Another cleaning question - CLP?

[L_Kilkenny]

I've been a Hoppes and gun oil (RemOil in recent years) man for the better part of my shooting life but have toyed with the idea of using CLP for general cleaning duties. While I'm sure it's a decent lube and protectant how is it on removing any fouling and really hard to remove crud from the action as compared to say the tried and true #9?

LK

[piller]

The Army used CLP for everything back when I was in, and I don't think it cleans very well. It is a good lube and protectant, but I much prefer Hoppes 9 or any of the competitors to the CLP for cleaning.

[msmith1228]

I think Ballistol works better.
Mack

[MrMurphy]

It does all 3 okay but none 'well'.

I use SLIP 2000 for lube and their particular cleaner (can't remember name at the moment) if stuff really doesn't want to come off.

CLP's ok if it's what you got, but there are specialty products that do better.

[Blaine]

Unless you wiped military CLP off REAL good, IMO, it made the M16 run slow and improperly in the cold.. I would illegally spritz it with WD40 on cold range days so it would run better.

[Old Ranger]

CLP does not remove copper fouling hardly at all. It does a fair job with the carbon fouling and will just barly get some lead. A better cleaner/lube/ is M Pro7 LPX. That will remove fouling from powder and carbon quickly. Is a fairly good bore cleaner, but will not touch copper as with CLP. I personally use the M Pro 7 Cleaner on weapons that are affected by solvents like nickel or painted surfaces, but will clean everything else with Hoppe's #9 or with Kriol. The LPX is good for the final coat of the weapon and the bore for rust prevention. CLP is right behind that in it's ability to preserve...These have been my own expierences and may not reflect that of others on this forum. Everyone has an opinion on what is best for them and their weapons. I believe there are tons of cleaning products out there that perform well. The chore is for you to find the ones that YOU like and feel confident with. And that, my friend, is in the end, up to you.

Wade

[Pisgah]

Like many other "all-in-one" poducts, CLP does all three jobs fairly well, but none of them in a particularly outstanding fashion. If you want to go after powder fouling, something like Hoppe's No. 9 is your ticket; copper fouling, maybe Sweet's 7.62; lubricant -- well, there are too many good ones to choose just one (although CLP probably performs lubing and protection better than it does fouling removal -- just my opinion).

If CLP's all you've got, it'll do.

[kimwcook]

Sorry, but I'm not a CLP fan. I can't stand the smell of the stuff.

[geobru]

CLP is one of the best protectants, but there are better products for getting rid of fouling.
Wipe Out is the best copper fouling remover IMHO. I got blue patches after using Sweets, Butches, and Hoppes.
My 0.02 worth!

[olyinaz]

Sorry, but I'm not a CLP fan. I can't stand the smell of the stuff.

Yes, and I have the same issue with Ballistol. Both make me want to wretch. Strangely, I do not mind the smell of Hoppes No. 9 at all!

Break Free makes a lube that is a much better lube and preservative than CLP in my view called simply "LP". It's the best lube I've used in my climate (I don't know how it works in the cold). I clean with Hoppes.

I don't let WD-40 near my guns unless I'm using it as a penetrating oil that I intend to flush back off. I bet half the sticky firing pins in America are owed to WD-40 varnish build up...

Oly

[JohndeFresno]

CLP is one of the best protectants, but there are better products for getting rid of fouling.
Wipe Out is the best copper fouling remover IMHO. I got blue patches after using Sweets, Butches, and Hoppes.
My 0.02 worth!

Wipe Out - foam for tough residue and overnight cleaning; liquid form for most quick, common cleaning
Prolix lube - does not hurt wood or rubber, places a lube microcoat to protect and resist moisture.

[L_Kilkenny]

While I'm not crossin CLP off the list it sounds like for anything but removing moisture after a wet day in the field I'm better off just stickin with my tried and true Hoppes for removing carbon and crud. Thanks for he input.

LK

[Blaine]

Sorry, but I'm not a CLP fan. I can't stand the smell of the stuff.

Yes, and I have the same issue with Ballistol. Both make me want to wretch. Strangely, I do not mind the smell of Hoppes No. 9 at all!

Break Free makes a lube that is a much better lube and preservative than CLP in my view called simply "LP". It's the best lube I've used in my climate (I don't know how it works in the cold). I clean with Hoppes.

I don't let WD-40 near my guns unless I'm using it as a penetrating oil that I intend to flush back off. I bet half the sticky firing pins in America are owed to WD-40 varnish build up...

