What became of Outer's Nitro Solvent? A cleaning products rant

Father Joe · Sep 16, 2017

I can't find any in bottles, only aerosol cans. This concerns me as while I really like the smell of the stuff, I don't want to get any solvent in my lungs, or waste the stuff on anything other than my bore brush and patches.
I went to my local gun shop and it seems like everything is being sold in aerosol cans.
But Hoppe's is still available in bottles, which I suppose I'll need to use now (being an Outers user since boyhood, I know I'm going to feel like a Chevy man driving Ford!)
A minor issue of course---and not really an issue at all other than all the solvents being sold in aerosol cans.
Does this concern anyone else? Am i Being overly cautious?
After a recent one on one with an N frame which I think was lubricated with an overzealous aerosol application of lubrican, which gummed it up, I can't think of any reason to use aerosol gun oil, either.

Hmm...maybe I'm turning into curmudgeon?

Also, I used to be able to find GI surplus cleaning patches---these worked wonderfully as one side had an aggressive twill finish. I haven't been able to find these in quite awhile. I've been cutting up worn out Oxford Cloth dress shirts, and while they work OK, it sure takes a lot of time to cut up an old shirt into squares, it's hard on my scissors and I don't wear out all that many Oxford cloth dress shirts anyway---maybe one a year which will get cut into 12 gauge, .22, .38, .44 & .45 size patches.
That's barely an adequate supply.

I was wondering if anyone here would care to recommend any gun cleaning products that might suffice?

My apologies if I'm coming across like a wus. I'm learning so much from the posts here and I don't want to cause my hard feelings with those here who think aerosols are the cat's meow.

Jeppo · Sep 17, 2017

Have you tried Ramrodz?

Targets Guy · Sep 17, 2017

ballistol can still be had in the pump spray bottle

I do still have one can of Outers oil left.

My M1917 loves it.

OKFC05 · Sep 17, 2017

Shop your local gun shop........
and then order what you really want off the internet.
Outers Nitro Solvent in 2 oz bottles:

Outers E-Store - Outers Guncare Home

6518John · Sep 17, 2017

So easy now it's embarrassing.

I went to Wipe Out bore cleaner and bore snakes and have dramatically simplified my life.

muddocktor · Sep 17, 2017

Amazon has it in a 4 ounce pump sprayer, if you are interested in that. You can just remove the sprayer to put it on your brushes and swabs instead of spraying it. It is $16.36.

chief38 · Sep 17, 2017

If you look on ebay and Amazon ($6 - $12 bucks for a 2 ounce liquid bottle) you can still get Outers in the liquid form or pump spray bottle but it does sort of look like the Company for what ever reasons is now focusing on the aerosol spray can. If you act soon you can procure an adequate supply. I still have an aerosol can but rarely use it because I do not like breathing in any chemicals either. While I do have a few Outers products laying around I think they are fading away in the industry to the new "miracle products" people are scoffing up now. They had good stuff!

Brownell's 100% cotton patches are excellent and in bulk are a fairly good value. Their's are all I've used for 40 years! Read the descriptions carefully as they have many many different flavors! Brownell's also still sells the Military patches as well. I use them and they are still great!

hardcase60 · Sep 17, 2017

Welcome to the forum. IMHO you are not being a "curmudgeon". We like what we like. Besides, you have either become seasoned enough to be that way or you are getting close. Your options on cleaning solvent have been addressed so let move to the patches. I prefer the ones from Southern Bloomer but Outers also makes patches sold on bulk quantities. Go to Amazon and do a search on Gun Cleaning Patches, lot's of options will pop up. Less wear on your scissors is a good thing. The Southern Bloomers are 100% cotton and can even be used for polishing. Kinda like they cut up the shirt for you. No hard feeling here. Oh wait, that may be 'cause I don't have any.............. Good Luck, hardcase60

PS. Chief38 didn't see your post, must have landed while I was a typing...

Father Joe · Sep 17, 2017

chief38 said:
If you look on ebay and Amazon ($6 - $12 bucks for a 2 ounce liquid bottle) you can still get Outers in the liquid form or pump spray bottle but it does sort of look like the Company for what ever reasons is now focusing on the aerosol spray can. If you act soon you can procure an adequate supply. I still have an aerosol can but rarely use it because I do not like breathing in any chemicals either. While I do have a few Outers products laying around I think they are fading away in the industry to the new "miracle products" people are scoffing up now. They had good stuff!

Brownell's 100% cotton patches are excellent and in bulk are a fairly good value. Their's are all I've used for 40 years! Read the descriptions carefully as they have many many different flavors! Brownell's also still sells the Military patches as well. I use them and they are still great!

Thanks for the tip on Brownell's patches.

