Ballistol Effectiveness on Handgun Finish Long-Term

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Here is a story I always hesitate to post. Usually get flamed, but my suite is on. A few years ago, I developed a horrible spotted rash on my legs. Deep red circular spots that covered both legs about the size of a quarter. No pain, but looked like I had some serious infection. It was scary. I went to Doctor after Doctor. None of them could find out what it was. Over and over they kept giving me some new antibiotic. I came home one day from the last visit and yet a new prescription.At this point, I figured the drugs were worse for my body than the condition. I am a health nut, so knew the effects of too many antibiotics. I came home, pissed off. I took the new prescription and just threw it in the trash. I then took out a can of Ballistol and applied to my legs. Each night, I would put it on. Within a week they became almost discolored, the deep red was gone. Another week and they were completely gone, never had a problem again.
Lol, Every time I now go to a Doctor, I mention this. Ask them about Ballistol and tell the story. Get with the Program Doc, is usually my last words.

I am not saying Ballistol healed the condition. But it sure was a coincidence. .
 
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Mizar said:
Ballistol is a simple mineral (paraffinic) oil - plain and simple. It doesn't lubricate well and it doesn't offer good rust protection... What it's good for is carbon build up cleaning and that it's harmful, even if swallowed. If you are worried about oil stains on your clothing then try Renaissance Wax - you might be pleasantly surprised.
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Maybe I'm just a wimp but ballistol stinks to high heaven in my opinion and I have no use for it for that reason. I use synthetic oil and grease on the internals of my guns. The outside get Johnson's paste wax which I started using way back in the sixties and it has eliminated rust for me. It works so well I've never tried Renaissance wax. My clothes stay clean with this method.

Making fun of one of wife's aunts at a family reunion years ago for using WD-40 on her arthritic knees almost got me whipped by an old gray headed lady. Maybe it actually did something or perhaps she just thought it did but she let me know her feeling about it in no uncertain terms.I shut up and went for coffee.
 
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Patocazador said:
Barricade and RIG are the best rust inhibitors. Ballistol is second-rate and, besides, it smells terrible. :barf:
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Absolutely, it is just a mineral oil that the Germans introduced to the US and required some of us to use it when we buy their machines or they will void the machine warranty.

They tell us it is food grade oil.
it isn't, it was never certified in the US as H1.

Kampf from Germany is one of those companies. It is just a H2 grade mineral oil and yes, it does smell terrible and is a terrible protectant.

This is what H1 Ballistol looks like, it doesn't smell bad at all. It also doesn't protect any better than the Green and Red can does,
Ballistol H1.jpg
This is the good stuff as far as Ballistol goes. Highly refined in Europe.
Don't expect to find any in the US, it isn't legal to own in the US because the only company that is allowed to import Ballistol Products won't pay the import fees to Germany for H1 because this stuff would cost $40.00 a can if they did, and they know they wouldn't be able to sell it. They told me that themselves when I got this can. The Germans must be very proud of it.
Don't ask me where I got it. I'll only say that it was a free sample.

As far as a lubricant/protectant goes, it isn't very good.
 
tightgroup tiger said:
Absolutely, it is just a mineral oil that the Germans introduced to the US and required some of us to use it when we buy their machines or they will void the machine warranty.


As far as a lubricant/protectant goes, it isn't very good.
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I could not tell you about food machinery, but it sure has been a excellent rust preventive/lubricant for my guns for years. I guess the proof would be that I do not have any rust and all my guns run great. Even old rifle stocks are in excellent shape. It is a better lubricant than any of the products I have tried on the market. I use Ballistol Milk in my Sonic Cleaner. 90% water and 10% Ballistol.It leaves a fine VERY SLICK coating. I dunk my magazines and it cleans them great. And you sure as Heck can tell a magazine that has been treated with Ballistol. Very slick, almost slippery.
Lol, I hear the nonsense that it is just mineral oil. Ok, I tried to just use mineral oil and I would advise not to. Let me just say the results were terrible. No it is not just mineral oil in the slightest way at all.
Lately I have been using Hornady one shot cleaner in the Sonic. Seems to do about as good a job as the Ballistol for cleaning. However after I use the Hornady, I rinse all the parts and magazines in hot water and then dunk in Ballistol milk.
I especially like it for how it leave a thin coated film on the strikers and again they do not gunk up. I then spray them dry with a can of dry air.
 
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I should say, better for myself and for sure do not need anything better than than Ballistol. And I again do not want to risk having some other stuff gunk up my striker channels like some did.
I do think there might be other rust preventatives for long term use. But I wipe my guns down often.Bottom line. Use what works better for you. Ballistol has been a good friend of mine for years. I buy it by the gallon.
 
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Airman Basic said:
Ha. DMSO has been working on my horses and my family for years. Can't mess with success.
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I have been a avid runner since high School and Coach. I am very familiar with DMSO. Saw many runners that used it over the years. I once had two identical bruises on on leg. Used DMSO on one Bruise and it healed it quickly. It also did seem to sped up the healing of a injury. I remember even traveling out to a horse stable to purchase some. It seemed to act as a anti-inflammatory. I remember how I would get the garlicky taste in my mouth as soon as I used it. It worked but I just did not use more, because I was not sure it was safe.
 
Walkalong said:
You haven't tried the right ones then IMHO, or your definition of better is different than mine. Yes, I have some Ballistol.
View attachment 870284
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I am game. Tell me what is better and I will try it on one of my guns that I have two of.I will use Ballistol on one and your product on the other.

