Schütze Firearm Care Cleaning Products

Test Report by Phillips Hayes from ManMagnum September/October 2022 issue

CLEANING firearms, especially carbon and copper deposits from barrels, can be a toilsome effort, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Through the years I’ve tried several methods and an array of chemicals but it remains hard work. The Schütze Firearm Care cleaning range consists of four different products aimed at making cleaning firearms eas-
ier. The products were developed in Germany and are distributed locally by Oelof Maree and his team at Omchem.

The four products are:

PCS: a pre-cleaner that softens carbon and nitro deposits burnt into the barrel or other parts;
CLP: which cleans and lubricates;
CDB: a cleaning and degreasing blaster which removes all traces of oil, and;
LPO: an oil for lubrication and protecting metal surfaces.

For this report I’ll concentrate on my experience with the products, but to read more about the technical aspects visit www.schutze.co.za

The cleaning and degreasing blaster (CDB) quickly became my go-to product to clean dies, reloading presses, firearms and, well, anything greasy or oily that I could lay my hands on.

One particular problem area when cleaning pistols is the trigger mechanism, especially the area just below the feeding ramp, where dirt builds up over time. This is a hard-to-reach area where I normally use ear buds soaked in nitro solvent for cleaning. Usually after leaving it to soak for 15 or 20 minutes, I rinse the f rame thoroughly with almost-boiling water. The can of CDB blaster made short work of this with the nozzle reaching almost every nook and cranny – the compressed cleaning formula literally blew grime and soot out of the mechanism. Once the CDB has evaporated, oil- and grime-free surfaces remain. The manufacturer claims that CDB will also remove ammonia from sur-
faces if a copper cleaner has been used.

Oil must be applied after use to prevent rusting.

CLP provides an all-in-one solution. I simply disassemble my firearm after a range session, apply CLP, leave it to work for a few minutes and then wipe the grime away with a cloth. After the cleaning formula has evaporated, a thin film of oil remains on the weapon.

According to the company, CLP contains a mixture of solvents that evaporate at different speeds. It’s formulated to remove carbon and plastic fouling. Allow to soak and then use a bronze brush on the soaked carbon. Finally, run clean patches through the barrel until the patches emerge clean. Although not developed to remove copper fouling, regular use will reduce copper fouling. The oil that remains after application is said to protect against rust for up to a year under normal conditions.

The pre-clean and soften (PCS) mixture was developed so that it can be left in the barrel for extended periods. Omchem says it will neutralise acidic and/or alkaline deposits. As it contains no chemical that can harm a firearm, it can be sprayed in the barrel and action
and left overnight to soften and break down hard deposits.

Lastly, the lubrication and protection oil (LPO). Omchem states that this oil contains no additives or other chemicals, has the correct viscosity and ‘creep’ to ensure that all firearm parts, even microscopic imperfections in metal, will be covered and sealed against oxygen, fluids and humidity to ensure protection against rust. Moreover, the viscosity makes it ideal for moving parts to function optimally.

I tried LPO in the Magnum oil/salt test, where two pieces of metal, one cleaned, coated with oil and wiped, and the other just cleaned, are left in a very strong salt mixture for two weeks. Schütze oil performed on par with some of the best oils we have tested, with the
treated block of metal showing very little signs of rust.

I also used the oil to lightly lubricate a cleaned barrel and a couple of days later ran a few clean patches through the barrel to ensure all the oil was removed for a range session. After firing 40 shots I found that the barrel was easier to clean compared to when I use a standard lubricating oil. And I used less patches to end up with a shining barrel.

I found the acronyms for the different products confusing, but after using them for more than a month, this is my only small gripe, as the Schütze range made my firearm cleaning regimen a lot easier.

Recommended retail price for the 200ml cans are R209 each for the LPO and CDB, and R229 each for the CLP and PCS. These are reasonable prices for quality products.

Schütze products can be purchased directly online from www.omchem.co.za. Dealers can register for pricing and more information on the same site.