The Best Gun Cleaner Solvents & Oils
We’ve reviewed the 10 best gun cleaner kits, lubricants, oils, and solvents available on the market this year. Let’s check them out!
Our Top List
# | Image | Name | Our Rating | Shop Link |
1 |  | Hoppes 9 Elite Gun Cleaning kit | ||
2 |  | Slip 2000 EWL Gun Oil | ||
3 |  | CLP by Sage & Braker Gun Cleaner, Lubricant & Oil | ||
4 |  | Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner | ||
5 |  | Hoppe's No. 9 Synthetic Blend Lubricating Oil | ||
6 |  | Otis Technology Foaming Bore Cleaner | ||
7 |  | Lucas Gun Oil Original & Extreme Duty | ||
8 |  | Hoppe's Elite Gun Cleaner Spray | ||
9 |  | Ballistol Multi-Purpose Gun Oil | ||
10 |  | Break-Free CLP-2 Cleaner Lubricant Preservative |
1. Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Elite Gun Cleaning Kit
This is an extremely effective and potent solvent that you can quickly and easily use to strip powder, primer, lead, and metal fouling from your gun to get it back in top shape and prevent rust, and it works very quickly once you put it on to ensure that your gun is ready to go when you are. It penetrates very quickly into every area of your gun with a free flow, but you only need a small amount to complete the cleaning process. This is a high viscosity oil that gets refined to be perfect for fishing reels, firearms, and for use on other precision mechanisms, and this solvent won’t gum, harden, or turn rancid if you store it for months without having to use it.
You get a 14.9-milliliter bottle that has a precision lubricator to ensure the solvent goes exactly where you need it to without spilling and making a mess, and you get 40 two-inch square patches with tightly woven material and a high thread count to work the solvent into your gun quickly and easily. You also get a lifetime warranty when you purchase this product with a very responsive customer service team that is easy to reach out and contact if you have questions or concerns.
Key Features:
- Brand: Hoppes
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Two-ounces
Pros
- Strips a range of items off your gun
- Only need a small amount to work
- Comes with 40 cleaning patches
- Lifetime warranty
- Can store it for months
Cons
- We have found no issues with this kit
2. Slip 2000 EWL Gun Oil
This is perhaps the best gun oil on the market. This product is made in the United States and protects against corrosion on your guns to keep them in top shape while warding away dirt, dust, or sand to ensure that it doesn’t build up. It comes formulated to stay wet up to five times longer than traditional lubricant so you can use it longer to get a more thorough clean, and it can reduce wear and friction to help your guns last longer with light or heavy use.
This gun cleaner won’t burn off like petroleum-based products to make it safer to use, and you can use it on wood, metal, plastic components, and more without risking any damage. It won’t allow copper, carbon, plastic, or lead to sticking to help your gun function smoother while reducing your clean-up time by as much as 50%.
Key Features:
- Brand: Slip
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Four-ounces
Pros
- Protects against corrosion
- Reduces wear and friction
- Doesn’t burn like wet petroleum products
- Doesn’t attract dirt, dust, or sand
- Easy to apply
Cons
- Higher price
3. CLP by Sage & Braker Gun Cleaner, Lubricant & Oil
This company uses a highly penetrating solvent that infiltrates every surface of your gun on a micro level to give you a cleaner and deeper solution to copper, lead and carbon fouling, and it won’t leave an oily coating when you finish using it. This product protects your guns from rust and corrosion, and it has a formula that gives you carbon and contamination management whenever you choose to use your firearm.
All of the working components on your firearm will get improved heat dissipation for a cooler operation temperature, and it enhances your firearms’ complete powder burn in the cartridge to create a more accurate shot and consistent FPS. There are no harsh chemicals in the formula that won’t damage the finish and blueing on your gun, and it’s non-toxic, non-hazardous, and environmentally friendly.
Key Features:
- Brand: Sage and Braker Mercantile Store
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Four-ounces
Pros
- Improves firing smoothness
- Doesn’t leave an oily coating
- Improves heat dissipation
- Non-toxic and non-hazardous
- Protects from corrosion and rust
Cons
-
The odor is a bit strong
4. Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner
This is a one-step lubricant and gun cleaner from a reputable Brand, and it offers several great advantages over other two or three-step lubricants and cleaners. It has up to six-times more load carrying capacity than NATO or the US Military requires, and this helps to reduce barrel leading with the micro penetrating solvents in this product. The higher load carrying capacity of this product also reduces heat buildup, tear, and wear around the moving parts to help your firearm last longer.
