gun care products

[Agsalaska]

I almost exclusively use Ballistol. I use it for everything including the barrels. I have used it on everything from 100+ year old rifles and revolvers that are in long term storage to guns a shot at the range this last weekend. I am not sure how a product could be better.

I do use Hoppes 9 on barrels occasionally, especially if I just bought the gun used and don't know the cleaning habits of the prior owner. And I also occasionally use it because it smells good and Ballistol stinks.

I use Ballistol on everything from guns to ceiling fans to fishing reels.

 

[fastbolt]

Read the online product info and decide for yourself.

Personally, the longer I served as an agency armorer, the more I came to appreciate products that weren't toxic or had disagreeable smells, especially if I also used them at my own bench at home.

FWIW, since some of the various products I've acquired and used over the years may have to last for years, I no longer like to use products which aren't recommended to be stored in plastic bottles for the long term.

 

[LiveLife]

I am not sure how a product could be better

You kinda answered your own question

Ballistol stinks.

Hoppes 9 ... smells good

Yes, for me and many others.

longer I served as an agency armorer, the more I came to appreciate products that weren't toxic or had disagreeable smells

Same here and why I switched to Simple Green and Hoppes #9 several decades ago and kept on using them.

 

[JerkyFreak]

Once they removed the carcinogenic chemicals, the "new" Hoppes just doesn't work as well as Ballistol for anything except the smell.

Ballistol is not an excellent high-performance lubricant, but it works just as well on normal firearms as anything else. All the choices above works equally well on normal firemarms.

If you store your rifle outside in the rain and sea spray Ballistol is not for you. If you are a normal gun owner that stores their equipment in a dry place and wipes it down after it gets wet, Balistol falls in the suitable category.

What makes Ballistol better than any of the above-mentioned products is that it doesn't damage stock finishes on any rifle that I know of. It is relatively non-toxic and skin safe. Can be used as a medication and antiseptic. As a bonus it is one of the cheaper products around.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

Cleanzoil is excellent for restoring/protecting wood, I also use it as a final coat on all blued surfaces. Ballistol is what I use on stainless surfaces.

For actual lubricant, usually M-Pro 7, Slip 2000 or Cleanzoil

 

[Buzznrose]

so this is what my local store has in stock , trying to get out of the habit of ordering online and supporting local business more
from the ones I put in the poll is their a preferred ?
maintenance and short term storage of 4 to 6 months "the safe queens I take out the safe wipe off and back in the safe"

thanks in advance for any opinions

If you have an O’Riellys Auto store locally, they carry Lucas CLP. My fav

 

[tws3b2]

For short term storage I been using wd40 for many years. Heck, I use it on all my guns when not in storage.

 

[PzGren]

I have a big drawer full of firearm care products but mostly use Ballistol in the good old fashioned 50 ml glass bottles for preservation, motor oil is often used as a lubricant and Ed's Red and compressed air for cleaning. FWIW I am using Ballistol in the 50ml bottles for over 50 years and have used several 500 ml refill bottles over the years.

 

[Ethan Verity]

I use Ballistol exclusively on my black powder guns, with good results. I have a 1/4 mix of Ballistol to water, which I clean with, followed up with pure Ballistol to protect and lube.

 

[.45Coltguy]

I have a big drawer full of firearm care products but mostly use Ballistol in the good old fashioned 50 ml glass bottles for preservation, motor oil is often used as a lubricant and Ed's Red and compressed air for cleaning. FWIW I am using Ballistol in the 50ml bottles for over 50 years and have used several 500 ml refill bottles over the years.

Glad to hear about "motor oil". I do, on occasion, use Mobil One; usually on my semi-auto shotgun and 1911-A1
Side note: A 50-50 mix of Hoppe's #9/Kroil make a good bore cleaner, especially for wad residue in shotgun bores and chokes.

 

[doubleh]

None of my choices are listed so couldn't vote. I did try ballistol many years ago. That stuff smells so bad it would gag a maggot and after one use it went into the dumpster.

 

[herrwalther]

G96. Works great whether cleaning a gun or a knife.Did several of both last night and used the same can for the whole process.

 

[wayneinFL]

Last time I bought Ballistol, it was $20 a bottle.
I've used other mineral oil products like power steering fluid, or transmission fluid.

I keep a little BreakFree for quick cleaning at the range or overnight on a trip.

But I usually use the same 5W-20 that I put in my car. If it's something that's going to be exposed to salt water, I use a thin coat of grease. Usually Superlube.

