Scattered Shots

Accuracy Testing Vintage Colt SP-1 AR15 Rifle

Leave a comment

Back in June I shot a vintage original Colt AR15 SP-1 carbine  to see  what kind of accuracy could be expected from one in good condition.  The results  got me thinking about the  M16A1 and  the accuracy it could deliver.   Of  course the internet and  gun magazine experts always like to remind us how the original M16s  didn’t impress when it comes to accuracy and you should totally feel good about paying 400 dollars  for modern barrels.  After all  they do have everything man can devise to make them more accurate.  You got gold coloring,  chamber dimensions that are a hybrid of the NATO spec chamber and civilian competition variations,  different materials  and methods and every contour and length you can think of.  Aren’t we lucky that we aren’t stuck with those old crummy barrels from the 60s?

The SP-1, otherwise known as the Colt AR15 is essentially an M16 in all but the fire control group.  The barrel is the same as was used on the M16 series.  Like the SP1 carbine, the  barrel is the 1/12 twist chrome plated ( bore and chamber)  milspec barrel.   The twist rate means you won’t be using any pet 69 or 77 grain bullets, but they didn’t really exist in its original day so your choices were simple.

I put the gun up on bags and use the original Colt 3X scope I have mounted on the gun for shooting the groups.  I wanted to stay within what some one would have used at the time but wanted to be able to squeeze more out of the gun than irons sights would allow me.

Most of the ammo I used were hand loads I have developed over the years that  have always given me great accuracy from bolt guns and semi autos.  I did shoot one group using M93 just to see, but since I wanted to test what the gun could do, I gave it the best ammo I had.

The first group shot ( above) is also the newest load I have developed.  This is one I came up with about 6 years ago with the exact purpose of using the SP1 for hunting  by my Dad. He wanted to shoot a deer with the same gun he carried in Vietnam. I selected the excellent Barness TSX solid copper hollow point for a deer load and it performs.  The TSXs are long for weight since they are solid copper. So you even with a 55 grain bullet you may end up with a bullet a little too long for the 1/12 twist to stabilize.  The 55 TSX will work  fine as it turns out but I wasn’t sure at the time and the bullets are very pricey so i went the safe route.  You can see the 5 round group above, fired from 100 yards.

The next group is an old fav.  The Nolser ballistic tip boat tail  55 gr bullet is a great bullet that seems to be impossible to shoot bad.   It lived up to what I hoped in the AR15.  As I labelled the picture, its 5 rounds at 100 yards.

This group was a little  bit of a surprise to me.  Sierra blitzkings   have always been interchangeable with the Nosler  for me.  It is still nothing to complain about  but i actually thought they would out do the Noslers  for some reason.  Maybe I didn’t let the barrel cool between shots like I had the other groups or  who knows what. That was the last 5 rounds I had with the blitz kings loaded though so I couldn’t shoot a second group.

The Hornady V-max is a great bullet. A short stubby basllistic tip boat tail that you can get going pretty fast in a 556 because of the weight.  Like the Sierra 53 grain flat base HP its short length seems to made for use in an AR15.  It is another load I have been using over 20 years and it always performs.  It really was exceptional in the old SP1.

M193.   No shock here.  Maybe that it even did that good.  But its only 100 yards and that is a 2 inch dot.

The final group.   A full 20 round magazine  of the most accurate lighter weight bullet load I have ever come up with. It’s the load I use in my heavy barrel  223 bolt guns for  crow hunting and varmints. The 50 gr V-max is a great bullet and there is not a .224 round made that won’t shoot it well in my opinion.   I should mention it took me about 35 minutes to shoot those 20 rounds.  I had taken a long break before i started this group and gave it my complete effort and I think it paid off.

Now keep in mind, I did some warm up shooting with the gun and most of those loads before I got down to the “record” strings.   Since the barrel on the original guns are much thinner than what people are used to using now it has to be taken into account when you are trying to  get everything out of it you can.  It took most of the day to shoot those 6 groups.   Letting the barrel cool and slowly firing. Even using that 3x scope took a lot of effort, It is still clear and find but the crosshairs are not what you would call fine,  this being the reason i adjusted the rounds to impact below  my aiming point It was hard enough to see the dots from 100 through it as it was.    The trigger on the gun also was a great help since it is not the factory trigger.  The lower and the FCG  used to belong to a now long retired AMTU armorer and he  had worked the parts over in the 80s  before mass produced match triggers for an AR didn’t exist and not many people ever thought they would exist.   It is a single stage trigger that breaks so light and clean  that you would wonder if its even safe.   I have no idea how he did it  but I have not felt a modern match trigger for semi autos that feels better.  I can honestly say its the best feeling trigger I have.

