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Moose Milk


Kiowa Kid, SASS #69870L

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Howdy,

If I remember right Moose Milk is a mixture of water and Ballistol correct? If so what is the ratio of water to Ballistol? after you mix it will it freeze? At my last cold shoot I had a problem even using a BP sub of the rifle sticking after about 4 stages, I was think of using the Moose Milk to keep everything moving like spraying after every stage will it work for that?

 

Thanks

KK

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I dont know the mix. I just want to know who holds the moose?Sorry KK had to ask.

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I use that mixture now to clean with.

 

KK

 

 

Equal parts of Murphy's oil soap, alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide, works well too.
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Somebody bigger and braver than I.

 

KK

 

 

I dont know the mix. I just want to know who holds the moose?Sorry KK had to ask.
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I use that mixture now to clean with.

 

KK

It works well in between stages too. A quick squirt of pure Ballistol afterward is more than enough.

 

Moose milk is generally equal parts water and Ballistol. I don't like it because it leaves too much water in the nooks and crannies. I had problems with rust if I didn't get after the guns immediately following a match.

 

Having said that, if you use bullets with enough BP lube in them, the problem of sticky guns in a 5 or 6 stage match has been a non-issue in my experience.

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KK:

 

I use 10% Ballistol and 90% water for my mix. After a match I spray down my guns and put in a gun sock before leaving the range then use it to clean guns at home (not always the same day). The answer to your other question is YES it does freeze, but straight Ballistol will not. After cleaning my guns I give them a liberal coat of pure Ballistol and have never had a problem at our matches, including the other day below zero. I have shot both my pistols and my 1873 rifle a total of 10 stages without any problems or having to spray down the guns.

 

If I can help with anything give me a call or email.

Iron Horse

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Howdy

 

There are no official names nor are there official formulas for these things.

 

I use the 1/3 Murphy's Oil Soap - 1/3 rubbing alcohol - 1/3 Hydrogen Per Oxide mixture myself. I like to call it Murphy's Mix as I think it is a little bit more descriptive.

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For years I have been mixing my moose milk 25-30% Ballistol to 70% rubbing alcohol.I can report that it does not freeze and the rubbing alcohol,dries much quicker than the water mix,works for me. Adios Sgt. Jake

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Howdy

 

There are no official names nor are there official formulas for these things.

 

I use the 1/3 Murphy's Oil Soap - 1/3 rubbing alcohol - 1/3 Hydrogen Per Oxide mixture myself. I like to call it Murphy's Mix as I think it is a little bit more descriptive.

 

This is the stuff that works for me. I keep patches soaking in it in an airtight container for those hot, dry days when the 30" barrel gets crusty. A little in the action once in a while keeps things moving. It can't hurt to dab a little every now and then, and it DOES hurt if you should have and didn't.

 

CR

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Moosemilk is Ballistol mixed with water. The ratio is from 1:7 to 1:10. When mixed richer than 1:7 it doesn't stay mixed. The actual mix is a colloidal suspension. The stuff cleans up guns real good and leaves a coating of rust preventative/lubricant behind.

 

So, what's this palaver about using stuff between stages. I shoot entire annual matches, and sometimes clean at that, with no need to do anything between stages or days of shooting. Of course, I'm shooting Big Lube bullets pushed with genuine black powder.

 

DD-DLoS

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In the early 60's, "Moose Milk" was radiator oil and water. It was definitely white. I currently use a mixture of Murphy's Oil Soap, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and a little water. PLEASE don't tell me that I am making "chrystal meth" or some sort of poison gas!!!! ;)

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Moose milk is any miscible oil and water. Cutting oil will work as will offset press wash and many other types. The ration of oil to water is strictly up to you. My mix is 1 part Ballistol to 7 parts of water. I tried the Murphy's oil mix and was not impressed. Went back to Ballistol.

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Moosemilk is Ballistol mixed with water. The ratio is from 1:7 to 1:10. When mixed richer than 1:7 it doesn't stay mixed. The actual mix is a colloidal suspension. The stuff cleans up guns real good and leaves a coating of rust preventative/lubricant behind.

 

So, what's this palaver about using stuff between stages. I shoot entire annual matches, and sometimes clean at that, with no need to do anything between stages or days of shooting. Of course, I'm shooting Big Lube bullets pushed with genuine black powder.

