The 10 Best Gun Cleaning Solvent And Oils

When looking for gun cleaning solvents, aerosols, CLP, and lubrication oils you may find it a bit challenging to choose the one that is just the right fit for your needs.

While most of the time you need just a very few of them to clean and lubricate your firearms, there are instances when you may need more of them to get your guns perfectly cleaned and oiled.

Especially for me, when I start with my rigorous gun cleaning session (once every six months) I keep all my favorite items handy so that I do not miss out on any single task of cleaning and lubrication.

In fact, if you want to do a full clean-up of your gun parts in the most efficient way, you will need to have the best gun cleaning solvent and oils along with lubricants and protectors that can manage your task well.

What Does A Gun Oil Do?

The depressions that are found on the outside and inside of your weapon need proper lubrication to reduce the amount of friction that takes place.

This means that when the surfaces of the metal come into contact, the oil will help the parts slide over each other and cause less damage, stress, and wear.

This keeps your firearm operating at the highest levels when the right amount of oil is present.

Called “hydrodynamic lubrication”, the effect the oil creates means that the surfaces ride over each other with less opportunity for catching or causing more friction. The less friction, the more the surface stays intact.

In the same manner that pistons in an engine glide up and down the surface lubricated by oil, so too do the parts in the firearm keep the surface itself protection. As an effective barrier gun oil and solvents help in preventing:

1- Moisture: Oil and water do not mix. This means that when your firearm is exposed to moisture, the gun oil will act as a barrier.

Whether the moisture is direct, such as rain, floodwater, or even just using water to clear away debris.

Or indirect, such as from condensation when moisture may form on the surface due to temperature differential, the gun oil will prevent the moisture from clinging to the surface.

2- Wear: Protecting the surface also means reducing wear and tear that otherwise might occur. The slick surface created by gun oil means that the surface of the metal will stay smooth and free of debris.

3- Grime: The gunk created by the combination of dirt, dust, and even the oils generated by the skin that comes into contact with the metal can be reduced by the use of gun oil.

You will need to clean your firearms regularly and apply the best gun cleaning solvent and oil as the proper protection. This will cause your firearms to last longer.

10 Best Gun Cleaning Solvent And Oil

Many people who love to be DIYer consider making their gun cleaning solvent at home. Remember that, making a homemade gun cleaning solvent is not an easy task for all!

Also, the DIY gun cleaning solvent you make at home, will not be as efficient as it needs to be – for getting professional cleaning results.

We, therefore, recommend not to give it a try unless you know about the chemistry and chemicals very well.

For those of you who do not want to take the risk when it comes to cleaning their firearms, here we review some of the best gun cleaning solvents and oil available online.

Check the detailed reviews below and choose the best options that suit your needs well.

1- Hoppes No 9 Bore Cleaner

Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Bore Cleaning Solvent is a universally acknowledged solvent that shooters are using since 1903.

Mainly used in removing the powder, lead, metal fouling, and rust, Hoppe’s No. 9 is completely safe and easy to use on pistols, rifles, and shotguns.

Competent chemicals are combined in the most appropriate manner to form this best bore cleaner solvent that penetrates fast and spreads fast to reach the depths of the gun parts.

All you can expect is a brilliant cleaning while you use this  formula for cleaning your guns at home.

The packaging bottle comes in various sizes (5 Oz, 16 Oz, 32 Oz) with a child-proof cap which ensures safe storage of the product even when you have children at home.

2- Break-Free CLP Gun Cleaner

Break-Free Gun Cleaner is one of the best CLP for guns, you can trust and use for all your gun cleaning and maintenance tasks.

This CLP penetrates deeply into crevices and spreads fast along the metal surfaces to remove the contamination and carbon residue on your gun parts.

The corrosion inhibitors present in the helps in preventing the formation of rust while its unique boundary film protects all the metal surfaces of your firearms from moisture and other contaminants.

The Break-free gun barrel cleaner is absolutely safe for all types of gunmetal finishes like blued steel, titanium and polymer composite firearms.

Furthermore, this specially formulated Break free CLP aerosol is highly a weather tolerant, which means it does not lose its effectiveness even in extreme environmental conditions like cold, heat, dust, dirt, humidity and even salty air.

3- Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber

Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber is a synthetic cleaner that makes the cleaning process of modern firearms very easy.

This is a high-pressure degreaser/solvent which blasts the dirt away and avoids fouling with its powerful aerosol jet-action.

This  cleans your weapon fast without causing any harm to plastic, laminates, wood, rubber grips, composites or other materials.

The cleaner evaporates fast and gets dried immediately leaving your firearms clean and shining like new.