So, those old barrels and guns aren’t so bad after all, assuming its in good shape and not worn out, shot out or pitted out.  Ammo selection as usual was the limiting factor.  I kinda like the idea of a  varmint precision AR with a 1/12 twist barrel now that i think about it.  Even if it existed though there would not be much point to it, as the 1/7 or 1/8 will shoot these lighter bullets just as well or so close  it isn’t worth debating but the 1/12 will not shoot the heavier more useful  bullets.

 

 

Scattered Shots

Thoughts on the Pistol Caliber Carbine

2 Comments

There has been a resurgence in the popularity of the pistol caliber carbine(PCC).  PCC’s can be a whole lot of fun, and still hold a place as a fighting weapon.  Yet these guns are in a sort of odd place.  There are some cheap ones that are hit or miss, some expensive ones that are mostly purchased for the novelty or nostalgia (UZI, MP5), and other oddball options.

Pros:

  • cheap ammo
  • low recoil
  • easy to suppress
  • higher capacity than a pistol
  • easier to shoot than a pistol
  • better sight and optics options than a pistol
 Cons:
  • more expensive than a pistol
  • not concealable like a pistol
  • rifle size and weight with out a rifles performance
  • generally more costly than a pistol

Many people and groups have moved from the SMG and PCC to carbines and Short Barreled Rifles.  Smaller rifles give better terminal ballistics and vastly increased range.

Questions you need to ask are:
  • What price are you willing to pay?
  • What caliber do you want?
  • Do you want something small, or are you will to have something rifle sized? (Barrel Length)
  • Do you want a proper stock, or is the arm brace sufficient?

There are four common configurations of PCCs.

First is a 16 inch barreled rifle with stock.  Be it a .357 level action, or a Hi-Point carbine, these rifles are purchased just like any other rifle.   This is the most common, and the most practical version of the PCC.  Easy to purchase and use.  Only real downside to a rifle sized firearm in a pistol caliber is the barrel length.  Often, pistol cartridges gain little from a 16+ inch barrel, so a standard rifle ends up being larger than what would be ideal.

Face it, a Thompson is more of a rifle than a carbine.

The second common configuration is that of a large pistol.  For example the Tec-9s or semi auto MAC-10s.  These are purchased and sold just like a pistol.   Larger examples can be found in the MP5K and Scorpion EVO 3 pistols.  These are fun, but tend to be the least useful configuration.  They are larger and heavier than a full sized pistol, and can be large enough to make them awkward to shoot.

As cool as this is, it isn’t exactly a practical pistol.

 

Now, there is a better third option.  With the advent of the various forms of arm braces, we see these large pistol firearms gain a great deal of utility with an arm brace.

These arm braces have added a great deal of utility to these huge pistols.

Fourth major option is to go with a short barreled rifle.  This is often considered the best way to go, but unlike the previous options you end up with a multitude of various downsides.  There is a long waiting time while the ATF processes your paperwork.  Then you should keep a copy of that paperwork with you(not the original).  Not to mention issues like not being able to lend it to people or limitations on traveling between states, etc.  Despite all of that, I would still recommend going this route if you intend to use a pistol caliber carbine a good bit.  16 inch barrels are rather unnecessary in pistol cartridges, and it is well worth having a functional stock.  That said, the cost and time involvement to get a SBR makes it not right for most.

I personally use a Colt 6991 9mm upper on a SBR lower.

 

Scattered Shots

NRA supports new gun control legislation, GOP already working on it.

1 Comment

The NRA has released a statement about their support for new gun control laws.

