User Panel
Posted: 4/18/2015 4:03:50 PM EDT
First read about it in American Rifleman, & sed "Hmmm, sez it's good not only on metals, but also wood AND leather! Interdasting!" Seems to be the one mixture you can spray about your gun with reckless abandon, and it was CLP before CLP. According to the spiel, it was developed by the German Imperial army around 1904, by Dr. Helmut Klever (Seriously! That was the guy's name! ). Mineral-oil based, it can be mixed with water, and is green, biodegradable and hand-safe.
Website Just gots me a 16-ozzie non-aerosol jug to play with, so's I can assess the veracity of these overblown claims for myself. Anyone else use this gunk? How has it worked for you? Wonder juice? Horror stories? Inquiring minds want to know! |
|
All I know about Ballistol is that Pete from the Armory Channel on Youtube loves the shit.
I think he drinks it. |
|
|
|
I have used it for insect bites too. Good for corrosive ammo cleaning. You can pretty much use it for anything.
/ |
|
|
I like it. Does the job. I mainly use it for black powder cleanup.
|
|
Quoted:
If it works on wood and leather like it does on metal, throw it away. <a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/mkern2520/media/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/mkern2520/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg</a> View Quote If you scroll your mouse wheel up and down real fast while you are looking at that image it will give you a seizure. |
|
It is all of this. What it is not is an excellent lubricant. You'll run an AR dry of it long before you would with a modern CLP. I use it for all kinds of stuff though. Mix it with water and use that to scrub out after corrosive ammo. Done. It's also good for dry chapped hands.
|
|
Quoted:
If it works on wood and leather like it does on metal, throw it away. <a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/mkern2520/media/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/mkern2520/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg</a> View Quote I have used it for a long time and none of my guns look like that. |
|
Quoted:
If it works on wood and leather like it does on metal, throw it away. <a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/mkern2520/media/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/mkern2520/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg</a> View Quote Welp, the one-tool-for-all-jobs thing always was sort of a compromise, and you have to accept that. Anyone know how actual CLP worked? Glad to see my beloved Boeshield T9 did well, tho. |
|
Quoted: If it works on wood and leather like it does on metal, throw it away. http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/mkern2520/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg View Quote Not my experience. |
|
It is good stuff, and great for use with corrosive ammo because it mixes with water. Aside from the smell, the big limitation is that it is not suitable for long term storage. It will not harm anything, but will get a tacky caked on feel.
|
|
Quoted:
It is good stuff, and great for use with corrosive ammo because it mixes with water. Aside from the smell, the big limitation is that it is not suitable for long term storage. It will not harm anything, but will get a tacky caked on feel. View Quote Hmmm, just broached the container, and while it may not smell like roses, it really ain't that bad, either. Certainly no worse than Hoppe's. Cleaned some gunk off my knife blade well enough... |
|
I've used it for a long time. It smells quite pleasant and I spray a dash on my hands to pat my face before going out on the town.
|
|
|
|
Ballistol contains medicinal g rade mineral oil, alkaline salts of oleic acid, several alcohols, Benzyl Acetate and an oil from vegetal seeds. The mineral oil is unchlorinated and conforms to the specifications of US Pharmacopeia XX. That's from the MSDS. Amazing but true, it's just another mineral oil based general light lube. |
|
Good for corrosive ammo cleaning
Used by the German Army from 1905 to 1945 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistol |
|
If you have an old C&R rifle and are throwing everything you have at the dirty bore to get it clean, put some Ballistol in the rotation. Seems to help the process.
Worth having in the arsenal. Smells like nothing I've ever experienced. |
|
Quoted:
If you have an old C&R rifle and are throwing everything you have at the dirty bore to get it clean, put some Ballistol in the rotation. Seems to help the process. Worth having in the arsenal. Smells like nothing I've ever experienced. View Quote We called it beaver piss, back in the old days... |
|
I like it, does a good job of cleaning, and I like that you don't have to worry about it damaging anything, its safe on all plastics, so no worries about plastic framed guns being damaged by a cleaner.
|
|
It does dissolve lead and copper slowly, Hoppes works better on dissolving Pb and Cu.
