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Old June 9, 2002, 10:47 PM   #1
Blue Duck357
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Break Free- Why does anyone like this stuff?

I've learned not to speak ill of what experinced shooters seem to like, because their is usually a reason for it, BUT...What is the deal with so many here liking Break Free?

To me it cleans fouling, either lead or copper about as well as used motor oil, leaving a slimier mess behind though. Yet somehow after 50 rounds the slime effect seems to dissapear entirely leaving the gun as well lubricated as if you had used British tea for the job. But hey at least well after it's lurbrication qualities have broken down it's smell remains:barf:

I bought a Glock about six months back that had been cleaned heavily with the stuff I literally speed all the way home with the windows down just so I could clean it in something else to remove that stench that permiated my truck. Thought about throwing it in the bed on the way back, just a Glock anyway you know

So is it just the fact that you don't have to buy solvent and lubricant important to people or is there something about this stuff I'm just not getting???
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Old June 9, 2002, 11:01 PM   #2
blades67
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You just don't get it. Breakfree/CLP will protect your firearm against rust long after almost everything else has left your gun a bright orange mess. If you don't like the smell, use something else.
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Old June 9, 2002, 11:03 PM   #3
George Hill
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http://www.madogre.com/breakfree.htm
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Old June 9, 2002, 11:22 PM   #4
Mike Irwin
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I don't care for it much, either.

I had Breakfree do what some people tell me is impossible -- gum up on my into a nasty gooky mess.

I prefer grease and Remoil, myself.
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Old June 9, 2002, 11:24 PM   #5
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Interesting write up George.
I had to highlight it to find text in the black on black but it was worth it.

Side note......One of the earlier endorsers of Break Free was Evil Knevil. I still have some of the Evil Knevil Break Free stickers.....used to sell the stuff.

Marine hardware stores sell tons of it to boaters.

Stainless application.
I have found that it is a good thread lube for higly torqued stainless to stainless applications. Eliminates galling where many other lubes don't.

Sam
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Old June 9, 2002, 11:36 PM   #6
Blue Duck357
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Thanks for the link George very interesting. It seems it's best trait is long term corrosion protection. Really does not have a lot of use for me though as anything that gets shot get's cleaned that night at worst and my carry stuff is either stainless or tenifer anyway.

I'm still with Mike on the Grease/Rem-oil, prefer proshot solvent for my barrel cleaning. But at least I now know what the idea behind the stuff was now.

Maybe if they had made it smell like pre-EPA Hoppes #9, I'd use it for guns I was going to store for awhile but really if I intend to store somthing for long periods I'm likely to sell it anyway
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Old June 9, 2002, 11:52 PM   #7
Mike Irwin
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I used it for long-term corrosion protection...

It encased several guns in a nasty, sticky, gluey, ungodly difficult to remove sludge.
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Old June 10, 2002, 12:01 AM   #8
Shmackey
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It's good for light cleaning and very light lubing.

If something's really dirty, clean it with something else, then use BreakFree.

If something really needs to be lubed, do the above and then use a real lube.

When in doubt, it probably won't hurt anything and it'll keep it from rusting.

You can do almost anything with Hoppe's, BreakFree, and a decent lube.
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Old June 10, 2002, 12:05 AM   #9
RON in PA
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I've used it ever since it hit the market in the mid-to-late 70's. Always clean with Hoppe's #9 first as it does a better job, but depend on the Breakfree for its lubrication and especially for its protection against rust.
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Old June 10, 2002, 12:21 AM   #10
Stephen Ewing
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Precisely once in my life I have had a weapon gum up on me. It wasn't as bad as some of the WD-40 messes I've seen, but it was along those lines.

Break-Free-free for 13 years.

Steve
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Old June 10, 2002, 12:31 AM   #11
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I use Break Free for the majority of my lubrication needs. I also wipe down the exterior of my weapons with the stuff. It works great on my AR15 as well as my other weapons. I still prefer Rem Oil in a spray can for light lube applications.

The only times that I've ever used it for a cleaner was in the Army. My only options were Break Free or RBC. Rifle Bore Cleaner was smelly enough to me to gag a maggot, so Breakfree it was. Now I use Hoppes #9 for serious cleaning and Break Free to leave a light coating in the barrel and exterior surfaces for protection.

Perhaps I'll try some of the high tech lubes someday, but until then I'm perfectly satisfied with Breakfree.

Good Shooting
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Old June 10, 2002, 06:03 AM   #12
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I used Break Free for years but recently switched over to the MPro7 products (barrel cleaning gel, gun cleaner, and lube). They're non-toxic, have no odor, and do a fine job. Sorry I don't have a link, but a web search for MPro7 will do the trick. Excellent products, especially for those who are chemically sensitive like me.
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Old June 10, 2002, 06:41 AM   #13
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I like the smell of CLP--just got back from Marine Corps rifle qual and I'm covered in the stuff from checking peoples weapons to ensure they'd been cleaned.

To those people who report it gumming up their weapons, I would suggest that they are perhaps using too much of it--a little goes a long way. The only time I've seen weapons parts completely bathed in it is when come Marines hose down their bolt carrier groups with it before they qual in attempt to head off malfunctions.