“In the aftermath of the evil and senseless attack in Las Vegas, the American people are looking for answers as to how future tragedies can be prevented.  Unfortunately, the first response from some politicians has been to call for more gun control.  Banning guns from law-abiding Americans based on the criminal act of a madman will do nothing to prevent future attacks.  This is a fact that has been proven time and again in countries across the world.  In Las Vegas, reports indicate that certain devices were used to modify the firearms involved. Despite the fact that the Obama administration approved the sale of bump fire stocks on at least two occasions, the National Rifle Association is calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law.  The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.  In an increasingly dangerous world, the NRA remains focused on our mission: strengthening Americans’ Second Amendment freedom to defend themselves, their families and their communities.  To that end, on behalf of our five million members across the country, we urge Congress to pass National Right-to-Carry reciprocity, which will allow law-abiding Americans to defend themselves and their families from acts of violence.”

The Republican party is already prepping a new bill to ban bump fire stocks.  More information here at CNN.

People either forget or ignore that you can not legislate people into acting morally.  Some pro gun groups and people think that we can compromise with anti-gunners.  There is no compromise in cases like this, all we are doing is handing a victory to the people who want to erode our right

Scattered Shots

A rotating barrel in the Glock 46?

Leave a comment

Pictures are floating about the web and gun forums or a Glock 46, a new design including a rotating barrel and the ability to disassemble the gun with out pulling the trigger.

Looks like it might have been made for a German police contract.  Pictures and information appear to be coming from the German DWJ magazine.

Here is a link to a  copy of the magazine.   Unfortunately it looks like this upload being shared online may have been uploaded in violation of copyright rules, so I don’t know how long this link will work.

Scattered Shots

Guest Post: Brief History of Air Guns

1 Comment

Article submitted by Michael.

Brief History of Air Guns

Air guns have been around for about 500 years and they are a great alternative to firearms. They can be used as entertainment or for pest control and small game hunting and modern models use one of the three available types of power source: spring-piston, compressed gas, or pneumatic.

Air guns are also used in sportive competitions such as Field Target or the Olympic 10 m Rifle. They are also more powerful than airsoft weapons and use different types of pellets. I felt the need to add this explanation as many people get them confused.

Today I’ll take you on a short trip down memory lane and I’ll talk about the history of the air gun.

The beginnings

The first historical record of an air gun is dated back in 1580 and you can even see it at the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm. This time is also recognized as being the start of the modern air gun.

Still, before it got to what we know today, the first models used a pump to fill the air reservoir. Until the 19th century, people used air guns to shoot large game and they even used them in warfare (take a look at the Girandoni air rifle). These guns supported a .30-.51 caliber and reached a speed of 650 to 1000 feet per second.

Given the time and the fact that firearms weren’t at their best time, air guns were considered superior. For instance, an air gun wasn’t affected by the weather (if the gun power would get wet it was rendered useless), and it was quieter so it wouldn’t disclose the shooter’s position – a feature that made them great for an armed conflict.

Time for Glory

As the air gun proved so effective in the battlefield, both France and Austria had sniper detachments equipped with air rifles. The Austrian forces even developed a weapon that was about 4ft long, weighed 10 pounds, and supported a .51 caliber, called the Girandoni air rifle. The rifle had a tubular magazine and could hold up to 22 rounds.  This gun had the power of a modern .45 ACP caliber pistol.

The Modern Times

As the firearms developed, the air rifle lost in terrain, but it’s still used for the level of energy it delivers. During the 1890s, people started using them for competitive target shooting and the sport became quite popular. Even more, over 4,000 associations and clubs were founded during this time all over Great Britain, but Birmingham was the main center.

Today we still use air guns for competitive sports and for hunting and I think it will be a long time before the air gun will be rendered obsolete.

Air guns vs. Airsoft Guns

Many people (especially beginners) tend to consider that airsoft guns and air guns are the same. While there are some similarities in design and in popularity, the two types of guns are very different.

A quick look on goog gun will tell you that airsoft weapons are safe to use in war games and even children can play with them. Well, air guns are a lot more powerful and they use metallic ammunition, not plastic pellets like airsoft models. Because of this, air guns can’t be used to shoot at people or property – they do inflict damage and can be lethal.

You should also know that both types are legal to own in most areas and they are great for practicing your shooting skills and keeping your hobby alive. Still, the history shows us that air guns were the first ones at the table.

Survival & Prepping

Just got back home after Irma.

2 Comments

The acronym SHTF has gotten quite popular in the past few years.

I remember that it used to be popular to say that your preparations were for fighting off the inevitable Russian or Chinese invasion, sometimes instead the Blue Helmets were mentioned.  I’d tend to think Blue Helmets would be a Turkey Shoot, but lets hope it never comes to that.

