To Ballistol owners...

[hokiefyd]

I should have said, "To Ballistol users..."

This stuff is reputed to "soak in" to the metal pores and create a slick Teflon-type finish to the barrel and slide rails. I imagine that this would take repeated applications. How many times would one need to service the parts with Ballistol to begin to see a lasting and durable coating of "slick" on the parts?

 

[Erich]

Um. I'd take that with a grain of salt. I like Ballistol for some things, but the idea of hoping that it will "season" my gun's sliding parts like lard on a cast iron skillet and result in the best solution to my semiauto lubrication problems is a bit much - why not just use grease? RIG, M-Pro 7 (my choice), Mil-Comm, Tetra, hardware store white lithium grease . . . they all work.

Sure, it will eventually build up to slick up "pores" in metal - it's why I like it in my front-stuffer bores (and I apply it when the guns are hot to get it in there). But, well, don't get me wrong - I love Ballistol for protection of my black powder bores and the blade of any pocket knife that might wind up cutting food - but it's not where I'd go for semiauto lube.

 

[Arlo39]

Ballistol is all I use on my Semi-auto pistols. I have had no problems with it. I think it took several applications to start getting a slicker feeling. I don't think it will ever be slick enough to not apply it after cleaning.

 

[shocker]

I never counted cleaning cycles but eventually I noted all my guns became resistant to bore fouling by lead or jacketed bullets. That includes high intensity loads in centerfire rifles, MAGNUM handgun loads with cast bullets, bulk rimfire, soviet surplus.
A well known maker of marine engines uses ballistol as a CNC machining lubricant. So it's not mystery oil by any means.

 

[45tex]

Three words to lube a carry gun.
Remington Dry Lube.

 

[hokiefyd]

Thanks guys. Let me apologize for not being clear: I'm not expecting to get to the point where Ballistol forms some sort of magical nano shield on my Shield (ha), but from what I've read about it, I expect the parts to start feeling slicker after it's buffed from the initial cleaning. It sounds like it will tend to do that with repeated use, at least to some degree. I'll keep at it and see if I see a change over time.

 

[ditto1958]

In my experience, it works really well. Makes my guns look nice, and they run reliably.

Hickok45 uses it on his guns. Watch a few of his YouTube videos. His guns all look really nice, and he has very few stoppages with any of the guns he shoots.

Are there other products just as good, or better than Ballistol? Could be. I've got no complaints about Ballistol, though, and highly recommend it.

 

[NCavi8tor]

Its mineral oil. No thanks. Good luck!

NC

 

[Pisgah]

It's pharmaceutical-grade mineral oil, oleic acid (most commonly encountered as olive oil), and scent. Good stuff that's been around a long time, but no more a "miracle oil" than any of the more modern "wonder-slickums" on the market. Gun oils are probably the biggest marketing scams ever invented.

 

[MJFlores]

I love Ballistol and it's all I use on my guns. They clean easier and faster, and remain slick. I'll never use anything else. When cleaning guns, I get the solvent all over my fingers...with Ballistol there's never any wonder about long term health issues. I just like it!

 

[Jiman]

Not sure if you've seen this article, but I thought it was a good read. It's not about Ballistol per se, but weapons lube in general.

GrantCunningham.com - Library

 

[Rpg]

I use the stuff on everything from Damascus Parkers to Colt 1911's and S&W M 38.

No complaints.

The firearms will last longer than I will.

Good stuff.

 

[Gunz50]

New is not synonymous with better, Ballistol has been around for about 100 years or so, many people who have not used it poo-poo it, some just because it has been around so long, others because they don't like the smell.
Used properly it is just as effective , if not more so, then most other products that are the newest, best thing since sliced bread.

Easier cleaning, less fouling,smoother cycling,very good anti rust protection,very good for long term storage , and so on and so forth.

There are other very good products out there, but not any that I know of that have been around for so long that do such a complete job when performing firearms maintenance.

As my Dad used to say.."try it, you'll like it" if not just send it to me , I think it is better then sliced bread, bread just gums up my guns!!

 

[Rule3]

I should have said, "To Ballistol users..."

This stuff is reputed to "soak in" to the metal pores and create a slick Teflon-type finish to the barrel and slide rails.

I do not recall reading that anywhere. Were did you see this??

As mentioned it is Mineral oil

Home » Ballistol

 

[Chipmunk6]

It also works great on cuts.
Chipmunk6

 

[Jessie]

Three words to lube a carry gun.
Remington Dry Lube.

Blasphemy! I use S&W dry lube myself.

 

[dmar]

Thanks guys. Let me apologize for not being clear: I'm not expecting to get to the point where Ballistol forms some sort of magical nano shield on my Shield (ha), but from what I've read about it, I expect the parts to start feeling slicker after it's buffed from the initial cleaning. It sounds like it will tend to do that with repeated use, at least to some degree. I'll keep at it and see if I see a change over time.

That has not been my experience with Ballistol, and I've been using it for years. As others have noted, there are better choices. I do like the stuff, and use it primarily for wiping down the exterior of my guns. It does a good job with powder residue and tends not to streak like regular gun oil, so they look better after they've been wiped down.

It also seems to protect OK, as I have not had rust issues. That being said, I don't use it for any of my guns that will be stored for long periods of time; I don't trust it for that application. I like that it's non-toxic, and use it for wiping down guns that are "in rotation" (range guns and carry guns that get used a bunch).

I do not use Ballistol as a lubricant, there are much better oils/grease for that purpose. I also do not use it for a bore cleaner, as there are much better solvents for bore cleaning...

 

[GKC]

A couple of years ago, after hearing all the praise for Ballistol (and especially from Hickok45) I ordered some. I am one of the few that thinks it stinks to high heaven! It works great, but I just can't go the smell. To me, it smells like old sweat socks...like a musty gym, maybe.

I had a door from the kitchen to the patio that I could barely turn the knob...it was so stiff. I had tried shooting some WD40 in it, and it didn't help. I was just going to buy a new door knob/lock mechanism, and I thought I'd give it a shot of Ballistol just to see. Well, it immediately became super easy to turn, and it still is a couple of years later.

Too bad the stuff stinks so bad (IMO) because it does work very well.

 

[Dezfan]

I shoot a lot of corrosive mil surp ammo in my AK74.

I never leave for the range without a spray bottle full of 50% warm water and 50% Ballistol.

The water dissolves the left over salts and the Ballistol leaves a fine film of lubrication on the surfaces it's applied to.

This prevents rust from forming until I can give my AK a thorough cleaning.

 

[jaymoore]

... I am one of the few that thinks it stinks to high heaven! It works great, but I just can't go the smell....

Took me quite a while to tolerate it, but now it bothers me not. I also use it mostly for things that utilize black powder and/or corrosive primers, but on those firearms it is the GP lube, bore solvent, & corrosion protection fluid.