I've Become a Ballistol Advocate.

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Originally Posted By: Al
I think in general all of the gun lubes are designed to separate you from your money. I have not used ballistol and it might be a fine product. But I doubt that it is better than Hoppes#9 solvent at cleaning the barrel and breech. And there is no wa can be superior to say 50/50 Mobil1 Gear lube/ATF


I agree completely. Ballistol is nothing but scented Mineral Oil. It is not a superior lubrication product. Anything designed to keep an automotive engine and or transmission running is going to possess better lubrication qualities. I select lube based on how well it lubricates, not on how nice it smells. If I want that I'll purchase cologne.
 
For the record, I am interested in the way gear oil smells. It is not like fresh cut flowers, but I keep going back for another smell.....

I am a Hoppe's fan.

I think Ballistol is a German company- so maybe it is preferred on Glocks.

Fwiw, I consider it to be the WD-40 of gun oils- it does alot of good and really doesn't do harm to any surfaces or materials, but there are 'better' products out there- but for a do-it-all that won't 'mess anything up', maybe it is the preferred product to get your foot in the door.
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
For the record, I am interested in the way gear oil smells. It is not like fresh cut flowers, but I keep going back for another smell.....

I am a Hoppe's fan.

I think Ballistol is a German company- so maybe it is preferred on Glocks.

Fwiw, I consider it to be the WD-40 of gun oils- it does alot of good and really doesn't do harm to any surfaces or materials, but there are 'better' products out there- but for a do-it-all that won't 'mess anything up', maybe it is the preferred product to get your foot in the door.


Glock is Austrian. Ballistol is German. Yes they both speak German, but many Austrians don't like to be confused with Germans in my experience.
 
Originally Posted By: billt460

I agree completely. Ballistol is nothing but scented Mineral Oil. It is not a superior lubrication product. Anything designed to keep an automotive engine and or transmission running is going to possess better lubrication qualities. I select lube based on how well it lubricates, not on how nice it smells. If I want that I'll purchase cologne.


The problem with that is there is no real, repeatable way to tell how well a lubricant actually lubricates a firearm. Ballistol is a great general purpose CLP and really shines as a gun cleaner, that is what most people really like about it. Ballistol does make your guns easier to clean the more you use it, and clean guns seem to work more smoothly and function better. I really think that is the selling point for Ballistol, along with the other side uses such as black powder and corrosive ammo cleaning and surface conditioning on things like leather, wood and rubber. Throw in the fact that it is non-toxic, has alot of different uses around the house and is relatively inexpensive and now you have a popular product.
 
Originally Posted By: AMC
Originally Posted By: billt460

I agree completely. Ballistol is nothing but scented Mineral Oil. It is not a superior lubrication product. Anything designed to keep an automotive engine and or transmission running is going to possess better lubrication qualities. I select lube based on how well it lubricates, not on how nice it smells. If I want that I'll purchase cologne.


The problem with that is there is no real, repeatable way to tell how well a lubricant actually lubricates a firearm. Ballistol is a great general purpose CLP and really shines as a gun cleaner, that is what most people really like about it. Ballistol does make your guns easier to clean the more you use it, and clean guns seem to work more smoothly and function better. I really think that is the selling point for Ballistol, along with the other side uses such as black powder and corrosive ammo cleaning and surface conditioning on things like leather, wood and rubber. Throw in the fact that it is non-toxic, has alot of different uses around the house and is relatively inexpensive and now you have a popular product.


Bingo
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
For the record, I am interested in the way gear oil smells. It is not like fresh cut flowers, but I keep going back for another smell.....


Are you also interested in how rotten eggs smell? LOL... Because gear oil smells a lot like rotten eggs to me (high sulfur content).
 
Of course for wood and leather, you could use cheap Mineral Oil available at your pharmacy and get the same result for the most part.
 
Originally Posted By: AMC
The problem with that is there is no real, repeatable way to tell how well a lubricant actually lubricates a firearm.


