I use it. Good stuff.

 

Probably the oldest gun cleaning product out there. Right at 100 years old. Good stuff, ESPECIALLY when dealing with corrosive components (old ammo).

 

I read (take that for what it's worth) that it was originally formulated in Germany as an all-purpose product. Using a castor oil base (hence the smell) it was for cleaning, lubricating, conditioning wood and leather and originally an antiseptic (!!!) for wounds. It was made for the German military. I don't believe it is recommended for wound dressing now but the rest is still accurate. I use it in certain places (I soak the carbon rings on the front of my .38 snubnose cylinder) and it cleans it from the SS ones where it's visible. Yes it smells bad - but works! Decent light lube, also.

 

Have used it for decades. Wish I could find it in spray can.


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Have used it for decades. Wish I could find it in spray can.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ERKCIA/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_1_w?th=1&psc=1

 

A buddy of mine gave me a can. I couldn't handle the smell of it. I'll stick with Breakfree CLP.

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A buddy of mine gave me a can. I couldn't handle the smell of it. I'll stick with Breakfree CLP.

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The smell is really awful and I can only use this stuff outdoors.

 

I've used it and it does work great but as glide mentioned, the smell is pretty bad.

 

You just have to chase it with some good ole Hopes #9. A little dab on the upper lip and you’re good to go. I do that when my wife is making something I don’t particularly care for.

 

 

I use it on guns that I don't carry, namely because it's cheap and supposedly very effective. It comes in a giant can for like 20 bucks. It's also supposed to be more or less non toxic, which is a huge plus. I also like that it's an all in one product, so it's very easy to clean guns after the range, plus I can use it as a protectant for long term storage.

I don't use it on my carry guns because it stinks and it's messy. Bad. I use milcomm on my carry guns because it's odorless and very neat, but it's too expensive to use on all my guns. Especially the ones I store long term, I like to slather them in ballistol. That would be like hundreds of dollars worth of milcomm, so that's a no go.

Oh, 'nother thing about ballistol is that it's great for wood and leather, so it's really great for milsurp guns for protecting them. You can just slather it all over and it helps preserve the wood and leather products on the rifles. I have heard, however, that it might dissolve gold, which makes sense since it will ostensibly dissolve copper.

Oh, and for shooting corrosive ammo, you can mix it with water and it will dissolve the salts without promoting rust. So it covers black powder, too.

Oh, and it also makes a great cutting fluid, so I can use it with my mill and lathe as well. So yea, it's probably the single most indispensable thing in my garage right now. If I could only have one gun cleaning product for the rest of my life, it would definitely be ballistol.

 

Have used it almost exclusively since 2011 with no plans to change it up.

 

Me too....

 

Prefer G96

 

+1, it actually smells good.

 

Yeah, I'm gonna try a can of it. Also "Kroil".

 

Aerokroil is a great penetrant but a very poor lubricant. We use a ton of it at work.

 

It works well, non-toxic so maybe save a bit on latex gloves.

I personally prefer Breakfree CLP, but I do use slip on latex gloves when cleaning my guns.

 

I have used it and it works well, but it's not my first choice. I've discovered that it cleans stainless appliances like nothing else out there.

 

Only used with the garage door open or outdoors. I use it for rifle barrels.

 

Like everyone else said, stinky but good chit. :supergrin:

 

I clean with Hoppe's #9 since I think it's a better solvent. But when I'm finished with the barrel, I spray it down with Ballistol and let it sit then wipe off completely. it makes it slick as snot. I also put some Ballistiol on a q-tip and apply to the slide channels where it contacts the rails.

 

It works good and my wife prefers the smell over #9 so I use it in the winter months when I clean the guns on the dining table.

 

well, cleaning your gun on the dining room table is one good way to get the whole meal to yourself!:banana:

 

Roll your own Ed's Red
http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

 

Tried Ballistol once and the wife ordered me to only use it outside. After using up the can never went back with it.

 

+1 for Ballistol

It's good for cleaning the bore and general lubrication of a Glock pistol. Hickok45 converted me to his simpler method of pistol maintenance after years of following a more complicated maintenance regimen.