Outer's liquid Nitro-solvent is listed as back ordered on their website---not too bad a price though so I'll have to be patient.

$6-12 for two ounces on Amazon for solvent seem awfully expensive to me.

I tried making some Ed's Red but later learned that some of the ingredients are locally tweaked do to the environmental regs where I live, and the resulting "Red" doesn't seem to work as well as it should---or at least as well as Nitro Solvent.

I wonder if I'd notice any practical difference between Outer's and Hoppe's Nitro Solvents?

oneounceload · Sep 17, 2017

What becomes of regular Hoppes oil being sold in 16oz glass jars?

OKFC05 · Sep 17, 2017

oneounceload said:
What becomes of regular Hoppes oil being sold in 16oz glass jars?

Grafs and Sons will sell you all you want:
HOPPES #9 POWDER SOLVENT 16oz BOTTLE 10/CS - Graf & Sons

or even by the quart:
HOPPES #9 POWDER SOLVENT 32oz BOTTLE 10/CS - Graf & Sons

dfariswheel · Sep 17, 2017

Brownell's and Midway are prime sources of most bore solvents including Hoppe's in bottles, including in large sizes.

Brownell's sell a good number of types and sizes of patches, including square and round.
Buy in bulk bags for the best price.

I often make my own patches by going to a fabric shop or Walmart and buy a yard or so of white cotton flannel.
This can be cut up to make patches and to make your own silicon wipe-down cloths.
Just cut a 12"x12" cloth and spray it dripping wet with automotive type spray silicone.
Let it dry and store in plastic bags.
When the cloth starts to show dirt that can scratch a finish, throw it away and make a new one.

Do the spraying outside due to the fumes.
Don't use the environmentally friendly silicon spray. The propellant contains water and that will cause the cloth to mildew horribly in the bag.

chief38 · Sep 20, 2017

The old world gun solvents tend to work better at dissolving crud, Lead and shooting debris however many Company's have either discontinued the original formula and or tweaked it to follow the now more stringent health and environmental guidelines and laws. While many of yesterday's gun products worked really well, they were not good for the user.

There are still times (when acquiring a new to me - used gun) I break out the ole' bottle of Hoppes for a really thorough initial cleaning. Nothing modern seems to work as well and I've still got a good supply of original around. I try to always do this outdoors now because Mrs. Chief38 doesn't think it smells great like we all do!!

I still have some Outers products but tend not to use aerosols much anymore as I dislike the product spraying all over the place or breathing them in. It does smell good though.......

muddocktor · Sep 20, 2017

Father Joe, if $16.34 for 4 ounces (not 2) is too expensive for you from Amazon, then I can't help you out with the outers on Amazon. Free shipping too, they say.

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/Outers-Nitro-Solvent-Cleaner-4-Ounce/dp/B000LC63QM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505904113&sr=8-3&keywords=Outer%27s+Nitro+Solvent"]Amazon.com : Outers Nitro Solvent Gun Cleaner (Pump 4-Ounce) : Hunting Cleaning And Maintenance Products : Sports & Outdoors[/ame]

oneounceload · Sep 20, 2017

OKFC05 said:
Grafs and Sons will sell you all you want:
HOPPES #9 POWDER SOLVENT 16oz BOTTLE 10/CS - Graf & Sons

or even by the quart:
HOPPES #9 POWDER SOLVENT 32oz BOTTLE 10/CS - Graf & Sons

Not the solvent, the lubricating oil. Used to buy it in big bottles and refill my little squeeze bottle

chief38 · Sep 20, 2017

oneounceload said:
Not the solvent, the lubricating oil. Used to buy it in big bottles and refill my little squeeze bottle

I still have a few big bottles that I still use to do the same.

KSDeputy · Sep 20, 2017

I have 4-6 bottles of Hoppe's, the old kind. I love the smell of it too.

1955joe · Sep 21, 2017

I tried Hoppe's elite and it works great. really speeds up the cleaning

StakeOut · Sep 21, 2017

I've been using Marvel Mystery Oil for many years to clean the carbon build up on my guns after a range session.Very often I remove the grips and wet the gun with it and wipe it off 30 minutes later or immerse the whole gun in it for a few hours or a few days.

When I get the oil changed on my Mazda CX-5 I bring along a 6oz bottle and ask the service guy to fill it with the 0W-20 full synthetic oil.It's great on my revolvers....and I get it free.

chief38 · Sep 21, 2017

My feeling is if you regularly do a good cleaning job after each Range trip, just about ANY half way descent Oil or Solvent will work just fine. It's only when guns are neglected and have had hundreds and hundreds of rounds through them that they need a super duty cleaner.

What became of Outer's Nitro Solvent? A cleaning products rant

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