Do you clean a gun before selling?

[maser44]

never but also i usually price anything i sell like 30% under going market

Can you post an off roster shield plus

 

[Churro]

So you don't buy surplus guns?

I think we all buy filthy guns.

 

[Skilly]

Don't use ultrasonic on aluminum and plastic. If you did, check tolerances after. Ultrasonic cleaners eats aluminum for breakfast and plastic for dinner.

Its pilot error, not the machines itself. Too much heat on plastics, or cheap, not specifically designed for ultrasonic cleaning agents you can see pitting. Also loading a basket of parts that are touching each other and dropping into the tank is a guarantee to damage surfaces too.

As far as tolerances being affected, only if you were relying on grime as the agent that keeps everything tight. Ultrasonic cleaning will impact surface that can measured in fractions of a micron per session. Firearms tolerances are measured thousands of an inch.

 

[Plenty_Pack_556]

Its pilot error, not the machines itself. Too much heat on plastics, or cheap, not specifically designed for ultrasonic cleaning agents you can see pitting. Also loading a basket of parts that are touching each other and dropping into the tank is a guarantee to damage surfaces too.

As far as tolerances being affected, only if you were relying on grime as the agent that keeps everything tight. Ultrasonic cleaning will impact surface that can measured in fractions of a micron per session. Firearms tolerances are measured thousands of an inch.

There are hundreds of posts online recommending not use ultrasonics on aluminum in the gun world. Cleaning agents of all sorts used and properly diluted still causing issues despite settings on UC.

It's just generally a no-go, if it works for you, go ahead, but I would not buy your wares.

 

[Skilly]

There are hundreds of posts online recommending not use ultrasonics on aluminum in the gun world. Cleaning agents of all sorts used and properly diluted still causing issues despite settings on UC.

It's just generally a no-go, if it works for you, go ahead, but I would not buy your wares.

Right, if you search for the answer you want, you will find a group to support you online, and one that disagrees with it.

Your search is cool and easily justifies you not using one; makes sense. The same said search as "generally a no-go", is your opinion, based on a limited search, not material fact. What would be true is it's generally a no-go for you (and the others you found). That would be a super fair answer.

 

[Plenty_Pack_556]

Search "what does ultrasonic cleaner do to aluminum gun parts."

 

[FunGun]

I have had people comment when buying rifles from me how nice it is that the rifle has been cleaned and oiled. It show that the rifle works and that they can see anything that is wrong. Burnt gun powder hides a lot of things, hairline cracks , bent springs, etc.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

I almost feel like most people aren't inquisitive enough to learn how to do it.

Yeah I could see that, too afraid to take it apart etc. I learned growing up, so it's 2nd nature.

 

[30tokens]

Cleaning is teraputic … it helps with separation anxiety

 

[Deadcoyote]

Yes. Always deep clean before sale

 

[sonofeugene]

Don't use ultrasonic on aluminum and plastic. If you did, check tolerances after. Ultrasonic cleaners eats aluminum for breakfast and plastic for dinner.

Wrong. Ultrasonic cleaners do not degrade materials. The liquid that is used might do that, depending on the liquid, but ultrasonic waves, in and of themselves, do not.

I used to work in the medical device industry and we used ultrasonic cleaners all the time on plastic parts with zero effects.

And with plastic parts, like polycarbonate, you can’t use common liquids like alcohol which can cause cracking and crazing or acetone which eats and dissolves many plastics, even without ultrasound. For those parts, we used water based liquids.

 

[sonofeugene]

Though I’ve never sold a gun, I would always make sure it’s clean and properly lubed to show it was properly taken care of and to get the highest price for it.

 

[Plenty_Pack_556]

Wrong. Ultrasonic cleaners do not degrade materials. The liquid that is used might do that, depending on the liquid, but ultrasonic waves, in and of themselves, do not.

I used to work in the medical device industry and we used ultrasonic cleaners all the time on plastic parts with zero effects.

And with plastic parts, like polycarbonate, you can’t use common liquids like alcohol which can cause cracking and crazing or acetone which eats and dissolves many plastics, even without ultrasound. For those parts, we used water based liquids.

No. Ultrasonic cleaners cause cavitation and can create pitting even with just water. You should really read up or watch informational videos about ultrasonic cleaners.

Of course there are cleaning solutions made especially for aluminum, but in a machine that can cause aluminum to dissolve in just water, I would not trust, and why. It ain't hard to clean aluminum parts by hand while throwing steel in ultrasonic if needed.

Better yet, just run your gun under scorching hot water and you'll see the carbon and fouling disappear.

 

[Enthused]

I clean my guns after every range trip, so my guns are always in a state of cleaned and lubricated. So by default they would be clean if I wanted to sell them.

 

[Skilly]

No. Ultrasonic cleaners cause cavitation and can create pitting even with just water. You should really read up or watch informational videos about ultrasonic cleaners.

Of course there are cleaning solutions made especially for aluminum, but in a machine that can cause aluminum to dissolve in just water, I would not trust, and why. It ain't hard to clean aluminum parts by hand while throwing steel in ultrasonic if needed.

Better yet, just run your gun under scorching hot water and you'll see the carbon and fouling disappear

You not wanting to use em. Got it, loud and clear. Makes sense, you see it as risky - also, some people just enjoy cleaning their guns (and a few don't according to this thread!).

Also, science. What you are saying about utlra sonic equipment dissolving aluminum is just factually false. Can is create increased problem if you are using chemicals with high-pH alkaline, thats true. Can it dissolve aluminum in just water, nope. Dissolving is a chemistry problem, not an ultra sonic problem.

 

[MrWilly]

If I'm selling a gun, or a part, I'll break it down, clean it, and lube it up.
At the end of that process my other guns stare at me like an orphan stares at a second bowl of porridge.

 

[PlinkyDinky]

I got one that was FILTHY inside, but I did enjoy giving it the deep cleaning that it was long overdue; helped me get to know it better, and it was very satisfying seeing it shine!

 

[RedHemi]

Yes I do. I won't sell a dirty gun to anyone. Before I sell any gun I blow it completely apart or as far as I can get it and meticulously clean it. I do it for respect of the gun the person who is buying it and myself. Now when I buy a used or LNIB gun I always take them apart and go through them because it should be done before you fire it. I really dislike it when I get a dirty gun because to me that just shows me that the previous owner didn't take care of it.

 

[RustVendor]

Yes I do. I won't sell a dirty gun to anyone. Before I sell any gun I blow it completely apart or as far as I can get it and meticulously clean it. I do it for respect of the gun the person who is buying it and myself. Now when I buy a used or LNIB gun I always take them apart and go through them because it should be done before you fire it. I really dislike it when I get a dirty gun because to me that just shows me that the previous owner didn't take care of it.

to play devils advocate, does cleaning a pistol actually make it last longer? There may be an argument for running a gun dry even that is a stretch though. But for me I clean my guns so that they work when I want them to work but is there actually a level where the gun needs to be "taken care of" to avoid excess wear? I really don't think it makes a difference in that regard and would even say that a gun that is constantly taken apart would have more wear just from being taken apart a lot, like guns that rely on pins that go through polymer will be looser etc. Like I would rather buy a gun that had never been cleaned but had 2000 rounds and looked like than a pristine gun with 10000 rounds.

 

[SDDAVE56]

The only dirty guns I have ever bought, were all brand new.