Ballistol to clean black powder?

[chestnut louie 8]

I just ordered a 1851 Navy Revolver in 36 cal and I am new to black powder firearms.  The Ballistol company says that their product mixed  one part Ballistol in two parts water will clean a black powder gun.  What do you think?

 

Thanks

Chestnut Louie

[Too Tall Bob 582]

Yep, that’s correct. Use it allp the time on my bp guns. 

[Tyrel Cody 1,631]

I think I'd rather use Windex with VINEGAR to clean it and Eezox or Frog Lube to wipe it down with after that. Ballistol is great during the matches.

[Deadshot Dan 108]

Works just fine, but you'll get a lot of varying opinion's.  Just give it a try and see if you like the result's.

[chestnut louie 8]

Thanks

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450 245]

One of my best friends is way up the food chain with the North-South Skirmish Association (Civil War action shooting - not reenacting).  Their new favorite product is Butch's Bore Shine Black Powder.  It was developed by the government to clean large naval guns.  I've posted a link below.

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/268025/butchs-bore-shine-black-powder-bore-cleaning-solvent-8-oz-liquid

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958 195]

I use moose milk, 1 part Ballistol, 1 part Hydrogen peroxide, 1 part rubbing alcohol works great for cleaning 

Rafe

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 278]

You may find this video useful in cleaning your revolvers.  I personally do not clean with Ballistol but do lube with it after cleaning and during a match.

[Warden Callaway 1,614]

Never used Ballistol so I don't know what I'm missing.  Been using water for past 50 years.  

[Nickel City Dude 136]

I have been using SimpleGreen for the last 20 years and it works great and is cheap to buy.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 823]

Actually,

moose milk:

A mixture of water-soluble oil and water.

Cleans the fouling and leaves the oil behind when the water evaporates.

Before Ballistol became all the rage, muzzleloaders used any water soluble oil. 

If I remember correctly we used to use one marketed by NAPA

I usually use 70 - 80% water and 20-30% Ballistol

 

A lot of folks use Murphy's Mix, also called PAM, 1/3 each  Murphys oil soap, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

 

Hot soapy water has worked for me for 35 years.

After cleaning, I blow 'em dry & lube 'em down.

--Dawg

 

Edited January 31 by Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329

[Uncle Tater 3]

I’ve been using one part Ballistol  mixed with four parts water (20% solution) for cleaning American Pioneer Powder with great results.

[Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator 269]

Like Tyrel mentions, I use Windex WITH VINEGAR to clean then I do follow with Ballistol.  True with smokeless cleaning also.  I often try different cleaners but seem to most always come back to WwV and follow with Ballistol.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 3,900]

2 hours ago, Tyrel Cody said:

I think I'd rather use Windex with VINEGAR to clean it and Eezox or Frog Lube to wipe it down with after that. Ballistol is great during the matches.

Best BP cleaner there is!

WD-40 works well during the match......

OLG

[Thunder Creek Kid 166]

2 parts Ballistol 8 parts water for me.

[El diablo gringo 39]

Baby wipes have always worked great and fast as well.  Ballistol is a really good lube with black powder. Spray it into the barrels of my shot gun between stages and never had an issue with shucking shells.  A quick blast on the carrier for the lever gun.  

Gringo

[Dutch Wheeler 592]

"Moose Milk" is my go-to real Black Powder cleaner.  25% Ballistol 75% water.

 

After shooting my cap & ball pistols, I remove the grips and trigger guard and soak them in hot water and Dawn.  A good scrub down, wipe dry then a final wipe with Moose Milk.  After the water evaporates, a nice thin, protective film of Ballistol remains.

 

You will find cleaning BP is far easier than smokeless.  If all you have is soap and water, that will do the job too.

[Dutch Wheeler 592]

1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Best BP cleaner there is!

WD-40 works well during the match......

OLG

 

Hey Lumpy, you have made that statement many times in the past, but isn't WD40 a petroleum distilate product that can contribute to hard fowling?

[watab kid 168]

the gentleman who introduced me to this game shortly after the turn of the century used it liberally at every cleaning after every day of each match we attended , i have used it more sparingly [because i seldom shoot black] but i wholeheartedly endorse its use 

[Silver Sam, SASS #34718L 237]

I've used all of the above recipes and they all work well,

but none work as good as Dawg Wizz

1 part Murphy's Oil Soap, 1 part Hydrogen peroxide, 1 part rubbing alcohol .... and 1 part water "optional"

It takes very little to clean up and a batch lasts a Long Time.

 

Black Dawg Powder Company use to sell it & Wally the original Dawg Nose gave me the recipe.

 

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 487]

In a Word ,,,,,,,, Yes ...

 

Jabez Cowboy

[Jefro, SASS#69420 300]

12 hours ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

A lot of folks use Murphy's Mix, also called PAM, 1/3 each  Murphys oil soap, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

--Dawg

 

Yep, Murphy's Mix for cleaning, Ballistol for after Good Luck

[Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator 269]

8 hours ago, Silver Sam, SASS #34718L said:

I've used all of the above recipes and they all work well,

but none work as good as Dawg Wizz

1 part Murphy's Oil Soap, 1 part Hydrogen peroxide, 1 part rubbing alcohol .... and 1 part water "optional"

It takes very little to clean up and a batch lasts a Long Time.

