About Ballistol

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by bubbatime
I can find no use whatsover for balistol.

Any of the various CLP oils are just better, in my experience.

I had never used Ballistol until someone on here mentioned it. It's okay, but I will never buy it again.

 

[Colt]

I clean my pistols after every range outing and use Ballistol along with Weapon Shield oil and/or grease. Ballistol works well for me.

 

[Astro14]

I use Ballistol to wipe down my axes* and garden tools. It won't hurt the wood, or the leather axe sheaths. It keeps them from rusting in our humid climate (near the beach).

With the thin film left on the axe head, I've never seen any sign of gumming up. But even if I had, the first use would eliminate that problem.


* I've got several axes that I prize and enjoy. https://www.gransforsbruk.com/en/ I take of my tools in general, but you can bet I take care of these.

 

[Kamele0N]

Ballistol doesnt "gum up"....it just goes from a liquid state to vaseline alike state...

As Astro14 said above its excellent for conserving/storing tools/weapons/....

Its excellent to lubricate anything on my XC bike (except for brakes

and a chain)

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I've kept Ballistol around since the early 1990s. Use it in my muzzleloader for lubing patches with roundballs.
I've noticed a thickening when it's on something in a closed-air space. So if your guns have Ballistol for lube, don't choke it's air, like in a tight quarters gun safe (for example).

I like the smell, much better than Hoppes.....lol

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by Astro14
I use Ballistol to wipe down my axes* and garden tools. It won't hurt the wood, or the leather axe sheaths. It keeps them from rusting in our humid climate (near the beach).

With the thin film left on the axe head, I've never seen any sign of gumming up. But even if I had, the first use would eliminate that problem.


Agree. I like that I can use it near/on the wood of my firearms that have nice wood. Including on metal in close proximity or underneath (eg under a wood grip on a revolver).

I've seen some gelling up of the heavier component at the nozzle of the aerosol can. Never in use, probably because it's used sufficiently thin.

I use slip 2000 where I need a lube.

Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Ballistol doesnt "gum up"....it just goes from a liquid state to vaseline alike state...

As Astro14 said above its excellent for conserving/storing tools/weapons/....

Its excellent to lubricate anything on my XC bike (except for brakes

and a chain)


I don't think I've seen it as thick or tenacious as Vaseline like. And with a finger spreading it, it spreads and liquifies well as far as I can tell...

 

[Inked]

As I posted on another thread, I keep a can in my range bag to spray firearms down at the range before driving home. I then clean them within a day with Hoppe's. I find Ballistol helps to loosen up the grime and powder and I don't have to worry about overspray on wood.

 

[MGF1964]

Hey, I absolutely keep some of the stuff around.
The little 1.5 oz spray can in the range bag can make for a quick clean/lube solution. Have put it to use at youth shoots where literally thousands of rounds are being sent through provided guns. That and a quick brushing gets em back up and going in fine shape.
I've also used Ballistol liquid for cleaning up wooden handled tools, knives, etc. I've even used it clean and refresh certain kinds of leather boots.
All I'm saying is I've going to safe a gun for months to years, I don't leave Ballistol in the firearm.
Case in point: I have a Beretta S686 Ultra Light. Plain black matte finish, plain walnut ... not a looker. But a 6-pound 12 gauge O/U that's ideal for pheasant. I actually prefer to hunt a nicely scaled 16 ga. Italian O/U, so that Beretta has been relegated to the back of the safe ... though I doubt I'd ever get rid of it. Couldn't replace it for the money I got it for new, and a 6-pound 12 gauge is not a bad gun for an upland hunter's stable.
Anyway, it only comes out every 6 months or so for a breakdown and inspection. My storage routine is a G96 Gun Treatment on the exterior metal and light coat in the pipes and on the block. Lubriplate SFL-0 on the knuckles, trunions and forearm irons. Wood gets retouched once in a great while with a good furniture wax (Trewax of late).
That one sits for months, and I want lube/protectants that will not harden or gum. Last time I pulled it and gave it the critical eyeball, I could have run a dry patch down the bore and taken it out hunting. That lightweight plain Jane looked lovely and was ready to get to work. That's how I like 'em to come out of the safe whether they've been in for a week, a month or a year. So, I'm wary of anything that might gum.
I think Ballistol has its uses, have used it and still do. I just don't think it's the cure-all pitched on some boards, where it's got not nearly cult-like standing among some.
And I have done pretty much what Inked said on O/Us coming off the skeet, trap or clays and upland fields. A squirt down each pipe followed by a bore snake makes the full cleanup a bit later easier, indeed.

