pistol cleaning some help please

this my be a stupid question I do know how to clean a rifle. is cleaning a handgun any different I am wondering what cleaning solvents to use to clean my new Springfield xd sub compact 9. barrel etc.is there something for copper and lead deposits whats the best stuff.somebody told me that I can use some automotive products like break cleaner,degreaser ect.


thanks again
Jimmy

yea ya could use something from an auto parts store but i'd look at your local xxxmart or xmart department stores ,,in there sporting goods section and see what they have,,if you know how to dissemble the slide i'd remove the slide and clean the underside or the slide rails and around the barrel aera ..i use hoppes #9 solvent in all my guns ,,cheap and cleans great ,,some may say to buy this and that but hoppes #9 nitro solvent has been around alot longer than any other cleaner amd mpst gun cleaning kits come with it so that gotta say something ..i wet the brust in the hoppes and run it thru a couple times then run a couple patches with hoppes thru then dry till the patches come out fairly clean,,unless you shoot alot of lead bullets in it (and i'm fairly sure it may be tempermental with a lead bullets) leading shouldn't really be a problem,,so just a good cleaning would be nessasary,,after you clean the slide apply a couple drops of gun oil or 3 in one oil on the bottom of the slide rails and put it back together and work the slide a couple times and your done,,and by the way some car parts cleaner may effect the polymer parts so i'd stick with the right cleaners for the job and leave the degreasers and cleaners in auto parts stores to clean what they were ment to clean,,just my 2 cents worth though..
bigcurt

I thank you very much on the info