Dumping Ballistol and Gun Oil

[smoothshooter]

I'm usually well stocked, but at the point where my cleaning supplies are running low. I shoot multiple long and short BP arms quite often and therefore clean a lot of guns and go through a fair amount of cleaning and lubricating products. I've been buying Balllitol (love it) and various brands of designated gun oil for years, but like all things gun-related, even cleaning supplies are now overpriced. I'm on a quest to maximize the money spent on the enjoyable part of the hobby - shooting, as opposed to the unenjoyable parts - like cleaning.

I don't have time to mix my own concoctions, currently clean with hot water, abandoned the need for bore butter and other excessively priced solutions years ago, and use a coating of oil to protect bores and chambers from rust. So, I'm no purist and not in need of ideas on that end. However, I'm looking to replace Ballistol and gun oil with bulk products to advance my quest - like 0W synthetic motor at $8 a quart as an example.

What bulk and readily available products do you use for cleaning and lubricating?

Not sure what you are looking to gain in changing to other oils. The Ballistol you already have does not cost much and has as proven a track record as you could ask for.
For BP guns I use Ballistol, Break Free, and 70% isopropyl alcohol.
On modern guns I use all the above and Hoppe’s #9.
Have seen no reason to change in 50+ years of heavy shooting.
If I had to pick 3, I would go with Ballistol, Hoppe’s, and the 79% Isopropyl and never look back.

 

[The Appalachian]

Good grief. Cleaning a m/l gun is soooo simple. We tend to place way too much emphasis on it. WATER! Creek water, tap water, bottled water, lake water, bath water. Just water. It need not even be hot. The only advantage to hot water is that it dries quicker. The two most over touted products are Ballistol and Dawn. Neither are that special. They work fine but I have cleaned my b/p guns since 1972 with water. However, sloshing and swabbing with alcohol will definitely get rid of moisture. Almost any oil will prevent rust if you plan to not shoot for a while.

Ah yep, good grief is right.

Plain old room temperature water for cleaning. I don't like hot water because I don't like flash rusting my barrels.

To make sure the water is out, a couple three patches of 90% isopropyl.

For rust prevention, the same thing I lube patches with, TOTW mink oil.

 

[Texan138]

Good grief. Cleaning a m/l gun is soooo simple. We tend to place way too much emphasis on it. WATER! Creek water, tap water, bottled water, lake water, bath water. Just water. It need not even be hot. The only advantage to hot water is that it dries quicker. The two most over touted products are Ballistol and Dawn. Neither are that special. They work fine but I have cleaned my b/p guns since 1972 with water. However, sloshing and swabbing with alcohol will definitely get rid of moisture. Almost any oil will prevent rust if you plan to not shoot for a while.

I'd use most if those but, my bath water naw not risking it. On my other metal objects that go boom I use 0w20 motor oil. Never used it on bp though.

 

[11Bravo]

Water since the 70s, followed up with Ed's Red (no acetone). At the range, if I have time, window washer fluid, alcohol followed up with the Ed's Red. If I'm at the range it's winter so the washer fluid is the winter stuff.

 

[rkg1]

I use water to clean the bore and Fluid Film to oil inside and out. Done this for 20 years and no problems.

 

[RobertsGunsmithing]

For BP guns I use Ballistol, Break Free, and 70% isopropyl alcohol.
On modern guns I use all the above and Hoppe’s #9.
Have seen no reason to change in 50+ years of heavy shooting.
If I had to pick 3, I would go with Ballistol, Hoppe’s, and the 79% Isopropyl and never look back.

For modern guns I use a spray bottle of Simple Green, full strength, scrub and rinse in HOT water bath. Dry and spray with Balistol. Wipe down, reassemble.
Water and and Balistol for BP is all I use. Then rub a little Balistol on for irritated, dry skin. LOL

 

[Tenring]

Windex for fast range clean up.

