Best Moose Milk

[Patched]

Anytime I see a thread with "what's the best _______?", I expect it to be long and turn snarky before it dies.

I hadn't fooled with a ML in close to 30 years until this year, so take this with for what it cost you. For cleaning I use a 1-1-1/2 mix of hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol and Murphy's oil soap. It seems (in my opinion) to work better than the hot soapy water I used all those years ago.

Now, to fix some popcorn.

I use hydrogen peroxide to antique/patina the iron parts on various rifles.
Those active extra ions tear right into that steel surface opening it up to receive the oxygen molecules so fast that it would take years of exposure for that to happen naturally.

50 yrs ago I mixed 1:1 (original GoJo handcleaner) with a 50/50 mix of 70% alcohol and water…good for swabbing, patch lube and shining my boots.

 

[VA Hawken]

unless I can score some Blanton's which is always neat in a snifter

Blanton's is getting harder to find than powder and percussion caps.. I haven't been able to find a bottle locally in about two years.

 

[1BadDart]

Blanton's is getting harder to find than powder and percussion caps.. I haven't been able to find a bottle locally in about two years.

I love Blantons, but it's to spendy for me to have often, Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve are fine bourbons too.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I use hydrogen peroxide to antique/patina the iron parts on various rifles.
Those active extra ions tear right into that steel surface opening it up to receive the oxygen molecules so fast that it would take years of exposure for that to happen naturally.

50 yrs ago I mixed 1:1 (original GoJo handcleaner) with a 50/50 mix of 70% alcohol and water…good for swabbing, patch lube and shining my boots.

Unless the rifle is brand new with sharp lands, I would avoid the GoJo hand cleaner with pumice. The hand cleaner can make a patch lube that is too slick but would work for a bore cleaner. Note that Patched used the GoJo cleaner 50 years ago. What is he using now? I still promote the use of water with a bit of soap as the first step in the process to clean the bore.

 

[robertwnbrg]

In all honesty, after the teasing,,
It doesn't matter,, both are a "surfactant" aka; soap. One has a pine sent the other citrus.
It's all about having something slippery that helps the bad stuff float away as you scrub/clean,

What Are Surfactants and How Does Soap Work?​

The word ‘surfactant’ is a blend of the words ‘surface-active agent.’ But what do surfactants do? Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension (also known as interfacial tension) between two liquids, a liquid and a solid, or a liquid and a gas. Surfactants can act as detergents, emulsifiers, foaming or wetting agents, and more.

Soap is a surfactant, as soap reduces surface tension between molecules and contains molecules that can bond to oil and water simultaneously. Soap is made up of pin-shaped molecules. Each molecule has a hydrophilic head that bonds with water and a hydrophilic tail that bonds with oil and fat and rejects water. This hybrid structure enables soap to kill several different types of bacteria and viruses—often with just a single drop diluted in water.

Absolutely brilliant explanation

 

[Hayes Cooper]

I use the standard, alcohol, peroxide, Murphy, equal parts, works great!

 

[Shiloh]

I use a small can of Gojo to one gallon of water, but I’m a weirdo.

 

[BlackRock52]

I love Blantons, but it's to spendy for me to have often, Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve are fine bourbons too.

I see that when I travel. In Michigan, the State sets prices. The last bottle I bought was $65 and change. Hard to find though...I have always liked BT and also 4 Roses.

 

[McClura]

I have been using the recipe for 45 years. I use it for lube on patches when shooting competition and for cleaning.
In a gallon jug:
1 Cup of Ammonia
1 Cup of 409 multi purpose cleaner
1 Cup of Water Soluble Cutting Oil- like in lathes or band saws
finish off filing with water, shake and use. It will last for years if you don't use much.

Mike

 

[1BadDart]

I see that when I travel. In Michigan, the State sets prices. The last bottle I bought was $65 and change. Hard to find though...I have always liked BT and also 4 Roses.

Blantons is $100 a bottle here.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Somewhere on this site is Stumpy's formula, When I get low on No.13 I whip some up.

 

[Patched]

Unless the rifle is brand new with sharp lands, I would avoid the GoJo hand cleaner with pumice. The hand cleaner can make a patch lube that is too slick but would work for a bore cleaner. Note that Patched used the GoJo cleaner 50 years ago. What is he using now? I still promote the use of water with a bit of soap as the first step in the process to clean the bore.

No I didn’t use the cleaner with the pumice.
Actually I just picked up fresh tub of GoJo hand cleaner…when mixed with the alcohol and water it creates the “moose milk” (looks like whole milk)….premade patches dipped in the milk and “dried” for a day and stored in a cap tin are sorta waxy and slippery feeling and go down a moose milk swabbed or clean barrel pretty slick…but when using the milk fresh on a patch I pat them dry on a paper towel or pant leg before use…my concoction works as a bore swab juice and patch lube…

(hint: that first swabbing patch needs to be wet and short stroked back and forth all the way to the breech to avoid the dreaded stuck rod )

Actual barrel cleaning after a range session is definitely a soap and water event…I think I tried everything…found warm water works best when a little soap is added.

 

[shorthair]

Moose don't like to standstill long enough to be milked.
But my substitute is 50/50 water soluble machinist oil and water, seems to clean pretty well imo.

 

[Patched]

Moose don't like to standstill long enough to be milked.
But my substitute is 50/50 water soluble machinist oil and water, seems to clean pretty well imo.

That’s the old standby recipe and works very well…most of the pricey muzzleloader specific stuff works too.…

 

[jdw276]

Moose don't like to standstill long enough to be milked.
But my substitute is 50/50 water soluble machinist oil and water, seems to clean pretty well imo.

What you say about moose? I prefer mine made straight from the factory.

 

[okawbow]

“I love the smell of Balistol in the morning; smells like VICTORY!”

6 parts water, 1 part Balistol. Use as cleaner and patchlube for target shooting. Won many target matches using that formula.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Moose don't like to standstill long enough to be milked.
But my substitute is 50/50 water soluble machinist oil and water, seems to clean pretty well imo.

That might be a bit too slick for use as a patch lube. I use 7 parts water to one part water soluble oil to make my "Moose Milk" patch lubricant. I dampen a patch before loading. I prefer warm water and dish soap for cleaning.

If that ratio is working for you, then continue to use it. I have also learned that if one has confidence in the lubricant they are using, they will shoot better even if their formula is different from mine.

 

[shorthair]

That might be a bit too slick for use as a patch lube. I use 7 parts water to one part water soluble oil to make my "Moose Milk" patch lubricant. I dampen a patch before loading. I prefer warm water and dish soap for cleaning.

If that ratio is working for you, then continue to use it. I have also learned that if one has confidence in the lubricant they are using, they will shoot better even if their formula is different from mine.

I clean with it but don't use it for patch lube.

 

[burlesontom]

But my substitute is 50/50 water soluble machinist oil and water, seems to clean pretty well imo.

Thats what I have used for 30+ years. worked in my dads machine shop all my young life and we machined a lot of cast iron parts. Cast iron will rust like crazy if it has just plain water on it. Its what we used for cutting oil. I bought a gallon of Wynns Water Soluble oil way back then and am still using that same gallon. The bottle says to use a 20 to one ratio but I go a little more on the oil. More like 12/1.

I use it for a patch lube, especially if I am going to shoot shot after shot. I think I could fire a hundred shots in a row using this for a patch lube. I also use it at the end of the day to wipe out the bore and to wipe around the lock. Then I do a real clean up when I get a chance. Even if its a couple of days later I never get any rust in my guns.

 

[Frosty861]

From Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle, Ned Roberts, 1940. Guess we could call this Rev 00.