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Posted: 4/13/2005 5:26:57 PM EDT
| Rank noobie here (again); Had an old local gent here recommend Ballistol as an all-purpose CLP for everything: lead solvent, copper solvent, carbon cleaner, lube, and especially as a protectorant. Have fired only 120 rds. (60 pca Spectrum Polymer and 60 XM-193LC) through my new ArmaLite M-15 A2 20" plain Jane. All fired w/o a hitch (ran out of range time or would've fired 200 more.) Lubed it up with Ballistol after thorough de-greasing field-strip w/KG-3 solvent before firing. Action was still real slick after firing, and two slightly green-colored patches down the bore, both with a lot of carbon as well, and two more patches down bore also slicked down with Ballistol, then two more clean patches seemed to clean the bore shiny. Also used the stuff liberally (hate to use that term) on the dissasembled bolt carrier. Whole bunch of black stuff (also around chamber) cleaned up great. I know Ballistol was developed in the early 1900's by the German Army, and I have on hand Break- Free and Militec, but have been shy to use them after some of the stuff I've read here over the last 10 months. I'm especially concerned about salt errosion, as we are here 150 yards from the beach in SE FLA. Thanx-Bugler |
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Here is a early morning ramble for you. I like the Ballistol alot and have praised it for many a year.Its darn good stuff but its overall performance as a lube and protectant is limited compared to Break Free CLP IMHO.I love it for my bolt guns,mil-surps and my black powder guns and use it often particularly on those that see black powder or corrosive surplus ammo.Its a mild alkaline so it neutralizes and cleans corrosive ammo and powder extremely well.This also gives the Ballistol an edge as its a mild copper solvent which is about on par with Hoppe's #9 in that regard IMHO.It contains a vegital oil which acts as an oxygen binder(inhibitor) and isobutyl alcohol as a solvent which is effective. For a corrosive ammo solvent mix the Ballistol with water at the ratios recommended.I like to use about 10% Ballistol for that mix.Stuff works great.The ph on the Ballistol water mix is about 8-9.5 or so from what Ive been told.The oil in the mix helps prevent corrosion also as it remains on the metal after the water evaporates. The Ballistol is a bit more complex than it seems and is a bit more than what I have mentioned technically.Its not a snake oil and is a well tested old time military material.Particularly liked in Europe. The Ballistol flashes off very fast in the AR from I have seen.It works fine though just not as long lasting as I would like.Once the Ballistol has remained on the metal for a short time the alcohol evaporates...the oil thickens slightly to what looks and feels like a very thin vaseline.So it needs to cure for a bit to work to its potential in my experience.Very slick and it does not wash off with water once the alcohol is gone. But the mineral base oils(made from coal I believe) used in Ballistol are just not up to what the synthetics have to offer temperature wise. As a protectant its verygood but not up to what Break Free's formulated inhibitors have to offer,which are apparently very active and effective. Of the three products you mentioned I think the Break Free CLP is the top pick for you to use. I would avoid the Militec altogether.I do not like the stuff at all and have been very disappointed in its overall performance,particularly as a protectant.As a lube I do not see Militec as all that and a bag of chips either. |
| Thank you for the input. I will see how Ballistol continues to perform, and will judge accordingly with your kind advice taken well into accord. The only hang-up I have with Break-Free is that from some of the posts I've seen here that it does not have the gumption, for want of a better word, to stick to the critical surfaces; that in effect it runs off and away from where you want it. After albeit only 120 rds. everything was still super-slick and no jam-o-matics after a thorough Ballistol application. However, Mr. Blankenwaffe's experience has been that at higher temperature (more rounds fired and therefore hotter) the Ballistol cooks off. I did not find that after a mere 120 rds., but I wonder if he is not correct when firing has been long and hot. Ballstol having been invented by German Army suggestion to their chemical industry around 1905, I wonder, did the German Army in both wars use Ballistol as a CLP on it's true machine guns (Maxims), MG42s and subs, in all of the climates they fought in? And, once again, being very close to the Atlantic, am concerned about salt corrosion inhibatives. Thanks for any comments- Bugler |
| I've used Ballistol exclusively on all my firearms for a few years now because I've developed sensitivity (skin allergy) to several gun oils, including CLP. Ballistol seems like a decent lube and an excellent protectant, and since it's based on medical grade mineral oil there's no skin sensitivity issues for me. My 2 cents... |
Yeah dont get me wrong,I like and use the Ballistol,and alot of it too.Its a excellent product but I do not think its up to the level the newer synthetics are or the modern inhibitors used to prevent corrosion. That said Ive never had any corrosion using Ballistol and that includes my civil war re-enacting which puts the muskets in the field for days at a time with all kinds of funky weather(plus the musket sleeps under the blanket on the ground with me)with little attention other than a cup of hot water down the bore and a patch of Ballistol...wipe the outside down for the day. From what Ive been told from Klever -Ballistol in Germany,the German military used it from WWI-WWII on just about everything from the leather to the bore of all weapons.They also sent me some information on its use in the G3.In fact HK was the importer of the Ballistol a few years ago before Ballistol U.S.A. was established. As I mentioned before,if you let the alcohol evaporate off the Ballistol thickens to a thin vaseline looking lube(sorta film looking),which is very slick and long lasting...when heated it thins back to the thin oil.Even the heat of your finger will put it back to liquid form. So if you allow the Ballistol to cure,so to speak,for an half hour or so then it does not flash off nearly as fast,which is a given considering the alcohol. So I guess the golden rule comes into play here.If it works for you then thats what you need to use. I for sure do not have any problems using Ballistol.I tend to use it of the bolt guns and black powder guns...but I would use it on the AR without a second thought if I had too. Ballistol is all I use around the house too and is also the reason I buy the gallon containers. As for the skin issue,I agree totally.The Break Free gives my skin fits,particularly the aerosol version.Ballistol does not. post script As I mentioned before the ballistol has an edge as a corrosive ammo solvent and as a mild copper solvent which gives it a rather large advantage over modern clp's in that regard. |
I have also read that the German military also used a light grease on the weapons as needed.The document I read covered the Luger. Klever Ballistol still makes the stuff.Its called Scheibe Vaseline-Waffenfett. |
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