 

Black Dawg Powder Company use to sell it & Wally the original Dawg Nose gave me the recipe.

 

Got my Dawge Whizz bottle in gun cart now Sam.    Always wondered exactly what was in the solution.  I thought Wally probably just added a  dash of his  "secret" ingredient to Windex w Vinegar..

One used to be able to  find WwV wipes which were handy as you could tear off piece to use as a patch for a quick cleaning.  Wipes may still be available, but don't think in the vinegar variety.  Their downside was that wipes would often dry out before complete package was used.

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 3,900]

12 hours ago, Dutch Wheeler said:

 

Hey Lumpy, you have made that statement many times in the past, but isn't WD40 a petroleum distilate product that can contribute to hard fowling?

You would think it so-

It's has worked well for me in my SASS gunz when I run real BP.

WD-40 is mineral oil, and some solvents.

OLG

Edited January 31 by The Original Lumpy Gritz

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life 353]

I've been using Ballistol for years.....it is a water soluble oil. I uses a 50/50 mixture with water added to Ballistol.

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE 648]

I prefer the mixes with Murphy's Oil soap- it works great, I don't lube aftewards and the smell is far weaker and not unpleasant.  Ballistol isn't the worst smell in the world, but it is fairly unpleasant to many people.

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 3,900]

19 hours ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

Actually,

moose milk:

A mixture of water-soluble oil and water.

Cleans the fouling and leaves the oil behind when the water evaporates.

Before Ballistol became all the rage, muzzleloaders used any water soluble oil. 

If I remember correctly we used to use one marketed by NAPA

I usually use 70 - 80% water and 20-30% Ballistol

 

A lot of folks use Murphy's Mix, also called PAM, 1/3 each  Murphys oil soap, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

 

Hot soapy water has worked for me for 35 years.

After cleaning, I blow 'em dry & lube 'em down.

--Dawg

 

That is vegetable oil, and it goes sour/rancid in time or warm/hot weather.

It's still used today as a cheap cutting oil.

I will never let it get close to any gun of mine........

OLG

Edited January 31 by The Original Lumpy Gritz

[Wild Ben VanDorn 98]

15 hours ago, Dutch Wheeler said:

"Moose Milk" is my go-to real Black Powder cleaner.  25% Ballistol 75% water.

 

After shooting my cap & ball pistols, I remove the grips and trigger guard and soak them in hot water and Dawn.  A good scrub down, wipe dry then a final wipe with Moose Milk.  After the water evaporates, a nice thin, protective film of Ballistol remains.

 

You will find cleaning BP is far easier than smokeless.  If all you have is soap and water, that will do the job too.

 

That's my process as well, except I use hot water with Ballistol instead of Dawn.  Then clean as you described, dry with soft absorbent patches, and rub with Ballistol covered rag to leave that nice thin protective film.  I've done this for years, kept rust at bay, and kept the guns going strong!

 

Dutch is right on - BP isn't that hard to clean.  I will say that HOT water really helps.  Some guys use the dishwasher, but when I ask her, she just walks away. . . 

 

Keep your powder dry,

Wild Ben

 

[Lead Monger 260]

I've never found anything that melts BP fouling faster than water. Hot or cold water and a bore mop just wipes the crud away. The problem is getting the parts dry before rust forms. Ballistol and water mixed works pretty darn good for cleaning and a shot on a sticky carrier will free it right up.

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE 648]

3 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

That is vegetable oil, and it goes sour/rancid in time or warm/hot weather.

It's still used today as a cheap cutting oil.

I will never let it get close to any gun of mine........

OLG

 Are you saying the residue left by Murphy's mix will go rancid?  Never heard nor experienced such.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz 3,900]

Just now, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said:

 Are you saying the residue left by Murphy's mix will go rancid?  Never heard nor experienced such.

Didn't say Murphy's-never used it.

OLG

[J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE 648]

Thanks, been using for many years and was wondering.  The Murphy's Oil Soap has other added ingredients, perhaps they have a preservative function.

 

 

[Dutch Wheeler 592]

34 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Didn't say Murphy's-never used it.

OLG

 

...then which vegetable oil product are you referring too that goes sour/rancid? 

[Henry Moon 13]

I use Huggies baby wipes to clean & then spray with Ballistol to lubricate.

This has worked for me for 20 years.

[Snakebite 653]

21 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

Never used Ballistol so I don't know what I'm missing.  Been using water for past 50 years.  

Yer not missing anything... Ballistol is one of the most over touted items on the SASS wire. I am totally mystified at the number of people that have bought into the hype of this stuff. If you mix up their so-called Moose Milk and use it, you had better do a very good job of getting it all out of the gun or you will find yourself with a bunch of rust.  Water with Just about ANYTHING, including water will clean BP fouling just fine. Windex is fine. After you are finished,  Wipe it down... then use............….duh.... NOT something that mixes with water, but something that displaces water..... duh, like WD-40... yep, someone along the line decided that no Black Powder guns should have anything to do with any petroleum product. Well that is just not so.  After you've cleaned your gun and displaced any water that is left, then OIL IT UP!.  Grease your balls too!

 

Snakebite