Balistol

[bigted]

Shocking, very shocking.

I used to clean up my CB's with balistol moose milk consisting of 7 to 1 water/balistol which i continue to date with great reliability.

Then after clean, i would spray to dripping with rem oil and wipe down for storage.

Now after cleaning i have been using straight balistol to spray down to dripping and after wiping down i store them.

This morning i happen to pull my 61 uberti and after pulling the barrel i glance down bore and just bout swallow my tongue ... i observe tons of dark crud in the rifling with some huge globs in a couple spots.

Going out to the shop shaking my noodle and wondering what the heck happened. I screw on the 35 cal jag and put a patch on and shove it thru the bore from the breech end to the muzzle. When the patch came out the muzzle , instead of the black gunky with rust on it, the patch had a clearish pudding gel on it. With the scientific sniff test i deduced that the substance was indeed balistol.

The important thing was the bore is spotless as was the cylinder chambers.

All in all the balistol did its job very well and the percieved bore rust was just balistol that didnt get wiped off when the straight stuff was saturated and wiped off the rest of the gun. I have every confidence in the balistol  doing its job. Perfectly happy with this do all solution.

[ssb73q]

Hi Ted, I use Ballistol, but find that it dulls brass, see this thread:

http://blackpowdersmoke.com/colt/index.php/topic,2685.msg27195.html#msg27195

Regards,
Richard

[bigted]

Richard, i have no use for shiny brass on the grip frames. I admire the tarnished look and am tempted to vinegar the blue so as to help make a vintage look even faster then the years it takes to do naturally.

I did not know however that balistol helps the dulling of the brass. Just another + for me.

Yep im a HEATHEN. Thanks for the heads up tho. AND the link. I had no idea on the dulling effect of balistol. Wonder what in balistol is the oxidizer ... also wonder what it does to regular metal as well.

[mazo kid]

Richard, not doubting you, but are you sure it is the Balistol and not the gun muff?

[ssb73q]

Hi mazo, yes it could be something other than the Ballistol, but the brass dulls even where the muff doesn't touch.

I suspect that Ballistol that is designed to remove copper from the bore is attacking the brass which is mostly copper.

So far there isn't brass pitting, just a slow dulling.

Regards,
Richard

[Hawg]

Balistol is good stuff no doubt but it's expensive and it stinks.

[ssb73q]

Hi Hawg, when I use Ballistol my wife suggests that it's time to clean the cat litter. 

Regards,
Richard

[Len]

When I use Balistol, my wife suggests that it's time for me to take a shower

[Hawg]

 

[HAWKEN50]

I use ballistol on almost everthing. Works good on blackpowder ans milsurps.  But the wife says it smells like stinky feet...lol

[Hawg]

I use ballistol on almost everthing. Works good on blackpowder ans milsurps.  But the wife says it smells like stinky feet...lol

Smells like licorice to me.

[G Dog]

The licorice aroma in Ballistol may be intentional since they add certain essential oils (one of which is anethole) to perfume the product. 

[Hawg]

The licorice aroma in Ballistol may be intentional since they add certain essential oils (one of which is anethole) to perfume the product.

It sucks. I can't stand licorice.

[mike116]

I have used straight Ballistol for years,  no water or other diluents.   When used undiluted it will leave a "clearish pudding gel" (as bigted aptly described it) when it dries out some.   It's nothing to worry about.   The pudding will wipe out easily and reveal a nice clean barrel underneath. 

I wipe down the outside of my guns with Ballistol every time I handle them for holster work.  All the brass parts on my guns are still almost as shiny and bright as they were when new.   I store mine hanging on the wall in the open air for easy access.   Maybe the humidity and storing the guns in rugs in a safe allows the Ballistol to remain on the brass longer before evaporating.

[Hawg]

And Richard says Balistol darkens brass.