I use it all the time. Just lube it again, as it takes everything off.

 

The only catch is that some brake cleaners may take off some finishes. If you are dealing with "regular" blued steel and a poly finish on the wood, you would probably be fine. When you get into the hydro-dipped finishes and some of the oddball finishes - like the Remington "Express" metal, you would be well advised to test if it works.
Now, I use it all the time, and haven't ever had any problems, but all my shotguns are solid wood and carbon steel. I'm like you, though - why pay if you don't need to? I haven't seen Gunscrubber or its ilk clean a gun any better than a house-brand brake cleaner - at twice the price.

 

The two guns that are shot on a weekly basis are my Yildiz MX Clays and my daughters Browning Citori 725 Sporting. Thanks, Steven

 

I don't use brake cleaner but do use spray Carburetor cleaner. The stuff works great but as said, don't get near your stocks be they wood or plastic.............because they will harm the finish and most or at least allot of plastics! :mrgreen:

 

I too use spray carb cleaner but don't use the good stuff. Much of it contains wax as a protectant as the solvent in this stuff leaves nothing.. I buy the stuff at WallyWorld, their cheapest. I believe 78 cents??

 

I too use spray carb cleaner but don't use the good stuff. Much of it contains wax as a protectant as the solvent in this stuff leaves nothing.. I buy the stuff at WallyWorld, their cheapest. I believe 78 cents?? Does a great job with plastic wad fouling..

 

I use CRC brake cleaner spray all the time to clean all my firearms (including the polymer framed pistols) but avoid getting it on any wood finishes. Works great, evaporates speedily, leaves no residue, and is significantly less expensive than comparable gun related products. Careful with the overspray & only use it in a well ventilated area. Others have inquired of a similar nature about carb cleaner spray. IMO carb cleaner spray is far too strong for such applications. Stick with a nonclorinated brake cleaner spray.

 

I use brake cleaner all the time - but I always step out the back door to spray it, never indoors. I use whatever brand is on sale at Advance Auto.

I know two highly-respected gunsmiths who buy brake cleaner in multiple-case lots. But one of those had to refinish a customer's stock because he got careless. Most stock finishes will not be harmed by it - that 'smith had harsh words to say about the quality of that gun manufacturer's finish.

I tried carb cleaner once but I didn't think it dried up as quickly. Plus, I worry about claims that carb cleaner is a harsher solvent and leaves a residue.

 

I use brake cleaner and the best deal I found was at the Dollar Store. $1.99 a can.

Jim

 

Be careful with either and wear glasses - getting either in your eyes can cause some serious, if not permanent, damage

 

I use brake cleaner only to clean my bronze brushes. Many of the solvents that I use (especially for precision rifles) are corrosive to bronze so getting the brush clean in brake cleaner does two things. Keeps me from getting junk from the brush back into any of my cleaning solutions and helps increase the lifespan of the brushes.

Bob

 

There are many fine products on the market that are specifically made for cleaning guns. Why in the world would you use something meant for cleaning brakes and risk damaging plastic parts or the finish on your firearm? For example the trigger guard on many a new shotgun these days is plastic.

 

Why in the world would you use something meant for cleaning brakes and risk damaging plastic parts or the finish on your firearm?

To save money. Birchwood Casey Synthetic Safe Gun Scruber sells for $14/can at Wal Mart

http://www.walmart.com/ip/30434582?wmls ... 52&veh=sem

Non-Chlorinated Brake Cleaner sells for $2.97 can at Wal Mart

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-VO ... r/16821281

That is a savings of $11/can for buying a product that accomplishes basically the same thing. You need to use care in using either of these products.

 

I'm not going to risk damaging a $1000 shotgun just to save a few bucks on cleaning fluid. If anything, I'm going to use the best gun cleaning product available regardless of the cost. That's like buying an expensive car and putting the cheapest motor oil available in the engine just to save a few bucks after you spent $40,000 on the vehicle.

 

There are many fine products on the market that are specifically made for cleaning guns. Why in the world would you use something meant for cleaning brakes and risk damaging plastic parts or the finish on your firearm? For example the trigger guard on many a new shotgun these days is plastic.

The "problem" is that while many products are SOLD for cleaning guns, not too many are actually made for it.

 

There are many fine products on the market that are specifically made for cleaning guns. Why in the world would you use something meant for cleaning brakes and risk damaging plastic parts or the finish on your firearm? For example the trigger guard on many a new shotgun these days is plastic.

The "problem" is that while many products are SOLD for cleaning guns, not too many are actually made for it.

Correct. Most all lubes, cleaners, were designed for Automotive, Industrial, Commercial use. The products are then repackaged and a new name is applied as some special product for other applications. Kind of like lube designed for modern high speed roller coasters with Hi-tech polymer wheels, dyed green and repackage as super gun care Frog Lube.....get the picture ? If the Brake cleaner says safe for plastics and finishes then it should work fine. With any product the directions for use are key in its application.

 

Randy, I have several bore cleaning products that are represented solely for that purpose. Nothing on the labels indicate that they can be used for anything else. That's what I was referring to.

 

I will not address the use of brake cleaner per se, I'd just like to know what in the world you guys do to your guns that you think you need anything like that. I have never used anything more serious than WD-40 and Hoppe's #9 on my shotguns. OH, and my guns are spotless.

 

Randy, I have several bore cleaning products that are represented solely for that purpose. Nothing on the labels indicate that they can be used for anything else. That's what I was referring to.

I do too. In this particular instance I can say that Gun Scrubber and Break Cleaning fluid both accomplish the same thing. And though I have never conducted a chemical analysis, they both certainly smell similar and act in a similar fashion. I would say both are equally likely to cause an issue certain types of materials and I would not be any less careful using Gun Scrubber or similar, high volatile cleaning liquids.

And though I do not want to speak for everybody, I do not usually use Gun Scrubber or Brake cleaner to clean my shotgun bores. I use Hoppes for that. I use brake cleaner for other applications (See below)

what in the world you guys do to your guns that you think you need anything like that.

They excel at cleaning/de-greasing complex mechanisms that you do not/should not take apart. I use it when I want to clean the receiver of my O/U ever several thousand rounds. I only do it after removing the receiver from the stock. Spraying it out with brake cleaner will clean off all the old grease and oil and contaminants and dirt that have gotten into the receiver and into the firing pins. I then re-oil & lubricate. Also good for certain guns that are difficult/time consuming to disassemble (i.e. I use it to clean parts of my Ruger MKIII).

 

OK, I will agree with you there, but I doubt that brake cleaner will remove the copper fouling from the bores of my rifles and hand guns better than products that are particularly formulated for that purpose.

 

stripers, recievers on an O/U are an excellent example , something I do twice a year with no problems. Casonet is on the mark with bore cleaners. I believe the consensus is he brake cleaner is to remove old oil,powder residue etc. without extensive disassembly.

 

I've used special solvents for copper fouling in my rifles too, but this is SHOTGUNworld.

 

The original claim was made for "gun cleaner"

 

Brake cleaner can be harmful to you as well as your gun's finish. There are less caustic options but they do cost more. GunSlick Ultra-Klenz spray is a good one. Low odor and doesn't eat up your hands or gun.

 

Just curious if there would be any issues with using the CRC brake cleaner (green can) to clean my guns.

Cleaning your "guns" covers a lot of ground, much less what it is you are striving to clean, exactly. Believe it or not, you can get through life with little more than Hoppe's and Breakfree CLP.

If you want "plastic safe," see: http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=14406 .