The problem with using what is "best", is who defines "best?"

All the companies will tell you that their products are the best. Just ask them.
You can tie up a whole lot of time and effort in determining what is "best" for your needs, and if you're REALLY worried about it, you have to re-test every time a product is changed (I'm sure you've seen "New, Improved!!!" on a label before, right?), or every time a new product is introduced.

For me, it boils down to what works, with the least amount of fuss and muss, and is specifically approved for firearms use (I don't use automotive cleaners, etc, on expensive weapons with polymer parts, or on things that might come into contact with and penetrate/kill the ammo that I might have to use to protect my life).

Unless I have a cleaning problem on a neglected used/new-to-me weapon that can't be handled without specialized products, I just use BreakFree CLP (Cleaner, Lubricant, Preservative) on all my firearms. Is it the "best" cleaner? Probably not, but it does a fine job on all my non-neglected weapons every time. Is it the "best" lubricant? Maybe not, but the various military forces and I have been using it for many years on firearms big and small, at temperatures from way below zero F to 120+ F, with no problems. Even though the CLP formula itself has also been changed over the years, I've never had a problem with it under any conditions, reasonable and otherwise.

In short, it's "Good enough for me."

I spend the time and money saved on searching for the "best" of anything, on range time and practice ammo, getting to be the "best" shooter I can be. Now THAT'S a "best" of something worth searching/working for!


(I am not employed by any gun-cleaning/lubricating-product company, nor have I been paid or enriched in any way/shape/form for this report; it's simply my opinion, based on my experience)

Ditto on the CLP.

Occasionally, I will use other stronger stuff to get rid of lead deposits in a barrel, but for a well maintained gun, CLP is quick and easy, and gets the job done.

I may put a tiny drop of Hoppes gun oil on each rail of a new semi-auto, till the slide wears in a little, but other than that, the CLP spray and wipe suits me fine.

I use Ballistol - great stuff.

Hickok45, the Glock guru on Youtube, also swears by it.

www.ballistol.com

do you use the Ballistol "sportsman oil" or "lube"? Where is the cheapest place to buy it? Any retailers?

Originally Posted by croll326

do you use the Ballistol "sportsman oil" or "lube"? Where is the cheapest place to buy it? Any retailers?

They are both the same product, just different names.

I purchased mine at www.midwayusa.com. Don't know about retailers. There is a Cabela's by my house, but I have not seen it there.

I was at Dicks and they had a can of Break Free CLP aerosol so I picked it up for $10. Ill give that a shot. Is there a need for additional lubrication over and above what the CLP provides?

Originally Posted by croll326

I was at Dicks and they had a can of Break Free CLP aerosol so I picked it up for $10. Ill give that a shot. Is there a need for additional lubrication over and above what the CLP provides?

No. Make sure to lubricate the pistol in the manner indicated in the manual. Glocks don't need very much lube at all, but they need it in certain spots for it to be effective.

If you don't use the weapon for a very long time, and the operating surfaces seem dry after storage, you could add another drop or two before firing if it makes you feel better (again, use the manual). I've fired Glocks after more than a year of storage, with basic/minimal CLP application prior to storage, and they functioned fine when shot.

I have gone to range 3 times and have shot about 400 rounds with no problem. The CLP seems to work great but I go through about 15 patches when cleaning. The barrel take about 10 before it is close to coming out clean. It seems like I can run patches through all day and they would be dirty. I have shot Federal Champion, UMC's, Remington JHPs, and some reloads.

I clean everything very well and the only extra lube is a drop toward the back of the grip. I think its a trigger part. I dont have the exact name right now.

We used CLP in the military. That stuff takes 3 days to break the carbon down. Using a product specifically for cleaning (some kind of solvent) and then using something else to lubricate might serve you better. CLP is is supposed to be a cleaner, lubricant, protectant, but it only cleans really well if you apply it, let it sit for a while then clean it.

So something like Hoppes "semi auto"? How long should I let the CLP sit to get a good cleaning?

It really depends on how much carbon has built up on the gun. Even after the CLP has loosened all the crud, then you are left trying to remove what is basically dirty oil from all the nooks and crannies. That can be a pain and take a while. I prefer not to use an oil until after the gun is clean. The solvent-to-clean and oil-to-lube method works best for me. As long as the result is a clean and properly lubricated weapon, how you get there is personal preference.

Originally Posted by Bisley

Ditto on the CLP.

Occasionally, I will use other stronger stuff to get rid of lead deposits in a barrel, but for a well maintained gun, CLP is quick and easy, and gets the job done.

I may put a tiny drop of Hoppes gun oil on each rail of a new semi-auto, till the slide wears in a little, but other than that, the CLP spray and wipe suits me fine.

When I got my first gun, a Glock 19, I found a lot of different and conflicting advice on cleaning procedures and supplies.