You can use this product in all weather conditions to help prevent rust and corrosion, and you get dual corrosion inhibitor formulas added into this gun cleaner that are two times higher than the minimum salt spray required by NATO and the United States military. It removes and cleans greases, cosmoline, lead, and oils while lubricating and conditioning in one shot.
Key Features:
- Brand: Hornady
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Five-ounces
Pros
- Odorless upon application
- Six times the load carrying capacity
- Reduces gunk and residue buildup
- Prevents rust and corrosion
- Can apply it in all weather conditions
Cons
-
Pricey
5. Hoppe’s No. 9 Synthetic Blend Lubricating Oil
This gun cleaner works to ensure that you can properly maintain your firearm to have it be accurate and ready to go when you need it, and it has a T3 additive that has liquid PTFE and liquid molybdenum to set it apart from the competition. It has one of the highest coefficient friction levels known on the current market, and it was originally developed from dental drill oil to be a substance that can withstand the friction of spinning up to 1.5 million rotations per minute.
This product is a great way to ensure your weapon’s performance and accuracy levels, and it comes 100% tested and designed to perform well in the toughest environments. It gives you a barrier against moisture damage to help your firearms last longer, and you can easily use it on other mechanisms like fishing reels without damage.
Key Features:
- Brand: Hoppe’s
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: 2.5-ounces
Pros
- Protects all areas of your guns
- Advanced formula for modern firearms
- Works well on fishing reels too
- Reduces friction wear and tear
- Easy to apply
Cons
-
Bottle can be fumbly to seal
6. Otis Technology Foaming Bore Cleaner
Unlike many products on the list, this gun cleaner relies on an expanding foam action to get into every area of your firearm and clean it, and this removes a lot of the hard work from the cleaning process to help you finish sooner. All you have to do is spray it in the beech end and allow the foam to expand to give you complete coverage, and you let it sit until the foam starts to break down.
You get a poseable nozzle when you purchase this gun cleaner that makes it extremely easy to direct the spray of foam right where you need it for a precise application, and it’s very easy to use one-handed to help you finish cleaning quickly and easily. It’s quiet, dries odorless, and it’s a great way to clean your gun before you lubricate it to ensure that there is no dirt, dust, or contaminants around that can jam your firearms.
Key Features:
- Brand: Otis Technology
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Three-ounces
Pros
- Has a posable nozzle
- Quick and easy to use
- Expanding foam formula
- Shortens the cleaning time
- Easy to store between uses
Cons
- Doesn’t lubricate
7. Lucas Gun Oil Original & Extreme Duty
This gun oil is a heavy-duty product that comes with a special blend of petroleum-based additives and oil that work wonderfully on high-heat, high-friction, and high-volume firearms. It works well when you use it in shotguns, semi-automatic rifles, pistols, suppressors, and in fully automatic rifles, and this product offers excellent burn-off resistance to ensure it stays on once you apply it to help reduce friction. It comes with a polymeric film to help protect the metal from corrosion or rust.
This lubricant also makes cleaning copper, powder residue, and carbon fouling quicker and easier on bores, gas pistons, and bolt carriers to cut your maintenance time by a significant amount. It will neutralize the acid from fingerprints and stay wet for long-term storage.
Key Features:
- Brand: Lucas Oil
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Two-ounces
Pros
- Works well on high-volume firearms
- Offers great blowback resistance
- Protects from corrosion and rust
- Resists drying in long-term storage
- Makes cleaning quick and easy
Cons
-
Need to buy both products for it to work correctly
8. Hoppe’s Elite Gun Cleaner Spray
This product comes designed with the active shooter or hunter in mind because it has odorless, high-tech technology that can outperform standard oils and cleaners on the current market. It will penetrate deep down into your firearm’s molecular pores in the steel while cleaning lead, copper, and carbon contamination to give you a next-level clean and smooth shooting action. It will also work to condition the metal portions of your firearms to prevent buildup in the future to make cleaning it again quicker and easier.
This formula is non-toxic and biodegradable, and this makes it healthier for you and healthier for the environment. The advanced lubrication and cleaning technology will help your firearm resist rust and corrosion, and you get an easy spray application that ensures you get the solution exactly where you need it without making a mess. It won’t leave an oily residue.