It's non-toxic not the best of anything but not the worst. Equilibrium between cleaning/low-toxicity/lube. |
|
Works well for cleaning black powder. I have also used it as a patch lubricant with my black powder rifles, it doesn't contaminate the powder and keeps the residue soft. Using a petroleum based oil with black powder creates a black tarry goo where as Balistol does not.
|
|
Quoted: If you have an old C&R rifle and are throwing everything you have at the dirty bore to get it clean, put some Ballistol in the rotation. Seems to help the process. Worth having in the arsenal. Smells like nothing I've ever experienced. View Quote You've never smelled dirty gym socks? FWIW, I like Ballistol for use on black powder guns. In particular, I use it to lube the cylinder base pin of percussion revolvers. I prefer FP-10 or ATF for a general use gun oil. |
|
Quoted: Works well for cleaning black powder. I have also used it as a patch lubricant with my black powder rifles, it doesn't contaminate the powder and keeps the residue soft. Using a petroleum based oil with black powder creates a black tarry goo where as Balistol does not. View Quote Ballistol is petroleum based. Read the MSDS. It's mostly mineral oil. |
|
Horror story - heard it was good for corrosive AK ammo. I think I diluted it and soaked the AK74 in it, dumped the excess in the bathtub since I lived in a townhome w/HOA. Stained the bathtub permanently with the blackened/grease mixture. Did not come out with comet, bleach, soft scrub, etc.
|
|
Quoted:
Horror story - heard it was good for corrosive AK ammo. I think I diluted it and soaked the AK74 in it, dumped the excess in the bathtub since I lived in a townhome w/HOA. Stained the bathtub permanently with the blackened/grease mixture. Did not come out with comet, bleach, soft scrub, etc. View Quote Good to know. |
|
It works as a CLP, but it's mineral based. I'm finding anything mineral based eventually gums up and gets rancid. I stick with synthetic based clp's such as Breakfree or Slip EWL.
|
|
Safety note -
You skin is your body's largest organ and it absorbs EVERYTHING. I use Ballistol on anything metal that I touch or grab because it is non-toxic. |
|
Quoted:
It works as a CLP, but it's mineral based. I'm finding anything mineral based eventually gums up and gets rancid. I stick with synthetic based clp's such as Breakfree or Slip EWL. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
It works as a CLP, but it's mineral based. I'm finding anything mineral based eventually gums up and gets rancid. I stick with synthetic based clp's such as Breakfree or Slip EWL. Um, no. From Ballistol.com: Ballistol does not resinify. Most other lubricants are subject to relatively fast aging and oxidation. They harden in time – a process which is called “resinification.” The oil begins to thicken, becomes sticky, gluey, and finally turns into a hard resinous substance. By contrast, Ballistol contains a combination of anti-oxidants and medical oils, which together make it much less susceptible to the process of aging than other lubricants. Read more about Ballistol’s longevity. |
|
I use it to make "moose milk" when I get done shooting my muzzleloaders or any corrosive ammo. Works great for cleaning 7n6 residue out of my AK74. Break it down, spray it the bolt, down the barrel while still hot then run a few patches down the barrel...finish cleaning at home.
|
|
A guy I work with uses it all the time at work, cleaning his guns, cleaning his golf clubs. I swear he bathes in it. That and his frog lube. And he always does it right by my desk. So I have the pleasure of that smell and a nice slippery tile floor. |
|
|
Quoted:
If it works on wood and leather like it does on metal, throw it away. <a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/mkern2520/media/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/mkern2520/tbqo7CN_zpscpfbeuso.jpg</a> View Quote That's not how this works. That's not how any of this works. |
|
Quoted:
I use it to make "moose milk" when I get done shooting my muzzleloaders or any corrosive ammo. Works great for cleaning 7n6 residue out of my AK74. Break it down, spray it the bolt, down the barrel while still hot then run a few patches down the barrel...finish cleaning at home. View Quote How do you make "moose milk"? I'm curious because I have a Thompson percussion rifle in my safe I picked up on the cheap. I'm planning to use it next year's muzzleloader season, so now's the time to start load development. This is my first blackpowder firearm, and I'm a little concerned about cleaning/corrosion. |
|
It must be mixed with water for use or all you have is a sticky mess.
Due to that, though, one can lasts a long time. It's not the most effective solvent, not the most effective protectant. But it DOES work as both and as a bonus, works great on corrosive ammo. It also doesn't leave you smelling like a refinery. |
|
Quoted:
How do you make "moose milk"? I'm curious because I have a Thompson percussion rifle in my safe I picked up on the cheap. I'm planning to use it next year's muzzleloader season, so now's the time to start load development. This is my first blackpowder firearm, and I'm a little concerned about cleaning/corrosion. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I use it to make "moose milk" when I get done shooting my muzzleloaders or any corrosive ammo. Works great for cleaning 7n6 residue out of my AK74. Break it down, spray it the bolt, down the barrel while still hot then run a few patches down the barrel...finish cleaning at home. How do you make "moose milk"? I'm curious because I have a Thompson percussion rifle in my safe I picked up on the cheap. I'm planning to use it next year's muzzleloader season, so now's the time to start load development. This is my first blackpowder firearm, and I'm a little concerned about cleaning/corrosion. Ballistol & water mixed as directed on the bottle... |
|
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.