Clenzoil Review
There’s been much debate on the forum over the last week or so about Clenzoil, a well known Cleaner, Lubricant and Protector for firearms in the US but one with little following in the UK so far.
I received 3 sample products, an 8oz bottle of Clenzoil, a 4oz. Spray of Clenzoil and a rather nice lambs wool applicator.
My first reaction was to compare the price of Clenzoil with the product that I’ve used for a number of years; at about three times the price per unit volume, this stuff will need to be good.
I summonsed the assistance of Gunner Gordon to assist with cleaning and Webbers Wingman to take the pictures. A multi award winning photographer, this job should be a breeze.
I showed Wingman the bore of my Beretta 687 EL and asked if he could photograph down the bore. I won’t bore you with the details of the lecture that followed, other than to say that various comments about ring flash and suggestions of sexual positions that I’d never heard of lead me to understand that we wouldn’t be getting any shots down the barrel.
I decided to clean 3 guns. My own Beretta 687 EL; Gunner Gordons Beretta Prevail, and an Eigor side by side borrowed from a friend. All the guns had shot at least 250 cartridges since their last clean and all had shot a mixture of plastic and fibre wad cartridges by Eley and Fiocchi. The only comment on cartridges is that the 687 and the Eigor had both last shot Fiocchi cartridges which had left the bores quite clean to the eye. The prevail had last shot 100 Eley Firsts at Lupton on Saturday, there was a very noticeable difference when comparing residue remaining.
For many years I’ve been in the habit of running my barrels through with a Paradox Cleaner and then a quick squirt of the action with a very well know cleaner / lubricant. I do occasionally do a thorough clean when the mood takes me. I am known to keep a can of WD40 in the car and do give the gun a quick squirt before setting off for home if the gun has got at all wet.
I stripped the guns and laid out their barrels, stock and forends.
Gunner Gordon cleaned his gun utilising the well known cleaner lubricant, whilst I soaked a patch in Clenzoil and ran it through both barrels of the 687. I set the barrels to one side to give the Clenzoil sufficient time to work its magic. Meanwhile I ran the Paradox Cleaner through the Eigor. I inspected the bores. To the eye they appeared to be polished and clean. I then soaked a patch in Clenzoil and wetted out both barrels. I looked down the barrels and was surprised to see absolute filth. The Clenzoil had only been in contact for less than a minute and the magic had already started to work. I showed Wingman the bores, he is not a shooter, his eye untrained in looking down gun barrels, but various comments were made, none of them capable of being reported here, but I think that he was impressed as was I. I then set about sending a jag through with Mr. Potters favourite cleansing media, bog roll which I used as jag material for comparison for the other guns as well. I sent about a dozen pieces through, and laid them out one by one for Wingman to photograph.
I then placed a few dots of Clenzoil on all of the usual spots and then wiped over with a yellow duster. I assembled the gun and a few more dots onto the barrels and a quick wipe down saw the
gun finished. If I were to adopt Clenzoil as my regular cleaning – lubricating product I would want to transfer it to a small dot type oil can as I found the quantity dispensed from the bottle too great to apply sparingly.
By the time that I’d completed the Eigor, my 687 had been subjected to a good soak, probably around 10 minutes, so I wasted no more time in sending the jag through laden with bog roll, numerous pieces, all painstakingly set out for Wingman to photograph. When I’d finished I had a virtually spotless patch and bores that gleamed better than I’d ever previously seen them. Over the years I’ve used most products, but not all, none of them have produced results like those I achieved with Clenzoil.
The acid test of course was to be Gunner Gordons Prevail. Whilst I’d been doing my bit, GG had cleaned his gun with my regular well known cleaning – lubricating product. Having waited a few minutes he set to and cleaned his gun for a second time, but with Clenzoil .
Having seen the results on the previous two guns I was expecting to see a miracle, muck and filth all over the place, but sadly I was disappointed. Yes the Clenzoil test patches did pick up some dirt, nothing mega, the patches were laid out to be photographed.
Clenzoil certainly does what it says on the tin. As to it being superior to our regular product the jury is still out, it will be a very close call. Maybe when we’ve used it a few more times we’ll be able to make our minds up.
You pays your money, and make your choice. Clenzoil is a superior product, at a premium price. Goodness knows what’s in the stuff; one whiff nearly blew my cap off and brought a tear to my eye. I’m still apologising to Mrs. Webber for stinking out her dining room. I’ll be eating Clenzoil with my Branflakes in the morning, and my hands are now super soft.
Webber
Thanks to Gunner Gordon and Webbers Wingman for their assistance in completing this report.
Clenzoil. Patch whetted out with Clenzoil.
Paradox Cleaner in use. Patch after whetting Eigor.
Patches after cleaning Eigor
Parch after whetting 687. 687 Patches
Patch after whetting Prevail. Clenzoil patches used to clean previously cleaned Prevail.
Please note. All of the photographs above are the copyright of dk photo.
I am happy to forward full size pictures to interested parties.
