First of all, I am nowhere near a gun expert by any stretch of anyones imagination.
I am searching for the "best" cleaner, lube and protectant. Mobil 1, ATF, Hoppes 9, CLP, Ballistol, etc, etc. I have spent at least 20 hours researching and have come to realize there is no consensus. Not any.
So, after watching a few Hitchcock YouTubes, I decided to go all in for Ballistol. Most people love it or at least are very fond of it. I cleaned my 1911. I know to soak the barrel in Ballistol so I soaked it over night
right beside my night stand. I love the smell.
I continued to look around and started thinking how can a Cleaner be a Luber and a Protector? Went to the Kimber forum and several of the moderators are Hoppes 9 and FP10 users. Clean with Hoppes 9 and lube and
protect with FP10. Got a bottle of Hoppes 9 to do a followup cleaning on my previously cleaned barrel. I was shocked to see how much more black came out of the barrel. I was so disappointed as I wanted to have
only one cleaner and protector and luber. Maybe I did something wrong???? I followed the same procedure with the Hoppes 9 with brushes and swabs. Only thing different was I didn't let the Hoppes 9 soak overnight.
I got irritated and started looking more. I ended up getting a product that is made by the originator of FP10.
I'm starting to wonder if I should just clean with mineral spirits and lube/clean with mineral oil.
Maybe if I did the experiment the other way around I would have gotten the same results?
Interesting Observation Ballistol/Hoppes 9
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
It is Hickok, Hickok45 to be exact, and yes, he uses Ballistol, which is about as good as most old school gun cleaners/lubes. Searching for the best gun cleaner is similar to searching for the best motor oil. I like EEZX, it is a synthetic gun cleaner/lube that you put on and wipe off.Leaves a very clean and slick surface.
I just use hoppes cleaner and oil. My Glock runs fine. I have wanted to try gun butter for the line but I still have a ton of hoppes oil
its asking alot to try getting cleaning and good lube from one agent..
i do use various types of hoppes but for oil just good old synthetic motor oil...usually mobil 1 drained from a jug.
JHZR2
Staff member
It's a matter of what you're trying to do.
Ballistol is good for what it is. Nobody comes and claims it is the end all be all solution. But others come to bash ballistol for not being the end all be all solution.
I like ballistol because I can use it without much thought, and be assured that I have a completely non-toxic, wood safe solution that I can get by with. Like the smell or not? Irrelevant. Every last bit of powder/lead/copper? Not the goal.
Get some on wood? Hands? Bag? Meh. Don't care.
I don't need to scrub my firearms every time I go through a 50 round box. But to solve some of the powder and residue, protect metal, etc., it serves a job good enough. It's simple to spray down the barrel and wait for another day. It offers convenience, simplicity and peace of mind. There are better solvent and better oils.
Ballistol fills a niche of carefree convenience. For the trivial sum of money to buy a spray can, to me it's a no brainer.
Did you ever think that the residue left over after the Ballistol soak was the Lube, Protect part of the CLP? It has to leave something behind to lube and protect. Just a thought.
Hoppes one of the best men's colognes you can get.
Ballistol is good stuff for cleaning powder fouling without worrying about wood, plastic, rubber ect but if you need to remove copper fouling you need ammonia like the old Hoppe's #9 or one of the electronic removers, nothing will remove lead except scrubbing or one of the screen pull throughs, Grease is the best lubes for metal on metal slides and a lite machine oil for rotating parts. Silicon or wax works good for wiping down the blued finish on a metal gun and you dont need anything on the plastic ones. I have not found a single lube cleaner combo that can do everything. If it can remove copper fouling then you dont want it on your gun for very long, if they say it can remove lead fouling read closer you need to put it on a bore brush and scrub, repeat as necessary. If its a really good slippery lube on the inside do you really want to wipe down the outside were it might migrate to the grips or slide serrations.
I was in your shoes a few years ago when i was new to firearms. It's just like motor oil. You don't need the best. You need what is adequate and performs for your needs. I think they're all good enough. My important guns are not finicky and don't need to be squeaky clean and they work great with CLP or Ballistol or whatever else.
Originally Posted by Leo99
I was in your shoes a few years ago when i was new to firearms. It's just like motor oil. You don't need the best. You need what is adequate and performs for your needs. I think they're all good enough. My important guns are not finicky and don't need to be squeaky clean and they work great with CLP or Ballistol or whatever else.
Thanks for your understanding.Nothing wrong with Ballistol. About the only bad lube I know of is Froglube and other derivatives, it gums up over time and freezes in cold weather.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted by Gebo
Here's what I am thinking at 9:26 pm. Hoppes 9 for tough periodic bore cleaning. Weapon Shield for lube. Ballistol for everyday bore cleaning and exterior rub down.
Does that seem rational or irrational?
i have tried a lot of clp type items over the years. if i had to pick one it would be weapons shield.
Hoppes makes a product they call Gun Medic. Comes in an aluminum spray can. It's their attempt to produce a Ballistol-like product. It's "bio-based"... which is similar to Ballistol. I bought a can. It's OK... I'm sticking with Ballistol though.
I created my own gun oil and find it works as good or better than just about any commercial product ive tried. Much cheaper too!