 

[dmbruce]

$100 and your done for life My $.02
https://shop.ballistol.com/package-f.aspx

geojohn.org has some interesting ideas I like and make sense. My philosophy is keep the entire flintlock, caplock or inline clean and rust free at all times. I prefer a mixture of beeswax and crisco or coconut oil for lubrication and anything from cooking oil, isopropyl alcohol to WD40 for cleanup

 

[Johnny Tremain]

What bulk and readily available products do you use for cleaning and lubricating?

WIndex, dawn soap are the cleaners, a long with T/C 1000_No 13 cleaner.
Lube, only T/c Bore butter and No 13 cleaner.

Not a drop of oil ever will hit any part of this rifle.

 

[maillemaker]

Soapy water will clean a BP gun no problem. In fact, plain old water would probably work fine, too.

Just about any kind of oil will do.

I like to clean with soapy water and then wipe down with Ballisol. The Ballistol cleans anything missed the first go-around and oils to boot.

 

[French Colonial]

As said above water is the best cleaner for BP fouling.

The barrel is metal, anything that keeps metal from rusting will work.

I am one of those who do not like petroleum products due to the sludge created by those products after the BP is ignited.

What else is there to say?

 

[mushka]

Tap water, alcohol to dry inside, light oil on a patch, rub down outside of gun. Done. I hate cleaning guns and this version of cleaning works well and fast.

 

[Wawyasto]

All my muzzleloaders get cleaned at home with hot water and a few drops of Dawn, dried then the bore and metal wiped with Ballistol. In the field and the range I keep a ziploc bag with a few patches wet with #13 bore cleaner. I got a case of the stuff years ago for free so I'll use it until it's gone.

 

[Eutycus]

All these formulas and concoctions! Is plain old power steering fluid an ingredient in any of them?

 

[SwanShot]

I'm wondering if diesel fuel would be a good thing.

 

[deertraks]

I have been reading these posts about cleaning and lubing. I noticed that mean green and awesome were mentioned. Then I noticed when peroxide was mentioned, it was a big no no. Well both MG and A have an oxygenated bleach in them. What I'm wondering about is, what's the difference. Peroxide is water with an extra oxygen molecule in it. If you have peroxide that releases that extra oxygen molecule, you're left with water. I haven't used peroxide to clean my barrel yet but I have used it to clean my lock and pan, with no adverse effects.

 

[Walkabout]

Ballistol and olive oil.

 

[stikshooter]

I'm usually well stocked, but at the point where my cleaning supplies are running low. I shoot multiple long and short BP arms quite often and therefore clean a lot of guns and go through a fair amount of cleaning and lubricating products. I've been buying Balllitol (love it) and various brands of designated gun oil for years, but like all things gun-related, even cleaning supplies are now overpriced. I'm on a quest to maximize the money spent on the enjoyable part of the hobby - shooting, as opposed to the unenjoyable parts - like cleaning.

I don't have time to mix my own concoctions, currently clean with hot water, abandoned the need for bore butter and other excessively priced solutions years ago, and use a coating of oil to protect bores and chambers from rust. So, I'm no purist and not in need of ideas on that end. However, I'm looking to replace Ballistol and gun oil with bulk products to advance my quest - like 0W synthetic motor at $8 a quart as an example.

What bulk and readily available products do you use for cleaning and lubricating?

For real black powder nothing more than piss warm water ,what the old timers used and likely (PEE) was always available and close by in a fight! Oil was provided by small critters coon/possum/and the occasional bear if you were man enough to squeeze him/her Handy cause all those providers also ended up being dinner too! /Ed

 

[Jaegermeister]

Ballistol and water. Not sure why I’m even posting on this thread. Everyone has their own mojo.

 

[exPAtriate]

I've been using Ed's Red sans acetone for a while now. It's no worse than the new Hoppes without the benzene in my modern pieces, and a lot cheaper if you've got the necessary ingredients.