Ballistol: who has an opinion please?

[jmaurer]

I've been using Ballistol for about four years now, with no complaints. What prompted me to seek out this product was it's use in the gunshops in Switzerland, which I was fortunate to observe during a visit. I figured if the Swiss used it, it had to have some merit.

So far my main use for Ballistol has been to negate corrosive primer residue, which I've found when used full strength, seems to work just fine. And while the missus isn't fond of the odor, it goes over better than that from Shooter's Choice MC-7. Use of the latter usually ends up with an invitation to sleep in the yard. I still use the Shooter's Choice for copper fouling.

[tokarev762]

I've been a big believer in Balistol for about 8 years now. It is my DO-ALL oil and cleaning agent. I know that it won't harm anything that I use it on. A couple of cotton rags are kept soaked and stored in zip lock bags for use in wiping down all of my milsurp and modern arms. Ballistol works with all types of metal and it conditions the wood stocks and keeps the leather goods from drying out. I use Balistol on everything from my 1893 Mosin-Nagant M91 to my DPMS M4gery. My 1921 Astra 400 to the Kel-Tec P11. Mixed with water (1/10 ratio) it's used to clean black powder residue off of my coal burners. 100 plus guns, including bayonets and other accessories and I haven't had any problems with corrosion or gumming up in all that time.

I especially like that it isn't toxic at all and I don't have to immediately wash it off after using it.

[Brian Dick]

It's great stuff. I've been stocking it for years.

[Pete04]

Great stuff. I use it on everything. Wood, steel and leather all seem to benifit from a light coating.

[neL1A1]

I have been useing for a couple of years. No complaints, started with it as a corrosive ammo cleaning solution.

[Claven2]

I use ballistol as a surface rust preventative on ALL my guns. I also coat hte bores with it AFTER cleaning. It IS a mild copper solvent as after a few months storage, it always wipes out dark greenish-blue from copper.

I also use ballistol RELIGIOUSLY for black powder shooting. I use it as a patch lubricant, and liberally coat the bore after cleaning with soapy water. This is because Ballistol is WATER SOLUBLE. It will remain after the water in a barrel evaporates and stop rust from forming.

For cleaning after shooting, I typically use Hoppes No.9 or if corrosive ammo was used, I use windex and water, then Hoppes and the final wipes are done with a ballistol-soaked patch. Never had a problem yet and I swear by the stuff.

[jmoore]

Ok,ok! I'll give it another chance!
Does this stuff have a shelf life? My bottle's been sitting around probably eight or nine years. Don't want a nasty surprise when I go to open it again.

[gunner]

Hi jmoore,

normaly not, but if it smells rancid than please dont use for the salad! :-)

Best regards

Gunner

[OlManDow]

We have been using it in our shop for about ten years now. We don't use it to clean, only as a protective oil after cleaning. It is mildly alkaline, so it will slowly gnaw away at any copper fouling you happen to miss. We clean with alkaline cleaners (Sweet's or Montana Extreme), so it is wont react with any solvent we accidentally left behind. It smells horrible - "essence of dirty socks". It protects against moisture in a different manner than, say WD40. It contains an emulsifier that enables it to mix with water, and the resulting goo is still non-corrosive. The emulsifier is what gives it the nasty smell. Would you believe Anise - think licorice! Like all light oils, it isn't good for long-term protection. For that we use RIG.

You can mix it 50:50 with water, and it works great for cleaning black powder guns.

OlManDow

[rimfire]

I Shot Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Competition for ten years. Balistol is unbelievable. Run a couple of soaked patches down the bore to dissolve the black powder, then brush ten strokes and dry patch till clean. Finally spray a heavy coat in the barrel from each end and a light spray on the outside metal especially the sights. Never any black powder rust ever, period, and these guns had a mirror polished blued finish, you know the kind a finger print will rust. Did not use soap and water just Ballistol.

This is a true story.... a friend sprayed his wife's car door hinges with Ballistol and could not wash the smell off, she refused to drive the car, said it made her sick. It was traded the next week.
I can spray a one second blast with it and five hours later when my wife comes home she says "you have been spraying that stinky stuff again"?????? Be forewarned the ladies don't like it.

By the way it is the best at removing heavy lead fowling............amazing stuff