What makes a good CLP? Well, first and foremost it needs to be able to clean, lubricate, and protect (duh, right?). It needs to clean carbon and old grease and oil from the weapon. It needs to lubricate the weapon and keep it functioning after long periods of sustained fire. It also needs to protect the firearm from rust and environmental damage. This includes salt water and sweat.
CLP also needs to be long lasting, meaning once it’s on it doesn’t need to be reapplied every five minutes. Below are our reviews of the 4 best CLP’s on the market.
Break Free CLP
Break Free CLP is one of the most common and one of the most widely used CLPs. The reason being is that it works and it is easy to find. Break Free CLP comes in both drop bottles and spray bottles. The spray bottles make it easier to apply CLP to the hard to reach portions of a weapon. Break Free CLP is an excellent and affordable option for your firearms.
Actually, Break Free is the brand most commonly used by the military. It’s proven itself around the world, including humid areas, deserts, and even on ships. This includes extremely variable temperatures. Break Free CLP can work in temperatures ranging from negative 65 degrees to over 475 degrees. After all, a weapon can become extremely hot, so the maximum temperature does need to be extremely high. If you’ve ever fired a machine gun for a few thousand rounds (as I have), you’d realize even an open bolt weapon can get extremely hot.
Break free CLP penetrates the metal surfaces, it finds its way into every pit, crevice and groove on the weapon. This aids in both cleaning and protecting the weapon. Break Free is a long lasting formula that works to prevent malfunctions by making the weapon function with sand, grit, dirt, or whatever else is tossed in there. Break free works to keep your gun running in nearly any environment and is one of the best CLP’s period.
Ballistol Multi-Purpose CLP
Ballistol is a name that many know outside of the gun realm. They produce a variety of industrial grade goods and one of them just happens to be CLP. This CLP is designed for a variety of goods, including firearms. One of the advantages of Ballistol is the fact it is biodegradable and safe for the environment. It’s less harmful to our hands, but it’s not something you should ingest or rub your eyes with. Ballistol comes in an aerosol can and comes in 1.5 to 6-ounce options.
Ballistol cleans even the worst firearms messes. For example, black powder weapons aren’t nicest weapons to clean after shooting. Black powder tends to leave a mighty mess, but Ballistol can clean it up. Ballistol is a powerful protectant that prevents rust from growing and showing on the weapon. The chemicals are capable of penetrating and cleansing with ease. A little Ballistol and elbow grease can work wonders on that old gun.
Ballistol is slightly alkaline material that actually prevents and neutralizes the effects of sweat. Sweat can be a terrible thing for a weapon. It tends to build into rust in the most often handled parts of the firearm. This can actually cause serious issues in areas you don’t see most of the time. Ballistol prevents this from happening.
Sage and Braker CLP Oil
I’m not sure if CLP can be considered trendy or fashionable, but Sage and Braker have attempted to do so. Sage and Braker produces a variety of mercantile goods, and cleaner, lubricant, and protectant is one of them. The 4-ounce bottles come in a plain brown jar that looks like glass, and is about as nice and as sexy as a plain brown jar can be. But the Sage and Braker CLP doesn’t just look good, it works well too. It actually works very, very well.
Sage and Braker CLP (see full specs) is one of the strongest penetrators for metal materials. This CLP grips and winds itself into the metal, into every pit, scratch and miniature gouge of your firearm. This is important for two reasons. First off, while cleaning, it will lift carbon, dirt, dust, and rust from the firearms. Second, once it penetrates, it’s capable of protecting at a deeper level. The Sage and Braker CLP as a lubrications works brilliantly. It coats the insides perfectly and aids in heat dissipation. This results in a cooler, cleaner weapon.
This CLP is also biodegradable and non-toxic. The chemicals used are effective but mild. There is no foul smelling, hand destroying anything here. Sage and Braker makes their products in the United States and have a long history of high-quality products. Their CLP is no different. It should be on anyone’s list of the best CLP’s on the market.
Froglube CLP
Froglube is another completely biodegradable and nontoxic CLP. Froglube has the weird distinction of being completely green, which, unless you’re Forrest Gump, makes it easy to guess why it’s called Froglube. Froglube comes in a spray bottle that gives an excellent spray of lube anywhere you need it. Froglube’s claim to fame is there is absolutely zero petroleum, oil, or wax in Froglube.
Froglube (see full specs) is also quite strong but does not destroy metal, finishes, or even wood. This stuff can be sprayed haphazardly without fear of harming your firearms with wooden stocks. Froglube is made from food grade ingredients, mean it is safe to ingest; however, I do not suggest ingesting it. Froglube has never varied from their formula and are proud to use non-toxic goods. Other companies have been more or less shady about their use of food products, but Froglube stands behind their products.
As a CLP it works extremely well. It lifts carbon, old grease, and rust with ease. It seals the metal from moisture and protects it from the mean old world. It also lubricates, getting slicker as the gun gets hotter. Froglube is interesting because it never stops and remains one of the best CLP’s around.
Clean, Lubricate, Protect
The importance of CLP cannot be understated. When used correctly you are making your weapon function better for longer.Weapons can last nearly forever if they are properly maintained. Friction and rust tend to be the main killers of firearms, and CLP has the ability to reduce both, and compared to the firearm is extremely cheap. Always have a good can or bottle of it in the range bag. It will make your life much easier.
