Ballistol puzzlement

[Rifleman1776]

I knew I was gonna get slammed on that before I hit the post key. :grin: I,ve talked to that rep before and he was just explaining to me the history of the product and it,s credentials and what proven history it has.It has a 100 year history so it has a background to basis their claims on. :idunno:

Just catching up on old posts. I started this one and will follow up with recent experiences. My first use of Ballistol impressed me. Later, I discovered it is, IMHO, wuthluss and possibly dangerous in many applications. When fresh is lubes beautifully. After a period of time it gums up sumptin fierce. As for the "history" it wad developed by Germans for their weapons. Don't forget, the Germans LOST the war. I can only speculate gummed up weapons were part of the problem. My latest dissapointing experience with Ballistol involves my table saw. It is a very old but heavy duty saw I renovated and updated. After cleaning I lubed the threads on the adjusting mechanism with Ballistol. Recently tried to tilt the blade. Wouldn't move. :cursing: Those threads are so seriously gummed they will take some really cleaning to make work again. Probably carburetor cleaner, an old toothbrush and an hours work. I would rather lube my guns, ml and modern anything but Ballistol.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Good post Rifleman. And if you think what you described is bad, wait until you see what it does to leather. Too many people feel that the German military used it "with success" on leather gear. But remember that leather accoutrements had a short life even given good care.

 

[Scota4570]

These oil threads just take on a life of their own.

To me, Balistol stinks, I bought some once. Since the smell is offensive I don't buy it anymore. For preservative I use LPS-3 or real cosmoline. For lubricating I use synthetic 2-stoke oil, I have it around anyway. I do use WD to hose parts, sometimes.

I keep a piece of clean oily around to wipe down guns. I keep the rag in a tupperware, in the safe. After handling a gun I wipe it down with the rag. Easy-peasie, no rust.

As an aside, I also fly large scale RC airplanes. Those guys go on for pages about 2-stroke oil. Some even get indignant over brands. Funny.

Oil?, yes use some. It's just not that complicated.

 

[azmntman]

When just getting into this hobby as a paperboy I attempted to make a BP missile for a RC airplane with an estes rocket. Didn't work as planned :shocked2: . I still say it was a good idea :blah: ! My pop, were he still with us, would likely whup me some more if her remembered the "incident". :blah:

 

[eaglesnester]

Was told by our local gun guru who has been building and shooting antique replicas for 20 years that ballistol does not prevent rust. It does however clean black powder residue out of yur barrel very good. It were not developed to prevent rusting it was developed specifically to clean black powder rifles. It does this very well, just remember to patch out dry after cleaning and use another material for rust prevention. He came to this conclusion while at a mountain man shoot over the weekend. He cleaned his firearms after shooting and while stored in his Tepee over night his guns started to rust. Have heard that back in the day they used olive oil (sweet oil) to prevent rusting in yur bore. Now if U want to stop rusting use ATF automatic transmission fluid, just remember to patch it out before shooting or yull end up with a goey mess.

 

[eaglesnester]

Is not ballastol water soluble? If it is I do not think it is baby oil. Baby oil is basically scented liquid petrolatum I think. If it is liquid petrolatum then it is mineral oil based and not water soluble. If it is mineral oil based it would not be comparable with black powder as it would make a gummy mess?

 

[good ole boy]

At the demos I have seen of this product the sales rep has a lock submerged in a mixture of about 75%water 25%Ballistol and it is pristine and functional.He says he has been usin that same mixture with the same lock for years and periodotically added waterfrom evaporation.

 

[Zonie]

Ballistol is made from mineral oil and it is water soluble because of the other ingredients that are in it.

Although it is not as simple as this, think of oil that has dissolved in a mixture of water and detergent. The oil is still there mixed in with the water because of the way detergents link to the oil and water molecules.

 

[Greenjoytj]

When mixed with water ( I use a 7:1 distilled water : Balistol mix) the mixture turns white as milk. The Ballistol MSDS says it's not solvable in water but it does form a fine emulsion that does not seem to separate into layers it stays mixed. After the saturated patches have air dried for a few days they have only the slightest feel of oiliness hence the "dry patch" name. With such a small amount of mineral oil present on patches it does not produce a tar like fouling the rifle bore cleans up with water and Dawn detergent very easily. I store the treated patches in air tight urin sample containers.

Use Balistol only for making dry patches.
For corrosion protection use Eezox.
Don't put treated patches in a brass container it will go green, corrosion, nickel silvelr patch boxes are ok.
Don't leave lead balls wraped in treated patches more than 2 months or the lead gets white corrosion.

 

[azmntman]

Don't leave lead balls wraped in treated patches more than 2 months or the lead gets white corrosion.
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And that really wrecks havoc on the gizzards of waterfowl and condors! That's actually how albino ducks n condors come about, they turn white before the breed again and then die slowly from white lead poising. :bull: :shocked2: :blah: