Cleaning Question-Ballistol

[Shenandoah]

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Anyone use Ballistol to clean/lubricate/protect their Spencer?

I recently began working with an individual from Austria. He swears by this stuff for his firearms. We recently tried it on an AR bolt full of carbon. After soaking for about 20 minutes, the carbon wiped off. If you're not familiar with the AR bolts, it is a direct gas impingement system and gasses carbonize on the bolt. The carbon has to be scraped off. 

I was impressed by the stuff and we are going to experiment with it at work.

I was wondering how well this would work in my Spencer.

[Preston County Rider]

FWIW - I've been using Ballistol for years with my Cowboy action guns and antique Sharps and Winchester High-Wall - all BP shooters. I use it more as a lube than a cleaner but it works well as either. I always take a small container to the range for spot cleaning as needed - bottom line - I swear by this stuff! (Again - I only shoot BP - I really haven't used it with my only non-BP firearm - a Mauser Bolo - so I can't comment on its smokeless capabilities - anyway, this smokeless-thing is just a fad!)
PCR

[Count Sandor]

I do not own a Spencer...however, I can say that after years of experimentation, I now have no other cleaners or lubes in the gun room, which is dedicated to BP and subs. My son also uses Ballistol extensively on his smokeless weapons, don't see why it wouldn't work on AR's or Spencers. It also seems to work very well, for me at least, as a disinfectant on small cuts, and for anything else that is claimed on the can. Be aware that some folks, especially it seems those of the female persuasion, find the aroma of Ballistol to be objectionable, and are likely to let you know about it.

Count Sandor

[wormey]

I agree with the others!  Nothing better.....as a cleaner and/or lubricant.  Only objection is the smell.  Smells like a well used jock strap.  At some point the smell doesn`t bother me, but I assure you that is not the case for others....wife, daughter, etc.  Sometimes I wonder what others think.........but more importantly, it does the job and more.  Good for leather, wood, the skin, the list is endless. 

[Shenandoah]

Who lets the wimmen folk in the man room?   

[Count Sandor]

If you clean and lube two SAA's, one lever gun, and one SXS with Ballistol, it isn't necessary for the "wimmen folk" to enter the room...they WILL pick up the scent from just about anywhere in the house...trust us on this!

CS

[Shenandoah]

Count:

You confuse me. The house is the man room. The wimmen folk are in the red lighted house down the road.

You mean the smell goes that far away?   

[Shenandoah]

As an update, I used it to clean a sharps carbine. I invited my wife downstairs to get an opinion on the smell. She had no issues with it, she thought it smelled "kinda sweet". It didn't bother me at all.

It worked well, I learned something new.

I also took my duty AR15 to the range last week and shot about 100 rounds. I cleaned it with Ballistol and it performed much, much better than the CLP we had been using. After our spring range, we're going to have 10-15 officers use it for cleaning their rifles and get more input. We want to get rid of the CLP altogether and this may work for us. Might even use it on the Glocks.

I realize this talk about modern semi's is blasphemy here, but it is interesting something so old can work on modern weapons as well as our "Civil War" era weapons.

[Cal Fornia]

I agree with the others!  Nothing better.....as a cleaner and/or lubricant.  Only objection is the smell.  Smells like a well used jock strap.  At some point the smell doesn`t bother me, but I assure you that is not the case for others....wife, daughter, etc.  Sometimes I wonder what others think.........but more importantly, it does the job and more.  Good for leather, wood, the skin, the list is endless. 

I always thought it smelled like crushed insects... perhaps grasshoppers?   

[rbertalotto]

A couple weeks ago I bought a starter kit of Ballistol. It included a can of concentrate, a can of spray, a needle oiler, a spray bottle and a bunch of instructions.

My 1892 Rossi, 1873 Uberti and two NM Vaquero Rugers have not been cleaned all summer.

I'm shooting Lyman #2 lead with LEE tumble ALOX lube. CAS velocities.

I took all four guns and gave them a good spray of the Balistol. Inside the action and in the barrels. I let them sit for 15 minutes.

Using compressed air I blew out the interior of the guns onto a white towel. I did not bother taking them apart although I did remove the cylinders from the revolvers and gave them a good Ballistol scubbing with rag and bronze bore brush.

 Lots of black oil was seen on the towel.

A bronze brush was scrubbed ten times in the bores followed by two cloth patches. The first patch came out black as coal. The second a dark grey and the third was nearly clean!

The bores looked great! And the actions are smooth as silk.

A quick wipe down and I called it done.

This Ballistol is my new cleaning, lubing agent until something better comes along. Amazing stuff!

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I love Balistol.  I use it to clean EVERY gun I own.  MY AR15, I do lube with CLP. but my two 9mms 870, and M1 Carbine I just lube with balistol.  I used it on all of my CAS guns whether BP cartridge or smokeless.  It is good for cuts and scrapes on your skin (Germans used it in WW I for topical antibiotic like iodine) and great for leather and wood, too.

[Jack Wagon]

Besides cleaning your Spencer, Ballistol is great for cleaning air guns. Ballistol will not damage the seals like some petro based bore cleaners and gun oil.  JW