When I started shooting, I used hoppes no. 9 and cheap outers lube. Then I was turned on to M-pro7 products and they have been fantastic in my rimfires and my handguns. However, they dont seem to get a lot of recognition here. It seems everyone is crazy about the slip2000 EWL, and probably for good reason, but I was wondering if any of you guys use M-pro7 gun cleaner, gun oil, copper remover, or CLP with your ARs.
Same as you, I used to use Hoppes No. 9 at first. It was what I grew up with; when I was barely 7 years old I remember going to my uncle’s house and he was sitting there cleaning a 1911 in his living room and the whole place reeked of No. 9. To this day the smell reminds me of the first time I laid eyes on a “real” gun.
I had started doing some internet research about more effective gun cleaners when I stumbled across MPro7, I think from reading something on Impact Guns. I ordered a small bottle (maybe a 12 oz spray bottle) to try it out and I was extremely impressed. It smelled great, didn’t irritate any exposed skin, and worked just as well if not better than No. 9. I then ordered a gallon of it and proceeded to dole it out to friends and family as well as used it myself for several years. I admit that this was before I forayed into the world of the AR-15.
When I bought my first AR-15, I noticed that MPro7 did a great job but there were still a few areas where it fell short. Because I was starting to run low on my gallon, I did more research and came across someone who said that carburetor cleaner did a great job of cleaning AR’s. I decided to try it because, after all, a bottle of carb cleaner sets you back a whopping $2. I was extremely pleased with the results and continue to use carb cleaner today with fantastic results.
Long story short (maybe too late), my cleaning routine consists of: field stripping, blasting everything with carb cleaner, using Blue Wonder for the barrel, and then Break Free CLP for lube and protectant. Then a wipe down with a silicone cloth for good measure. I haven’t ordered any more MPro7. In fact, the remainder of my gallon is still sitting in my closet… just in case I run out of carb cleaner.
After quite a few years of shooting, I will forgo a little extra cleaning power to not end up kids with three eyeballs and tumors the size of pancakes…and thus I like MPRO 7 quite a bit:)
Ive tried a bunch of the newer “green” cleaners,and always end up going back to RBC or Hoppe’s No.9…of which I have a truck load of each on hand…to include the old toxic sewer pipe stinkin USGI corrosive ammo cleaner from the 1950’s.
In all Ive used Hoppe’s No.9 since aboput 1979 and have seen no issues other than the newer benzene free(went green too) formula is not as effective as the old stuff.
The main area I find the newer “green” cleaners falling short is the fact that they can’t be used for extended soaking of fouled metal parts to remove excess carbon and/or gummed lubes etc. due to evaporation.Good example is a heavily fouled bore which I prefer to clean in a three part series(old school three day cleaning technique) with overnight soakings in between.The newer cleaners also do not have the chemistry to effectively and/or chemically remove copper,plastic,lead or similar fouling.
While Hoppe’s No.9 has a very low pH,its still effective enough to remove copper and penetrates like crazy to displace on other types of fouling if allowed time to do so.Not to mention the fact that some of the old petro based solvents like Hoppe’s No.9 can offer some bit of corrosion protection where the newer cleaners strip the metal,and in some cases open up the metal to hydrogen.
So in my honest opinion the newer cleaners are effective as a surface prep for removing previously used lubes and solvent residues.Otherwise I have no use for them.
All that said,Mpro7 is about the best of the newer cleaners IMHO,and is what set the others in motion to try and copy.
Overall the majority of my weapon PM is done with a quality CLP such as Break Free or Weapon Shield(my prefered CLP,which is solvent free by the way),the nasty bores get the Hoppe’s No.9 or similar and I roll on.
As far as health concerns due to solvents,I use strong solvents all day at work(spent several years elbow deep in TCE),so the kerosene base of Hoppe’s No.9 is not a worry for me.
Yes been using m-pro 7 since 1995. Have found nothing that works better on any of my guns. Found it interesting that McMillan included m-pro 7 in the cleaning kit they sell / sold for their rifles.