 

[obiwan1]

I've tried the products listed above. They all work fine for my purposes. I have a large bottle of Weapon Shield that will last me many years. I also have and use Hornady One Shot dry lube on my carry guns. Cleans well and lubes well and doesn't drip since it's dry. I have many samples of other products so I'm good for a long time without the need to buy.

 

[JO JO]

I have a large bottle of Weapon Shield

Yes good stuff but they are out of business now, I am surprised that slip 2000 and clenzoil is so low on the poll

 

[Alaskamike]

The best thing is that everything out there works to some significant degree.

I clean so many guns that I resorted to Ed's Red for a solvent, and a 50/50 mix of 5w-40 synthetic motor oil and synthetic ATF for a lube, with a little anhydrous lanolin added.

I do use Ballistol on occasion as a wipe down on some antiques and family heirlooms when I want to make sure there's zero chance of damaging a specific finish or a leather sling. Yep, it smells like nasty sweat socks.

 

[WVRJ]

I use Breakfree CLP for lubrication and also as a rust preventative.My formula for a wipe down is a microfiber towel sprayed with WD-40 and stored in a Ziploc bag.It puts a thin amount of rust preventative/cleaner that is just right.The towel stays clean and holds the WD when stored in a relatively air tight. bag.I leave one on each safe so I always have it where I need it.

 

[JerkyFreak]

WD40 is not a great rust preventative. The oil tends to evaporate in a relatively short space of time. Regular applications are required.

 

[IWAC]

I've tried the products listed above. They all work fine for my purposes. I have a large bottle of Weapon Shield that will last me many years. I also have and use Hornady One Shot dry lube on my carry guns. Cleans well and lubes well and doesn't drip since it's dry. I have many samples of other products so I'm good for a long time without the need to buy.

I'm glad to see someone else actually uses my favorite cleaning lubrication potion...Hornady One-Shot. I find the cleaner/dry lube very good for all of my guns. That said, Break Free CLP kept my guns in good shape for about two years of no maintenance when they were stored in my Brother-in-Law's basement when they were removed from our home due to a suicide attempt by our teenage son. BTW, he's 45 now, and came over to repair our sprinkler system today. He is a good man!
That said, I have recently decided to use some of the half-dozen potions I have in the reloading room "just to see". If they all do as well as their marketing departments claim, I shouldn't have to buy anything else till about 2037! I decided to try one of them...Wipe-Out/Patch Out to clean all my rimfires and see if the dreaded "Carbon Ring" was present. My ancient 77-22 has been shot and cleaned after shoooting since I bought it (1983) with no particular attention given to the "Ring". My Ruger MK II pistol; the same since I got it about 10 years later. After a frustrating attempt at field stripping/cleaning, a gunsmith taking my bag of parts, and restoring it to workableness in about 1 minute flat, since then, it was: take the grips off, hose it out with Gun Scrubber Synthetic, which doesn't seem to be produced any more, (DRAT!) Patchworm the bore with whatever cleaner I had handy...maybe Break-free CLP, and done! Not a trace of carbon in it either. None of the others were afflicted. My take-away? It was decades that I shot and cleaned my oldest .22s before I even heard of RFC, and years after that before the carbon ring became the hot topic of discussion. "The Ring" is real, but, with reasonable cleaning, no borescopes, with more or less standard efforts and cleaners, Joe average shooter...that's me, and a lot of us, I think; even with big bore rifles, there's not a lot to worry about! Your Mileage (and opinion) May Vary!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I can't vote. IMO there should be an "Other" choice.
I'm a very big fan of G96 products. They have everything you would need at a fair price and they work well. (G96 products smell good too lol)

 

[Ks5shooter]

Hppes #9

 

[bdickens]

I can't tell if this or carry ammo is the most overthought subject in the firearms world.

 

[James K2020]

Watched a video by an S&W factory trained gunsmith and he pretty much used regular mineral spirits to clean and mineral oil to protect and he was adamant about removing ALL oil with a dry cloth when done. No shiny spots.

 

[JTQ]

Watched a video by an S&W factory trained gunsmith and he pretty much used regular mineral spirits to clean and mineral oil to protect and he was adamant about removing ALL oil with a dry cloth when done. No shiny spots.

I'm pretty sure I know who you're talking about. I've watched a few of his videos in the past, and found that he marches to his own drummer. His techniques and procedures may work, but pretty much nobody else in the gun industry follows his recommendations. I generally avoid his videos these days.

 

[lincen]

I probably have at least a dozen different oils and at least 4 systems of solvent, cleaner (clp) and oil. To me, good cleaning and lightly applied oil of any make will suffice. That said, I probably use BreakFree the most since I have it in spray, squeeze bottle, and needle oiler. Really like to use the needle oilers.