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Another Anti-rust Potion

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Loyalist Dave

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On another forum, and the posting on that forum was a decade old, an old-salt stated that as a young man he'd used Whale Oil on his firearm to prevent rust, and as lubrication. Well Whale Oil is gone in this country, and although jojoba oil is (in a lab) the same molecule, this fellow reported that it doesn't keep the rust at bay the way the original product did. However, he did mention that a potion [my word] of 1 part STP, and 2 parts Marvel Mystery Oil and ATF fluid would lube and prevent rust as the old Whale Oil did.

:idunno:

I'm not a member of that forum, and so I was in read-only mode, and could not ask even had the posting been very recent, what's wrong with a current brand name "gun-oil" like the kind from Remington or Hoppe's..., IF you're going to use a petroleum product? From some of the other comments it was in response to the owner of a vintage handgun wanting to preserve it with the same stuff that had been used on it when it was new ??? Not sure why that mattered...

I actually had that stuff around for my cars, so I tried a little bit..., no idea if it's any better than Barricade-and-Hoppe's Oil. It did work well in taking some rust OFF a musket barrel when I used it plus some very fine emory cloth...

LD
 
The use of Jojoba oil had great fanfare when it first came on the market to replace whale oil. But, I have not seen mention of it recently. Would be interesting to have experience with it shared here.
 
I have used it as a patch lube. It work well in a .40 I have, when nothing else work. I did not use it to protect the bore for long term storage.

Michael
 
I was served seal oil as a food dip in a Native village up here, and I got curious. The host gave me a little Mason jar with about a quarter cup in it, and I took it home to try for patch lube. Made me wish she'd given me a BIG mason jar plumb full, for sure. Also tried hooligan oil (a local fish) on patches, and that was dandy.

Never got around to trying either for preservative oil, but the state of some of the old guns I see out in the villages tells me not to try either.

One old timer here has remnants of a quart can of sperm whale oil left over from the days when whaling stations were still active here. I don't recall him using it for bores, but his wife sezz it's the best sewing machine oil ever invented.
 
I have a similar rule with one caveat, and that is brakleen or solvent to remove old crusty grease from locks and metal parts.
 
I might imagine that most of you, like me, never let a gun set alone for a long time without periodically checking it out and making sure the bore is still protected. I know I'm constantly taking them down off the rack for a "fresh up". I'm not sure I ever had one in "long term storage"; at least I can't think of a time I did that. Good gun oils, and there are plenty, will work just fine for most of us. One just has to remember to clean out the bore prior to shooting. I like Barricade because it dries and doesn't drip or leak. But most any oil will work in the bore if the owner checks on it a few times a year or more often.
 
I've let one sit for 2 years out of necessity. My kit built Cap and ball revolver that I bought on leave from boot camp and built in three days (yep.. not pretty) sat for 2 years as I left it home in Oregon when I left for my first ship in South Carolina.

I retrieved it when I was transferred out west with no ill effects, (at least none I didn't cause) I finally rebuilt it about 4 years ago, but refinishing all the parts made things fit too loosely so when I shoot it little things like the piece that retains the loading lever under the barrel fly off now when its shot.. She's purty but mostly a wall hanger these days
 
Loyalist Dave said:
I have a cardinal rule......
"Nothing from the auto parts store touches my guns."

I know a lot of guys with that rule...., but then some of them use Barricade, which is made of petroleum distillates..

:idunno:

LD


I sometimes squirt with carburetor cleaner. But carburetors are becoming a thing of the past. Will the cleaner vanish also?
 
Rifleman1776 said:
I sometimes squirt with carburetor cleaner. But carburetors are becoming a thing of the past. Will the cleaner vanish also?

Having looked into the ingredients of many products, I can assure you that when that day comes the manufacturer will rename and market Carb cleaner as something else....Who knows, Maybe they will call it "Rifleman's muzzleloader cleaner 1776"....... :wink: :haha:
 
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