FireClean

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ugareloader
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FireClean

Post by ugareloader »

Anybody have experience using this on a suppressor or on a firearm? Seems like it would make a huge difference with cleaning. I ordered some but haven't used it yet. I have seen a lot of really good reviews
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Fulliautomatix
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Re: FireClean

Post by Fulliautomatix »

I actually just stumbled across a discussion in a local forum on the very topic...

http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/thread ... st-4571565

Thread started as a discussion on silicone oil treatment.
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themonk
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Re: FireClean

Post by themonk »

I use it on all my guns. It works, the bottle it comes in sucks. Don't put it in your range bag as it will leak everywhere.

Degrease whatever you are going to put it on (I use rubbing alcohol) and use light coats. It get progressively better the more you use it so if after the first use if your not dazzled continue using it and cleaning with it and you will be impressed.
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chrismartin
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Re: FireClean

Post by chrismartin »

For Silencer baffles it's not effective.
For Firearms it works fine, but it's way too expensive.

For Silencer baffles, use Silicone based oil (like DOT 5 brake fluid), FrogLube (paste works well) or Thompson Center Bore Butter (pretty much the same as FrogLube but cheaper).
Silicone works well and is cheap. Frog Lube is less toxic, but expensive and I wouldn't use it on firearms (gets sticky and gummy if you use too much, I've seen at least four guns locked up with it.)
ugareloader
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Re: FireClean

Post by ugareloader »

[quote="chrismartin"]For Silencer baffles it's not effective.
For Firearms it works fine, but it's way too expensive.

Can you elaborate on your experience with the baffles? I read it doesn't work for aluminum but will for steel
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chrismartin
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Re: FireClean

Post by chrismartin »

From my posts here: http://nfatalk.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10344

Synopsis: Is there a product that will help keep baffles clean or make cleaning easier?

After getting my old AAC Evo 9 and Pilot jail broken, I started needing to deal with cleaning the baffles. Not a huge task, but I'm always looking for "easy".
Since the Evo baffles are aluminum, I can't use (and don't even own) an ultrasonic cleaning device. I was wondering if any of the "wonderlubes" out there would help.

A while back, I picked up a Frog Lube kit. After using it on a few of my guns, I discovered that it pretty much sucked and caused a ton of failure to feeds, slow slides and other jams. I used it per the manufacturers instructions (heat, apply, cool, wipe down, etc) No matter how little I used, if the guns sat in the safe for any length of time, the frog lube would get gummy. I happened to mention this to a friend of mine and he had the same problems with a whole different set of guns.

So, with the frog lube sitting on the shelf, I decided to try it on my newly recored AAC Pilot (Completely un-shot, clean baffles). I would heat and apply the FL, shoot it and see how the baffles cleaned up.

Un-shot, clean baffles:
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Froglube applied:
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Baffles were heated and the FL paste was applied. I did NOT wipe off the excess. I figured that any of the paste left over would end up being an ablative media, so I left it.

After 150-200 rounds of sub-sonic Aguila:

Baffles are oriented as they are in the tube (blast baffle to exit, left to right)

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Clean up:
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Clean up was easy, using just a paper town and Q-Tip. Clean up was around 4 hours after range session. I need to repeat the experiment after letting the dirty baffles sit for a few days to "dry", see if it's still easy to clean. Also need more rounds through the silencer.

Most of the FL was still on the baffles. The carbon build up was almost "wet" and easy to wipe off.

Next up, I'm going to clean the Evo baffles up and load them down with FL as see how they do. I have much more experience with cleaning the Evo baffles and they are tough. The 9mm carbon build up sticks like glue and CLP does nothing.

After a while, I may even try fire clean or other wonder lubes to see.

Initial comments... FL worked well. Easy to clean (same day) and stayed in place. Acting as an ablative media also can't hurt. There was no extra smoke or anything noted, but I was shooting my Ruger 77/22 bolt gun. Next up, I need to shoot a blow back pistol to see if it kicks anything back into my face. I HATE shooting wet".

I plan to update this thread as time goes on with more rounds, different lubes, etc.
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chrismartin
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Re: FireClean

Post by chrismartin »

Next Test... FireClean!

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Though I think it'll just burn off and not really help anything.

After shooting:
I cleaned the EVO 9 fireclean baffles.
On the baffles close to the bore, it didn't really help the cleanup much. One the last three baffles that were still "wet" with fireclean, the carbon wiped off.
On the closer baffles, the carbon was a bit harder to remove with just a cloth. I re-applied a little fireclean to "wet" the carbon and that helped with removal. It was like the fireclean just needed to be wet to wipe off.
So, it helped a bit, but not worth the cost. That stuff is expensive. I can also see that it works as advertised though. I can see using it on an AR15 bolt to help lube and clean it. Still too expensive though.