 

[Panzerman]

Can't believe no one is using Marvel Mystery Oil on this site.
I mix it with ATF, really to thicken it. Use it on the guns, in the action, I ve even soaked them in it. I love it and your gun smells Pretty.

 

[Panzerman]

Originally Posted by bubbatime
I can find no use whatsover for balistol.

Any of the various CLP oils are just better, in my experience.


Try it on leather. It's Great for boots. Best stuff I ever saw.

 

[KCJeep]

Originally Posted by Panzerman
Can't believe no one is using Marvel Mystery Oil on this site.
I mix it with ATF, really to thicken it. Use it on the guns, in the action, I ve even soaked them in it. I love it and your gun smells Pretty.


I still use MMO when cleaning guns, it seems to really break up the carbon and gunk. I have also used it as a straight lube on Glocks. It works fine but does seem to dry out quickly so not good to apply and forget about IMO.

And yes love the smell!

Never thought of mixing it with ATF that's an interesting idea.

 

[ChrisD46]

If you wish to mix your own :

*Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W50 Synthetic Oil (45%) , Dexron iV ATF (45%) , MMO (10%)..
Originally Posted by KCJeep
Originally Posted by Panzerman
Can't believe no one is using Marvel Mystery Oil on this site.
I mix it with ATF, really to thicken it. Use it on the guns, in the action, I ve even soaked them in it. I love it and your gun smells Pretty.


I still use MMO when cleaning guns, it seems to really break up the carbon and gunk. I have also used it as a straight lube on Glocks. It works fine but does seem to dry out quickly so not good to apply and forget about IMO.

And yes love the smell!

Never thought of mixing it with ATF that's an interesting idea.

 

[msparks]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
I took an old eye dropper bottle and put some AMSOIL in it for gun lube.


The most money I ever made on a quart of oil....Bought a bunch of those 1.5 oz bottles, filled with synthetic oil and sold at a gun show for $3.50. Called it "synthetic gun oil" Earned about $70 on that one! hahah.

 

[msparks]

My first experience with Ballistol was yesterday. I didn't like the smell. I suppose it did fine at removing carbon and fouling. I got some free wipes at the NWTF expo thought I would give it a try.

 

[Toros]

I use Ballistol somewhat regularly. It's good stuff for the most part. I lost my mind for a moment one day and bought a spray bottle of Hoppes Gun Medic. Not bad stuff per se, but it sprays out like a fire hose. Not cost effective. Breakfree CLP is pretty good stuff. I lean towards Hoppes 9 for barrels and chambers, cylinders and overall wipe down and than lubrication with CLP, Ballistol or 5w-20 synthetic in one of those little needle nosed bottles from Amazon. Works fine on all of my guns.

 

[wpod]

I use ATF or motor oil and gear oil is great for the slide on a new 1911. Then again spray oil is in the range bag because it doesn't leak.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by bubbatime
I can find no use whatsover for balistol.

Any of the various CLP oils are just better, in my experience.

I had never used Ballistol until someone on here mentioned it. It's okay, but I will never buy it again.

I still have a half of bottle of Ballistol left. I find it works very well on wood and leather.
About 2 months ago I lubed all of the hinges, locks, door pillar posts, etc., with PBBLASTER. My trucks interior STILL wreaks from the smell of that stuff.

 

[bchannell]

I can second the fact that G96 is great gun oil and hard to beat on any level. I also use a lot of Balistol, and currently have a small bottle on my bench that I use in that particular area, it is filled from another can. That bottle now has been sitting there for probably 10 plus years without being topped off, and there is no sign of gum or problems, so I dunno what you are seeing.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

I haven't been a Ballistol user for too long. I used it a couple of times to lube the rail slides on a few of my guns. I find that it makes them gummy. I now use Amsoil. I find that Ballistol works great on wood and leather products.

 

[Astro14]

I really like the AMSOIL gun oil for lube. I’ll second your experience with Ballistol.

I use it as a preservative for wood, leather, and metal, particularly where those three things are present in the same object.