Ballistol as patch lube, too?

[Naphtali]

How effective is Ballistol as patch lube? I've been using SPG for pan lubing conicals. I'm tired of being beaten up to shoot a bullet five times as powerful as I need to, just because I can, I'm anticipating that Ballistol will be acceptable for this purpose. But will it significantly degrade black powder for no other reason than water leaching from the lubricant? This question came to me through the back door.

I bought a Crossman 392 pump air rifle for Laurie to practice with . . . me, too. And both Pyramid Air and owner's manual recommend Ballistol, particularly when maintaining air seals. So I've got all of this stuff. I'm trying to expand its use while reducing the hammering of a 775-grain bullet to the gentle push of 550 grains.

[Hank*in*WV]

I pre-cut and lube my patches with Ballistol. I use them damp and can shoot all day and never have to wipe. It's also easy to clean the rifle with just cold water when I'm done shooting. Been using it for 15 years or so.

[JohnnyFM]

What Hank in WV said. Great BP  patch lube and cleaner

[redheart]

Hank, what's your water to ballistol ratio? Do you use your patches wet or dry? I tried once to use it straight, but the patches would usually catch fire. 

[TDM]

I’ve had good luck using Ballistol as a lube, but I mix it heavier, close to 50/50 with water. Don’t think my heavier mix makes that much difference, it’s just what I do. I soak the patched and squeeze out the excess. Still use TOW mink oil the majority of the time.

[Hank*in*WV]

I use the same ratio as Scota, 5/1-water to Ballistol. I shoot them wet. I keep them in a Ted Cash tin.

[redheart]

Thanks Hank,
I'll try it next rendezvous. 

[Tim Ault]

I do the same as Hank also. Throw some patches in a shallow container splash in the oil/water mix to wet them so they’re damp but not dripping wet . Can shoot all afternoon without swabbing the bore  and cleans up easily when I’m done

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I use Ballistol and water around 1:10 as a patch lube.  But I pour the solution onto the patches in my Ted Cash patch box, make sure they are all saturated to the point of dripping, then pour the excess back into the bottle.  My patches are soaked but not running wet.  After I have loaded, I see the milky solution clinging to the bore of my rifle.  I never need to wipe during a day's shooting.  When I clean, the only fouling that remains in the bore is that from the last shot and that which would occupy the area in the bore where the charge rested.  I clean in a piece of pvc pipe and my water turns a grey colour...not much fouling after a full day's shooting.

[redheart]

Great advice Taylor! Thanks for takin the time!

[Daryl]

Patch-lube is the ONLY use AFAI am concerned. Taylor and a very good local friend tried it as an after cleaning and drying oil. They both received rusted rifles for this test. Mind you it was very humid both times, in the 80% arena.
Considering Balistol will mix with water, shows it will not keep water (condensation) off steel.

[AZshot]

I've also been using diluted Ballistol for patch lube here in the dry Southwest.  It's working very well. 

[redheart]

Patch-lube is the ONLY use AFAI am concerned. Taylor and a very good local friend tried it as an after cleaning and drying oil. They both received rusted rifles for this test. Mind you it was very humid both times, in the 80% arena.
Considering Balistol will mix with water, shows it will not keep water (condensation) off steel.

Thanks Daryl, What do you use to prevent rust when you store your rifle?

[Freedom]

Napa soluble oil mixed with water 5:1 does a perfect job for patch lube and cleaning. It is completely oder-free, so won't ruin your gear for all future hunting trips. And is 1/3 the cost of Ballistol.

 Ballistol stinks something awful.....but it does an excellent job at sticking! 
And ruining your leather pouches for all future hunting trips.

When mixed with BP fouling, its pretty hard on relationships too. Not too bad at rusting your barrel and other metals if trusted as oil either.

[okawbow]

Napa soluble oil mixed with water 5:1 does a perfect job for patch lube and cleaning. It is completely oder-free, so won't ruin your gear for all future hunting trips. And is 1/3 the cost of Ballistol.

 Ballistol stinks something awful.....but it does an excellent job at sticking! 
And ruining your leather pouches for all future hunting trips.

When mixed with BP fouling, its pretty hard on relationships too. Not too bad at rusting your barrel and other metals if trusted as oil either.

I like the smell of Ballistol. I use it for patch lube, mixed 1-6, and also for cleaning. I don’t use it mixed or straight for storage. I wipe the barrel after using the ballistol mix, with WD-40, then finish with Rig gun grease for storage.

[jgraham1]

It is a great patch lube.  You will like the results.

Jerry

[Hungry Horse]

 The way stores are closing, and businesses failing, I find a patch lube that wasn’t manufactured, like animal fat, or tallow. I think availability of a lot of the stuff we use to shoot may get scarce.

Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

I clean my bores with cool or cold water only. After drying them I spray WD40 down the bore, patch that out, then use that WD40'd patch to wipe the bore down. I then resemble the gun and store muzzle down to prevent fouling the ignition source.

[redheart]

Thanks Daryl,
I'll try it! 

[Mike Brooks]

We used to call water and balistol mix "moose milk" here in Iowa. We get the same result as all the others here. I have also used Balistol cut with 10% rubbing alcohol which works even better.

[Naphtali]

Many thanks, guys. I'll order a 16 ounce can with spritzer day after tomorrow.

Am I correct that percentage/amount of cutting Ballistoll is not that critical so long as it is cut X:1. So how much is X? I think what I'm asking is: how much cutting is necessary to avoid an inflamed patch leaving the barrel?

So Ballistol has an odor that some find unpleasant. In your experience how do whitetail and elk* react when they detect it?
***
I see Ballistol also makes wipes. I'm assuming these are cotton or synthetic cloth. Has any of you tried them? What I'm curious about is their durability. Were I to use them as cleaning patches, cutting them if needed.

A thought that comes up is would one of these wipes be durable enough to act as desperation/emergency patch?


*Lolo and Montana state forest where I hunt have whitetail but no mule deer. No moose. Three miles south-southwest, [small number of] moose and abundance of mule deer. Go figure.

[smylee grouch]

The thickness of one patch might be too thin, but two or more might be better than a bunch of paper towels which I had to use in desperation once.

[mountainman]

I believe the smell comes from a plant called anise, "Anise seed oil is extracted from anise seed through steam distillation" a quote from google

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Naphtali:  I think you might be overthinking all this.  It's simple.  Use a patch that is sure to seal the bore - that prevents patch ignition.  Soak the patch in a solution of Ballistol and water, squeeze out enough that the lube is not running, and load your rifle.  I wouldn't use it for hunting because of the water content...rusty bore in the powder 'chamber' area.  Use mink oil, or neatsfoot oil or tallow for hunting lube.

[Panzerschwein]

Ballostician’s oil (Ballistol) is a good product. It mixes well with water and makes a solid cleanerant.