Ultrasonic cleaner?

[Shooter123]

What does everyone use as a cleaner in their ultrasonic cleaners for gun related parts? Thanks

 

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I've always used alcohol

 

[mrtoyz]

What does everyone use as a cleaner in their ultrasonic cleaners for gun related parts? Thanks

I do albeit not very often, I don’t clean shit.
Ive got one of the big Lyman ones. Can dunk a hole AR in it. I run some barrel cleaner and a rod through a few times then put the gun in in pieces. Works great!

 

[rustyinbend]

It's a little pricey, but worth it IMHO.

Hornady One Shot Sonic Cleaner Ultrasonic Firearms Cleaning Solution

The Hornady One Shot Sonic Clean Ultrasonic Firearm Cleaning Solution is uniquely formulated to clean gun parts. This ultrasonic cleaning solution...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Straw Hat]

I have an Ultra Sonic cleaner that I bought off Amazon.com that is a made in China model that works ok for brass but I only use mine for cleaning my dies and gun parts since I bought a Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler. (SS pin tumbler)

If your primary use will be brass cleaning, skip the sonic and go SS pin tumbling.

It is 1000% better.

 

[TwistedOneinSeven]

What does everyone use as a cleaner in their ultrasonic cleaners for gun related parts? Thanks

Appx 1/4 white vinegar, 3/4 water, couple of drops dishwashing liquid.
Cheap and does an amazing job of removing carbon, etc off whatever you have the urge to ultrasonic.

 

[Carlos Danger]

50 / 50 ish water and simple green. Couple table spoons of lemi shine. Heat is the key.

 

[DJ 480]

I use water with about 25% Mean Green. Cleans stuff up great!

 

[Cowpokey]

The only thing(s) I use the ultra sonic cleaner for are muzzle devices on rimfire guns.

This seams to take care of the lead build up, run time varies by build up:

 

[aard3]

For brass and silencer baffles, skip ultrasonic and go with stainless steel media.

For random gun parts (ar-15 bcgs, muzzle devices, etc.), I use the RCBS liquid.

 

[MK20]

Simple green with water and a splash of dish soap.

Warning. Do not use simple green with aluminum.

 

[Strykervet]

I was worried about mine fucking up finishes, Cerakote and aluminum. The Hornady one I have is made to fit an M4 upper but I never do that, most I clean it is a .22 suppressor. The wrong kind of detergent (brass cleaning stuff) will certainly do damage but so can just plain water. It has to do with the mini implosions inside the pores of the metal I think.

For that I put the parts inside a mason jar full of Kroil and that inside the basket full of water. It doesn't do as complete of a job as it would going directly in, BUT the parts come out with all the gunk gone and most of the carbon, what's left just wipes off. A lot easier than using a dental pick. The waves don't travel as well through the Kroil and Kroil won't damage the finishes or metal and it does make it easier. But to be honest, I haven't had it out in a few years. I just do the pick --it's seldom I need anything THAT clean anyway.

I don't know what the conditions are to do damage, but I do know a US cleaner is capable of damaging aluminum and Cerakote finishes so just be careful.

They're a lot better for cleaning brass, in limited quantity anyway. If it held a full 9L of brass it might be different.

 

[Jumper]

For brass I usually hit my rifle cases for 15mins in a hot citric acid solution. This thread is the second time now that I've seen ammonia recommended as a cleaner. I wouldn't use it on brass though. Lucas Oil makes a solution for US cleaners for gun parts. I got some but haven't tried it. Its probably similar to the Hornady solution. I've used CLR (Calcium Lime Rust) cleaner to clean a suppressor and that seemed to work well. The more I use CLR the more I like it. It's effective at removing carbon residue but hasn't damaged brass or titanium.

 

[BytorJr]

Sorry, I didn't feel this question was worth a new thread. So my range has a full sized ultrasonic cleaner - big enough to practically dump a full shotgun in even with stock!!! HUGE. 220V thing.

Range guy says it takes rust right off guns and stuff. Even fair sized pitting. My question is, does this type of cleaning kill the bluing of an older gun? Does it get inside the barrel too? Mainly concerned about the bluing to be honest. It'd be a hell of a lot easier than disassembling and non-chlorinated brake cleaning everything.

Thanks!!

 

[mrtoyz]

In my experience ultrasonic cleaners can be hazardous to nice bluing. Whether or not that’s because of the cleaner, the ultrasonic cleaner or the combo, I have not investigated further.
I do plan on buying the aluminum safe simple green to try in my ultasonic

 

[BytorJr]

In my experience ultrasonic cleaners can be hazardous to nice bluing. Whether or not that’s because of the cleaner, the ultrasonic cleaner or the combo, I have not investigated further.
I do plan on buying the aluminum safe simple green to try in my ultasonic

Thanks for the response. Old gun of a buddy; trying to help. Looks like gun itself is in great shape, some rust spots here and there, but I tried pushing a 22cal brush through (5.6mm) bore and I had to basically destroy my Dewey to get the thing out after it stuck (about 1/2" past the end of the brush) even with barrel loaded with Kroil. Bore snake worked; but man, that barrel inside is shot - not a lick of brightness. Almost like there had to have been corrosive ammo shot through at some point. It's roughly 90-100 years old.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

If it takes off the rust, it will take off the bluing. I wouldn't ultra sonic a whole gun, usually just parts that you will re oil/re lube on assembly.

 

[brianf]

Don’t confuse ultrasonic with the chemicals in the solution.

Putting a barrel in a sonic cleaner with water will not clean anything.

do the research needed for what materials will be cleaned along with what deposits you want to remove.