PS I did forget to mention that I use Wipe-out in Barrels. Have not seen anything to date better and I do not like to use brushes to excess on them.
 
Ballistol has worked well enough for me, but for rust prevention on external surfaces I've come to depend on good ol' carnauba car wax (NOT the ones that "clean as they shine"-- those contain abrasives).
 
Walkalong said:
I'm pretty sure I have never used a gallon of anything. :)
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Rule3 said:
I hear it is an excellent hair tonic and cures baldness!

View attachment 870333


http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

View attachment 870334
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Like I said, I use it in a sonic cleaner. Lots of guns, lots of mags. It goes faster than you think..

Lol,I love your old test. I have always wondered who the heck leaves their gun outside for 192 hrs? (8 days) No wonder some of that junk clogs up striker channels. Never heard anything about using it as a hair tonic or baldness. But then again, not something I would pay attention to anyway. Yawn
 
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Jeb Stuart said:
Ballistol has a distinct odor. …... Some people like the odor of Ballistol, some don’t
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When they say "distinct ordor" they mean it smells like a baboon took a dump in a dirty gym sock.

That said, I use it because it does work, but I sure as hell not wiping down the interior of my vehicle with it.
 
doubleh said:
Making fun of one of wife's aunts at a family reunion years ago for using WD-40 on her arthritic knees almost got me whipped by an old gray headed lady
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Made the same mistake as you did when some old fart told me that a mix of Cosmoline and black powder is great for rheumatism...

Guys, Ballistol stinks, OK. You'll just get used to it - my wife did... And she cannot stand my oriental pipe tobaccos for instance. Or maybe you won't - that way you will prove that you are not fit to become an ubermensch... It's your choice. ;)
 
I use Sonax MoS2Oil as cleaner, lubricant and protector. Works great for me. I found it to be superior to the Ballistol in my experience. It works pretty similar to the Ballistol as a protector but in my opinion is better as a cleaner and lubricant. The Sonax also doesn't smell like grass...
 
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Jeb Stuart said:
Here is a story I always hesitate to post. Usually get flamed, but my suite is on. A few years ago, I developed a horrible spotted rash on my legs. Deep red circular spots that covered both legs about the size of a quarter. No pain, but looked like I had some serious infection. It was scary. I went to Doctor after Doctor. None of them could find out what it was. Over and over they kept giving me some new antibiotic. I came home one day from the last visit and yet a new prescription.At this point, I figured the drugs were worse for my body than the condition. I am a health nut, so knew the effects of too many antibiotics. I came home, pissed off. I took the new prescription and just threw it in the trash. I then took out a can of Ballistol and applied to my legs. Each night, I would put it on. Within a week they became almost discolored, the deep red was gone. Another week and they were completely gone, never had a problem again.
Lol, Every time I now go to a Doctor, I mention this. Ask them about Ballistol and tell the story. Get with the Program Doc, is usually my last words.

I am not saying Ballistol healed the condition. But it sure was a coincidence. .
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Considering that it's made of mineral oil, isobutyl alcohol, and oleic acid, it might have cured it. But all you were really doing was spraying the rash down with alcohol and moisturizing the underlying skin.
 
Outlaw75 said:
Considering that it's made of mineral oil, isobutyl alcohol, and oleic acid, it might have cured it. But all you were really doing was spraying the rash down with alcohol and moisturizing the underlying skin.
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Hardly, I had tried dozens of skin lotions. Prescription, Over the Counter etc. As far as smell, it evaporates fairly quickly. Personally I do not like the smell of any gun solvents, lubricates and especially WD 40 which is horrible.
If people want to believe it is just Mineral oil, then just use mineral oil. Sorry, not me.
 
A quote from www.ballistol-shop.de - "Ballistol universal oil acts disinfectant and is also suitable for body care". We, the people from the Old Continent, believe in it. We praise it. We know it intimately. https://www.ballistol-shop.de/Body-Care/Ballistol-Universal-Oil_B_S_40_221.html

More wisdom from the same source: "Around the turn of the 20th century the imperial army was in need of a universal oil, which was not only suitable for maintaining the metal parts of guns but also for the upkeep and preservation of wooden stocks and leather gear. Simultaneously, it had to serve the soldiers as a wound oil for minor injuries, lacerations and bruises."

It does smell like a cheap condom though...
 
The reason I took this picture was really for myself after it came out of a sonic cleaner with Ballistol milk. It was one of the first times I used the sonic cleaner. I have some expensive stuff I had also bought, but wanted to try Ballistol first after a friend suggested it. The gun was dirty and caked residue. I was impressed. And again, I have a whole lot of magazines that I use weekly, So nice to just put them in the Sonic Cleaner and just blow dry out. The bottom line for me is the fact that it was proven itself to work well. Below is Ballistol Milk, put a gun into it or a few magazine and the cleaned broken down residue comes to the top. The bottom stays clear.
I recently finished putting 10,000 rds through one of my guns. I broke it down, took out the chassis and in between the chassis and the grip was filthy. The trigger group and springs pretty dirty. The sonic cleaner and the ballistol had them looking brand new with all the springs and parts coated with a very fine layer of lubricant.
If you prefer something else, that is fine. But I will continue to use what works great for me. And again, all my guns great. And in the end that is what it is all about for me. (not to mention NO rust) and even my hunting shotguns look great and they are always in a harsh humid climate.

54WjIM4.jpg uUCb7J1.jpg
 
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