Nickel Plating and Hoppe's

[Kansas Ed]

Ok, Lets start a new thread on this cause I am really curious....Prior to the original flaking issue on my SAA, I did a once over with Hoppe's. Now it was a situation of clean the handgun, and wipe it down...so it's not like I soaked it in the solvent and left it on for hours...just clean and wipe. But still I have questions......

#1) If the solvent is harmful to nickel plating, why are there no warnings from Colt or other mfgr's about the incompatibility of certain solvents.

#2) Are you not supposed to clean plated firearms if that is the case? And what solvents should be used if you cant use standard solvents?


I don't doubt the experience of our members, but why in the heck don't any mfgr's discuss this in their literature?

Thanks,
Ed

[Pisgah]

I suppose the reason manufacurers don't warn against Hoppe's is because it is as mild as mother's milk. Yes, in situations where the plating is arlready damaged/flaking, and the plating has been applied over a copper base, a long soak in Hoppe's can loosen plating. Typically using it for cleaning, and then wiping it off, won't hurt a thing.

[Malamute]

I've had several nickel pistols, including 2 Colt SAA's, Colt DS, and Smith 29. I used Hoppes on all of them with no problems. I didnt leave the solvent soaking on them, but they clean up very nicely with Hoppes No 9. I never had any flaking on any of them.

I've seen some notice about using cleaning sovents with ammonia in them on nickel, but don't recall where it was. Just not leaving the parts soak for long periods is enough care to use with nickel.

[Hobie]

You will see many warnings on forums catering to collectors. Concerned collectors often have firearms with the plating that has at least some minor damage as the guns were used. Careful use causes no problems but ANY cleaner that removes copper fouling would work on the plating in the same way that it works on bore fouling (or bronze brushes). Clean, remove, preserve.

[Old No7]

I used to have a nickel-plated Bersa 380, and there was once a post on the BersaTalk forum about avoiding any ammonia-based solvent -- including Hoppe's No9 -- on nickel guns. I only used naptha (lighter fluid) on the 2 nickel top-breaks that I own.

Old No7

[Sarge]

Scrubbed the bore and chambers of my old 4" Model 29 with it for years, Ed. I didn't leave any on the exterior plating and the gun suffered no ill effects.

[M. M. Wright]

I use Ballistol mixed 10:1 with water to clean with and pretty much flood everything with the straight stuff before storage. But then, I mostly use black powder. Works for me.



M. M.

[firefuzz]

On the old Hoppe's, '70's issue or before, they used to put a warning on the large bottles, but not the small one's, about soaking nickel plated parts. I don't know about the new stuff. I saw a brand new Python with the front 1/2" of the cylinder stripped because a bud soaked it overnight trying to remove the burns on the front of the chambers. I've found that even wiped off it seems to yellow the finish. That can be removed by washing the gun occassionally in VERY HOT water and dish washing soap.

I know that sounds stupid, but about once a year I completely disassemble my handguns and basicly "boil" them clean. I've got a large pot and a stainless steel wire basket and emerse the parts into boiling distilled water (if you don't use distilled water all the impurities in the water will dry onto the pieces) with a little dish soap added. Leave them in the water just long enough to raise the temp of the metal to the boiling point and they will dry instantly when you remove them from the water. Use a clean brush and pipe cleaners on the small parts and pin holes then lightly lube them. It gets all the old lube and gunk off them. I do the frame/barrels and cylinders seperatly and while they're still hot brush the chambers and bores with a clean, dry brush then patch them out. You wouldn't believe the crud that will come out of a gun you thought was clean. My nickel guns shine like a diamond after doing this. Pouring boiling water down the bore of a badly leaded or old rusty rifle barrel really loosens anything inside and it'll usually brush out a lot easier.

Didn't mean to steal the thread.

Rob