How much Ballistol do you mix up at a time?

[Damsha Bua]

For those of you who mix up Ballistol with water for a cleaning solvent in a 1:1, 1:3 ratio, or whatever how much do you mix up at a time for cleaning a rifle or revolver? I think I saw somewhere that it should be mixed at the time of use and not kept on hand, but I could be wrong.

 

[spud]

I make 4oz at a time at 1:5 no problem storing it for a season (6/8 Mo.)--spud

 

[renovato]

I usually mix 16 ounces at a time cuz that's what my spray bottle holds. I use this mix to spray my patches, then let them dry. I also use it to swab the bore when I need to. I use it around the house for various chores, etc. When it runs low, I mix some more. It usually lasts a a month or two before I need to mix some more. I just give it a shake before use to make sure it's well mixed. I had never heard about having to mix it right before use.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Its mostly mineral oil and water. I should think that all is required before any use is to shake it up a bit. I can't think of any reason why it would not last as long as the water doesn't evaporate. If you store it in a good sealed bottle, or can, it should last as long as you take to use it up.

 

[Hunter66]

I mixed up a bottle at 1:1 that I use for cleaning over a year ago and I just used it today with no problems. I thought it would seperate but it never seems too but I shake it up anyway. I think I used distilled water when I made that batch so that might be why it doesn't seem to seperate.

 

[Damsha Bua]

So it only takes a few ounces per cleaning? Just trying to get an idea of how much Ballistol I need to use at a time and to compare the cost to other methods.

 

[cptleo1]

I hate to admit it but I have been using the same more or less 1/2 gallon mix for about two years !

When the jug gets a couple inches low I add a little more water and a good squirt of Ballistrol.

With some of my guns I can use that tube thingy.

I put the tube in the jug and do the suction deal.

On the rest I will pour out about a cup of the mix in a measuring cup, then plug the touch hole with a tooth pick.
Then I fill the barrel about 1/2 full and give the bore about 10 strokes with a bore brush.

Dump the B-oil mix back in the jug.

This time I fill the bbl all the way up and let it sit while I clean the lock.

Then dump the oil back in the jug and start running patches till they come out dry and clean.

Then I take pure Ballistrol and swab the bore, Then Take another patch or two and coat all the metal and wood and put her back in the closet.

The Ballistrol/water mix gets a disgusting Grey color.

The next day the solids settle to the bottom and the B-oil goes back to pure white.

Once a month or so I will take a Turkey baster and suck the nasty stuff off the bottom of the jug.

I never planned on using the same batch for this long, it just sort of worked out that way.

Since I have been using the Ballistrol product I have not had a single rust spot show up in the bbl or on the outside of the rifle.

The stock wood seems to like the stuff also.

Go Figure.

P.S.
I have recently given up on Armoral for the trucks interior and tires...Yep - Ballistrol does a better job !!!!!!!!!!

 

[longshot47]

cptleo-
It never occured to me to 'reclaim/reuse' my Ballistol mix..... until reading your post. Seems to make sense [I've re-used the same jug of soapy water to clean the bore for months].
:thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Captain Leo: Just curious, why not use a couple of coffee filters to strain the mix as you pour it back into your jar, so that most if not all the particulate matter never gets into the jar in the first place? Use a strainer to hold the filters, over the mouth of the jar. There will still be some discoloration into the jar, because of small particles mixed in the oil, but as you observed, they settle out, and you can suck them up with a turkey baster. I think the filters would keep your mix cleaner, and allow you to suck up the bottom goop once or twice a year, rather than every month. :thumbsup:

 

[cptleo1]

Hey Paul,

I actually tried the coffee filter deal and it was incredibly slow to perculate thru the filter and the soloution still got dirty.

I tried some 4x4 pieces of gauze bandages it worked a lot faster but still got the solution dirty.

What killed the deal was I had a fair sized funnel holding the filter material and accidentally knocked the funnel off and made a mess. That was it !!!!!!!!!

K.I.S.S.
I had to siphon off the goop any way so I figured I wasn't saving any time or product and just moved on.

The whole project was buy accident. I never 'figured' to use the stuff this long it just worked out this way.

I am quite sure there is a way to filter out the impurities but when they settle to the bottom they don't move very much and it really is no big deal.

This Ballistrol is truly a miricale in a bottle that continues to amaze me.

Years back a fellow gave me some lube that was used to lubricate chicken processing equipment (Pluckers, cutters and such) the stuff was bio-degradable, you (in theory) could drink it.

It was a great lube and rust inhibutor, once I used up the jug I had I made a half hearted attempt to find some more but it was a hastle(Pre-internet) and I gave up on it. That being said it was the only stuff that could hold a candle to Ballistrol.

Never did try it for patch lube - back then crisco was the lube of choice.

 

[renovato]

Glad to know someone else has tried Ballistol on their tires and dash. I've been doing that for a while too. Ballistol never ceases to amaze me at all it's uses. Originally I only bought it to try as patch lube. I only tried it for other uses because it sounded too much like "snake oil" and I was determined to disprove all the hype. The joke was on me. The stuff is great!

 

[John Ezra Jest]

I tried using just plain Ballistol on my pocket knives. Turned pretty gummy after a little while. Wasn't very easy to remove either. Was going to use it on my locks but, I don't think I will now.

 

[renovato]

Interesting about it gumming up. One of their big selling points is that it's not supposed to turn gummy, even after several decades. Maybe it's mixing with lint and dust and making mud or something?

I've been using it on locks without a problem so far, but I also haven't had the gumming problem on my pocket knife either. I'll keep an eye out on the locks. Thanks for bringing letting us know about it.

 

[Birddog6]

I have used the Aerosol Ballistol on my locks Religiously for 8-9 years now. I clean them under a faucet with a toothbrush, blow the water off with a air hose & totally soak the entire lock with aerosol Ballistol, including the flint. Never one time have I had a problem with it & I have done this no telling how many hundreds of times. When I get one out to shoot, I wipe the frizzen & flint off with a rag, load it & fire away.

In the Bores of the rifles, I use Non-Aerosol Ballistol.

Cleaning, I use about 2 oz of non-aerosol Ballistol to a gallon of water & reuse it over & over & over using a flushing tube & jug.. When I get about a 1/4 of crud settled to the bottom of the flushing jug, I slowly pour the liquid off into another jug, take some paper towels & wipe the gunk out of the bottom of the jug, pour the old liquid back in, add a lil water & a ounce or two of fresh ballistol & use it some more. I dump it twice a year & start over. Cleans great & no rust since I started using it 8-9 years ago.

:thumbsup: