unless you have that however, the synthetic blend lubricant oil is all you need.

But for that I'll take the q-tips and get that around. It sounds like you might have something a bit more difficult than just the cotton swabs and q-tips can do, so try the brake cleaner. If that works, just make sure to put some lubricant on it because you don't want a dry action.

 

[Danoff]

Well, although there are a lot of uses for brake cleaners and WD40, it isn't something I'd use for my guns unless it isn't coming off...

I use Hoppe's 9 synthetic bore cleaners for all of my guns to remove powder and residue. Normally I'll take the small pads, dip once, run it through the barrels a few times, then get a copper scratcher and run that through to get it to flake off and fold. After that another run of the bore cleaner and it should look clean.

For the actions and firing pins I'll take them out and do the same, then after all that lube them up with synthetic blend. Similar to car oil, I've found synthetic blend lubricant not to be so good on other people's ARs and high caliber, fast firing rate rifles/pistols, as it'll dry up and then it's like metal on metal. Unless you have that however, the synthetic blend lubricant oil is all you need.

But for that I'll take the q-tips and get that around. It sounds like you might have something a bit more difficult than just the cotton swabs and q-tips can do, so try the brake cleaner. If that works, just make sure to put some lubricant on it because you don't want a dry action.

Hoppe's is what I've been using. Does that not dry out?

 

[Swagger897]

Hoppe's is what I've been using. Does that not dry out?

It shouldn't, but it will get thin with anything above 80-100 rounds shot in a day at once..

 

[Michael88]

How do you guys clean your guns? I just discovered that you can use car degreaser (maybe brake cleaner) on them. I've been using those swab things so far... kindof a pain.

I've heard brake cleaners and degreasers contain benzenes, which are know to be highly HIGHLY toxic and kidney damaging. I know a guy who handled those chemicals nearly every day and now his kidneys have craters like the surface of the moon.
Besides that its also hard on the finish of a gun.

I use WD40. Immediately after having finished firing a gun I spray WD40 down the bore to prevent the powder residue from caking on. At home I use a nylon brush to loosen the powder residue and wipe out out of the barrel with a patch. I do this approx 3-4 times. If said gun was shot with pure lead ammo (Shotgun, .22, muzzleloader) I use a brass bore brush.

Every once in a while I use Forrester bore foam to get all the copper fouling out of the barrel. Foam in, let it sit for 10 minutes, use a brass brush to loosen the fouling and wipe it out. Easiest thing in the world. If the patch comes out blue / green thats oxidized copper.

The surface of the guns get wiped down with 5W40 engine oil to prevent oxidation, the action and parts that experience a lot of friction get carefully lubed with gearbox oil, parts of the gun that sit inside the stock get a thick layer of anti-squeal brake lube. That stuff does not age, crystallize or run off.

Thats it!

 

[a6m5]

I mostly use rem-oil for light cleaning, breakfree for good cleaning.

 

[David]

.

 

[Swagger897]

I mostly use rem-oil for light cleaning, breakfree for good cleaning.

I somewhere along the lines had picked up this, and liked it a lot, but found out later Hoppes pulls it off better with fewer strokes.

Boresnakes are a good thing to have too for just about anything:

If you don't really want anything residual left in the barrel (I don't because of powder build up, even though most of it evaporates/gets blown out, it affects groupings) this will clean it out.

Rem-wipes are really good for wooden finishes though, thoroughly enjoyed its results.

 

[a6m5]

I do hear good things on boresnakes. 👍

 

[N0t_L3fty]

A lot of brake solvents have a real low flash point, & the fumes will over come you with little warning. If you are going to use them do it outside. Twisted wrenches for a living earlier in my life, used a bunch of brake solvent, it's nasty stuff.
I used some on a used Saturday night special I bought earlier this week. I don't think the kid that owned it had ever disassembled it & cleaned it. Tore the pistol down, laid the parts out on a tray sprayed them enough they were wet, covered them up & let them soak a bit. 30 minutes or so later sprayed them again & hit them with a brush. Stuff will ruin the finish on your wood, & melts some plastics. I wear rubber gloves to keep the stuff off my hands.
Firearms that are cleaned regularly I use Hoppe's No. 9 in the bore, & wipe them down with Rem oil. Oily old sock on one hand & dry one on the other so there isn't too much oil to collect dust. Carbon fiber cleaning rods are much better than the old screw together aluminum jobs too. I have used a small amount of bearing grease where springs are seated also. A thin coat of paste wax works well if you will be out in wet or snowy weather. Solvent will remove it when you no longer need it.
Added a couple to the safe this week.

