How to get camo tape residue off your gun

W

WolverineAtWork

New member
Well fellas. I after having the cloth camo tape on my stainless Encore for nearly 2 years, I've finally had a reason to take it off. The scope is coming off of it to go on another gun, and I won't be using the Encore until I get another scope. So here it is.. detailed instructions on removing camo tape adhesive from your firearm.

First of all, let me say that this gun has gotten hotter just sitting in the AZ desert than most P-dog guns on a good town. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif So, this adhesive has been baked on pretty well, as you can see.

DirtyEncoreMuzzle.jpg

DirtyEncoreChamber.jpg


Step 1 - hose down a paper towel with brake parts cleaner.
Step 2 - Wipe gun down.

1.5 minutes later, you end up with this:
CleanEncoreMuzzle.jpg

CleanEncoreChamber.jpg


The stock took a little longer, as the checkering on the hand guard and buttstock shredded my paper towel. After a light coat of oil, presto clean gun!

CleanEncore.jpg


As you can see, it also works on scopes, but again, it took a little longer to get all the nooks and crannies.

DirtyScope.jpg


As you can see, clean as a whistle.
ARPandora.jpg


So, class, we see that all of the fuss over the trouble of cleaning off camo tape residue is completely unfounded.
 
Thanks W@W,

Been dreading doing the same on an old Mod. 840 Springfield .222 that's been taped for a couple years. Glad to see it isn't the job I thought it'd be.

Thanks again,

Cro-mag
 
Now that's a useful tip! Thanks!

Redfrog, The angle grinder can still be used for stock refinishing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Yep, brake cleaner works very well, however I would caution you that the ingredients in said cleaner can be very dangerous to your health and I would not recommend excessive use, also consider who else will be inhaling the vapors (kiddies). I would try rubbing alchohol and other cleaners before going to the brake/carb cleaning products or try to find products that do not contain the following (which are considered toxic by the EPA): tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, chlorinated fluorocarbons, chlorobenzene, 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, ortho-dichlorobenzene, trichlorofluoromethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, carbon disulfide, isobutanol, pyridine, benzene, 2-ethoxyethanol, and 2-nitropropane

Hunt Safe, Shoot Safe, and remember to keep your home safe.
 
I've always been nervous about using brake cleaner, don't truly know why, but tis the truth. I've found that WD40 works about as well and it doesn't seeem to hurt a wood finish. After cleaning the tape glue I wipe the wood down to remove the WD40 and clean as much as is possible from the metal. One thing though be careful with the scope. Way back when WD40 first made a big splash on the market a surveyor used it to clean his instrument, WD40 penetrates and will cover ALL the optics in side of a $8,000 survey instrument and it costs real money to get it out. A rifle scope is a close family member to a survey scope so be careful.
 
WD=40 works well on my bow but I have never taped my rifle
it also work great at taking road tar off cars. i work road construction in a white truck and when its asphalt time it gets covered with road tac wd-40 takes it right off leaving a nice shine
 
The only really bad thing on Riccur's list is the carbon tet. It is not especially potent but, like mercury, is accumulated in the liver forever. You never get rid of it. A little here, a litle there, 40 years down the road, you have acute carbon tet poisioning and die.

Exposure to most of the other solvents should be limited, but it would take a few baths in them to cause any real damage. There are a lot worse things in gasoline today than those solvents.

Jack
 
Actually JAck,

The majority of these solvents are known or suspected carcinogens (cancer causing). While some may take extreme exposure to affect an adult male, the same is not true for a child or pregnant woman. In most cases ventilation is the key, however do not vent it to the outside and have it going back in through your kids window which is right above. They will also contaminate wells in relatively small quantities.
 
Riccur,
"known or suspected carcinogens" is BS. If potatoes were manufactured instead of grown, they would be banned as a most definitely "known carcinogen." Bacon is a much more powerful carcinogen than all of your list.

Look at the actuall LD 50 rates and forget the media propaganda.

Jack
 
An LD50 value is the amount of a solid or liquid material that it takes to kill 50% of test animals (for example, mice or rats) in one dose.

I believe what Jack meant to say was the LC 50 considering we are not talking about drinking or eating these products.

LC50 (50% lethal concentration) is a related term used for gases, dusts, vapors, mists etc.

Go to http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts19.html
If you would like to find out more about these products. Example:

How can trichloroethylene affect my health?
Breathing small amounts may cause headaches, lung irritation, dizziness, poor coordination, and difficulty concentrating.

Breathing large amounts of trichloroethylene may cause impaired heart function, unconsciousness, and death. Breathing it for long periods may cause nerve, kidney, and liver damage.

Drinking large amounts of trichloroethylene may cause nausea, liver damage, unconsciousness, impaired heart function, or death.

Drinking small amounts of trichloroethylene for long periods may cause liver and kidney damage, impaired immune system function, and impaired fetal development in pregnant women, although the extent of some of these effects is not yet clear.

Skin contact with trichloroethylene for short periods may cause skin rashes.
 
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