About Ballistol

Joined
May 3, 2019
Messages
104
Location
IN
I see Ballistol referenced quite often here and on many firearm forums.
My experience: Ballistol is an OK product and quite handy to have around.
IMO, though, it is not a miracle, one-step gun-care product nor even a "best" one. Excepting one particular use, I no longer choose it for my firearms.
My main beef with Ballistol is that contrary to manufacturer's statements and at least one popular story -- "The contents of the 60-year-old can were still in perfect shape and still worked!" -- it will gum up over time, in my experience a matter of months. Hence, it's not a mainline firearm item for me.
Why do I think it will gum up? Two reasons:
(1) I've seen it. I used to keep a 6-oz aerosol can, spraying straw inserted, on my bench. It was there in that condition for a year or more. There is a small divot, depression or ring below the spray button. Over time, I saw the over-run product gum up and accumulate in that area. It was right there in front of my eyes. You could lift out some of the stuff with a pick or a Q-tip and put it between your fingers. It was gummy.
That was a bummer, as I'd really come to like Ballistol for a quick clean and lube of any given gun. Now, I won't put it on a gun that's going to be put up in the safe for any period.
(2) On Ballistol's own site, in the FAQs, they advise that if you have the liquid (non-aersol) cans to not store them with the sprayer cap in but to remove the sprayer cap and seal 'em back 'em with the red cap. Color me a skeptic, but what I'd seen with my own eyes combined with this advice makes me believe Ballistol does not age well when exposed to air. And my guns ain't airtight.
Now, I do still keep a little (1.5 ounce) aerosol can in my range bags. It's the perfect size for traveling about, and Ballistol has worked very well for me as a one-product clean-and-lube for immediate use. I've field stripped, cleaned and relubed .22s and shotguns at youth shoots where we had hundreds of kids participating, and it put the guns right in straight order.
It's also a nice general product for a sportsman to have. Cleans up leather decently (let it sit over night to lose that smell, though) and you can wipe off wood products -- such as the handle of Buck 110 -- with it.
I still keep a can of it (red cap on, no sprayer) in the utility closet and have a little 3-ounce bottle of liquid (well-capped) on my bench for certain light cleaning work. But I no longer use it as a mainline gun cleaner, lube or protectant.
I returned to G96 for that purpose. I'm speaking of the G96 Complete Gun Treatment (aerosol) and the G96 Gun Oil (liquid). When it comes to gun metals, it works as a light to medium cleaner and light lube and actually is an excellent protectant. It doesn't gum up, and it's got an excellent range re operating temps. I've hunted shotguns down to -20 with G96 as the only lube. To me, it also smells pleasant, whereas I've learned to tolerate the smell of Ballistol but do not like it.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think G96 is some sort of miracle. I keep on my bench and use FP-10 solely as a liquid lube with the migration property that I desire. I also keep syringes of two types of grease, Lubpriplate SFL-0 for about 90 percent of the applications I need and Shooter's Choice All Weather High Tech Gun Grease for when I want something a bit heavier, tackier.
 
One thing for sure though . If there's a single smell that will give you happy flashbacks to being a teenage boy again it's HOPPIES. Nothing on earth smells like it and if you haven't been near it in 30 years and smell it you'll know INSTANTLY exactly what it is. 🤗
 
Originally Posted by tundraotto
G96 is awesome for gun lube....

Ballistol is like WD40....why......it's not 1920 anymore...and we can smell them both.

Cant stand the stench of either.


Yet WD-40 and ballistol have their place and uses. Even today.

There are better products - OP admits that, I think most every user admits that.

But a non toxic, safe product, that is pretty inexpensive, usable anywhere, on any material, and gives some cleaning, solvent, and corrosion protection capability makes it hard to beat.

Doesn't mean it's the only product to use/own.
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Originally Posted by tundraotto
G96 is awesome for gun lube....

Ballistol is like WD40....why......it's not 1920 anymore...and we can smell them both.

Cant stand the stench of either.


Yet WD-40 and ballistol have their place and uses. Even today.

There are better products - OP admits that, I think most every user admits that.

But a non toxic, safe product, that is pretty inexpensive, usable anywhere, on any material, and gives some cleaning, solvent, and corrosion protection capability makes it hard to beat.

Doesn't mean it's the only product to use/own.


Yep.
If there was some rule that you could use one can or bottle of something -- home, range, field -- I'd probably chose G96. If the rule was two products, I'd add syringe or tube of Lubriplate SFL-0 grease.
But, truth be told, there's probably at least three solvents, two kinds of CLP liquid, a clp spray product, three oils and two kinds of grease on my bench right now.
Like a lot of guys, I probably just like to tinker with my guns. But, that said, they all are looking and performing top flight.
smile.gif

There are worse addictions.
 
*OP is correct on all stated regarding Ballistol - I have had similar experiences ... I will still use it to clean & protect but I make sure I wipe off all residue as much as possible .
 
My go to CLP for the last few years has been Hornady One Shot. It's somewhat expensive but a little seems to go a long way. I like the aerosol and how it comes out almost like spray paint. Easy to apply to and you almost can't put too much on since it's such a light coat.
 
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
This is my BALLISTOL syringe style bottle.


Same here. I have had no issues with Ballistol. My handguns are all Glocks, so I use VERY little lube anyway. I could see it gumming up if you used a ton of it though, most stuff probably would.
 
Originally Posted by K20FA5
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
This is my BALLISTOL syringe style bottle.


Same here. I have had no issues with Ballistol. My handguns are all Glocks, so I use VERY little lube anyway. I could see it gumming up if you used a ton of it though, most stuff probably would.

True story : I took some well shaken Ballistoll and put some in a smaller glass bottle (easier to use / apply that way) and left it in my tool box for a few months inside the house . Later , when I retrieved the small bottle of ballistol it had turned into a gummy semi - liquid state half glob / half liquid . I use Ballistoll still for cleaning , rust protection (very thin layer - then wiped down) . For slide rails , connectors , etc. I use another lube (G96 , FP-10, Weapon Shield , M-Pro7 , Slip 2000 , etc).
 
Originally Posted by ChrisD46
Originally Posted by K20FA5
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
This is my BALLISTOL syringe style bottle.


Same here. I have had no issues with Ballistol. My handguns are all Glocks, so I use VERY little lube anyway. I could see it gumming up if you used a ton of it though, most stuff probably would.

True story : I took some well shaken Ballistoll and put some in a smaller glass bottle (easier to use / apply that way) and left it in my tool box for a few months inside the house . Later , when I retrieved the small bottle of ballistol it had turned into a gummy semi - liquid state half glob / half liquid . I use Ballistoll still for cleaning , rust protection (very thin layer - then wiped down) . For slide rails , connectors , etc. I use another lube (G96 , FP-10, Weapon Shield , M-Pro7 , Slip 2000 , etc).


That's pretty much a well-put, more concise version of my my experience and why it put me off of Ballistol as an all-purpose CLP product.
Like you said, it's got it's purposes. For me, those are certain cleaning tasks and a decent at-the-range, use-it-now quick solution. Also decent enough to have around for some tasks re wood and leather.
That said, I've gone more toward G-96 on the bench at home and have both the liquid and aerosol versions there.
FP-10 is what I reach for if I want a precise application of a lube that migrates.
 
Originally Posted by bubbatime
I can find no use whatsover for balistol.
.


I am using it to lube rubber seals on my bike (Manitou M30 fork)...its excellent
smile.gif
 
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