Mean Matt McCord, SASS #24683 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I have read two different variations of Murphy's Mix. I read equal parts Murphy's, peroxide, and alcohol. Then I read Murphy's, alcohol, and water. Which is it, or can it be both? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 No water, except what's already in the MO soap, peroxide and alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Howdy Regular drugstore Hydrogen Per Oxide is only about 3% H2O2, the other 97% is water anyway. The only thing the H2O2 does is create a little bit of fizzing action to help lift off any stubborn fouling. When you get right down to it, it is the water that does the dissolving of the fouling anyway. Rubbing Alcohol is usually about 20% water too. It is all that water that does the real cleaning. So if you want a little bit of fizz, use the drugstore H2O2. If you want to go a little bit cheaper, use water instead. It makes almost no difference at all. And before every body starts getting hysterical about the Per Oxide that the Nazis used as rocket fuel, that stuff was really, really concentrated. Drugstore stuff at 3% ain't gonna hurt anything, particularly when it gets further diluted with the other two ingredients down to 1%. Just adds a little bit of fizz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bull Skinner Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Howdy Regular drugstore Hydrogen Per Oxide is only about 3% H2O2, the other 97% is water anyway. The only thing the H2O2 does is create a little bit of fizzing action to help lift off any stubborn fouling. When you get right down to it, it is the water that does the dissolving of the fouling anyway. Rubbing Alcohol is usually about 20% water too. It is all that water that does the real cleaning. So if you want a little bit of fizz, use the drugstore H2O2. If you want to go a little bit cheaper, use water instead. It makes almost no difference at all. And before every body starts getting hysterical about the Per Oxide that the Nazis used as rocket fuel, that stuff was really, really concentrated. Drugstore stuff at 3% ain't gonna hurt anything, particularly when it gets further diluted with the other two ingredients down to 1%. Just adds a little bit of fizz. +1 An aside: If you don't keep the stuff in a dark bottle the peroxide breaks down in to.... you guessed it.....WATER . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shenny Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 En then thar's MOOSE MILK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Water is the active cleaner in the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Water is the active cleaner in the mix. Uhmmm, the Murphy's Oil Soap is not a bad surfactant and cleaning agent, either. It needs lots of water present to act as a carrier for the salts that dissolve (potassium carbonate, potassium sulfate mostly), and the sulfur and carbon particles which are loosened from the metal surface (What makes the rinse water black? Little bits of unburnt charcoal from the BP). It is possible that the fizz of the peroxide helps loosen the stubborn sulfur and carbon particles, thus removing the fouling just a little better. Fouling is not just the burnt powder. It is mixed with the lube you are using (something along the lines of a mix of beeswax and crisco), there IS a need for a surfactant (soap) that can dissolve the oils and waxes. Just water alone does not "cut" it quickly. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Cogburn Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Is it needed for subs like APP or 777? Just starting out with making smoke and plan on using a sub, so, I thought I'd ask. BTW, Howdy, Matt. Rufus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus A. Gnatsass, SASS #71705 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Is it needed for subs like APP or 777? Just starting out with making smoke and plan on using a sub, so, I thought I'd ask. BTW, Howdy, Matt. Rufus Needed? Not needed, any of several cleaning methods will work. Is it a viable option, you betcha! Even though I shoot real black, I have used APP, 777 and Pinnacle. It works great for clean up with any of them. Welcome to the Darkside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I dropped the peroxide from my mix 6-7 years ago. It cleans fine without it and I've yet to have any issues at all. I tried 1 part Murphy's mix and 3 parts water a few times during the summer and found that even without the alcohol, this mix still performed just fine at cleaning and leaving a protective coating behind, but I am hesitant to use such a mix anywhere near the action for fear of leaving water in a nook or god forbid a cranny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oklahomabound Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I still use the 1/3 each of Murphy's Oil, water, and alcohol...... ...it w**ks so I haven't seen the need to change... ...have used Windex on occasion when I ran out and didn't have anything else... ...the final wipe down is with Balistol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I dropped the peroxide from my mix 6-7 years ago. It cleans fine without it and I've yet to have any issues at all. I tried 1 part Murphy's mix and 3 parts water a few times during the summer and found that even without the alcohol, this mix still performed just fine at cleaning and leaving a protective coating behind, but I am hesitant to use such a mix anywhere near the action for fear of leaving water in a nook or god forbid a cranny! Mark, I just like the idea of using something exotic. H2O2 is cheap enough that I just GOTTA use it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holden A. Grudge Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 All good info, my follow on question is what alcohol? rubbing, denatured, everclear? Or does it matter as long as it is alcohol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex M Rugers #6621 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Rubbing alcohol is most common ,H.A.G. , I try to find the 90 grade of drugstore type , on the chance it will evaporate more easily. No idea if it does or not , but it's like the peroxide , the idea sounds nifty. Actually , I use more Balistol/water than Murphy mix , just because. Keep em smokin , Rex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Is it needed for subs like APP or 777? Just starting out with making smoke and plan on using a sub, so, I thought I'd ask. BTW, Howdy, Matt. Rufus I've never tried APP, but have shot a lot of 777 and it's remarkably easy to clean up. Hot water alone will do the job, but I use Murphy's mix anyway since I shoot BP too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 All good info, my follow on question is what alcohol? rubbing, denatured, everclear? Or does it matter as long as it is alcohol? Howdy It doesn't really matter. I usually grab some Rubbing Alcohol in the drug aisle at the supermarket. The stuff I usually use is 70% alcohol, the rest is water. Denatured alcohol is ethanol that has specifically had foul tasting chemicals added to it so you won't drink it. Denatured Alcohol The rubbing alcohol I usually buy is 70% Isopropyl alcohol, the rest is water. Rubbing alcohol 70% or 90%, again, it really doesn't matter. Whatever the content is, remember you are cutting it by 2/3 because you are adding the other two ingredients. So Murphy's Mix with 70% alcohol winds up having a total alcohol content of 23.3%. If you use the 90% stuff, your total alcohol content winds up being 30%. Not enough difference to really matter at all. Don't forget, the purpose of the alcohol is to be a drying agent, to help the water evaporate more quickly. Whatever the percentage is of your store bought alcohol is, the remainder will be water, and the water in the alcohol and in the Per Oxide is what does most of the dissolving of the BP fouling. More alcohol may make the Mix evaporate imperceptably faster, but more water is a good thing too. Bottom line is, it really does not matter. Never even heard of Everclear before, so I looked it up. Looks like it is some kind of grain alcohol that you can add to spirits. I think I would stay away from that. I will add one wrinkle though. A number of years ago I was doing some Black Powder shooting at the range while I was working out some loads. I had a small bottle of Murphy's Mix on the bench with me for some on the spot cleaning, and a water bottle for when I got thirsty. You see where this is going? Both are clear liquids. It was a hot, summer day. You guessed it, I managed to take a swig of Murphy's Mix without thinking about it. I think I spit most of it out and I don't think I managed to swallow any. That's why the bottle of Murphy's Mix I keep in my gun cart now looks like this: Bottle Bottom line is, none of these types of alcohol are good for you, don't drink any of them. It doesn't really matter a hang exactly what you use, they will all work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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