Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

[NRAShooter]

Was reading on the internet posts about using a mix of CLP and odorless mineral spirits to soak and clean the BCG of carbon. Sort of a poor mans household Slip 2000.

Before I run out and buy this and a paint can to soak everything, has anyone tried this? I've used both Slip 2000 and Boretech Carbon cleaner and boy they work great. Only thing is I can buy the CLP and Odorless mineral spirits at just about any hardware store for a whole lot less. If it works, than more money for other goodies.

Anyone?

 

[nhm16]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

I do. I use it with a rotation of 3 spaghetti sauce jars and don't bother with the whole basket thing.

Fill up the first spaghetti sauce jar, apply liberal dose of CLP. I just drop the bolt carrier in there, and hang the bolt off of a unfolded paper clip or similar. The cam pin, extractor, and extractor pin go into a tea strainer. I let it all soak when I clean the upper and barrel. When done, I take out the components and scrub down with a bronze brush until I'm satisfied, including inside the bolt carrier, dip to rinse if needed, etc., and remove the carbon from the bolt tail with the rear nub of the firing pin. The firing pin I dip and wipe.

Once done, I close up the jar #1, and let it sit until next time. The gunk will settle to the bottom. Next time I clean a BCG, I pour off top layer of the clean solution from jar #1 into the jar #2, top off jar #2 with more mineral spirits and CLP, and clean my BCG using that jar #2, now full of clean solution.

The third time I clean a BCG, I pour the clean solution into jar #3, top off, and clean the BCG using that jar #3. I then pour the gunk in jar #1 to jar #2, rinsing jar #1 with some clean mineral spirits. Now jar #1 is clean, and ready for the 4th time I clean.

Lather, rinse repeat. Each time you clean, you'll have one jar with the solution, one clean jar to pour off the clean solution, and one jar collecting gunk. Even in that gunk jar you'll eventually have a clean layer of mineral spirits. You can pour that off and reuse it too.

 

[NRAShooter]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

Thank you for the quick reply. A couple of questions:

How fast does this mix work? Should I bring it to the range with the rest of my cleaning stuff or revert to this being only at home?

Thanks and good shooting to you.

 

[nhm16]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NRAShooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thank you for the quick reply. A couple of questions:

How fast does this mix work? Should I bring it to the range with the rest of my cleaning stuff or revert to this being only at home?

Thanks and good shooting to you. </div></div>

No problem...

It's not instant, though mineral spirits are generally pretty good for cleaning up your AR, and work about as fast as No. 9, etc. I just let my BCG pieces soak while I work on the barrel and interior of the upper, so it's fast enough for me. I generally don't bother cleaning at the range, and my setup (or a similar) is way too cumbersome for range use. If you're at a training course or something, it'd probably be easier just to bring a spare BCG, in case of a stoppage or something.

 

[TonyAngel]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

Lots of stuff will remove carbon. Mineral spirits, if it sits long enough, transmission fluid, marvel mystery oil, etc. I think you're wasting your time worrying about it. AR15 parts require no special cleaning regimen and should require no more than the use of a basic cleaning kit.

 

[Tbag]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

And you don't have to use CLP, any decent oil you have on hand will work.

 

[John L]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

I have a 5 gallon bucket by the bench. Strip the gun for cleaning and put the BCG into the bucket with about 1/2 to a full gallon of Mineral Spirits. I usually leave it there for a day. Carbon comes right out. Keep the lid on tight and your good to go. If your worried about the thinner being in the house keep it in the garage. I dont worry about it much as there is so much powder/primers there the spirits wont add much to the housefire.

 

[problemchild]

Re: Anyone try CLP and Mineral Spirits to clean BCG?

I just use a bolt scraper. Much easier than soaking.

http://www.brownells.com/1/1/29663-ar-15...-tools-inc.html

http://www.gngtools.com/gngboltcleanerandpolisher.aspx