C-L-P Lowdown

[AFX]

I've been introduced to CLP on this board, now I have a few questions...

Does it double as cleaning solvent AND rifle oil? I mean, if I use it to clean my rifle, do I need to then apply a good oil, or will the CLP I used to clean with also work as a replacement for oil? I've heard different stories.

Is it safe to use EVERYWHERE? (barrel, gas assembly, etc)

Will it attack my wood finish? (Should I use it carefully and sparingly, or can I pretty much rub down my entire rifle and not worry about the wood?)

I've seen several brands of "CLP" at gun shops and sporting goods stores, will they all work, or is there a specific brand?

Thanks.

[JA]

Check my posts on this forum under the topic's- corrosive ammo and matanice and cleaning.
>C=cleaner
>L=lubacant
>P= preserative
It does it all the U.S.military uses it on all guns from m-16's to cannons.

[JA]

Check my posts on this forum under the topic's- corrosive ammo and matanice and cleaning. It's all in one.
>C=cleaner
>L=lubacant
>P= preserative
It does it all, the U.S.military uses it on all guns from m-16's to cannons.
I use it on all my guns it won't hurt a thing plastic,wood,bluing. The only difference between what's in the gun shop and mil-surp is price.
I don't have a dehumidifier in my gun safe with a coat of CLP on gun inside and out it won't rust.

[AFX]

Cool man - I'm going to go get a small bottle then, today, and try it out. If I like it, and it sounds like I will, where is a good place to buy it in larger/surplus quantities? You mentioned SARCO, anywhere else?

[JA]

Sarco is the only place I have seen ads for it. Check out army surplus stores. The first CLP I bought was at surplus store in Newport,AR. Guy had 20 some odd pallets and didn't know what he had. He thought it was some kind of special oil for recoil mechinism on 155mm cannons. Boxes(4-1gal) on the pallets were marked CLP M-(something, can't remember #) 155mm gun. I got 2-gals for $5. When I went back about 6 months later he had gone out of buiness.

[chucko]

CLP is great stuff. Its what we used in the USMC for most all of our small arms, and its all I've used since. The only time I use anything else is when my guns are full of dirt and grit. Then I'll scub them with CLP, rinse them out with gun scrubber, and then soak them down, inside and out with CLP again. Then I'll apply a little tetra grease to the high preasure areas of the guns that "I feal" need it. Like along the bolt roller and channels on an M1A, or the bolt carrier of a SAR-8. I also use a little grease on the points the bolt carrier of my AK contacts the receiver and on the recoil spring. I've used CLP in the desert, jungle and in freezing weather and have had no problems with rust or metal wear. Though when the temp drops below -30F you might wan't to use a little lighter of an oil, as CLP will gum up a bit. Apply it sparingly in hot dry climates as it will tend to attract dust and sand as any oil will, and apply it heavily in wet climates to prevent rust. You can get CLP ( made by Break-Free ) at most gun shops. If you don't see it, ask for it.

Oh! and make sure you shake the bottle well before each use. Over time,It naturally seperates into the three components that make it up. These are a suspended teflon additive and what looks to be 2 different weights of oil. This seperation is natural and isn't a sign of old age or that it has gone bad. Just shake it up and use it.

[AFX]

I broke my Romanian AK down and scrubbed it with CLP, let it sit for a few hours, wiped it down completely, and then applied another thorough coat which is "soaking" right now. I've not yet fired this rifle, so it's getting CLP from the start (fresh). If all goes well, I'll start using it on my other one. It really works! It feels like everything is acting much smoother, even though I wiped all the parts dry. Should I leave the action parts "wet" or does the Teflon in it provide sufficient lubrication even after the parts are wiped dry? (a dealer told me to use it just like ordinary gun oil, but the guy at the sporting/g store told me that it worked better if you wipe everything down completely.) <??>

[chucko]

AFX,
It really depends on the climate you live in. When I was in the desert I wiped most of it off to prevent dust and sand from sticking to the parts. I currently live in a more humid environment so I leave it slightly damp to avoid rust.

[JA]

I liberaly use it on the whole gun inside and out. It will make cleaning the gas system parts easy as gunk won't adhere to them. I don't wipe my guns down after it is applied. This will lessen the protection of the metal.
I clean gun then spray it down with brake parts cleaner to rinse all gunk out. Then coat gun inside and out put it in the safe and don't worry about rust.

[chucko]

JA,
If you carry a oily weapon in the desert, it soon becomes an inoperable one. Sand and grit have magical properties that allow it to get into every nook and cranny of a weapon. If its kept oily, the sand sticks to the oil and will quickly jam it up. A dry weapon stands a much better chance of blowing the sand out and clearing itself. Yes, you will see increased wear due to less lube, but I'd rather have a weapon that functions when it counts.

Now if your just spending a few hours on the range with it, by all means lube it up. Just try to keep the sand out. If you going to be out in the dunes for more than a day, keep the weapon dry and it will jam a lot less.

[JA]

Chucko, Here in Arkansas the humidity/your sweat is the problem not sand. I can see where oily guns would be a sand magnet in desert areas. Because of the high humidity here you break a sweat in about 2 seconds when you go outside. All the protection a gun can get is needed.

[chucko]

JA,

I can buy that.
I currently live in Georgia and tend to over lube my weapons just to be on the safe side. Since AFX didn't say where he lived I was just trying to cover the major climate extremes that he may encounter.
I learned the hard way while scrubbing off surface rust, and picking the sand out of a siezed action.

I have to give it to the AK, it may not be as pretty or acurate as an M16, but its a lot more forgiving of harsh environments.

[AFX]

Hi, well I happen to live in Denver (it is proper to name the city because you can't just pick a generic climate for Colorado. When it's 60+ deg. here, there can be a blizzard not but 30 miles away in the mountains). Right now the humidity is fairly mild, although that could change by tomorrow. Then this summer it will be HOT and DRY, so... Well, thanks for all the tips none the less, I think I've absorbed more than my share of CLP through my fingers and hands, and I need to go lay down now...

BTW – I think the AK is a beautiful rifle, and that’s why I bought my first one! I had always been interested in them and I’d see images of soldiers in TIME and NG with them slung about their necks as a young nipper. (I even told my dad, supposedly, that he should have one, heh heh). Then, 10 years later, I learned that I too could have my own AK-47, and so I bought one. I don’t own any other rifles, I can’t stand them, I think they are mostly ugly. All right, if you want the truth – I only own and shoot my rifles because they are AK-47s. I would buy another type of rifle if I had the money, but I never will because I will immediately use the money to buy another AK. I don’t own an AK because I shoot, I shoot because I own an AK. = ) Though, the AR-15 is a fun gun to shoot...

AFX

[This message has been edited by AFX (edited May 05, 1999).]