Now days the common excuse is zombies, that one is prepping for zombies.

I just got back to my home after hurricane Irma.  Fortunately my home weathered the storm well, but some of my neighbors have extensive damage to their roofs.

Don’t fall too far into fantasy when you are prepping, there are all manner of real world problems that can cause the proverbial shit to hit the fan.

Reviews

Colt Lightweight Commander Review Part 2 The Accuracy Test

10 Comments

 

I know it seems like it’s been forever ago since I  did the first part of this review , but a lot has happened.  Sorry about the delay for those of you waiting on this.

In the time between these sections I have had a lot of time with this gun. It has taken over duties as my every day CCW piece, replacing the XSE Gov model I carried for the last 11 years.  That is how much I have grown to love it and trust it.   Believe me, replacing the Colt XSE was not an easy thing to do. Besides the quality and accuracy of that gun, there was a lot of memories and sentimental value that went with it.    Maybe that  was the final reasons I did put it in semi retirement as a constant carry  gun.

While shooting it these months I really appreciate the new dual recoil spring system colt has started using in all of their pistols.  No, it’s not some complicated thing if that’s what you are thinking, just a spring in a spring that can be easily taken out for cleaning just like normal. Its the same setup in the M45A1 and Delta Elites.   It does really well softening recoil on hotter rounds like the 10mm, and on the light weight frame commander it helps a lot with hot rounds I like to use for carry like the Corbon +P  solid copper hollow points.

I fired all my stand by accuracy loads in the commander to test it for groups and one ball round loading just to see,

Groups were fired from a bench with bags, slow fire as is my usual method.    I fired five rounds groups other than the 10 round group in upper right using ball. Only did this cause I had a wilson 10 round mag loaded with ball in my pocket when i went to do this. The ranger T load is upper left

These three groups are my carry load in upper left, my back up carry load upper right, which is the winchester DPX .  Bottom group is the excellently accurate hornady 185 match semi wadcutters.  A load me and a friend have been using for years for the most accurate handload we can come up with.

 

As requested recently, I have started shooting extended ranges ( for handguns) as part of my standard test and review.   This request was made by a reader curious to see what modern handguns could do if needed to shoot beyond distances most think of as normal handgun  ranges in the event of active shooter or terrorist attack. The idea being you HAVE TO made a longer shot for some reason, Maybe because the nut bag is wearing a vest that may explode and kill you if you are too close or the bad guy has a rifle and has ballistic advantage over you.   Either way, the testing has led to some pretty surprising results.   I may be paranoid and crazy but this has made me think it would be wise to start integrating longer shots into regular training  to prepare for that potential since modern handguns and ammo are up to the task with a shooter who can milk it.

First I need to say I did shoot at a man shaped paper target at 75 and 100 yards and  thought I took pictures of it.  Apparently I didn’t because I am an idiot.   Even more so because I burned the paper targets to clean up the area at the strip job we shoot longer ranges at.   So , trying not to litter means I can’t even go back and get the target.

I did take pictures of the 200 yard target.  Luckily.    The groups at 100 were so encouraging it made me try 200.  Bare in mind, it took me  20 or more rounds to get the right hold on the target, I didn’t just walk back 200 and fire for record.  It took some  careful hold and fire and see,kinda thing.   It is doable though and once I had the hold over figured out, it was repeatable. I used a steel gong to get the range down and after the record target we all took turns hitting the gong at 200.   This was a real revelation to a couple of the guy who thought a 45 ACP round  from a pistol wouldn’t even travel that far.

I used a 200 yard NRS bullseye rifle target.  Twenty rounds were fired and I got 8 rounds in the black. I only managed 14 hits total on the paper in the black and white.   Still pretty good I think if I do have to say so myself.

Obviously all shots were from a bench and bags not off hand.  But with enough practice I’m sure a man sized target could be hit with a pistol off hand or from some kind of support like using a car hood or truck bed.

Selection of round used would make it harder or easier as well.  A hotter and lighter  165 or 185 would shoot flatter than a 230 grain bullet fired from a walmart plinking loading.

Making these longer range testings part of the review process has really got me thinking though.  I  have in mind to try some 9mm handguns with some of the hotter self defense loads to see what can be done I think the lighter faster round may show some impressive results  and a future article will definitely be a test of various handguns and rounds at 100 yards and beyond to see the absolute limit to what you may be able to hit if you really need to.

