ballistol

[mainiac]

Ive finally bought some ballistol,and am wondering the best way to mix it for a patch lube? It will have to do a heck of a job, before i give up lehigh valley lube!!! Shot my .32 today, with LVL, and shot a 12 shot group @ 40 yards off hand, that measured about 2 inches, with no wiping between shots, and the last ball seated as easily as the first. Can the ballistol do this? thanks,

 

[mykeal]

Can it? Yes.

But even if it does, if you're having good results with LVL, why change? What's the motivation?

 

[renovato]

I mix mine in ratios of 1 part Ballistol to 5-7 parts water, depending on the gun. They each have their favorite ratio. Soak the patches with the mix, then lay them out to dry. The water evaporates off, leaving just the right amount of Ballistol evenly distributed on the patch. You could never do that with straight Ballistol. The patches will end up feeling somewhat dry and they won't leave a greasy mess on your fingers when you handle them.

I've never used Lehigh lube, so I don't know how it compares. I had used Hoppe's lube/solvent and a few homemade lubes with good results. The Ballistol mix works better for me, so I've stuck with it. If you mix the ratio richer, it really keeps fouling down. I use a leaner mix because it's more accurate, but it fouls a bit sooner.

Some folks even use the Ballistol/water mix as a patch lube without letting the water evaporate. Tinker around till you find what works best for you. It might work better than Lehigh. If so, you've found a winner. If it doesn't, at least you've had fun tinkering. :grin:

 

[Old40Rod]

Shot my .32 today, with LVL, and shot a 12 shot group @ 40 yards off hand, that measured about 2 inches, with no wiping between shots, and the last ball seated as easily as the first. Can the ballistol do this? thanks,

I dunno about balistol, but I do it regularly with windex...

 

[mainiac]

because of all the talk ive heard about the ballistol, i thought i might give her a try.I like working on loads more than anything else.

 

[mike alexandre]

Yes Ballistol will do this for you. But you will have to do some experimenting.
I mix mine 7 or 8 water to 1 ballistol and one Murphys soap oil. My patches are allowed to soak up an amount of the liquid in a poly bag. Some rifles(not smooth bores) I shoot want a damp to wet patch, some a damp to dry patch. Some want one one day and the other the next depending on the temp and humidity. I'm talking here about 100yds prone shooting or 50yds off hand and if you get the lube right scores of 90 plus. Dont wet too many patches at once, a week or two of shooting at most as I think some patch materials break up or become weakened in the solution after a while. I have never been able to make Lehigh lube work for me?
PS make notes as you are doing your experiments.

 

[Swampman]

I don't like petroleum based lubes like ballistol. It's just mineral oil and water.

 

[n.h.schmidt]

If you are a fan of lehigh patch lube there is a real reason to be looking for a replacement. Unless something has changed lately ,Lehigh patch lube isn't made anymore. Everyplace that has sold it is out. A sad situation when you got people with cash in hand and no scource to buy it with. n.h.schmidt

 

[Trot]

I use it full strength, and yes it will do that. I don't know about accuracy in your rifle, but I can shoot all day and never wipe between shots. Cleanup is quick and easy with almost no fouling.

 

[shootemup]

Yes Ballistol will do this for you. But you will have to do some experimenting.
I mix mine 7 or 8 water to 1 ballistol and one Murphys soap oil...Dont wet too many patches at once, a week or two of shooting at most as I think some patch materials break up or become weakened in the solution after a while.

Yep, I've had similar results with a water/Ballistol/Murphy's Oil Soap mixture.

justmike is right, don't lube too many patches at once. I can keep the lube for a few months, just shake it up well before use. But I don't want that to get very old, either.

Spot

 

[mike alexandre]

I don't like petroleum based lubes like ballistol. It's just mineral oil and water.

Skin and coat:
BALLISTOL is kind to the skin and completely harmless if inadvertently taken. It's ideally suited for the care of animals' coats, for cleaning their outer ears and for horses' manes, tail hairs and hooves.

Weapons:
BALLISTOL protects from corrosion, lubricates, cleans and acts against residues of powder, lead, copper and tombac. It creeps into finest fissures and dissolves old soilings and resins of unsuited oils. It neutralises combustion residues. It also cleans, maintains and preserves the wooden stock and leather gunslings.

Environment
This product is made from natural substances and is CFC-free. It is safe for people and animals. Neither its use nor its natural decomposition will pollute the environment. The white oil used for the production is absolutely pure from the medical point of view. BALLISTOL contains a and harmless combination of anti-oxidants and medical oils so that it is not susceptible to aging and does not resinify for years.
Whilst respecting your statement, your opionion could indicate you havent actualy tried it.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Skin and coat:
BALLISTOL is kind to the skin and completely harmless if inadvertently taken. It's ideally suited for the care of animals' coats, for cleaning their outer ears and for horses' manes, tail hairs and hooves.