Oly

Funny, after 20 some years on WD I don't have any problems at all

[L_Kilkenny]

Funny, after 20 some years on WD I don't have any problems at all

Back when we were coon hunting hard we'd pull back in the drive anywhere from 2 am and sunrise. We were pretty well bushed and in no mood to be cleaning guns. Many of those nights we'd see our share of drizzle and rain (drizzle is the absolute best weather for coon hunting ) and I'd douse the heck out the .22lr with WD, whipe er down the best I could and plant it over a furnace vent. Repeat the next night if required. It might be weeks before it saw a decent cleaning. Same thing on the slug gun after long days of hunting snow/rain and butchering deer. Never had any function issues or a lick of rust.

LK

[jeepnik]

Never tried it. I'm pretty happy, for general cleaning and lubricating purposes, with Hoppes, one gun oil or another depending on what I find at the shop, and Gun Slick graphite lube for places like slide rails on stainless guns.

While I've never had a problem with galling on stainless autos, since the Gun Slick was recommended by some of the manufacturers of my early stainless auto (Randall and AMT), I just use it on all of my stainless applications where there is rapid movement of stainless parts against other stainless parts. I use it in my Marlin stainless guns as well.

For lead or copper fouling, I like the Shooters Choice products. I do have a Lewis Lead Removal Tool, but it rarely gets used. I tend to keep my cast loads on the hard side, and the velocities down where leading isn't a problem.

Speaking of leading/cast bullet use, contrary to popular "myth", you can use cast in Glocks. It's the idiots that never clean their firearms that have problems, but they'd likely have problems anyway.

[sore shoulder]

Speaking of leading/cast bullet use, contrary to popular "myth", you can use cast in Glocks. It's the idiots that never clean their firearms that have problems, but they'd likely have problems anyway.

Now that's an interesting tidbit.

[Old Savage]

The blow ups seem to have happened with larger calibers with powder that was too slow.

[sore shoulder]

On CLP, military is going away from it, unfortunately they have to use up the supply unless they decide to surplus it. Mil Tec is supposedly the new replacement. Rem Oil is very popular with soldiers, come weapons cleaning time I always see an aerosol can making the rounds. Of course shaving cream and hot shower works well too.

[Charles]

CLP is a decent lube but only a so-so powder solvent. The best powder solvent I have used in Ed's Red. Easy to make and very cheap. I have never found anything better and very few as good.

Acetone, high grade Kerosene, mineral spirits and Dexron III ATF. Mix in equal portions and store in a metal can. I mix one quart of each in a 1 gallon metal can. Some folks add lanoline to make it easier on the hands. I don't.

[piller]

I have heard of Ed's Red, but haven't tried it. Sounds inexpensive enough, especially as I have 3 of the 4 ingredients around for other purposes.

[L_Kilkenny]

I had completely forget about ER and I'm intrigued enough to give it a try. But outta impatience or laziness I've become addicted to aerosol cans for blasting gunk outta places I can't easily reach.

LK

[CBinNH]

Since I found a guy on another forum that sells it for $35 a gallon, I'll be using it for a while.

[336A]

CLP is good as a lubricant and protectant but not so much for lead and definitely not a copper remover as many others have eluded to. CLP has been the gun oil of choice for me for years and I've never had a problem at all. In colder (sub zero) climates we (Army) use LSA instead of CLP due to it having a lower freezing point. Mil Tech is not going to replace CLP that is pure conjecture. The proper way to use Mil Tech is to apply it then bake it, it was found that Mil Tech will actually work into the pores of weapons and some how negatively effect the metal.

I became privy to this a few years back when in attendance at a small arms conference. The DOA kept hearing about Soldiers spending their own money on gun oils while deployed. So they conducted an independent test and welcomed all vendors to try their product. If there was something better than CLP out there then DOA wanted to use that if it was better than CLP. Mil Tech did not have a good showing at all, however Rem Oil did pretty good until they subjected a piece of steel coated with it to the salt pond. CLP and LSA and are the only lubricants and protectants issued for weapons lubrication and as a protectant.

[JohndeFresno]

CLP is good as a lubricant and protectant but not so much for lead and definitely not a copper remover as many others have eluded to. CLP has been the gun oil of choice for me for years and I've never had a problem at all. In colder (sub zero) climates we (Army) use LSA instead of CLP due to it having a lower freezing point. Mil Tech is not going to replace CLP that is pure conjecture. The proper way to use Mil Tech is to apply it then bake it, it was found that Mil Tech will actually work into the pores of weapons and some how negatively effect the metal.

I became privy to this a few years back when in attendance at a small arms conference. The DOA kept hearing about Soldiers spending their own money on gun oils while deployed. So they conducted an independent test and welcomed all vendors to try their product. If there was something better than CLP out there then DOA wanted to use that if it was better than CLP. Mil Tech did not have a good showing at all, however Rem Oil did pretty good until they subjected a piece of steel coated with it to the salt pond. CLP and LSA and are the only lubricants and protectants issued for weapons lubrication and as a protectant.

Good to know!