To wrap up,  Colt LWT Commander is super  nice and as I said is now my standard carry gun.  It’s weight and handling make it a real joy and it’s got all the accuracy I need.  It has had 1876 rounds through it this summer of all kinds  of ammo with no problems.   It has lived up to be everything I asked out of it and more.

 

 

 

Reviews

Inland MFG/Bond Arms “Liberator” Test & Review

Leave a comment

 

Earlier this year I received the Inland/Bond Arms  “liberator”   derringer pistol.   With Inland making a lot of WW2 era guns over the last few years and them teaming up with other companies like Ithaca to make others,  it isn’t a surprise the name was brought back as a homage of the old single shot pistol dropped in occupied areas for friendly underground forces to use to  get something better.

So now we have a sort of tribute to the idea.     You can see the  liberator is still quite big for a two shot pistol.  Here is is beside a Colt Defender, sub compact 1911.  This being the first bond arms pistol I had done more than look at as I walked by a display, I was not prepared  for how heavy duty this things are .

Inspecting the piece you can see that they are made very well.

Above is the roll mark and name.  A moniker that pays tribute to the original cheaply made junk gun that was a single shot.  No doubt the Inland’Bond Arms is made to a much higher standard  to say the least.

The wooden grips have a nicely engraved Inland Logo. Though the down side side is , the grips making shooting  sustained fire painful. The beauty is, if you fire your two shots, the guns are strong and tough enough to beat some one to death with it.

Attention to detail is impressive on these pistols.

The trigger is as heavy as you probably guessed considering the type of gun this is and what roles its meant to fill.   I tried on and off for a few months to really master it off hand.  The idea was to get  as good as I could with it and  fire it like I would if I had to in a life threatening situation.    I did manage to keep  all the shots on a  FBI Q target, at the ranges you would use a gun like this after much practice getting use to it.    But that didn’t demonstrate the accuracy of the pistol so i went to the bench and punished my self.

Above is 4 shots of federal HST from 10 yards off the bench.   The trigger is tough to master so it takes a lot of concentration to shoot a type group but the gun can be accurate.

This is a 5 shot group at 15 yards from a bench.  I would have done just four rounds but I pulled one and though I could do better, so I fired an extra round to make up for it.  Easy to get tired with this gun as it is punishing to shoot and the trigger is like bending a nail.

Last we have 10 rounds fired off hand at 15 yards.  This was still slow fired.  I never could get the hang of doing the two fast shots like the guy on the TV commercials.  I squirm at the thought of having to shoot that gun enough to be that good with it.

Bottom line is, the gun is very well made.  The company takes pride in these pistols and their skill at making them. You can tell that by a close inspection.    While had to shoot fast, they can be accurate.  This one showed much potential and if I was the kind of guy who is used to bog bore revolver recoil, I’m sure I could have done better for everyone with it.   I’m not though, and the wooden grips and recoil of such a small gun firing full power 45ACP rounds was more than I could take for long period.    I do see why the bond arms guns are popular with a lot of people though.  They are nostalgic and certainly finely made.

 

Scattered Shots

Oil , Lube, Grease, Cleaning. What do I Use?

10 Comments

I get asked all the time what lube I use on my AR15s and other guns.  I doubt I’m the only one that gets this question. It’s a topic all over the gun forums with people arguing the virtue of their favorites.  I don’t usually don’t feel a need jump in this discussion except when the topic turns to bore solvent.  I see a lot of people declare hoppes9 the end all be all of bore solvents.   Folks. That just ain’t true.  I suppose if you just like to swab the bore a little it will work ok for your needs, nut for a real deep true cleaning,  you have to use something else.   But first let me talk about the lubes I use.

There it is.  I could probably end this post right now and say nothing else and I would have said enough.  Truth is though, the slip2000 product line is great.  It’s not snake oil. its nor cooking oil or whatever. It’s just good stuff.  it doesn’t stink, it won’t poison you and it stays put and works.    The  bore cleaning  carbon cleaner solvent with the green color even works well.   I like to soak parts in it  then tooth brush them clean.

The EWG is a grease as you can see and It is just a thickened version of the lube . It stays in place no matter what.  If I’m going out in conditions where I know it’s going to likely really rain or be wet for several days, I slather it on.

