Ballistol? good and bad lube?

Don~Z~ · Oct 14, 2016

So most of us who go onto YouTube have probably run across a guy named Hickock45. He seems very knowledgeable and has years of experience. He uses Ballistol and it seems like a good cleaner/lube? I bought a standard cleaning kit from the local gun shop and it comes with lube and cleaner, two separate bottles. Any thoughts from long term gun enthusiasts would be appreciated.

ricklee4570 · Oct 14, 2016

I have used Ballistol for a number of years. I find it is a great rust preventative and it seems to lube pretty good. I do not use it as a cleaner. It has been around forever and seems to always get good reviews.

Shield9mm · Oct 14, 2016

Never tried but read good reviews about it. I use CLP most of the times, and hope's 9 once in a while.

kraynky · Oct 14, 2016

Been wanting to try it for close to a year, but can't ever find any in my travels. Strange. I know it's available online, but I'm too cheap to pay double the price (shipping) to try it out. If I ever run across a can of it, I'll let you know.

shocker · Oct 14, 2016

I think of Ballistol as sort of the German WD-40, it's good for everything, and it's non-toxic. It's not an aggressive cleaner in my experience so a heavily copper fouled barrel might need Hoppes 9 or equivalent.
I know Mercury Marine uses Ballistol-water emulsion as a cutting fluid in their machine shops. Ballistol mixed with water is also good for cleaning after shooting corrosive primed ammo or blackpowder.

cowboy4evr · Oct 14, 2016

A friend of mine who loves sailing went off the coast of florida to move a sailboat for a friend to the gulf region . He took his semi auto and a few magazines , loaded . Everything that he sprayed with ballistol endured the salty air just fine . He forgot to spray one of his magazines and it rusted really bad .
If you're just cleaning powder residue , inside or out it seems to work just fine . I have used it for some time now and will continue to buy it .
I get mine @ gun shows . Always a few people there selling cleaning supplies . " Safari Charlie " is my all time favorite but again , can only find it at gun shows so I always stock up when I find it .

Lee in Quartzsite · Oct 14, 2016

I bought a small spray can to try because of all the positive reviews about it. Seems to work fine just like any CLP product. My only complaint is the odor. It's pretty strong, not really offensive, but not like perfume either. My wife came in the room where I was cleaning guns and said "What's that awful smell?", so she didn't like it.

I have been using Hoppes 9 since the Stone Age and she doesn't mind that nearly as much as Ballistol. Maybe we'll both get used to it

Mister X · Oct 14, 2016

My wife won't allow it in the house due to the smell.

It's touted by many as being "non-toxic", but having looked over the SDS/MSDS information before or even just the label itself, it sure doesn't fit the description to me. If that is a big selling point to you, I'd pick something else.

I like Hickok45. He is a good guy and entertaining personality, but I wouldn't base my decision on anything just because he endorses it.

Arc Angel · Oct 14, 2016

As a cleaner, Ballistol is slower and less aggressive than Break-Free CLP, but a whole lot faster and more aggressive than FrogLube. What I don't like about Ballistol (I'm looking at a 16 oz can as I type this!) is that after 3 or 4 months it can start to get tacky and turn acidic; consequently, I don't use Ballistol on any of my long term, 'safe-queens'. Why? Because I learned the hard way!

N4KVE · Oct 14, 2016

I NEVER use a "one bottle does it all" product. It will always be a compromise. No matter what products I use, it's usually Hoppe's #9 cleaner, & whatever lube I have laying around. But I always use a separate cleaner, & lube. GARY

Don~Z~ · Oct 14, 2016

Thank you all, I picked up a small can of it to try out, and I'm gonna try the hoppes #9 also... I'm sure I'll try many of different kinds of cleaners and lubes before I settle on one...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Targets Guy · Oct 14, 2016

I am a big ballistol fan. It works great on guns, leather, wood, vinyl. I get it from Amazon with free shipping. I use pretty much Hoppes 9 and ballistol on my firearms. No problems yet.

gwpercle · Oct 14, 2016

If smell is important....be sure and sniff a product called Clenzoil before you buy it . Been around forever, supposed to be great on metal , wood , leather , the ultimate cleaner, lube , protectant, blah, blah , blah... you've heard all the claims....and it might just be all that. BUT....the stuff just stinks ! It has a peculiar order that I just can't get over, I bought a big bottle and would love to use it...the funky smell is off putting.
So smell before you spend.
Gary

Mals9 · Oct 14, 2016

Ballistol smells like industrial liquorice to me. I have used it for several years and it works well for after range cleaning.

Mals

tacticalcanuck · Oct 14, 2016

I hav never seen a can on the shelf. What I do find is G96. Its the same kinda thing does it alll. And it smells damn fine too.

Pretty sure its not safe to inhale though.

TAC · Oct 14, 2016

tacticalcanuck said:
I hav never seen a can on the shelf. What I do find is G96. Its the same kinda thing does it alll. And it smells damn fine too.

Pretty sure its not safe to inhale though.

Actually G96 has no harmful vapors. Perfectly safe to use indoors, no need for ventilation of any kind. My favorite. I've been using it for over 50 years!

cowboy4evr · Oct 14, 2016

Think I'll mix up a gal of " Eds Red " . Hear good things about it, easy to make , cheap & it works ( supposedly) . Ed Harris came up with it years ago .

wnderr · Oct 14, 2016

Another happy G-96 user, because it just plain works! Been using it for years!

GKC · Oct 14, 2016

I bought a spray can of Ballistol several years ago, partly because of Hickok45's recommendation. It worked really well, but I just couldn't stand the smell...it smelt like my brother-in-law (he was a Marine, and he seldom bathes) on a hot day. I could clean my gun with it, and smell the odor in the air for hours after I put my gun away.

It does work very well...we had a door that the knob was getting very difficult to turn. I tried spraying WD40 and silicone spray inside the lock work, and they didn't help. I was just going to buy a new knob, and then I tried spraying some Ballistol in it, just to see...it turned like silk, and several years later it's still working like a charm.

I just wish the stuff smelt better!

Huskerhunter · Oct 14, 2016

GKC said:
I bought a spray can of Ballistol several years ago, partly because of Hickok45's recommendation. It worked really well, but I just couldn't stand the smell...it smelt like my brother-in-law (he was a Marine, and he seldom bathes) on a hot day. I could clean my gun with it, and smell the odor in the air for hours after I put my gun away.

It does work very well...we had a door that the knob was getting very difficult to turn. I tried spraying WD40 and silicone spray inside the lock work, and they didn't help. I was just going to buy a new knob, and then I tried spraying some Ballistol in it, just to see...it turned like silk, and several years later it's still working like a charm.

I just wish the stuff smelt better!

Smells like well used athletic socks to me. But I like how it performs!

Ballistol? good and bad lube?

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