Different lubricant

[gunslinger922]

I just stated what's in Ballistol. There are many other cleaners on the market. I will only use what will not harm the wood on my rifles. Some cleaners are very harmful to wood and I stay away from those.

So what do you use that’s absolutely wood stock safe? I have a full stock muzzleloader and that has been a concern of mine

 

[SPQR70AD]

Food Grade Mineral Oil

I worked in a refinery for 35 years. We had a lube oil unit that made NSF food grade oils. The unit was a 2 stage high pressure unit (3000 psi). At 3000 psi, we totally saturated the aromatics, removed all sulfur and all contaminates. The base oil was then suitable for making Johnson & Johnson’s baby oil, suntan oil, cosmetics, food grade lubricants for water fountains, lubricating water well pumps, used in bakeries and was Kosher. We had a Jewish Rabbi come to the unit each year to bless the unit so we could sell our oil as Kosher. So, under normal circumstances, without sulfur and other contaminates, you should have no rust issues. Heat nor age will breakdown the oil. By itself, it will not harm a gunstock finish. There are many good lubricants that will protect you guns. Use what works for you!

how much did it cost the company to have a cleric bless the unit?

 

[Redcow]

It cost $5000 per visit for the Rabbi (12 years ago). Without his approval (blessing), we would not be able to sell our product to the Kosher businesses!

 

[david w]

So what do you use that’s absolutely wood stock safe? I have a full stock muzzleloader and that has been a concern of mine

Ballistol will not harm wood.

 

[Greenjoytj]

Do NOT want to start a firefight! Can someone explain what causes some petroleum products to be inappropriate for muzzleloaders and others (paraffin based?) to be OK. Thanks

What causes some petroleum product to appear to be inappropriate for muzzle loaders is choosing the wrong type of cleaner to remove the observed tar.

The popular detergent and water which is great for carbon fouling but it is so slow at dissolving tar that it appears ineffective.

If a powerful solvent known to dissolve tar was used the general opinion on using petroleum base products would be a lot different.

Some greases are water insoluble and require a good detergent or solvent to remove them.

Choose the right solvent for the mess you trying to clean up and the whole cleaning process will go much easier and faster.

I always finish my bore cleaning with some Hoppe's #9 because it so readily available and cheap.

If brown or black show up on the white patch I keep cleaning with the Hoppe's till the brown is gone, then change solvents.

Then apply the final anti rust proofing gun oil when satisfied the bore is clean.

Remember to dry out the anti rust gun oil prior to shooting.

Use a double application of a modern smokeless powder solvent, when the patches come out clean after using the first solvent you might think the barrels is clean & jobs done. But now change to the second smokeless solvent and watch the patch come out black again.

Its the change in solvent that improves the depth of cleaning (carbon and tar) and it does not matter which smokeless solvent brand you start with, its the change to a different brands solvent chemistry the seem to reactivate residual fouling to appear on the patches again.

So begin barrel cleaning after shooting BP with the usual water and Dawn detergent, then finish with a nitro powder solvent as test to detect if tar is present and to dissolve the tar if present. When the barrel seems clean switch nitro solvents.

 

[TFoley]

Sorry, should have been more specific. Been shooting BP for 20yrs, and know about the tar from experience. Looking for an explanation of the chemical properties involved. It's obvious that there are differences between black powder residue produced by a petroleum grease product and a highly refined mineral oil product.

If you have ever taken the cylinder head of an old motorcycle or car, and looked at the black baked-on deposit on the valves and on the piston head, then you are also looking at the crud inside the barrel of your gun after shooting it having used any petroleum-based lubricant.

 

[doubleset]

If you have ever taken the cylinder head of an old motorcycle or car, and looked at the black baked-on deposit on the valves and on the piston head, then you are also looking at the crud inside the barrel of your gun after shooting it having used any petroleum-based lubricant.

But isn't that mostly carbon? It has been in my experience.

