Dunk-It will work, but it's expensive. What I do is use ordinary automotive brake cleaner (which is the same thing as the more expensive Gun Scrubber) and a plastic oil drain pan to catch the mess. First I wear safety glasses, as getting the stuff spat back in your eye hurts! Anyway, I usually just field strip, remove the grips, and hose the frame and slide down inside and out. It still takes an M-16 brush to scrub out certain nooks and crannys, like under the extractor (better yet, remove it and swab the hole with a Q-Tip). Afterward I shake it dry and let it sit on a rag or paper for a few minutes. I usually then go clean the barrel while waiting. The stuff evaporates really fast, but it leaves the surface bone dry, and with a white reside on the outside. I then apply a thin coat of oil to the outside and then wipe it clean with a rag. Afterward I oil the inner working parts and reassemble.
I've never found Gun Scrubber or brake cleaner to hurt any plastic used in the construction of a firearm, such as Glock frames and Colt MS housings.
However, it will melt certain other plastics like Ram-Line magazines, so as always test on a small area before using on anything. It will also dissolve the white paint used for the dots on sights, but then again most gun solvents will anyway. All my guns with dots are painted with latex and a tiny camel hair brush. After a thorough cleaning I just simply reapply the paint.
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D. Kamm
USGI M1911/M1911A1 Pistols Website
http://usgi1911.tripod.com
[This message has been edited by dsk (edited 11-28-2001).]