With an occasional blast, you can eliminate firearm jams while improving accuracy and reliability with this Birchwood Casey gun scrubber synthetic safe Cleaner.

We have already used this for cleaning the shotguns, air rifles, and muzzleloaders and have found it excellent for automatics, bolts, lever and slide actions. Thus it is the all in one firearm cleaning scrubber, you can rely on.

The product can also be used to safely clean even camo finishes. Available in 10 oz,13 oz and 15 oz packing you can buy it now online at a very affordable price.

Birchwood Casey gun scrubber is also available in a Birchwood Casey 1,2,3 Gun Scrubber, Bore Scrubber & Barricade Value Pack aerosol cans (10 oz. each) of: bore scrubber, gun scrubber and barricade. You may consider buying the pack to save good money.

4- Breakthrough Gun Cleaner

Breakthrough clean solvent is one of the best gun solvent cleaners you should have in your firearms cleaning kit.

This firearm cleaner does not produce the harsh smell and is therefore pleasant to use. Cleaning firearms with this cleaning solvent leaves no fouling and residue behind.

Breakthrough Military Grade Gun Cleaner Solvent is also Non-staining and Non-flammable. Being the USA made, EPA friendly and non-toxic in nature it is very safe to use.

Moreover,  comes with neutral pH which means it is completely safe for all types of firearms materials like wood, polymer, plastic, cerakote and/or hydroprinting.

The cleaner comes with varied packagings like 15ml, 2-ounce, 6-ounce, 16-ounce, 32-ounce, and 1 Gallon. You can choose the one that is best suited as per your requirement.

According to various Breakthrough clean review, this is the best non-toxic gun cleaning solvent which works very well for cleaning all types of carbon deposits with only negative being – the spray bottle is hard and inconvenient to use.

5- Sage and Braker CLP

The very basic purpose of any CLP is to Clean, Lube and Protect. And that’s what this CLP by Sage & Braker does.

With military use in mind, this high-quality CLP formula is made in the USA. It does not attract dust and sand, hence keeps your firearms clean for long.

It also helps to coat and protect the bore together with other moving parts on your firearms, making them well protected from corrosion and rust.

By providing the best carbon and contamination management this gun bore and barrel cleaner also reduce static so that you can completely rely on your firearms to use the best when you need them most without any failure.

Above all, formulation does not have any harsh smell and comes with safe to use chemicals that do not damage any blueing and finish of your firearms.

Available with so many features and benefits this non-hazardous, biodegradable and non-toxic CLP gun cleaner is a must-have if you are really concerned about the safe cleaning and protection of your firearms.

6- Ballistol Aerosol

Ballistol Gun Oil (Multipurpose Aerosol) is popular for its versatile feature due to which it’s not only helpful in lubricating and protecting your firearms but just anything else you want to.

As this best carbon cleaner for guns is slightly alkaline in nature it neutralizes the effect of skin oils and sweat. Biodegradable and environmentally friendly in nature it’s available in 1.5 Oz Aerosol Can.

forms a shield-like a film on the metal surfaces and is capable to creep into the finest cracks and fissures. It can penetrate deep to loosen the bolts and nuts too.

Besides, it’s accurate for completing other household tasks which most of the normal grease or lubricant fails to do.

This means you can use this Ballistol Klever oil to protect, lubricate and maintain your knives, fishing gear, rubber, wood, locks, and other tools.

7- Hoppe’s Gun Oil

Hoppe’s Lubricating Oil with high-viscosity is perfect to use for lubricating fishing reels, firearms, and other precision mechanisms.

Being a long-lasting with some best features, this USA made lubricating oil for guns does not harden, get into the form of gum or even expire.

Feel free and confident to keep your weapons safe and good in function with this which is available online in a 2.4 Oz bottle.

For enhanced results, you can also consider  which is one of the latest product from Hoppe’s.

This 3-in-1 oil is prepared with specially formulated T3 additive that contains Liquid molybdenum and PTFE which provides long-lasting corrosion protection to your weapons in all environmental conditions.

8- Slip 2000 EWL

Based on our personal experience we have found Slip 2000 EWL as one of the best gun cleaner lube as it stays wet for more than 5 times than as compared to other traditional gun lubricants.

also does not attract dirt, dust, sand, carbon, copper, lead, etc, making your firearms easy and fast to clean.

Not only has it helped in reducing the friction and wear but also to protect against any type of corrosion.

Being non-toxic and non-hazardous it is completely safe for health and nature. Also, it won’t burn off like petroleum products and is thus safe to use on all types of metal, wood, plastic parts.

9- Lucas Gun Oil

LUCAS gun oil is one of the best recommended odorless gun cleaners that is being used by firearms manufacturers and users for ages.