On my personal weapons the most I use in one area is a full drop on the slide grooves and then I work the slide a few times to spread it out--even then a little of it will still drain when the weapon is being carried, but like I said, I like the smell anyways...

-Teuf

-Oh, BTW, results from qual: 3rd award Expert
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Old June 10, 2002, 07:01 AM   #14
FPrice
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I like Breakfree for one simple reason.

It works. For me.

Of course, if I took as good care of my soul as I did my guns I would probably be a candidate for sainthood. I NEVER let my guns become a "nasty gooky mess" or get "really dirty".
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Old June 10, 2002, 08:05 AM   #15
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I love it.

In the Guards, we get it in big Windex-style squirt bottles. It really gets out a lot of that nasty carbon buildup you get with the M16's gas system.

The civvie stuff I bought comes in an aerosol can, and seems to work well enough for me. I use it on all my guns. It won't hurt finishes of any sort, to my knowledge. The aerosol stuff I have foams up when you squirt it, so as someone previously said, a little bit goes a long way.

My FAL is a military rifle, so I use a military cleaning product. *shrug*
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Old June 10, 2002, 09:02 AM   #16
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I don't use CLP for cleaning but I do use it for lubrication. So far I've had good results.
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Old June 10, 2002, 09:22 AM   #17
Christopher II
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BreakFree is okay. I prefer Hoppes' for cleaning, it seems to work better and doesn't leave a film where I don't want it.

Eezox is the only product I've found that both cleans and lubricates well. It also smells wonderful, kind of like old-fashioned hair tonic.

- Chris
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Old June 10, 2002, 09:49 AM   #18
JWC in MS
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I had forgotten how long I had been using Breakfree untill reading this post. That got me to wondering why I use the stuff.
While working as a plain-clothes investigator I was carring a 9mm Sig. Mostly used inside the waist band carry. This Sig was most rust prone. Don't remember what "oil" I was using at the time(17 or 18 years ago), but it did not work. Started using Breakfree and the problem was solved.
I have never used it as a bore cleaner.
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Old June 10, 2002, 03:48 PM   #19
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It costs a lot too. I use Butch's Bore Shine or Hoppes for cleaning, followed by some rubbed on WD-40. I never spray WD40 directly on, I just spray it on a cloth, then wipe the weapon down. I've never found dust build up or any other problems.
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Old June 10, 2002, 04:51 PM   #20
sven
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I use BreakFree to 're-condition' the slide on the Glock after having cleaned with Gun Scrubber... Gun Scrubber (aka, Brake Cleaner) removes ANY lube from the metal - a drop of the BreakFree on a cloth and some elbow grease, and everything look nice and factory again.

I love the smell of BreakFree. Used it to fix two broken car antennas this weekend, as well.

I use blue "Extreme Grease" for slide rails, trigger mechanism, etc.

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Old June 10, 2002, 05:17 PM   #21
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BreakFree CLP is wonderful stuff. I use it, Hoppes Copper Solvent and #9 for all cleaning, CLP and grease for lube. Don't use too much, that's all. Another point many may not realize is this, SHAKE IT UP! If you've every used the military spray bottle type deals like Nightcrawler you will realize that most of the additive package will over time settle to the bottom of the can. Course if you read the back of the can it would tell you to shake it. ( Huh? Directions?) I don't see the gumming up problems, been around the stuff for about 22 of my 27 years. And no, my guns don't jam, unless of course I get a grip with my thumb under the safety instead of on it, another long sad story...
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Old June 10, 2002, 05:27 PM   #22
MitchSchaft
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that's what they taught us to use in Marine Corps bootcamp.
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Old June 10, 2002, 06:35 PM   #23
riverdog
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I've been using Break Free since the early '80's for lube and rust prevention. I use a straight solvent such as Hoppe's #9 or Brake Cleaner for cleaning, but will run a final patch of CLP through the bore and put a light coat on other parts as well. Good stuff.
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Old June 10, 2002, 08:42 PM   #24
chaim
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I started using it lately and I like it. Doesn't seem to be as heavy duty as Hoppes #9 solvent or Gun Scrubber but it doesn't smell as strong either (and I think the odor is supposed to be non-toxic unlike Hoppes). Now, I don't mind the smell of Hoppes but I often clean my guns in my bedroom and I don't want such a strong, and toxic, smell hanging around. If you clean your guns right away it seems to work fine. Also, I've found that if I use it on a gun before shooting it that the gun is much easier to clean. I don't trust it as a lube though, and always use Rem Oil (in some cases, mainly when I'm out or don't have it with me, I use one of the bottles of Hoppes oil I have hanging around).
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Old June 11, 2002, 03:26 AM   #25
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I keep a small cotton rag dampened with CLP in my cleaning kit, inside of a ziplock bag.

1 Windex bottle full should last a long time. I run between 500 and 2000 rounds a month between 6 guns, and clean them after every shoot religously. 1 bottle lasts 5-6 months.

If it stinks too much on a cleaned gun, or gums up (????? - never seen it gum up!), me suspects yer usin too much.

I don't bother with Hoppe's unless I've let the gun set awhile before I clean it (over a week).
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