Ultrasonic Gun Cleaning Systems

Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, private hunting and recreational shooting clubs, firearm collectors and operators of gun shop service departments increasingly rely on ultrasonic gun cleaning systems for fast thorough cleaning and lubricating procedures to keep equipment investments in top condition.

Later in this post we describe how ultrasonic gun cleaning systems work and offer some suggestions on procedures to use and avoid.

But since you're looking for systems to ultrasonically clean your hand guns, shotguns or rifles we'll start out with equipment that does the job.

Examples of Ultrasonic Hand Gun Cleaning Systems

For cleaning pistol components, we suggest the 1.06 gallon HCS-200 ultrasonic gun cleaning kit sized for two full size semi-automatic handguns or a 6-inch revolver. (Note to Kevin: fix volumes on the gun cleaning page)

This kit contains your ultrasonic gun cleaner, basket and cover along with a separate lubricating pan. Also shipped are two 8 oz. containers of weapon cleaner concentrate and a gallon of ready-to-use lubricating solution.

A slightly larger unit for cleaning hand guns is the 1.5 gallon XPD360-6L ultrasonic hand gun cleaner. This is shipped with a cleaning tray, lubricating tray, two brushes, a pair of disposable gloves and 1 gallon each of ultrasonic gun cleaning solution and gun lubricating solution.

If you are a member of a club, sell or service firearms, consider the professional XPD360-6L system that provides 2 ultrasonic cleaning units letting you clean in one and lubricate in the other. This offering includes a lubricating pan and lid, 2 cleaning trays, 2 brushes, a gallon of cleaning solution, 2 gallons of lubricating solution and a pair of disposable gloves.

Ultrasonic Cleaning Rifles and Other Long Guns

For rifles and other long guns a good choice is the 36-inch LE-36 ultrasonic weapon cleaning system. (note to Kevin: Link on this posting goes to the one this is replacing)

Featuring a sweep mode to provide uniform cleaning action throughout the bath, this system includes a 7.5 gallon stainless steel heated ultrasonic cleaning tank with drain, ultrasonic generator, lubricating pan, mesh basket and tank lid, 1 gallon of cleaning solution concentrate, 2 gallons of lubricant and operating instructions.

How an Ultrasonic Gun Cleaning System Works

First of all, we recognize that firearm owners are well aware of the importance of using brushes, sprays, pads and lubricants to clean their equipment after each use.

But these manual methods are unlikely to access contaminants in cracks, crevices, blind holes and other restricted surfaces that if allowed to remain may interfere with the reliable operation or lower the value of firearms.

Regularly scheduled sessions in an ultrasonic gun cleaning system removes these potentially harmful contaminants and residues mostly missed by manual maintenance methods.

The secret of superior firearm cleaning is what is called ultrasonic cavitation.

This is caused by the implosion of billions of minute bubbles in a biodegradable ultrasonic cleaning solution as they contact all components of the firearm immersed in the solution.

The imploding bubbles quickly and safely loosen and remove grease, powder residues, shavings and other contaminants that could interfere with reliable firearm operation.

So tiny are the bubbles that they penetrate minute cracks, crevices and blind holes impossible to reach with conventional rifle and pistol cleaning tools, solvents and aerosols.

The ultrasonic gun cleaning system will complete the job in approximately 10-15 minutes. If a number of firearms are being cleaned at the same time the cycle could be longer.

An in-depth look at the process is found in our post on ultrasonic cleaning.

The Role of Ultrasonic Gun Cleaning Solutions

Ultrasonic cleaning solutions, also called chemistries or soaps, are formulated for specific cleaning challenges.

The cleaning solution concentrates in the ultrasonic gun cleaning systems offered above are biodegradable and diluted with water. This makes them more economical to use and eases disposal concerns.

They are formulated to remove powder residue, bullet shavings, hardened lubricants, cosmoline and other contaminants.

Dilution and other use instructions are provided on the containers.

The Role of Ultrasonic Gun Lubricants

After being cleaned, firearm components are immersed in the gun lubricant pan, which is inserted into the cleaning solution tank. Ultrasonic energy passes through the lubricating pan to act on the lubricant.

This removes all traces of the aqueous cleaning solution, leaving a fine lubricating film.

At the end of the lubricating cycle, wipe excess lubricant from weapon parts before reassembly.

Ultrasonic Gun Cleaning Procedures to Use and Avoid

Field-Strip the Weapon

Most people with experience in handling weapons understand that field-stripping and disassembling are part of the task of cleaning by hand.

The same holds true for ultrasonic gun cleaning systems. The ultrasonic cleaner works at its best on these smaller parts, where the microscopic bubbles penetrate into the hard-to-reach holes, cracks and crevices that hand-cleaning methods miss.

As suggested above, the ultrasonic cleaner can remove much of the contaminants from these areas in a fraction of the time and the process does not damage metal surfaces.

Remove Wood or Ivory Parts

Intense cavitation action is highly effective at cleaning metal surfaces, but it can be too much for some non-metal parts. Components made of wood or ivory can warp, crack or be otherwise damaged by temperatures and agitation found within an ultrasonic cleaning bath.

Other methods should be used to clean these parts separately from the weapon's core components.

Post-Cleaning Maintenance

After ultrasonic cleaning, users will need to rinse, dry, and lubricate the weapon components. The maintenance tasks must be done within a few minutes of the end of the cleaning process, as humidity and pollutants in the air can undo much of the efforts to keep the weapon clean and rust-free.

To accomplish this we strongly recommend the ultrasonic lubricating cycle described above.

Avoid Flammable Solvents

Flammable solvents spell danger both from a use and disposal standpoint. Ultrasonic cleaning formulas designed for cleaning firearms are water based and biodegradable. The lubricating bath eliminates rust concerns.

Follow Recommended Ultrasonic Gun Cleaning and Lubricating Procedures

As noted above, cleaning solution and lubricating formulations designed for an ultrasonic gun cleaner help speed the process and protect your firearm.

Use instructions, including dilutions, operating procedures and temperatures are provided with the kits.

Additional Reading for the Serious Gun Owner

The superb cleaning ability of ultrasonic energy finds other applications among gun owners, hunters and hobbyists.

An example is found in our post on how to professionally clean brass cartridge casings.

Need More Info on Ultrasonic Gun Cleaning Systems?

For more information on finding an ultrasonic gun cleaning system that meets your needs, contact the experts at iUltrasonic.