This gun oil package comes with 4oz of Lucas Extreme Duty Gun Oil #10877 & 1oz of Lucas Extreme Duty Needle Oiler #10875.

The highly effective is formulated specifically for firearms that involve high volume, high heat, and friction.

Lucas oil products are best suited for full auto firearms, SBRs, suppressors, semi-auto rifles, shotguns, and pistols.

10- G96 Gun Oil

G96 Gun Oil and CLP can also be your choice if you wish to keep your firearms lubricated and in good working condition.

It is one of the best gun oil to buy online which helps to keep your firearms free from getting jammed and out of function.

The gun oil by G96 is formulated by combining great additives that protect your gun from all types of environmental issues.

As it contains no VOC’s and is 85% biodegradable it’s completely safe to use on polymers.

After cleaning your weapons with G96 Bore Solvent or G96 Crud Buster, you can use this  for enhanced protection and performance.

By keeping the firing pin and other moving parts lubricated and in good working condition, it assures wonderful firing shots every time you use your firearm.

Besides the above best options, there are brands such as Remington, Rem, M-Pro 7 and many others which are still popular.

If you are not convinced by the above options, you just need to do your research to find the best-suited gun cleaning solvent and oils based on your requirements.

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What to Look for When Buying Gun Oil?

Shopping for gun oils may seem a bit daunting at first. After all, telling the difference between different brands can be challenging.

One acronym that you should look for is AW/EP, which means anti-wear and extreme pressure.

You can narrow your search by eliminating gun oils that fail to have AW/EP as part of their ingredient description.

The best gun oils will have several additives to ensure their high quality and long durability.

The additives themselves are made to work with the base oil to provide additional strength and thickness for better results.

Of course, there are many different additives that may be used which are applied for different needs.

Types of Gun Oil Additives

What follows are the most common types of additives used in gun oil.

They are designed to be used to improve the oil itself along with protecting the environment and other functions.

  • Boron
  • Antimony Dialkyl Dithiocarbamate
  • Detergents
  • Phosphors
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene
  • Sulphur
  • Tackifiers
  • Zinc & Zince Dialkyl Dithiophosphate

These are just a few of the many different compounds that may be included. They are used to varying degrees to ensure that the desired effect is reached.

Considerations

As with any product, you should determine the type of gun oil that you need based on what you want to achieve.

Here are a few common issues that many people face when choosing the best type of gun oil for what they want.

1- Cold: While it is preferred to store your guns in a cool, dry place. If it gets too cold there may be imperfections that develop or the metal itself may become more brittle.

You will need a gun oil that is designed for cold conditions to provide extra protection.

2- Humidity: As mentioned before, if you live in a humid area, such as in the deep south or perhaps along the coast, you will need a gun oil that boasts several rust preventatives.

By having these additives, you can stave off potential oxidation of the metal itself.

3- Your Use: You should choose a gun oil not only for its effectiveness but in how often you intend to use the gun itself.

This means whether you use the gun regularly or only for occasional use, that will help determine the gun oil that is needed.

Regardless of what type of gun oil you choose, it is important that you take the condition of the gun itself, the environment, and your use of the weapon into consideration.

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How To Clean And Oil A Gun? (Video Guides)

While a gun should be cleaned thoroughly and in a relaxed manner to make sure that you get every last bit of that dirt and grime out, sometimes circumstances demand that you do so in a hurry.

Watch this short tutorial to learn how to clean your gun super quickly!

Now when you have cleaned up your gun after shooting, Gun oil is great for ensuring that your firearm is properly lubricated and that the slide never catches unexpectedly.

Learn how to oil your gun properly and ensure that it is operating smoothly and effectively. Watch this video for a guide to oil your gun in a step by step manner.

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3 Types of Chemicals You Need for Complete Gun Care

Choosing the right mix for ideal cleaning and lubrication of guns is quite important. But as there is a wide variety available to choose from, it becomes too confusing about which one to buy and when.

Especially if you do not want to buy a whole lot of items to stock up in your firearm cleaning storage box, you need to choose the product carefully that can serve your basic most purpose exceptionally good.

Well, when it’s about cleaning and caring for your guns, the chemicals you will need the most are generally categorized into 3 types. These include Solvent, Oil, and CLP. Let’s check briefly about what each one of these does and why are these important.

1- Solvent (Good to Dissolve Fouling)

Well, let’s take a look at the first chemical commonly used by gun owners, solvent.
Unlike the other chemicals used to clean a gun, a solvent is available in many different forms in the market include foaming bore cleaner kept in an aerosol can.

However, no matter what form of solvent that you choose, the chemical comes with a specific purpose to help you dissolve fouling.