Sure there is. The Falex Lubrication Tester has been around for almost 70 years. It creates a repeatable high wear condition that most any lubricant can be gaged against. It can be used to directly compare one lubricant to another. Weapon Shield does this with most all of the current and popular "gun lubricants" on the market today. Go on You Tube. There are several you can watch. I've even posted a few of them here.
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Is a gun oil first and foremost a bore lubricant and rust preventative? Then all other areas are an afterthought-more or less?


It depends on what you're trying to lubricate, and on how well you wish to accomplish that task. You can use Hoppe's gun oil or "3-In-One" for everything. Rust prevention, as well as for the lubrication of everything on the gun. And you'll most likely be OK.

I use a rust preventative just for that purpose. I use oil for the lubrication of light mechanisms. And I use a Lithium based grease for areas of high pressure contact like bolt lugs and slide rails of auto pistols, and trunnions of O/U shotguns . And an anti seize lubricant for threads on choke tubes. It's not any more difficult to do, and it affords the best protection for the task at hand. If you don't want to deal with different products, then just use a good CLP and run with it.
 
Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Originally Posted By: Al
I think in general all of the gun lubes are designed to separate you from your money.

I have not used ballistol and it might be a fine product. But I doubt that it is better than Hoppes#9 solvent at cleaning the barrel and breech.

And there is no wa can be superior to say 50/50 Mobil1 Gear lube/ATF

If I am wrong, I am willing to bet my shoties, LCP, Shield, and 43 will still outlive me.

1_IMG_3325.JPG




Now you wanna talk about something that STINKS - gear lube stinks horribly. No way I'd use that stuff.


Hoppes #9 cleaner smells a-lot worse than Ballistol.
 
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Originally Posted By: Al
I think in general all of the gun lubes are designed to separate you from your money.

I have not used ballistol and it might be a fine product. But I doubt that it is better than Hoppes#9 solvent at cleaning the barrel and breech.

And there is no wa can be superior to say 50/50 Mobil1 Gear lube/ATF

If I am wrong, I am willing to bet my shoties, LCP, Shield, and 43 will still outlive me.

1_IMG_3325.JPG




Now you wanna talk about something that STINKS - gear lube stinks horribly. No way I'd use that stuff.


Hoppes #9 cleaner smells a-lot worse than Ballistol.


Indeed...

I don't get people who say Ballistol smells bad. I bet those people also are not fans of licorice, root beer, and that Italian liquor, Sambuca. They're all flavored with anise, which is what the active fragrance in Ballistol is.

Funny how every thread about Ballistol in the history of forums ends up going off on a tangent about the smell!
 
Ballistol does have some ability to dissolve copper-as does Hoppes no. 9. Ballistol doesn't work as well as Hoppes for this, but does work(leave it a few hours and your patches will come out green if you've been shooting jacketed or plated bullets). Plain lubricants won't do that.

I use Hoppes Benchrest no. 9 for "heavy duty" copper cleaning-it will get the job done, but smells terrible.

Ballistol mixed with water does magic on black powder fouling. On the rare occasion that I shoot black powder, I take some to the range with me do a quick clean on the gun before taking it home.
 
Originally Posted By: bunnspecial
Ballistol does have some ability to dissolve copper-as does Hoppes no. 9. Ballistol doesn't work as well as Hoppes for this, but does work(leave it a few hours and your patches will come out green if you've been shooting jacketed or plated bullets). Plain lubricants won't do that.

I use Hoppes Benchrest no. 9 for "heavy duty" copper cleaning-it will get the job done, but smells terrible.

Ballistol mixed with water does magic on black powder fouling. On the rare occasion that I shoot black powder, I take some to the range with me do a quick clean on the gun before taking it home.


