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Ballistol

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Tom A Hawk

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Based on several favorable comments here and elsewhere on the web I purchased a can of Ballistol to try out as a bore cleaner. So far, I'm not seeing any outstanding attributes in its favor other than the fact that, since its oily, I don't need to run dry patches and then a greased patch. It doesn't seem to clean the bore any better than other solvents and to be honest, I like the results from Butch's Bore Shine better. Butch's cleans quickly and has no odor. My wife complains about the stink every time I use Ballistol.
 
There isn't a need to use Ballistol as the primary cleaner. For cleaning you are better served by water and few drops of dishwashing soap. The benefit of Ballistol is that it will displace the water and do some lubrication. A final wipe with Barricade will provide a final rust inhibiting coating to protect your rifle.
 
I’ve never used it as a cleaner either, and like Grenadier mentioned, it works quite well at dealing with leftover moisture. Sure beats using WD-40 and then getting rid of that to oil it when Ballistol does both.

I’ve been curious about using it as a patch lube though. I’ve yet to try it. I’ve read of many who love it.
 
A mix of Ballistol (one part) to water (seven parts) works well as a patch lubricant in liquid firm to dampen the patch material. There is enough water to soften the fouling and enough lubricant to treat the bore.
Some use the same mix to dampen the patch material and use for hunting or general shooting. Since the water has evaporated, there little concern for rust in the clean bore forming while hunting. If a second shot is needed a quick spot on the dry lubed patch to dampen it to soften fouling and ease loading works well.
I would caution against storing the dry lubed patching as the cotton may deteriorate.
 
It sets up like a hard glue. I thought one of my modern rifles was ruined after I used it. Took a lot of work and solvent to save the rifle. Tossed the rest. Never again.

I haven’t noticed this and I use it on a sidelock and 2 revolvers. I’m curious why such differing results.

After rinsing the light soap water they get a liberal application of Ballistol spray (not the aerosol) and are stored this way. Maybe every 6-12 months they get a light swabbing down the bores and chambers for good measure if they haven’t been used. Humidity here is generally pretty high (70’s to 80’s) through most of the year. How did things differ for you?
 
It sets up like a hard glue. I thought one of my modern rifles was ruined after I used it. Took a lot of work and solvent to save the rifle. Tossed the rest. Never again.
Have used Ballistol for 15 to 20 years with no complaints for what I would call short to mid term lubricant and protection, maybe six months max. It also works great when mixed with H20 as a cleaner and patch lube. But I have also used WD40 since the 1970s for short term bore protection and as a water displacer, I just don’t use in on mechanical devices. If your bore is truly clean, many products will work.
 
I’ve never used it as a cleaner either, and like Grenadier mentioned, it works quite well at dealing with leftover moisture. Sure beats using WD-40 and then getting rid of that to oil it when Ballistol does both.

I’ve been curious about using it as a patch lube though. I’ve yet to try it. I’ve read of many who love it.
I use the 1:7 dry lube from Dutch (ballistol to water) ratio for my patch lube. Patches stay good for at least 3 months in a ziploc bag. I went through 1:5-1:8 ratios and settled on 1:7. I shot mink oil patches today for the first time and my group was over double the size of my ballistol lube patches. Works great for me but I've never cleaned weigh it individually, I mix it in my moose milk recipe.
 
I’ve never used it as a cleaner either, and like Grenadier mentioned, it works quite well at dealing with leftover moisture. Sure beats using WD-40 and then getting rid of that to oil it when Ballistol does both.

I’ve been curious about using it as a patch lube though. I’ve yet to try it. I’ve read of many who love it.
Have had great results with dry lube, but there is the need to swab, wipe, clean or whatever you want to call it between shots.

Suggest you contact Dutch and order his system. Goes through dry patches and other related topics. $20 well spent. http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/ Or you can PM him on the this forum - his member name is Dr5x.
 
Are you mixing the Ballistol with water- you know- like the label says? 1 part Ballistol to 3 or 4 parts water makes an excellent bore cleaner. You can thin it more (just to save money) for lock cleaning etc. Ballistol odor bothers some- but once mixed with water it doesn't smell the same at all.

It is very versatile as a patch lube since you control the ratios.

Ballistol does not gum up period

The two biggest benefits of Ballistol are that it is a cleaner/moisture displacer, dry and wet patch lube, and an all around gun oil altogether, which cuts down on number of products one needs to buy.

Ballistol is really good for at the range cleanup, or when water isn't convenient/available.

For some reason it seems to polarize people, and bring out some fantastical theories.
 
I clean up real black powder fouling with nothing more than Windex. Soak the bore with four or five shots, hammer off nipple. Run patches till dry. Wipe down with Ballistol patch. Week later, Ballistol patch bore again. No issues whatsoever.
 
I use it in a couple of different mixes in spray bottles with different colored sprayers. General cleanup moose milk, twenty parts distilled water and one part each of Ballistols and Murphys. For a bit of lubrication and dry patch lube, seven to one distilled water and Ballistols. For cleaning, lubrication and corrosion protection, reduce the ratio to four to one. Seems to work in North Carolina for six months plus. Could work longer, but none of my muzzloading guns are left for longer than six months without a bore wipe.
 
but none of my muzzloading guns are left for longer than six months without a bore wipe.

Yeah, none of mine sit that long without a wipe either, a ramrod seating another minie ball!
 
I have used Ballistol as a wipe down and patch lube for years with zero problems. That said, I have never used it as a lubricant for delicate mechanisms - it is too heavy to tempt me in that direction. On the other hand, I did try WD40 as on some small parts (HO couplers) & in a month ot two it may as well have been glue.
 
I ran a test with high carbon steel (piano wire) and a series of different lubricants and metal preservatives where I left the wire out on a sheltered urban patio for six months. Ballistol came out in the middle - not great, but not bad. Oddly enough, Marvel Mystery Oil came out on top along with Howards Feed & Wax (liquefied bees wax).
 
Don't know if it matters but I believe Howards Feed And Wax has silicone in it .
 
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