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Solvents to avoid with Springfield Armory polymer frames.

S

spurr

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For many years I have used chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents in aerosol cans to irrigate and clean out tight corners, etc. on my steel rifles and pistols.

Are there any solvents I must avoid with Springfield Armory polymer frames? I don't want to dissolve any parts.
 
USMC6094 said:
I've been known to use hot water, Dawn, and toothbrush on occasion........
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I've boiled out guns on occasion. Will a polymer frame stand up to 212*F? Gee, I'd certainly HOPE so, but who knows.

I can tell you from bitter experience that 212*F will severely warp and shrink a model car body (polystyrene), but I'd think a gun-frame plastic would hold up a LITTLE better than that. :confused:
 
Snake45 said:
I've boiled out guns on occasion. Will a polymer frame stand up to 212*F? Gee, I'd certainly HOPE so, but who knows.

I can tell you from bitter experience that 212*F will severely warp and shrink a model car body (polystyrene), but I'd think a gun-frame plastic would hold up a LITTLE better than that. :confused:
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Don't you have a Hi-Point that you could "experiment" with? I mean what do you got to lose? :)
 
Skunkhouse said:
I've used a lot of cleaners even brake cleaners. Never found anything harmful.
Welcome to the group from Ohio
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I'm a bit of an expert on the effect of different solvents on polystyrene, from stripping rare old model cars. Nearly all petro-solvents (lacquer thinner, acetone, etc.) will melt or severely damage polystyrene. Common household rubbing alcohol won't hurt the plastic, but it also won't take off many paints--it'll work on SOME enamels, but not immediately; it requires soaking for long periods. OTOH, it WILL take off some hobby lacquers and acrylics VERY quickly. Brake fluid will often work when nothing else will, but it requires a long soak. My go-to paint remover these days is Super Clean, a mild lye solution. This requires soaking (I have a Tupperware tub just for this)--sometimes it works in 24 hours, sometimes it takes a few days, depending on the paint. One downside for anything lye-based is that it will attack and eventually destroy aluminum, and smell like rotten eggs while doing so. Some citrus-based cleaners work well and others will attack plastic--only way to know if you have a good one or a bad one is to test. Naptha (lighter fluid) doesn't SEEM to harm polystyrene, but it soaks into the plastic and until it dries back out, the plastic will be as fragile and crumbly as a crisp peanut butter cookie.

I used to have fiber/polymer "shock buff" recoil buffers in all my 1911s. Couple years ago I was giving my "house" 1911 its annual checkup--it earned the honor of semi-retirement by firing over 25,000 trouble-free rounds of lead-bullet SWC handloads back in the '80s and early '90s and I haven't shot it since. I couldn't get the slide more than halfway open. Turns out the shock buff had crumbled like a cookie sometime in the previous year. It took me about an hour to get the thing apart and get all the crap cleaned out of it. I can only surmise that some chemical I'd use to clean or oil the gun had attacked the polymer shock buff and destroyed it. Unfortunately, I can't say what it might be, because I used a wide variety of cleaning and lubricating products on that gun over years, including WD-40.
 
Only "issue" I ever had solvent wise was cleaning my M16A2 in dry cleaning solvent, also known as PD680.
That stuff got the weapon clean alright, but turned the anodizing nearly white, and pretty much ruined the stock and handguards we found out later.
Not too long after that we had to stay in the armory to clean our weapons.
 
. I can only surmise that some chemical I'd use to clean or oil the gun had attacked the polymer shock buff and destroyed it.
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No, they have a definite lifespan. I had a 6pk of them, the one in my gun did the same, I went to replace with some on the other new unused and found them in the same condition. They looked new in appearance yet once touched and try to twist them apart from eack other they just all started to break into pieces. I know longer use them at all for that very reason.
 
I use Naptha extensively on guitars and basses and I used to work for a furniture finisher where I pretty much bathed in Naptha. I've never known Naptha to hurt anything.

That said, I have never felt the need to use it on a gun. In fact other than a little bore solvent or CLP that ends up on the frame while I'm cleaning the guts I've never felt the need to use anything on any of my guns. I have cleaned up a lot other people's guns though. One in particular, a SCCY, that spent it's life either in this girl's purse or as her " Trash can" gun ( yes, she kept it under the sink by her trashcan) was particularly nasty. I used DNA on the frame and in a few tough spots I used a Magic Eraser. No harm done. It looked great when I was done. I'm willing to bet it is nasty again right this minute though.

I'm not sure what you guys are doing to your guns that you feel the need to use solvent to get the frames clean.
 
spurr said:
For many years I have used chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents in aerosol cans to irrigate and clean out tight corners, etc. on my steel rifles and pistols.

Are there any solvents I must avoid with Springfield Armory polymer frames? I don't want to dissolve any parts.
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i use just about any brand of "polymer safe" cleaning sprays, Tetra, Shooters Choice, etc. they seem to be near the same in prices.
 
Bassbob said:
I'm not sure what you guys are doing to your guns that you feel the need to use solvent to get the frames clean.
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i spray inside the FCU, magwell, and dust cover to get off the blow back carbon, and lead dust, and to remove any oil that captures all that gunk.

dry it, with either a low volume air compressor and patches, then re-apply lube.

i been doing this for a long time now.

another reason besides doing it for myself, is when i get the bug to sell off a gun, it's as clean as can be, for an inspection of the buyer.

like selling/trading in a car....ya wanna make it look good, to sell it.
 
Old_Me said:
i spray inside the FCU, magwell, and dust cover to get off the blow back carbon, and lead dust, and to remove any oil that captures all that gunk.

dry it, with either a low volume air compressor and patches, then re-apply lube.

i been doing this for a long time now.

another reason besides doing it for myself, is when i get the bug to sell off a gun, it's as clean as can be, for an inspection of the buyer.

like selling/trading in a car....ya wanna make it look good, to sell it.
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My guns are all very clean. I have never used solvent on the frames. I also never just spray anything into the FCU.
 
Pitdogg2 said:
No, they have a definite lifespan. I had a 6pk of them, the one in my gun did the same, I went to replace with some on the other new unused and found them in the same condition. They looked new in appearance yet once touched and try to twist them apart from eack other they just all started to break into pieces. I know longer use them at all for that very reason.
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Good to know, thanks! ;)
 
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