For the Froglubed Pilot baffles, basically, the same thing as the above. The close-to-barrel baffles are harder to clean, the farthest baffles wiped down easily.

In both cases, the scooped area on the flat part of the K baffle is caked on and needs a wire brush to remove.

I also got to shoot my Octane 45. The baffles had a little thin layer of carbon when done.

I decided to test cleaning them with a rotary tumbler that I use for cleaning brass. Water + Dawn dish soap + steel pins in a Thumblers Tumbler.

The Octane baffles needed a good hour or more to get the carbon completely off.
I dropped in the Pilot baffles (again, the Steel re-core that Stalking Rhino did, these aren't aluminum baffles) only needed about 15 minutes or so to get the remainder of the carbon from the initial cloth only wipe down.

So, steel pins is super easy to get the carbon off. Pretty hassle free really. I'm not a huge fan of that much physical agitation though. I think next test will be with a decent ultrasonic cleaner.
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chrismartin
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Re: FireClean

Post by chrismartin »

Silicone based DOT 5 treated baffles after 150-200 rounds on a 16" Ruger 77/22 (mixture of Subsonic, bulk pack, federal match and even mini-mag type stuff):
Blast baffle on the far right
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After wiping down with just an old t-shirt:
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Very easy to wipe off.

The remainder needed just a bit of light brushing (not scrubbing) to remove.

So, at least for the low round count I tested, I'd say that silicone works well. I need to test on a pistol and try a larger round count to see it if burns off and starts getting harder to clean.

All in all though, I'd say it's pretty good. It doesn't get smokey on the .22lr at all, no smoke, no smell, worked well and easy to deal with. I have a glass jar I can just drop the baffles in and let them sit for a while.
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Hokie
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Re: FireClean

Post by Hokie »

themonk wrote:Don't put it in your range bag as it will leak everywhere.
If you want to put it in your range bag or anywhere it can be tipped over you need to keep the red stopper that is in the bottle when you first buy it.
ugareloader
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Re: FireClean

Post by ugareloader »

Thanks for the detailed reviews. I have been reading that Fireclean doesnt work as well on aluminum but it really shines on steel
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este
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Re: FireClean

Post by este »

chrismartin wrote:Frog Lube is less toxic, but expensive and I wouldn't use it on firearms (gets sticky and gummy if you use too much, I've seen at least four guns locked up with it.)
Zero evidence of it being less toxic to inhale after fired in a gun. It's "all natural" but so are lead, cyanide, and organic peroxide :\ I locked two guns up with FraudLube, it's garbage and I'll never use it again.

As to the rest of this thread.... You people clean your silencers way too often and to a point of OCD. Stop it. Go use them. They do not need to be clean.
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chrismartin
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Re: FireClean

Post by chrismartin »

este wrote: I locked two guns up with FraudLube, it's garbage and I'll never use it again.
Same here, and a friend locked up several as well. It'll never touch a firearm of mine again.
Some say "You used too much" to which I say that should be impossible. Plus, I followed the directions to a "T" and it still slowed the slide down on my 1911 so much it caused failure to feeds. You could see and feel the slide moving. It was really slooooowwww.
As to the rest of this thread.... You people clean your silencers way too often and to a point of OCD. Stop it. Go use them. They do not need to be clean.
While they don't need to be clean, they do need to be cleaned...

Evo 9 baffle after a few thousand rounds (A bit over 3K IIRC)...
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What it should look like...
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All rock hard carbon build up. Performance was degrading.
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Crash_pro
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Re: FireClean

Post by Crash_pro »

chrismartin wrote:
este wrote: I locked two guns up with FraudLube, it's garbage and I'll never use it again.
Same here, and a friend locked up several as well. It'll never touch a firearm of mine again.
Some say "You used too much" to which I say that should be impossible. Plus, I followed the directions to a "T" and it still slowed the slide down on my 1911 so much it caused failure to feeds. You could see and feel the slide moving. It was really slooooowwww.
I had the same experience with my two Five-Seven's after being accurized by Elite Ammunition. Great service by the way! Made a huge difference in the trigger, but they support and sell Frog Lube and coat the guns with it after servicing them. When i went out to test them the Frog Lube got so hot it became liquid again, when it started to cool it hardened in the action and caused both of them to start jamming. Was a PITA to clean up since it worked its way into small places. For one of them it took a few range trips to get it hot and wiped off before it was all gone. Needless to say I never use Frog Lube on guns.

I just bought some FireClean to try on my baffles and QD mounts. Might try my Frog Lube samples on the baffles too.
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