I've recently learned that AeroKroil (a penetrating oil) also loosens and aids removal of copper. Apparently it works its way under the copper and de-adheres it from the bore. I've had some sitting on the shelf for years that I bought for corroded-together dirt bike suspension parts. We also use it at work for frozen parts and it works great (I'm an aircraft mech).

I love the smell of Kroil. To me, when I smell it, I think it smells how a 1930s aircraft engine shop would smell!

AeroKroil is made right here in NashVegas.
 
Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Hoppe's. ~ 99 bananas


You're not allowed to comment on how oils and cleaners smell anymore. You lost your credibility on that when you said you liked to smell of gear oil!
 
Originally Posted By: john_pifer

I don't get people who say Ballistol smells bad. I bet those people also are not fans of licorice, root beer, and that Italian liquor, Sambuca. They're all flavored with anise, which is what the active fragrance in Ballistol is.

Funny how every thread about Ballistol in the history of forums ends up going off on a tangent about the smell!


Generally a love/hate relationship.

I don't mind a whiff of it, (the initial minty smell) though after a while it gets to be too much. But then again I'm not a fan of licorice or Sambuca.
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: AMC
The problem with that is there is no real, repeatable way to tell how well a lubricant actually lubricates a firearm.


Sure there is. The Falex Lubrication Tester has been around for almost 70 years. It creates a repeatable high wear condition that most any lubricant can be gaged against. It can be used to directly compare one lubricant to another. Weapon Shield does this with most all of the current and popular "gun lubricants" on the market today. Go on You Tube. There are several you can watch. I've even posted a few of them here.


Those tests give an OK representation of how different lubricants measure up against each other and I do feel they are worth something. My favorite gun lubricant, corrosion X does very well in the falex test and that is one of the many reasons why I like it. The issue is that most firearms do not operate in a high rpm, revolving type of fashion like the falex tester does. Most fire arms operate against their tolerances a sliding, straight back and forth shearing type motion and it is done in a fairly violent manner. Where Ballistol comes in to this is that it very quickly and easily cleans, lightly lubricates and protects, all in one step while being non toxic and actually good for firearms related equipment like wood, plastic, leather and rubber. This means it is faster, easier and usually cheaper to use than 3 separate products for gun care. Most people do not like gun cleaning/care in general and anything to make the process easier and faster is a good thing for them.

You probably could make your own Ballistol by combining mineral oil, 99% IPA, Anise oil and maybe a drop or 2 of ammonia but that is a moot point here. Ballistol is not really one of those terribly expensive and over hyped products that consists of one or 2 household ingredients like some others are... Cough, Cough, Fireclean, Cough, cough.
 
Started using Ballistol last year. Mainly because on my shotguns it's not possible to oil the metal parts without getting the stock and forearm exposed to the. Oil your using to clean/protect the metal. Long tang guns especially. It seems to work fine for me and my needs.

It is quite strong smelling. I'm neutral to the odor, although on occasion it does seem a bit much. I could see it being a deal breaker for some.

I have several older German guns, and it seems appropriate for them.

Barricade was my bench oil prior. LubeGard has gun oil, which I wouldn't mind trying, although I have not seen many reviews on it. Have not searched much honestly as I have enough Ballistol for the next couple of years. I use hoppes in the bore for cleaning. Love the smell of hoppes!
 
Originally Posted By: AMC
The issue is that most firearms do not operate in a high rpm, revolving type of fashion like the falex tester does.


That's not the point. It's purpose is to induce a very high wear cycle, (in whatever consistent manner), then use that accelerated cycle as a base comparison, and as a standard, to test different lubricants the same way. It's a qualitative test, not a quantitative one. Regardless, I've yet to see ANY lubricant out perform Weapon Shield in any of these type of tests, which is why I use it. Many of the so called "gun lubes" tested that I thought were good like Slip 2000 and Fraud Lube, failed the test miserably.

Does this mean they can't lubricate your weapon? Of course not. But the point is why choose them when there is a product that performs so much better?
 
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