View media item 12509View media item 12510

 

[Omnis]

How do you guys clean your guns? I just discovered that you can use car degreaser (maybe brake cleaner) on them. I've been using those swab things so far... kindof a pain.

Ballistol or Breakfree CLP after every range trip. Cheap, no smell, no damaging esters. Field strip, quick spray down, then wipe away with patches and run some through the barrel. It's easier to clean up frequently then to wait and have to clean a really dirty gun. That is a pain in the ass.

 

[David]

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[ExigeEvan]

My mate just posted he's consistently hitting targets at 1300m with 6.5x47. Considering it goes subsonic at 1.15km I'm amazed. If I ever need a "hit"...

 

[Michael88]

My mate just posted he's consistently hitting targets at 1300m with 6.5x47. Considering it goes subsonic at 1.15km I'm amazed. If I ever need a "hit"...

Pff! Once hit a hill at 1700 meters with my .300WM. It never moved again.

 

[Michael88]

So I reloaded some ammo today and I was about to put the fresh ammo in a case when I spotted this:

No idea what happened there but I'm so glad I noticed it before I put it in the ammo case. Its REALLY hard to spot unless you turn it till the crack casts a shadow like in the pic. The case was fired only once so it cannot - or rather shouldn't be material fatigue.

Morale of the story: check the brass when you reload ammo! I was kinda sloppy, should have noticed it long before loading it.

The funny thing is, I noticed it when checking it a third time, and I usually never check ammo for 3 times.

 

[Swagger897]

So I reloaded some ammo today and I was about to put the fresh ammo in a case when I spotted this:

No idea what happened there but I'm so glad I noticed it before I put it in the ammo case. Its REALLY hard to spot unless you turn it till the crack casts a shadow like in the pic. The case was fired only once so it cannot - or rather shouldn't be material fatigue.

Morale of the story: check the brass when you reload ammo! I was kinda sloppy, should have noticed it long before loading it.

The funny thing is, I noticed it when checking it a third time, and I usually never check ammo for 3 times.

How didn't you spot this when lubing them?

Or by the looks of it this is a new case..

 

[Michael88]

As I said, the brass was fired only once, and that was the factory load. Also I only lube every 3rd case, after forming a lubed case there is enough lube in the die for 3 non-lubed cases.

 

[Swagger897]

Ah okay, must've skipped over that part..

 

[a6m5]

Scary. So glad you caught it now. 👍

 

[Omnis]

Uh, Ballistol definitely has a strong smell, but it is great for cleaning up guns and it wont destroy wood stocks. I keep a small bottle of CLP in my range bag for emergencies just for convenience sake, but it wouldn't be my first choice for actually cleaning my gun at the end of the day.

It's not bad when you only use a little bit.

 

[a6m5]

Walmart now goes many, many months without having .22LR in stock. I wanted to pick up a box of defensive .45ACP there today. Couldn't get help in the sporting goods, so I swung by actual sporting goods store. They had lot of .22LR in stock, but almost completely CCI. I saw their brick(500rds) for the first time ever, but I think it was $38 or something, so I just went with their 100rd case Mini-Mag's again($8.99, ea).

They had just two self-defense .45ACPs. Some Federal Low-Recoil one, which sounded good, but I didn't want to risk unreliable cycling, so I went with the other choice; Hornady Critical Defense. I hope they are okay, but I know nothing about them.

 

[Swagger897]

I've always had the best ammo from Federal. .22LR, .270, 30-30. Winchester is probably second, and Remington is always dead last. I swear the primers, powder grains, whatever it is, something is wrong with every single box I buy..

 

[a6m5]

I've had hit & miss results with Remington. I used to always buy their Golden Bullet .22LR's, and I still look for them, but I really shouldn't. They are cheap, but they've been the farthest thing from reliable of any ammo I've shot not named Wolf Military Classic.

I looked up this Hornady Critical Defense. Not exactly what I was looking for, as I was going for low-penetration(home defense). Apparently, this Hornady was designed to maintain penetration against winter/heavy clothing.

Random video on it:



I could only load eleven in my twelve round mag though. When I finally forced the twelfth round in, magazine wouldn't seat in it. Odd.

Actually, this official video does good job explaining the design behind it.

 

[Omnis]

That's stuff is overrated. Best stuff is Federal HST or gold ol Speer gold dot.

 

[a6m5]

That's stuff is overrated. Best stuff is Federal HST or gold ol Speer gold dot.

How are they better? I don't know anything about any of these brands. Critical Defense was just one of only two kinds the store carried in .45. I have read people say good thing about Hydra Shok(is that this HST?). As long as they feed/fire reliably & expand consistently, I don't really care. *shrug*

 

[Michael88]

OATH Slug.