Is it safe to clean my internals with Brakleen pro-grade parts cleaner?

[Ace08066 2]

I don't see any reason it would be a bad idea considering there's no rubber or plastic in there aside from the buffer.  I used to be a mechanic and I still have about 2.5 gallons of some industrial strength brakleen parts cleaner - this stuff actually *will* strip the chrome off a trailer hitch.  Used it to clean steel parts before working on them like axles and control arms and things of the like.  

 

I'm debating on field stripping my rifle and using the stuff on the internals...  I mean soaking the BCG in it for 5 minutes would probably melt off everything but the steel it's made of, the stuff is one shake short of acid.  It's 100% non-oxidizing so the threat of Rust isn't an issue, and ofc I'd have to re-oil everything...  But does anyone think it would be a little too harsh for the thin steel components?  

 

To give you an idea of how harsh...  Ya can't use latex gloves for more than 2-3 minutes working with the stuff, because it will literally melt the gloves off your hand.  lol, .75+ Neoprene only thing that can take it for more than 5 minutes.

[Howard 538]

Don't see anything wrong with it.  I have used brake cleaner to clean out the firing pin channel in my CZ75 and it works very well.

[dajonga 397]

It does a dandy job on getting ancient gunk out of a SKS.

[Rob0115 1,105]

If you've tried crud buster it smells just like brake clean.  I am sure it's the same.  Lube well after using it though.  

[T Bill 649]

I have been using brakekleen to clean the metal parts of firearms for as long as I can remember.  Does a wonderful job.  I don't think you need to "soak" anything, just a good brushing and then it evaporates leaving a clean surface, free from everything.  So a good lube must follow right away or the dreaded rust will set right in. I buy it by the case at Advance Auto when on sale. I use about three cases a year.

[Ace08066 2]

Ahh, but you guys are thinking of just Brakleen.  The stuff I'm talking about is much more potent, made by brakleen.  Not the stuff ya get in the spray can.  

 

But I guess if the standard stuff is fine on it, the industrial stuff can't do any harm.  My biggest worry was there being some sort of coating over these parts I didn't know about, like a polymer or something, that I'd melt off.  If there's nothing like that present then aside from making the steel a little lighter colored it should do fine.   

[djg0770 481]

^^ Parts Cleaner.  Wonderful stuff for removing crud and gunk.

[Eric. 9]

Ived used autoparts store grade Brake Kleen and had no bad effects.  Truth be told, I prefer "carb and choke cleaner" over brake kleen because it does a much better job with dissolving carbon.  Brake Kleen doesn't work well on carbon deposits.

 

 

Eric

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Not sure about the "Pro-Grade", sounds a bit more heavy duty than the stuff in the aerosol can I think most are referring to. If the Brake -Kleen is perchlorethylene or tri-chlorethylene you should be GTG - that is what is in the aerosol cans and also used in Birchwood Casey's Gun-Scrubber.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob