Ballistol Lub

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Myra lou

36 Cal.
Joined
Apr 16, 2004
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Has anyone had any experience with 'Ballistol Lub'?.....I've been using it to lub a couple of my BP guns after I cleaned them following a shooten scession......It seems to work out keeping a film on the metal.....john.....
 
Yeh, it stinks! It's a great lube, lotsa people use it for patch lube too. Great stuff, but it do smell bad. :p
 
I believe in the stuff....tested it by leaving a pistol sprayed down with it a couple weeks before cleaning...no rust formed and all crud was soft and easy to remove.I use it for many purposes. even on vehicle hinges...seems to hang in there much longer.Keeps cylinders from binding in my Schofields when I shoot extended matches of cowboy action with them using B P. Finally equated the smell with licorice candy and have learned to live with it much better. The smell doesn't seem to alarm deer either....I believe it stirs their curiosity....didnt interfere with my harvesting my limit.
 
I need to pass along a word of caution on Ballistol.

I can't explain WHY this happened, but last year after a trip to the range I cleaned all my guns (air rifle, Centerfire Pistols, BP revolver, & BP in-line) and used Ballistol as a protectant on each. The very next weekend, EVERY single firearm had rust in the bore. Not severe, but it ruined my son's air rifle competion.

I had to scrubb out each bore with J-B's Paste to get them cleaned up. I don't know why this happened as all of those guns are stored inside under HVAC, but it happened none-the-less. :(

I am gonna try using it for cleaning patches between shots ............... but I won't let it sit in any more of my gun bores - EVER!
 
I like the stuff.I am even getting to like the smell.My buddy says it smells like stinkey socks. Now I hear a experence like Markwhiz has every so offen.But that has not happened to me and I use it on all my guns.Mine are kept open on racks in a basement gun room.Dehumidifer in summer and heat in winter.That is in Michigan weather.I also mix some with simple green for my BP cleaner.

Jim
 
tought id bring this topic up again,i havnt tried ballistol yet but i know many of you do.Has anyone ever tryed to make a home made brew of ballistol?
Its main ingredants are White mineral oil (cas#8042-47-5)this is a hydrogenated mineral oil(petroleum product)used in lubercating and rust preventing in machines and gears in meat proccessing equipment.
isobuty alcohol is the other ingerdent.Im not sure what this is but it is most likely the cleaning agent in ballistol.
In the right mix this may be real close to ballistol,probably be cheaper just to buy ballistol to begin with maybe ::
 
Yah,but with out that sweet smell it aint the same. I buy a pint can for 8.50.Last me a year.This is from a cheepskate that makes his own lube,cleaning patches and BP solv.

Jim
 
sorta like passing gas but without the smell........kinda takes the fun out of it........can't surprise your friends......next it'll be an in-line, pyrodex, and sabots.....hay we're in it for the smoke, noise and smell.....john..... :haha:
 
I have used Ballistol for over 5 years in all the shooting irons, all the rifles I build, we buy it by the case & use it in the shop for all prnetrating oils & rust preservatives. I don't know what it in it but I know it works. The stuff is fabulous.

As in all ML rifles, I clean & then reswab for 2 days straight Regardless of what I use. Also I use the Non-Aerosol for storage, not the areosol. The non-aerosol is much thicker & better bore protection.

I caution you if you have a rifle with a tung oil finish, the Ballistol may slowly deterioriate it as it & remove it as it is a penetrating oil & it appears to slowly disolve the tung oil. It doesn't damage the wood, but it may remove the tung oil finish. Does not seem to damage Tru-Oil finishes or finishes on factory firearms..

Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Skinning Knives
 
Markwhiz....I betcha ya used it diluted wif water didntcha? Them water spots is what caused the rust. I always use it straight. I spend 5-6 weeks every year in your fair state...never have any problems with it.
 
"Yah,but with out that sweet smell it aint the same..... also.... sorta like passing gas but without the smell"
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I'll be quite honest with my thought/smell here? I don't know about you (but) I feel Breakfree CLP smells a hell of-a-lot worse than Ballistol.

Also, pertaining to another post, It's possible that poster Mark Whiz had some slight surface rust prior to using Ballistol. That stuff -- when left in a bore with slight rust, will cut it/break the rust down for removal later.

I prefer Birchwood Casey Sheath for long-term bore protection. However, I use Ballistol on my rifle exterior every-other-application.... stock & metal. Ballistol also gives me best shot groups on a clean barrel. I remove the Sheath with alky at the range.... put in some Ballistol & use a dry patch. My first clean shot is always closer to the remaining shots than a dry bore shot. Also.... you can keep a dirty bore for days using Ballistol in combination with 777 powders.

My dirty 58-cal Renegade was shot 17 times 8 days ago. I still haven't cleaned it. I keep the rifle air-tight in a gun case after range work. Never had a problem doing this in any ML rifle I own for the past two years. Lehigh Valley Lube can be used in the same manner with 777, except I discontinued using it because the lube got too sticky in the bore when loading plastic sabots. I was grunting too much pushin' that ramrod.... I no-likey that!
 
Nope TwoShadows...............
I used it full strength, right out of the bottle onto a patch. I worked 2 full strength patches through each bore, wiped down the outside of the barrels, then stored them in the house. In fact, I took extra care to make SURE no water was in the bore before running the Ballistol patches by running a patch of denatured alcohol through the bores about 2 minutes before using the Ballistol.
 

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