I purchased my first Glock — a Glock 19 — back in 1992 and enjoyed some of the ease a polymer-framed pistol offers. In fact, the Glock 19 was so easy to maintain, my once meticulous attention to detail in cleaning semi-automatic handguns began to wane. Though I still pay close attention to the revolvers, my polymer frames — the Springfield Armory XD and Smith & Wesson M&Ps — are more “fire and forget.”
Modern firearms coatings like armonite, melonite and nitron are applied over stainless steel rather than carbon steel slides. This makes pistols about as impervious to rust as they can get. In 31 years of running and participating in law enforcement firearms qualifications courses, I have never seen rust develop on those guns despite the abuse of long-term open carry in rainy, snowy or dusty conditions.
On top of these modern metal treatments, nearly all the ammo I shoot features a solid copper or copper-clad bullet. These rounds eliminate lead fowling. Usually, all that is left behind is powder residue, especially in short-barreled pistols. As a result, I confess I have become much laxer in cleaning my handguns than in the day of blued steel revolvers.
Cleaning firearms doesn’t have to be difficult and time-consuming, though. While shopping the cleaning supplies at my local shooting emporium, I found Clenzoil Field and Range Saturated Wipes. The container says Clenzoil has been protecting firearms since 1948, though I don’t recall having tried them. It also claimed the cleaning wipes were good for cleaning, lubricating and protecting “Lock, Stock and Barrel.” These saturated wipes sounded perfect for a quick cleanup after a day at the range. And it turns out they were! They can also be used to protect my two blued steel handguns after a day of handling or holster carry.
Using Clenzoil Wipes to Clean Guns
The Cleanzoil Saturated Wipes dispenser holds 75 melt-blown 5×7 non-woven fabric wipes pre-saturated — but not saturated — with the Clenzoil solution. These wipes feature a tiny perforated six-dot hexagonal pattern that helps hold the solution (and the crud you wipe out). The wipes pull out easily, are easy to separate and only have a mild odor. Clenzoil hasn’t offended my wife’s sensitive sense of smell when I’ve used them at the kitchen table.
I have been using the gun cleaning wipes mostly for a quick wipe down of my primary carry 1911s and Springfield Armory SA-35. And my blued all-carbon steel Alchemy Custom Weaponry Classic Carry is wiped down every time I carry it. The Clenzoil wipes leave a nice light coating on the surface and interior. Plus, these can be cut down to use as pre-impregnated cleaning patches. They easily clean out grime and residue. I also used them on the Classic Carry’s chamber and action after a short shooting session. They trapped and carried away the grime, leaving just the right amount of lubrication on the interior. Only one 5×7 wipe was needed for that task.
I also used the wipes on the action of my M1 Garand, and they brought the walnut stock to a high and protected luster. Clenzoil wipes will also not harm polymer, so fear not if you get some on your firearm. Not all cleaners can make that claim.
Who Should Use Saturated Wipes?
Clenzoil saturated wipes certainly beat a standard cleaning patch soaked with fluid for cleaning your firearm. And they make effective cleaning patches for cleaning out the bore when cut down. They are just as effective for a quick wipe-down as for a detailed strip, making them the most useful cleaning product I have tested in a long time. With an MSRP of $19.99, they deserve a place on your cleaning bench and in your range or hunting bag. To top things off, they are made in the USA.
Source:
Clenzoil: Clenzoil.com