I also like to dab some on the inside of a M1911 or other lesser pistol if its a really hot day and we are going to be doing some major round count shooting.  The gun can get  too hot to hold and it can be 100 outside but this will still be on the gun at the end.

The other lubes are my day to day workhorse lubes.  It seems to not be well known, but slip2000 oil is actually a CLP, that combo much beloved by many who are always looking for a magic bullet answer. The truth is, it works really good in that role.  Like all CLPs it doesnt do all three things  perfectly, but it will lube and protect excellently. And like regular CLP, it will make cleaning much, much easier when you are using it as your main lubricant.

The SLip200EWL 30 is a thicker version of the regular EWL. It stays put and doesn’t spread out and run off like a thinner lube.  I like to use it in tight spots and hard to get to areas.  I especially like it on my CCW pistol in summer when it gets really hot and I don’t want my clothes ruined. It’s also a great choice for storing your guns away for a few months.  It’s not what you would want for years long storage in a back room or underground tin foil bunker, but if you are needing rust prevention for a few months, this is good stuff and it can be left on and used  on a weapon without needing wiped off like something much thicker used just for long term storage.

Now here are some lubes I consider my 2nd choice.  These are  not bad because they are not my first choice. They just do not  have the same level of performance in areas I feel are important to my needs.  The CLP is a classic, you know what it does.    It is toxic though, they tell me anyway, and it is a pretty crappy cleaner in all honesty. Not that I would ever use it for that as long as I have a better choice.   But it’s a reliable lube that works even if you need to apply it often.

The other is the classic  military lube, LSA.  Not a cleaner and a so so long term rust preventive.   You can not mix it with other lubes you may have on the gun. so you have to commit to it like a marriage if you are going to use it on a gun.  It was developed for the M16 and other automatic weapons I have read in some TMs.  It does work really well as a lube only.   I have heard it is still in use in military stocks and some really love it.  It is getting harder to find though it seems.  But if you have a huge back stock of it like me bought over the years its a good 3rd choice.    Its mainly the lube I hand out for friends  or strangers who come to shoot and aren’t smart enough to have their own lubricant.

Every other lube not mentioned above is all fine and well.  I would use any and all of them if you handed it to me when I needed oil but just not what I would pick if I had choice  of my favs.   Some are snake oil however, and some just are marginally decent but I suppose better than nothing.

Here is something I first read about in Precision Shooting Magazine years ago and though it was a gimmick.

Hey, its legit.   BreakFree makes a copy of it you can get at walmart but it’s really not the same.  I have tried it and it takes a lot of the breakfree foaming bore cleaner to start to get some where, and to really truly clean you still need a brush and some elbow grease.   Thi stuff is the real deal though and I think what the breakfree brand tried to copy.   Its pricey but if you are like me and get really lazy sometimes or you are away from home and need to some what clean a bore over night in a hotel room or just need or want to clean during a break in shooting , this is really good.

Now the real cleaners for serious bore cleaning for precision rifles and match rifles there are only 3 I take serious.  I have used all three over many years and have absolute faith in them for real bore cleaning.

  1. Butches Bore Shine
  2. TM Solutions
  3. Shooter Choice

Now the first two are almost interchangeable in quality. Third is still great though  not quite as good as the other two.   TM has the real benefit of having almost no smell

Hoppes9 is not on the list..

Some older military bore solvents can be effective but hard to find and very toxic though.

Now the products that are more specialized but sometimes can be needed.

Sweets 762 solvent.  For heavy copper fouling.  It is safer than some say.  I soaked a blued barrel and SS barrel section in sweets for 6 months one time in the late 90s at my old job site .   No damage was done to the barrel steel sections.  Though I wouldn’t use it on a chrome bore AR.

JB Bore paste.   A very abrasive paste that is very messy and a lot of work but it can clean an old rifle bore that hasn’t seen a rod and patch in 50 years or was owned by an idiot.  Don’t go crazy with it because it is abrasive.

Brake Cleaner.  What is better than spraying crud off and out of semi autos  or anything?  Make sure to get the non chlorinated.

There is some other car solvents that I sue but, I am still testing and making sure they are not too damaging to guns and stocks etc before I recomend them publicly to people.

 

That is about it.    That is what I use and recommend. You may and can use whatever else you want but this is just what I use and it has not failed me.