Founded in 1985, Otis Technology is a NY State-based company that develops and manufactures a wide range of gun care products supporting their trademarked from Breech-to-Muzzle® pull through bore cleaning systems. Otis introduced two new products this year to supplement their extensive selection of cleaning, lubrication, and protection chemicals. I had a chance to learn more about the new products while visiting with them at the NRA Annual Meeting in May. I was particularly intrigued by their new Mission Critical MC-10 cleaning chemicals and we arranged an evaluation.
Mission Critical MC-10 MSRP: $29.99
Mission Critical MC-10 is a two-part Cleaner and Lubricant/Protectant. The cleaning, lubrication, and protection system is packaged in two 1-ounce spray canisters and includes a microfiber cloth for more targeted application. MC-10 requires that all previously applied lubrication be removed before application, but no other special curing or application regimen is required. I’ve included the very easy to follow 6-step application instructions for review.
Lead build up after 1000’s of rounds, 50 rounds, zero rounds.
What intrigued me most about Mission Critical MC-10 was the claim that MC-10 lubricant had a wide range of operating temperatures. Advertised as effective from -65 to 650° F, MC-10 lubricant won’t burn, or smoke off at high temperatures. I’ve been searching for just such a lubricant for use with muzzle-attached devices, like compensators and suppressors, that quickly accumulate lead build up. Having a lubrication barrier between the muzzle device and accumulated lead should make cleaning a much easier task.
Foaming Bore Cleaner MSRP: $9.99
Otis Foaming Bore Cleaner is a high-density foam that you spray down the bore of your firearm until the barrel is filled. Let the foam dwell in the bore until all the bubbles have popped. Accumulated grime can be removed from the bore using an Otis Breech to Muzzle cleaning system, or more conventional patch/brush and cleaning rod.
Preparation
Following the MC-10 initial application instructions above, I used a degreasing spray to prepare a Glock 32 handgun and a brand-new Allchin Gun Parts Rimfire Rifle Compensator for application of the MC-10 Lubricant. MC-10 Lubricant is a very light liquid that sprays on easily from the pump canister. While hardly a precision applicator, it was easy enough to get adequate coverage on the areas where the lubricant was desired. Overspray was easily removed with a dry towel. I made a mental note that MC-10 Lubricant has very low odor.
Testing
As mentioned in the Mission Critical application instructions, after the first application of MC-10 there may be some noticeable friction when using the newly treated firearm. Even though I had worked the slide of the Glock before undertaking live fire, I did notice some extra friction during the first magazine run through the pistol. The pistol functioned perfectly, but I could tell slide speed was a little slower than normal. The condition quickly went away and didn’t recur the through the balance of the 150 rounds run through the handgun.
In my mind, the greater test of Mission Critical MC-10 would be if it could keep carbon and lead from sticking to an anodized aluminum rimfire compensator. You may have noticed the compensator used in this evaluation is different than compensators that port gasses vertically to counteract muzzle rise. This muzzle device ports sound and gasses horizontally. Its primary function is to channel the sound of a fired rimfire round to the sides of the shooter. This allows shot timers to more easily register the sound of the shot.
The rimfire compensator used for this test accumulated carbon and lead like a champ. By the time 500 rounds of Federal AutoMatch 22LR went through the device, I had a mini Mount Vesuvius growing inside both the front and rear ports. Left unchecked, lead buildup can become so great that bullets passing through the compensator can come in contact with the lead accumulation. It’s important to remove the lead build up before that happens.
Cleanup and Results
Cleaning the Glock 32 was uneventful. The foaming bore cleaner did a great job cleaning out the carbon and powder residue. Mission Critical MC-10 Cleaner was sprayed on the slide and frame. Accumulated fouling on these components was removed with a shop towel and nylon cleaning brush. MC-10 Lubricant was reapplied to all cleaned surfaces. A 15-minute job start to finish. I did notice the MC-10 Cleaner had a stronger odor than the Lubricant, but it wasn’t overpowering.
Now the compensator was a more challenging cleaning task. It also got the foaming bore cleaner to start. I followed that with the MC-10 Cleaner. Using the same nylon cleaning brush used on the Glock removed most of the surface carbon deposits. The accumulated lead in the forward port (the smaller of the two accumulations) broke free of the compensator as I was drying out the excess cleaning solution with a wad of a shop towel. The larger lead ingot from the rear port was a little more stubborn and needed a tap with a hammer and jeweler’s screwdriver before releasing. I was very pleased to have my compensator cleaned, and lead-free, in less than 30 minutes.
There are a few gun care products on the market that claim they can stop lead from adhering to the surface of a compensator. I’ve tried a few of these products and found their claims to be overly optimistic. Often requiring me to chip off the lead deposits a little piece at a time. Mission Critical MC-10 appears to be the real deal. It can’t stop the lead deposits from forming, but it does make them very easy to remove. The lubricant is still there under the lead deposit, it just needs a little help from the person doing the cleaning to break the lead ingot free from the surface it’s molded on.
Conclusion
If a company wants my money, their product has to pay me back in time savings or keep a piece of gear in serviceable condition longer than if I didn’t use their product. Otis Mission Critical MC-10 has demonstrated it can help me keep up with the potentially time-consuming task of keeping compensators free of lead accumulation. I say potentially time consuming because if I neglect to keep up with lead removal, it eventually makes more sense to just buy a new compensator than spend the time to clean the dirty one.
A new compensator would cost me $49 plus shipping. I can buy Otis Mission Critical MC-10 for $29.99 and keep all my compensators lead-free with just a little extra cleaning effort. I don’t know exactly how long the 1-ounce supplies of Cleaner and Lubricant will last, but a little of the Cleaner and Lubricant seems to be all I need to keep my compensators clean. As an added bonus, the same products will also clean and lubricate my pistol. Using MC-10 will end up costing me less than periodically replacing compensators.
For those that use suppressors, if you struggle with lead build up in your baffle stack or core MC-10 may also make cleaning easier for you.
For more information, visit Otis Technology by clicking here
Otis Technology products can be purchased directly from the company through their website, or through local firearm and outdoor gear retailers.