Moose Milk

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locotest

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For you that use moose milk concoctions, do you use the Murphy oil soap full strength or mixed with water?
 
I have no idea where I got this recipe. It is not one I created.I wish I could give credit to the one who did. :hatsoff:
The Moose Milk I use consists of:
1.5 pints of warm water to which I add 2 oz. of Murphy's Oil soap and 2 oz. of Ballistol.
When mixed well, this combination yields a stable white emulsion.
 
I was taught in the early 1990's that Moose Milk was equal parts of Murphy's Oil Soap, 70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, and Hydrogen Peroxide. Ballistol wasn't on the market in the USA at that time. I'm sure there are plenty of formulas.

I stopped using it when I found that without following it with a water rinse, I got worse rust. Of course that's with the formula that I wrote...other formulas may vary...

LD
 
I was told that the Hydrogen Peroxide is a Hydrogenator (sp) and caused more rust,,and was told not to use it for that reason,
When I was in Scotland,Moose Milk was equal parts of light rum and Coconut milk !!!
 
Moose Milk is any of several mixtures of water soluble oil and water that result in a milky white mixture. The oil can be Ballistol or the NAPA water soluble oil. Enhancements can be added such as the Murphy's Oil Soap or dish washing liquid and isopropyl alcohol.

The effectiveness of Moose Milk is that when used as a cleaning solution, your gun is clean. As part of cleaning regimen, you clean dry lubricate and apply rust protective lubricant before storing.

Some of the formulas for Moose Milk are directed to cleaning the gun. These will have a soap as part of the mix. Others that are simply 5 to 8 parts of water to one part of water soluble oil make a decent patch lube.

The mix with the hydrogen peroxide will really clean the gun, put the oxidizing action of the hydrogen peroxide promotes the formation of rust. So be sure to dry the bore and apply rust inhibiting lube.

As part of a patch lubricating solution, you are applying a consistent amount of lube to your patch so performance improves as the cleaning properties remove some fouling from the rifling with the loading of the patched round ball.

Once again there is not one answer for "the" formula for Moose Milk. Use the one that you like the best or make your own modification.
 
I follow the instructions on the ballistol can for black powder. I see no need to add Murphys oil soap as ballistol itself with water absolutely rocks at cleaning fouling. I just mix the water and ballistol in small batches and use between shots. Great stuff and worth every penny. The smell of it actually grows on you as well.... Kinda like #9 solvent!
 
I use a water soluble oil called Trim E206, mixed 15 parts water to 1 part oil. It comes out a nice baby blue color, works good as a patch lub, cleans as you shoot.
 
Black solve from Dixie GW is as good or better. Its concentrated so it makes plenty. On the range, spit is all you need. To clean after shooting, use the old standby of hot soapy water (dawn good at cutting grease), then a couple of patches soaked in black solve, dry the bore, and then run a patch with a light coating of WD40. Use the black solve to remove residue from the lock and breach area also. I live in the humid south, so I use a hair dryer to dry the bore / nipple /vent area after cleaning to insure all the water is out. After running the WD40 patch down the bore, I use it swab the exposed metal on the gun. Never had a bit of rust.
 
Vomir le Chien said:
I was told that the Hydrogen Peroxide is a Hydrogenator (sp) and caused more rust,,and was told not to use it for that reason,
When I was in Scotland,Moose Milk was equal parts of light rum and Coconut milk !!!

Actually, it is an oxidizer. The hydrogen peroxide molecule has an extra oxygen atom and is unstable. This mean that it easily gives up this extra oxygen atom to combine with any reactive molecule available. In the case of a gun barrel, this available molecule is the iron in the gun barrel metal. Hence the formation of rust when using it in your gun barrel. I don't use it in my gun barrel. I save it for cuts and other boo boos.
 
This mean that it easily gives up this extra oxygen atom to combine with any reactive molecule available.

Correct! BUT...
We are only talking about a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide....not rocket fuel. Peroxide is highly reactive with both 2-propanol and Murphy's oil soap . So the advent of the peroxide getting a chance to react with the steel is moot. It reacts with the other chemicals and the acids formed from combustion before it gets to the steel.

The reason a barrel might rust afterwards is residual alkalinity. murphy's has a ph of 11 and ballistol starts out at 10 or 11 also.
Or just poor cleaning or protecting.
 
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