So I called Glock directly and here's what they told me.
Use CLP as a cleaner and lubricant - no other products needed. Use a copper brush on a rod to clean the barrel, then swab it out with patchs on a rod until they come out clean. On the rails and the feed ramp, use one of those copper tooth brush cleaners and/or Q-tips. When you're done put a few drops of CLP on the slide rails and the barrel and then re-assemble. He said if it takes more than 5 minutes to clean the gun, then I must be doing something wrong.

I've been following this procedure and it seems to be working fine.

Originally Posted by croll326

I am looking for opinions on what to use for cleaning and lubricating my new pistol. I know hoppes 9 is popular and I have read about Ballistol. My questions is is there a product that cleans and lubricates or is it a two product process? Ballistol claims to be a cleaner and lubricant.

Hoppes makes a semi auto formula. Also, looks like an "oil" is bad because it will run and a "grease" is better. I want to use what is the best system for my gun, not the cheap or easy way out. Where should I start? Any good website or is a local store the place to go?

Condensed it for ya!

OK, you're going to love this! I've been cleaning all different sorts of firearms for more than 50 years. Ballistol is, indeed, a cleaner-lubricant. A very good one that the Germans ran two world wars with as their only small arms cleaner and oil. (I've got two pints of it sitting on my workbench, right now.

Problem is that Ballistol - like so many commercial gun cleaners and lubricants - is just plain expensive. This is especially true if you have a lot of guns to clean. A few years ago, I hit on a very good solution to the high cost of cleaning a lot of guns. (My guns!)

I started using (Ready?) Wal-Mart Pharmacy Mineral Oil as an initial cleaner and general wipe-down oil. A whole pint of this stuff costs me about $1.80; does the large wiping chores that usually soaks up lots and lots of expensive gun oil; and, best of all, polymer frames and parts absolutely love mineral oil. (I swear it seems to rejuvenate my Glock frames!)

Here's what I do: First, I'll wipe down the pistol and bore to get all the, 'black crud' off. Then I'll dry the bore and start using Flitz Metal Polish (or, Iosso Bore Cleaner, or Kleen-Bore, 'Lead Away' - It's all the same chemical compound.) in order to scrub it out.

On all centerfire pistols I always wrap my patches around a bronze brush head and scrub in this way. On a very dirty bore I'll drop the cotton patch and use just the bronze head. (Afterwards I wash it in dishwashing liquid by rolling it in my hands.)

This is a fast, highly effective way to spotlessly clean out a gun bore. After using a couple of wet patches I'll final-polish the bore with up to a half dozen dry patches. I keep going until they come out either clean and white, or only slightly gray. A day, or two, later I often repolish and/or oil the bore.

If I'm going to store the gun, or if I just want to really protect it and really speed up cleaning the last thing I'll do before putting the gun down is to drip Sentry Solutions, 'Smooth-Kote' metal protectant down the barrel. (It's phenomenal stuff - well worth the effort - but it's, also, mildly toxic; so wear gloves and hold the barrel over a garbage can while you're using it.)

Every 3 or 4 months I'll open the safe and wipe down the exterior on all my guns with (You guessed it!) Ballistol - Which I, also, use on my leather holsters! (Why? Because the MAIN INGREDIENT in Ballistol is ....... mineral oil - That's why!)

With these four cleaning products, a bronze brush, and cotton patches you should be able to keep your new pistol very very clean. Because you asked, I'll add that many of the newer, 'high tech' gun greases are, indeed, better than gun oil.

I run my Glocks, 'wet'; the: slide tracks, connector, sear cruciform, and head of the FP safety are, all, coated with grease. I clean my slide internals every 1,200 to 1,500 rounds; and I haven't had an FTF/FTE or FTRTB of any kind in the past 10,000 rounds on my EDC G-21; or the past 2,000 rounds on my other, brand new EDC, a G-19.

There are a lot of myths about how to lubricate a Glock. The early owners manuals used to recommend 6 points, then 8 points, and now back to 6 again. I use - and always have used - a full 8 points.

The only thing I don't lubricate, but I DO oil and then wipe down, on a Glock is the slide internals. Inside the slide I only want enough oil to fill the pores in the steel's molecular surface structure - Which is, virtually, none when viewed with the naked eye. (This is a trick an old German tool and die maker taught me.)

Here ya go -

ballistol - The World's Most Use-ful & Environmentally Friendly Lubricant
Sentry Solutions: Smooth-Kote - 2 oz. jar
Flitz Polish 50 Gram Flitz Polish - Flitz
Walmart.com: Aaron Brands: Intestinal Lubricant Mineral Oil, 16 fl oz: Medicine Cabinet

Cotton Patches
Hoppe's 9 - Nylon Brushes/Phosphor Bronze Brushes