Ballistol puzzlement

[Rifleman1776]

We had a vicious dog loose in the area recently. (wolf-dog hybrid) Sheriff warned everyone to be careful. I took my 30-06 bolt action out of the safe to have ready. I only use it once a year. Last time I used and cleaned I lubed with Ballistol. The action slickered up just sumptin' beautiful and I became a Ballistol fan. Well, when I went to get that suppository rifle ready I could not lift the bolt. Had to put it in the rifle vise and use lotsa grunt to lift and open the bolt. :cursing: Now, I'm wondering :hmm: if the Ballistol hardened up creating that problem. I had to loosen things by squirting with carburetor cleaner then lubing with WD-40. Anybody else have a similar experience with Ballistol? If this is a common characteristic with the stuff I'm done with it.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Ballistol is largely mineral oil (baby oil) and shouldn't be subject to gumming up. It may have reacted with any other residual oil or grease to gum up. It's not highly regarded for having anti-rust properties.

 

[Zonie]

IMO, given enough time and exposure to air, all oils will tend to get a little gummy. Mineral oil's no exception.

One of the reasons I like Birchwood Casey Sheath or Barricade (as it is called now) is it dries to a very thin, dry protection shortly after it is applied.

The thin, dry coating does not gather dust, dry out turning into a gummy coating or even make a thick tar-like coating when black powder is fired in a barrel protected with it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Let me guess, the gun was store sitting on its butt with the muzzle up.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Let me guess, the gun was store sitting on its butt with the muzzle up.

Yep, in the safe. It had been sitting about 8 months like that. Ballistol is a lubricant. I don't have a rust issue here and did not consider it to be a protectant.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I have had the same thing happen a couple of times over the years, once with a bolt and several times with an auto. I’m not exactly sure of the cause but I have a theory. An old gun guru of mine (long gone now R.I.P.) swore by storing guns muzzle down. He said all that oil and missed gunk end up in the action if stored upright. If you store them upside down on a clean white rag you will be amazed at what can come out of a barrel over time. Gravity is relentless.
A clean gun has nothing on or in it. If you use oil, a rust preventative or whatever technically it’s not clean, it’s all gunked up again.
I usually store bolt actions with the bolts removed from the gun.
I could go on and explain further but I think you get my point. :v

One more guess, Your -06 does it have Mauser style extractor like pre-64 win, Ruger, 1917 Enfield etc.

 

[Zonie]

So far I'm leaving the posts but we sure are getting a hell of a long way away from muzzleloaders.

Let's either bend the subject matter back to ML's or close it.

 

[mooman76]

I don't use Ballistol but I store my MLs muzzle down after cleaning and oiling, at least for awhile. That way the excess runs out instead of pooling up below. :wink:

 

[Zonie]

Over the years, a lot of people have found that storing their muzzleloaders, muzzle down after cleaning and oiling helps the guns reliability.

This is especially true with the guns that have a chambered or patent breech where the oil can run down into little holes in the breech plug.

I'll admit storing a long muzzleloader muzzle down seems to be counter-intuitive.
Folks say, "I aint gonna store it balanced on that little muzzle! It'll fall over and get broke for sure!".

They have a point but if they are careful it can be done and a lot of misfires will go away.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Thanks, Zonie
I have a few more things to add that many people don’t consider regarding muzzleloaders.
1. Almost all wall mount gun racks that I have seen, the gun points slightly muzzle down.
2. When a muzzleloader is stored muzzle up people tend to discount things like dust and insects entering the bore.
3. If you live north of the Frost Belt, storing guns in a cabinet or safe that sits on the floor can subject them to condensation during certain times of the year.

So the use ballistol may not be the culprit.

 

[bpd303]

Speaking of insects entering the bore. I picked up a "barn gun" several years ago and the bore was completely blocked by mud dauber's nests.

As far as Ballistol is concerned, I used it on one of my seldom shot flintlock locks. After about a year in the gun rack I decided to shoot it some and the lock was very stiff to the point the cock would just barely fall. Thinking the lock had rusted up, I was surprised it still looked like new inside. A few drops of 3in1 oil and it functioned as usual. The only thing I could figure was the Ballistol had dried out, although their web site says it does not.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

................. The only thing I could figure was the Ballistol had dried out, although their web site says it does not.

:rotf: There ya go, it has to be true, we read it on the internet and we all know that everything on the internet has to be true!

But seriously, I, for a short while, I used Balistol on my pocket knife collection and found that it will dry. It simply was not formulated to protect steel long term.

Another claim for it is using it on leather and all I can say is DON'T. It may be okay for short term use on throw away equipment - military leather accoutrements - but it will destroy the same now scarce if not downright rare accoutrements when applied to them as antiques. But many people insist it is good because the German Alte Armee used it so why not now? :shake: I could use as an example of a very nice, original, 100 year old US McClellan saddle that was ruined by using it, but ......

 

[coloradoclyde]

Well, I'm proud to say I have never had a problem with ballistol...
Becuase I have never used it. :rotf:
Guess that's one more bullet I've dodged.

 

[Major Tim]

I just tried it & it smells so bad I don't know if I'll use it again!

 

[wayne terry]

Roger that CC to expensive anyway to many other products out there work just as good and a whole lot cheaper.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I just tried it & it smells so bad I don't know if I'll use it again!

:rotf: :rotf: Thanks I needed a good laugh!

 

[Ken Cormier]

Was going to try it . Not now stick with my bear oil for now just keep cleaning every few week's or so. Cuz I love it when the misses gets a whiff off linseed oil. LOL

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Penetrating oil tends to draw moisture.

I use only LSA, since it is a storage oil.

I also leave my bolts open, so the air can circulate about the safe and the metal

 

[jamesthomas]

I don't use Ballistol but I store my MLs muzzle down after cleaning and oiling, at least for awhile. That way the excess runs out instead of pooling up below. :wink:

That's a thought, if you store your muzzleloader upside down any excess stuff, oil, maybe a little fouling that didn't get out will migrate toward the muzzle instead of pooling at the breech and causing problems by seeping down into the threads.

 

[Sure Shot 2]

Anybody else have a similar experience with Ballistol?

Nope. I only use Ballistol in my B/P barrels. Clenzoil in my modern barrels. On the back of the Ballistol can it says> Firearms: the oil will never gum up or harden. So that lead me to believe you perhaps have some other mechanical problem other than a ballistol use one.