 

[SOLANCO]

A light wiping of Ballistol on my firearms external surfaces, once dry, prevents finger marks when they are handled.

 

[Frontier's]

A drop here and there of ATF,in the lock when its cold.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Whatever one uses to preserve the bore should be removed prior to loading, Otherwise there will be crud.

This right here, will solve a lot of problems….

 

[doubleset]

For several years I have been using this, LUBEGARD® PREMIUM UNIVERSAL LUBRICANT.

I just don't know what to make of products of this sort in terms of what they claim to offer. The company's description says " non-harmful to the user or environment," but the SDS seems to sing a different tune.

 

[CookedOff]

Howdy, now is the time for the old "the only stupid question is the one not asked". So I have got the idea that there are different lubes and different ratios of water to lube for the soluble ones. The question is; Do I soak the patches in water/oil then let the water dry? Or do I use the same water/oil and use the patches wet?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Howdy, now is the time for the old "the only stupid question is the one not asked". So I have got the idea that there are different lubes and different ratios of water to lube for the soluble ones. The question is; Do I soak the patches in water/oil then let the water dry? Or do I use the same water/oil and use the patches wet?

I like to use Moose Milk, which is a mixture of water and water soluble oils. Great for patch lube and cleaning out the initial grime from shooting. Just squirt some on a patch, and use….

 

[doubleset]

I used to use Moose Milk, but eventually came to the conclusion that it was just a bunch of stuff that didn't accomplish any more than a simple detergent for cleaning and a simple oil for lubricating -- either one or both of which could also be used as an effective patch lube. That's where I am now, and at least it's working for me.

 

[DuncNZ]

I use Ballistol for the following reasons ;
It is environmentally friendly .
It is non toxic .
It is water soluble .
It makes great moose milk for cleaning . My moose milk must not damage stocks or change their color
It is the ideal oil to use in Dutch Schultz's dry patch system.
It doesn't hurt wood .
Its affinity for steel makes it a great rust preventative,

I use Jojoba bean oil , almost identical to whale oil , and old time ATF , as a lube and a storage rust preventative .
My ML firearms are used frequently and checked after 3 days to ensure nothing has been missed .

 

[CookedOff]

Just squirt some on a patch, and use….

Howdy Thanks, that's 1 for wet patches

 

[Howard Pippin]

I spent most of my working years as a combination between farm equipment mechanics, trucks, tractors and as a millwright. A quick story on using the wrong oil application. Had a farmer come to me, asked me what he could do about the lift pump on his combine header as it was running so hot it was burning the paint off. I asked what he was using for oil, and he said straight mineral oil about a 20 weight. Unit didn't hold much, I told him to drain it, and get some number 46 hydraulic oil. He did, came back in a few days and said the unit never even got warm. I guess my whole point is, many oils will work in many applications, but some will work poorly. The gun oil I got that was left over from the Korean War seems to work okay, but I would fancy that improvements have been made over what that one was designed to do. Technology has gotten better in the 70 years plus since then. I was using WD-40 in 1967 inside distributor caps to draw the moisture out. That's over 50 years ago. There are better things now, but that worked wonders then. That's why I was curious about this CLENZOIL. Is it new enough to be an improvement? Or just a different design on an old line.
Squint

 

[rusty]

good post Howard

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I use Ballistol for the following reasons ;
It is environmentally friendly .
It is non toxic .
It is water soluble .
.....

UM sort of "friendly" should be the label, imho.

It's not a real problem if you spill some, but if you use it to knock down certain pests on plants by mixing it with water and using a spray bottle, which is popular as mosquito repellent, and to protect wood from insects, so some have sprayed it on flowers, or on wooden frames and trellis that are used in their garden... the stuff is nasty to honey bees..... otherwise I like it a lot.

LD

 

[doubleset]

... the stuff is nasty to honey bees.....

So maybe a good carpenter bee deterrent?