Weapons:
BALLISTOL protects from corrosion, lubricates, cleans and acts against residues of powder, lead, copper and tombac. It creeps into finest fissures and dissolves old soilings and resins of unsuited oils. It neutralises combustion residues. It also cleans, maintains and preserves the wooden stock and leather gunslings.

Environment
This product is made from natural substances and is CFC-free. It is safe for people and animals. Neither its use nor its natural decomposition will pollute the environment. The white oil used for the production is absolutely pure from the medical point of view. BALLISTOL contains a and harmless combination of anti-oxidants and medical oils so that it is not susceptible to aging and does not resinify for years.
Whilst respecting your statement, your opionion could indicate you havent actualy tried it.

Kind of makes me want to see if Bag Balm is good for patch lube. :hmm: :stir:

 

[paulvallandigham]

am told that the additives are for the sole purpose of breaking down the mercury priming compounds used in the WWI vintage cartridges. Since those primers have not been used in ammo made since the 1940s, there is no need for the additives for todays ammo, whether black powder or smokeless. I have not heard about the additives having any medicinal qualities, although mineral oil has been used for years as a treatment for constipation. :surrender:

 

[mike alexandre]

am told that the additives are for the sole purpose of breaking down the mercury priming compounds used in the WWI vintage cartridges. Since those primers have not been used in ammo made since the 1940s, there is no need for the additives for todays ammo, whether black powder or smokeless. I have not heard about the additives having any medicinal qualities, although mineral oil has been used for years as a treatment for constipation. :surrender:

You may well be right - it definately stops my whitworth from being constipated even at 1000 yards. :wink:

 

[Bill Bryan]

I use Balistol mixed 1:7 as a patch lube and gun cleaner. I keep some of it in a spray bottle for cleaning at the end of the day. I also keep some in an alcohol bottle to lubricate patch material as I load each shot. Works great.

 

[renovato]

am told that the additives are for the sole purpose of breaking down the mercury priming compounds used in the WWI vintage cartridges. Since those primers have not been used in ammo made since the 1940s, there is no need for the additives for todays ammo, whether black powder or smokeless. I have not heard about the additives having any medicinal qualities, although mineral oil has been used for years as a treatment for constipation. :surrender:

One of the specs the inventer needed to meet before submitting Ballistol for approval was that it be useable on minor wounds. It's mildly antiseptic, with anise oil being one of the compounds. I believe thymol (oil of thyme, and what makes Listerine taste so nasty) was another, but I don't remember for sure. There are a couple solvents in the blend too, as well as cetyl alcohol to allow it to emulsify with water.

The patent shows quite a few things in the mix. I don't know where the rumor of it being "just mineral oil" came from, but it's highly inaccurate.

Mark: There ain't no water in Ballistol unless you add it. What does it matter what it's made from if it works? A lot of folks put together some pretty weird combos that work too.

 

[Darkgael]

Yeah. It works. And there's no water in it. Where did that idea come from?
Pete

 

[mike alexandre]

The Imperial German Army were looking for an "All round oil" to enable soldiers to care for their rifle barrels and wood stocks and leather straps all from one bottle, they also asked if the oil could be used to treat minor cuts, abrasions, and sores.
By 1904 Friedrich's son, Dr. Helmut Klever, had developed the special oil required by the German Army and he called this oil Ballistol, the derivation of the name is a combination of the word ballistic and the Latin for oil 'oleum'. A year later the Army had completed full tests on the new wonder oil and endorsed it's qualities by specifying its use fro 1905 onwards.
Within ten years of this Ballistol was in use in many European countries by those groups of people who still use it today including; hunters, sailors, motorists, fishermen and many more.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Plink, is it possible to tell me/us where to find the patent, preferably in English? Or possibly post the section(s) relevant to the composition? I've only located the MSDS, which does not cover most of the ingredients. Rummaging through different sites, I've only found mention of medicinal-grade mineral oil, isobutal alcohol, anethole (from anise oil), potassium oleate, and that Ballistol is mildly alkaline (pH 8.9-9.5).

Thanks,
Joel

 

[renovato]

Joel, I wish I could remember where I originally located the information. It was years ago when I was first looking into trying Ballistol. The data I had died with the hard drive in the old computer, so I'm going mostly on memory now. I've tried to find the patent information again also, but, like you, have only found the MSDS info. I believe the link to the old patent information might have been posted in a forum somewhere. If I ever find the information again, I'll post it here. This was before I was a member of MLF. It seems especially relevent now that I'm a member here.