Key Features:
- Brand: Hoppe’s
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Eight-ounces
Pros
- Reduces cleaning time by 80%
- Works to prevent future buildup
- Odorless and non-toxic formula
- Biodegradable and environmentally-friendly
- Easy to apply
Cons
-
Comes with no instructions
9. Ballistol Multi-Purpose Gun Oil
You get six-ounces of a high-quality gun cleaner when you order this product that is made in the United States to very strict quality control standards. It works well to lubricate firearms, but you can also use it on leather, wood, and plastics without worrying about any damage. The company has been around since 1904, and they’ve built a reputation for offering non-carcinogenic, powerful, and efficient gun cleaners that will sink into the metal’s pores and help it work in a range of conditions.
Key Features:
- Brand: Ballistol
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Six-ounces
Pros
- Multi-purpose formula
- Cleans and lubricates
- Skin-safe product
- Neutralizes skin oil effects
- Works on wood, metal, and leather
Cons
-
Has a strong smell
10. Break-Free CLP-2 Cleaner Lubricant Preservative
The final product on the list spreads and penetrates along any metal surfaces to get into every crevice and pit to lift residue away for removal, and it offers a long-lasting lubricating film that reduces the adhesion of grit, sand, or abrasives that can cause failure or wear. It has corrosion inhibitors in the formula, and it won’t stiffen up, dry out, or lose viscosity in extreme weather conditions, including dust, heat, cold, salt air, or humidity. It’ll protect your equipment for months at a time, and it performs well after saltwater immersion and in temperatures ranging from -65-degrees Fahrenheit to 475-degrees Fahrenheit.
Key Features:
- Brand: Break Free
- Viscosity: High
- Weight: Four-ounces
Pros
- Works well in a range of environments
- Forms a protective film
- Has corrosion inhibitors
- Gets into every crevice
- Long-lasting protection
Cons
-
Smaller size for the price
What is the best gun cleaner?
Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Cleaning Kit
Pros
- Strips a range of items off your gun
- Only need a small amount to work
- Comes with 40 cleaning patches
- Lifetime warranty
- Can store it for months
Cons
- We have found no issues
Our pick for the best gun cleaner is the Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Elite Gun Cleaning Kit because it strips lead, primer, powder, and metal fouling from your firearm, and it’ll quickly penetrate deep into the metal to loosen up dirt and debris. Finally, it has a high viscosity level that allows you to use it on different items, and it comes with a precision lubricator for easy application.
Buying Guide
There are a few easy things to keep in mind when you shop for your gun cleaner solvent or oil to help you make the best decision, and we’ve outlined them for you below.
Complete Kit
The gun cleaner you buy should come with accessories that includes the correct substances and tools needed to clean each portion of your firearm. Try to make sure whatever option you pick has a good solvent, a lubricant to protect against corrosion, and metal brushes to allow you to reach all of your weapon’s parts.
Price
You’ll typically only get a few ounces when you order this product, so you want to make sure that you balance the quantity with the price. Look for a company that strikes a good balance here, so you get something that you can use for multiple firearms without running out. Remember, it can get expensive very quickly if you have a load of firearms to maintain.
Capacity
If you’re someone with multiple firearms, you want to make sure that you purchase enough cleaner to finish them all. A small bottle of gun cleaner can easily last for months, but you want to pay attention to the amount you need to finish off your collection. This won’t be as big of a deal if you only have one or two firearms, but you can run through a lot of cleaners if you have an extensive collection.
Versatility
Some cleaners allow you to use them for multiple things, and you want a product that is versatile enough to clean, lubricate, and protect all in one go. If you get a versatile product, you won’t have to purchase multiple things to complete this process, and this can save you both time and money. Also, some products allow you to use them on other materials outside of metal, and this can increase their versatility.
Brand
It’s always a good idea to go with a well-known brand when you’re buying something as important as a gun cleaner solvent or oil, and there are a few that stick out. Look for products from brands like BreakFree, Hoppe’s, M-Pro 7, Gunslick, Ballistol, Pro Shoot, CLP, and Lucas. Getting products from these brands usually mean that you’re getting something that is going to do an exceptional job when it comes to cleaning, lubricating, and protecting all of your firearms.