My nose must be immune because I don't find the odor any more objectionable than other hydrocarbons and much less pungent than many. My gal holds the same opinion.

I really like that Ballistol is non-toxic. It is primarily mineral oil, does not contain any components classified "hazardous" by OSHA and it's biodegradable. If you spill it and a pet happens to lick some, no worries.

The following is extracted from the Ballistol Material Safety Data Sheet for review. Incidentally, beginning on Page 7 of the MSDS, it goes into great detail on all the specific ingredients of Ballistol and how they biodegrade.

Contents

Ballistol contains medicinal grade 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.

Non-Toxicity

In experiments with rats and rabbits the animals' entire intestinal tracti and stomachs were filled with Ballistol. The animals showed signs of uneasiness. After the Ballistol had been evacuated from their bodies as provided for by nature, the animals without exception appeared to be in excellent condition and showed no adverse prolonged side effects. It was not possible to establish an LD 50.

Ballistol does not contain ingredients considered hazardous by OSHA. It does not contain any ingredients which normally may be considered harmful or fatal if swallowed, BUT DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING, ASPIRATION CAN OCCUR. CONSULT A PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY. It does not contain any ingredients which may be toxic for warm-blooded organisms, reptiles or aquatic organisms, if used as directed. However, Ballistol may kill small insects such as aphids, mites, chiggers, ants, termites, spiders or wasps etc. by mechanically clogging up their respiratory systems, as most oils will.

Ballistol does not contain any ingredients known to cause cancer such as 1,1,1 Trichloroethane, 1,1,2,2 Tetrachloroethylene, tar, Teflon (Polytetrafluorethylene) or Silicone. Ballistol does not contain chlorine or chlorinated substances. Ballistol aerosols do not contain CFCs. The Isohexane contained in Ballistol aerosols as a thinner containes less than 3% n-Hexane, which make it non-toxic. Ballistol meets the criteria of the Federal Trade Commission for the claim of biodegradability. It has been found to biodegrade and/or photodegrade within a period of approximately 24 months in aerobic decomposition as defined by OECD approved closed bottle tests.
​

 

In experiments with rats and rabbits the animals' entire intestinal tracti and stomachs were filled with Ballistol. The animals showed signs of uneasiness. After the Ballistol had been evacuated from their bodies as provided for by nature, the animals without exception appeared to be in excellent condition and showed no adverse prolonged side effects.

I'm no PETA member, but this can't have been a fun day at the lab. I imagine "as provided for by nature" was pretty spectacular.

 

Yes I use it all of the time for cleaner lubricant. It’s great for all of my firearms. What I like is it leaves a even coat on my guns. Then I use 4 drops of Tetra gun grease on the slide. It works for me.


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Thanks for the heads-up on the smell factor everyone. I was gonna buy this in bulk on Amazon, but I think I'll just get one can a give it a try if it smells that bad. It does sound like a good cleaner/lubricant, although I'm not sure I'll be giving up on #9 just yet.

 

I


It smells like wintergreen. It isn't bad... at least to me.

 

If it didn't STINK SO BAD -probably would have kept using it. Prefer G96 spray & grease and Slip 2000 products

 

I like to use Ballistol on my surplus rifles, like the Mosin Nagant, SKS , M1903, M1A.

plus it's good for wood & leather slings, boots, all in one

also good for spraying trigger assembly's or hard to reach areas to add some protection

it kind of smells like cheese & liquorice when you spray it but goes away.

 

I like to use Ballistol on my surplus rifles, like the Mosin Nagant, SKS , M1903

plus it's good for wood & leather slings, boots, all in one

also good for spraying trigger assembly's or hard to reach areas to add some protection

it kind of smells like cheese & liquorice when you spray it but goes away.

the smell reminds me of butyric acid which is found in certain cheeses.

 

It's all I use for cleaning......does the job really well, non-toxic and leaves a protective coat. It works great for the frame, slide and barrel. When I'm done cleaning, I oil as recommended, wipe the gun down with a rod& gun cloth and I'm finished.