 

DD-DLoS

 

Dick,

 

I shoot the real black, and Springfield Slim (blatant push fer a good man) supplies my 200 & 250gr .454 & .428 pellets. My '73s both have a 30" bbl, and on hot, dry days it gets crusty near the end of the bore. I have gotten in the habit of running a patch down the bore a couple of times a match. Pistols will run all day, but a pass with a moistened patch can't hurt.

 

On cooler, damper days, I can run forever.

 

CR

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Howdy,

I appreciated all the good info, and I have been shooting BP, BP subs pretty much from my beginings in SASS, I have shot pretyy much all the calibers minus a couple odd ones, I don't have a problem shooting BP subs when it warm, but last month I shot a match and it was below freezing, after about 4 stages the rifles mine and the better half's started sticking real bad, so I'm looking for a way to keep the rifles running when it's real cold, the reason I never had this problem before because I was shooting a bottle neck cartridge and I didn't get any of the garbage back into the reciever so it was neve an issue, now we are shooting a straight wall cartridge (38 spec ) and boy it loves to leave crap in the reciever.

I was thinking about use the moose milk to keep everything running, will it work?

 

Thanks

KK

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back in the 50's and 60's,,, MooseMilk is equal parts cutting oil and water...

during the winter and hunting season, a small amount mixed with bee's wax, was used for frizzen pan liner, and against the lock and barrel as a moisture barrier.

just my 2cents

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I use the 1-7 mix and it has worked well. As far as the pard who said he had rust after using it, that was from bad cleaning and had nothing to do with the mix. If you have a oil and water mix the water will evoprate and leave oil behind. It will not be the oil that goes first and leaves water behind as was posted. I would also think that you might have used a sub which will produce rust very fast. For in between stages with bad conditions why not use straight Ballistol in a spray can. It can be sprayed over the entire gun as it is good on metal, wood, leather and even will cure any cuts on your hands. No other product will even come that close to covering all your needs. Here in Louisiana when it gets to 95 degrees and the same humidity I use a product by the name of EEZOX. It will work when all others fail. Try it and see . Later

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Include me in the 10% Balistol and 90% water crowd. I have never had an issue with it freezing, but then again in Southern California the only way I would have to worry about it freezing would be if I started storing my sixguns in the freezer! :FlagAm:

 

We might have just to keep them...

 

Texas Lizard

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I shoot Goex and Big Lube bullets in my .45's. When my '92 gets sticky, I give it a shot of Ballistol from an aerosol can. Works especially well if I haven't done my yearly major cleanup like I should.

 

No chance of any water getting left behind and the rifle does not drip liquid. Minimal chance of the can leaking all over the inside of my gun box like a spray bottle, don't ask how I know.

 

When crudded up, my '92 has a habit of the firing pin sticking. A shot from the aerosol can down into the firing pin hole in the bolt pushes the crud outa the firing pin channel and it goes bang again.

 

Doc McGee

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The murphys mix or weasel piss as some of us call it is my normal BP cleaner. The spray cans of balistol are good if things get sticky but like Dick says the right bullets will make the biggest difference. The mix RSJM mentions is also on the shelf in an old hoppes bottle and it gets used a lot on the internals of smokeless guns.

 

For real cold weather shooting KK I'd try the alcohol/balistol mix since it should have a much lower freezing temperature.

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Well, the posts above just go to show you that there's more than one way to skin a cat, and more than one recipe for Moose Milk. I've never used Moose Milk, but I do remember reading about it in my dad's black powder literature back in the 1960's. More recently, I've been using T/C #13 solvent with good results in my muzzle loaders. It looks like milk, and I figured it must be similar.

 

Dixie Gun Works sells readymade Moose Milk (Item # LA0102), and the catalog says it has been "Made in USA since 1956."

 

I had never heard the recipes with Ballistol called "Moose Milk" before. I believe Ballistol has been "around" since about the time of World War I, but to my knowledge it didn't become well known in the USA until the 1990's. I do believe I have heard of some Moose Milk recipes that use Marvel Mystery Oil, but I don't recall the exact mix. Marvel Mystery Oil was developed in 1923. If anybody knows the Moose Milk recipe with Marvel Mystery Oil, by all means post it here and send it to the Marvel company, also. They have a place on their website for customer testimonials.

 

Maybe we're overdue for a Moose Milk "cookbook"... all you cowboys can send in your favorite recipes and testimonials.

 

Best regards,

 

Crooked River Bob

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