The most basic solvent cleaner for guns generally has a foul and regular smelling liquid which is stored in a screw-capped bottle. This is considered to be the gun cleaner material that a gun owner must-have.

To use this basic gun cleaner solvent, all you need to do is just use soaking mops and patches so you can apply the solvent to the bore.

Another solvent that is usually selected by gun owners is the foaming solvent. This kind of solvent is equipped with a pump-type or aerosol bottle that functions to distribute a foamy and light version of the solvent.

However, this foaming solvent usually comes with a higher price than the regular ones.

Another kind of solvent to know is the aerosol solvent that comes with a thin liquid kept in a spray can. This kind of solvent can dissolve fouling effectively.

In addition, it is also pressurized to make it possible for you to blast away fouling easily.

2- Oil (Good to Lubricate Your Guns)

Another common chemical that people often used to clean and lubricate their gun is 3-in-1-oil.

Generally, people tend to use petroleum-based oil due to the reason that it works much better than mineral or vegetable-based oils for guns.

The petroleum-based oil can lubricate a gun in a more efficient and faster way.
To make things easier, make sure that you pick up an aerosolized lubricant to help you do things smoothly.

When choosing gun oil, you also need to find a boundary lubricant package with good quality.

However, you need to keep in mind that oil always comes in liquid form, thus, you need to be careful since it can easily squeeze out. This is the reason why picking up boundary lubricant packages in good quality will become valuable assistance you need.

The boundary lubricants are actually addictive and come with very tiny beads that make them very slippery. This is how the good packages of boundary lubricants will be very valuable assistance you need.

3- CLP (Good for Quick Cleaning and Lubrication)

Last but not least is CLP (cleaner, lubricant, and preservative). This is actually a term that is used to address all kinds of chemicals used to clean, lubricate, and protect guns.

It can be said that CLP is a perfect combination of several chemicals that have a corrosion inhibitor, solvent, and lubricant all in one place.

Well, with the CLP, it seems like you have all you need to clean your gun in a single product, doesn’t it? But, it is not completely correct anyway.
The product is truly fantastic and can help you to remove dirt on your gun quickly.

However, all that gun owners actually need to do with their device is cleaning every single part of it, little by little, and of course, thoroughly.

You will want to do every detail carefully, eliminate the dirty spots with solvent, and then lubricate the gun with oil to make it work well again.

This, can’t be done well with your CLP since it is actually aimed to help you do a quick clean to your gun without the necessity to pay attention to any detail.

This will be suitable the most if you are in a rush and do not have much time to do all the work.

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Things to Consider When Using Gun Cleaning Oils & Solvents

We hope that we have made it easier for you to choose the best gun cleaning solvent through our above top 10 lists of best gun cleaning solvents and oils.

Now when you have decided to buy and use the best gun solvent and oil, there is a lot more you need to learn about using it efficiently to achieve the desired results.

Below are a few tips for you which will help in using these solvents in an easy and safe way:

1- The Type of Firearm You Are Cleaning:

Different firearms come with different functionalities and materials.

While most of the high-quality cleaning solvents in the market are designed for cleaning various different types of modern firearms, there may be few cheaper options that can ruin your old rifle or antique pistol if not chosen (and used) wisely.

We, therefore, recommend checking the type of firearm you are cleaning and the quality of cleaning results you aim to get before you choose your gun cleaning fluid, solvent, oil or grease.

2- Use Gun Vise & Cleaning Mat while Cleaning:

Secure your gun for cleaning using a good gun vise (avoid using traditional bench vise).

This will help in avoiding the damages made to the gun parts or any getting the scratches inside the barrel.

Furthermore, gun cleaning solvents like your CLP often get leak if not handled properly. This can ruin your surface and even other gun cleaning gears present in your kit.

It’s therefore essential that you use a good gun cleaning mat to cover your surface. This will save the surfaces in case of any solvent spills off.

3- Tight The Bottles when Packing:

Many times people find their CLPs and solvents leaked when they unpack their gun cleaning storage box for getting their guns cleaned.

This is usually due to the cap of bottles not being tightly packed. To avoid the problem, you should make sure that you tighten the lid or bottle cap before storing so that any leakage is avoided.

Many of the gun cleaning fluids in the market does not come with proper bottles and are likely to get leaked when stored in a box with other shooting gears.

You should either store them separately from your other gears or use some other plastic bottles that don’t leak, to store them tightly.

Do not forget to label them right, if you are using more than one such bottle for storing different solvents and oils.

In the end, we also encourage you to check the weather conditions you will be shooting and cleaning your guns in.

While using most of the CLPs and solvents wouldn’t be a problem in extreme weather conditions, if you are carrying an aerosol spray in the freezing winters it may cause problems while using.

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