And m-pro 7 is great to soak things in as well for those extra special jobs you have.
We used Mpro-7 gun cleaner in Iraq on a limited basis when I was running the armory there. I think I did a write up about it. It is good stuff and I use it at home as well.
It’s also an Arizona product!
McMillan includes it outta their house to you…than its GTG:cool:
I would say that the reason it, and most cleaners really, don’t get discussed much is that once people learn how to properly lubricate and what products do it well, cleaning takes a distinct back-seat.
I have heard good things about M-Pro7, and will probably get some for my bi-annual AR cleaning session.
PM me if you decide to do so. I may have a POC there.
I used to use MPro-7 (and will in a pinch) with Weaponshield, but after discovering Slip, it has been a day and night difference. My clean times have dropped to literally less than 15 minutes for a thorough clean of my carbines and pistols. When I was using MPro-7, I was taking close to an hour (yes, I’m very detail orientated). However, YMMV.
One thing to remember is that M-Pro 7 is not a traditional solvent based cleaner. It does not dissolve the carbon and crap in your gun. It uses surfactants and other stuff to break the bonds that hold the crap in. The brush/patches then push/wash the crap out. You can strain and reuse M-Pro 7.
It was designed, according to old propaganda from the manufacturer, to clean the F16 cannons.
It is made by “Pantheon Chemical” of Phoenix AZ.
Hoppes Elite gun cleaner is basically the same stuff (not Hoppes #9). Hoppes Elite is also made by “Pantheon Chemical” using the same technology, to a slightly different recipe.
Here is the manufacturers FAQ FWIW: http://www.mpro7.com/MPro7-Faqs.html
My cleaning times with M-Pro 7 or Hoppes Elite (same stuff basically) are in the 5-15 minute time frame depending on what I am doing.
I stopped using stuff like Hoppes #9 several years ago, and haven’t looked back. M-Pro 7 is pretty good stuff. I think the Hoppes does a little better with shotgun barrels(melted plastic/lead), but it probably isn’t worth the exposure to it.
try the M-Pro 7 bore gel or the Hoppes Elite foaming cleaner on your shotgun barrels. Apply, let sit a while, and then come back and clean.
I didn’t know about the bore gel. Thanks, I may have to give that a try.
I find the gel is too thick (maybe except for shotgun barrels) and use the gun cleaner and CLP for all-around cleaning. Easy stuff to work, effective, and nearly odorless.
The Bore Gel is not really for general purpose cleaning. It is for those situations where you need to let it soak some to get crap off. It does not run out like the liquid does. So if you need to put it in and let it soak a bit, then the gel is your friend (or the Hoppes Elite foaming version might work well too – Hoppes Elite is basically M-Pro 7). For general use, use the liquid cleaner.
A friend at the club I shot at in NH 8 years ago inherited a 22lr single shot or bolt gun and it was encrusted with stuff. The bore gel worked wonders for him since he could put it in and let it soak a while… The liquid, for him in that case, was running out too fast and not soaking the crap encrusted in his gun. Once he had it clean and good to go, he switched to the liquid for normal use.
I’ve been using the M-Pro7 CLP for about a year and a half after I got a free bottle from a competition. I had never heard of it before that and I’ve been impressed so far. It seems to evaporate slowly from my AR, even in a hot patrol car trunk, and my range pistols that get cleaned and lubed infrequently also see little CLP disappearing. I’m still a fan of Break-Free CLP for cleaning, especially since the rep from M-Pro7 said that the CLP is very little “C”, a lot more “LP”, but once that’s done the M-Pro goes on. I have tried their cleaner, but maybe it’s just me but i don’t think that it really does that much better than Break-Free. It gets the job done, but maybe I just don’t let my guns get nasty enough to see a difference.
I use it exclusively probably since 1998 or so. Since it’s from AZ I’ll order a gallon this week. Thanks!
I switched to M-Pro 7 years ago to clean and haven’t found anything I like better, but after I clean, I lube with Slip2000EWL, which I also like especially for the ARs.