PB Blaster for Firearms?

Trash Can Man

Trash Can Man

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After reading the Mobil one thread, it got me to thinking about PB Blaster.This "penetrating catalyst" & "magnetic lubricant" as described by the manufacturer is said to do almost anything. I'm curious if anyone uses it as a cleaner or lubricant on their AR-15? The stuff does stink but it really comes in handy in the garage. As far as "magnetic lubricant" goes, I haven't a clue what that means? Does it attract magnetic particles and wash them away? Seems like a great BCG cleaning solution? Any thoughts?
Trash
 

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I have used it to clean on my 22 rifles but it does smell and it smells worse after you shoot a few rounds through it. Its lubricating abilities go away pretty quickly also. If I don't have anything else I might consider using it again as a cleaning agent but that's it. Now I do use TriFlow as a cleaner and a lube in my 22's but its lubrication goes away with shooting heat but it is a great cleaner. I am now using the Mobil 1 on all of my guns and really liking it. YMMV
 
Trash Can Man said:
After reading the Mobil one thread, it got me to thinking about PB Blaster.This "penetrating catalyst" & "magnetic lubricant" as described by the manufacturer is said to do almost anything. I'm curious if anyone uses it as a cleaner or lubricant on their AR-15? The stuff does stink but it really comes in handy in the garage. As far as "magnetic lubricant" goes, I haven't a clue what that means? Does it attract magnetic particles and wash them away? Seems like a great BCG cleaning solution? Any thoughts?
Trash
Click to expand...

"magnetic lubricant" is a technical term meaning it will attract the coins in your pocket and help you remove them more eaisly and quickly so you can use them to buy the product.

"penetrating catalyst" is a technical term meaning if you let the product claims penetrate your thinking that you will be catalyzed into spending money on the product.

:)

Seriously, go spend the few bucks on a bottle of Mobile 1 Synthetic and get some Weapon Shield and you won't have a lubrication or cleaning issue.

You know what we do for our bolts and BC's sometimes to clean them in mass when our immersion cleaner system is out of cleaning fluid or on the blink (and a lot of times when it isn't)? We put them in a dishwasher we have available on the other end of the compound and use Cascade dishwashing powder. With the mobile one and weapon shield combo we use the crud comes right off and they come out "squeeky" clean and the good thing is the weapon shield protection is still in place so we don't need to re-apply. The mobile one and weapons shield combo does the same if cleaning manually or in the immersion system, the crud simply comes right off without much effort at all.

Heck, the weapon shield alone is a fantastic lubricant by its self and just keeps working no matter what.
 
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I use it all the time as a cleaner. I find it works great removing carbon fouling from the bore and a great general cleaner for the outer gun surfaces. I've never seen it hurt any material, ie. rubber, aluminum, finishes, etc. I still follow up with a lubricant and use Mobil 1 for everything now.
 
Yes, it is interesting stuff.I've used it for all kinds of things.
I haven't used it on a firearm [that's why I posted the question].

I was tempted to try it as a cleaner but thought I'd ask the experts here.

I am not trying to save money on good gun oil or Mobil one
[I assure you, i can afford it]
I was just curious as this is my first firearm and have lots to learn.

Plus I like to tinker & experiment.
 
I think it's got the same bad rep as WD-40 for drying and leaving a varnish like residue. I wouldn't use it as a lube for anything but I would clean with it as long as you are wiping it away when done.
 
PB Blaster is a penetrating oil similar to Kroil, Break-Free and a number of other products. They're handy for cleaning and removing rust (along with freeing stuck bolts, as advertised) but they're not good lubricants. They're called penetrating oils because typically something like acetone or another solvent is used as a carrier for the oil. These solvents penetrate well (think rusted bolt- you want something that will seep deep into the threads) but evaporate quickly leaving behind only a very light film of whatever oil(s) and other ingredients are included in the product.
 
I used a bowl filled with PB to soak the side plate, trigger, hammer and innards of a gummed up M28 overnight with great results. As stated above, I'd use it to clean but not to lube. It does smell terrible though, so it's most definitely a "back porch" kinda product.
 
oneyeopn said:
Now I do use TriFlow as a cleaner and a lube in my 22's but its lubrication goes away with shooting heat but it is a great cleaner. I am now using the Mobil 1 on all of my guns and really liking it. YMMV
Click to expand...

#1 on TriFlow. Love the stuff. It's great for breaking bolts free,rusted wrenches and ALL kinds of stuff. WARNING !!! BUT! BE VERY VERY...VERY carefull using it around ANY RUBBER PRODUCTS !!!! It will make them melt !!! I lost a couple great fishing rods with rubber grips using it,it ate the rubber O-rings on my Deere hydraulic couplers.
 
IMHO, the best and most cost effective solvent for cleaning petrolium products off of any gun part is NON CHLORINATED brake cleaner.

Cheap, very effective and leaves no residue. Needs to be used in a well ventilated place but gets er done.................cheap.
 
ballistol.jpg


^It works. Trust me. I was a skeptic. I didn't believe it would be as good as everyone says it is, including Hickock45.

The only thing it doesn't remove is copper fouling.
 
I have never seen it for sale (Ballistol) but when I do I will pick up a can to try.....although TriFlow is hard to beat.
 
I used the PB stuff as a cleaner and rust remover.Soaked an old rifle in it and did a good job in cleaning it and loosening stuck bolts and so forth.
I gave it a try on a old Colt 1911 as a lubricating and protective oil.This is where the problem started,after several months in the safe I was checking condition and found the 1911 in good order (finish wise) but the slide was frozen to the frame and I could not rack it or eject the magazine as the Magazine release was also frozen.I had to soak the entire gun in brake fluid and detail strip and clean every part.After that I used a standard gun oil and have had no more problems.I have found that once the smell dissipates or evaporates the PB Blaster becomes very sticky
 
Probably the worst **** on the planet. We had a guy in the shop that thought PB was a cure all for every problem. I spent more time cleaning it off equipment that was gummed up from residue than it would have taken to clean and lube it correctly to start with. PB is like heroin, everything feels real good right after you use it, then it seems to just stop working. You use some more and again, everything is really great, and so goes the cycle until you hit rock bottom and actually have to clean it all off to get things working again.

Non-chlorinated brake cleaner to clean and Mobil 1 to lube, you're covered. There are many many options, but PB Blaster is one I'd run away from.
 
gunny4053 said:
5W-30 for me.
Click to expand...

+1

Mobil 1 has a HELL of a lot more research than any gun lube out there. The most important function of motor oil is to reduce friction and hold up against heat. The same two things an AR experiences. Mobil 1 is likely much more advanced than many gun lubes and is cheap in comparison.

Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of fantastic gun lubricants out there.

But run an AR wet and it will run just fine - regardless of the lubricant used....for the most part.
 
In response to the OP, is there something wrong with use of Break Free that would make using motor oil or some other "stinky" lubricant mandatory?

Obviously not, but just wondering why the constant need to use odd, non-gun specific lubes. They don't help you shoot better. They don't help with anything, as near as I can tell.

I was with a friend at the range last year. He has two M4 type semi-autos. One is kept "at the ready" and the other is the range blaster. The range blaster had not been cleaned for about 15,500 rounds when it failed to eject. Its rails had been lubed, but that is it. He uses Break Free. It seems to me that us ordinary folks are just not going to normally go 15,000 rounds without a disassembly type of cleaning, but he did, just to see. Thus, I happily use Break Free and don't worry about Frogs, motor oils or "stinky stuff." :)
 
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