Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Ed's Red

It is some wicked stuff. I mixed up 3 gallons today. ATF, Kerosene, and Mineral Spirits. I've had a Win Model 100 post-'64 .308 for several months and I've avoided fixing it up because it was dirty as all getout. I soaked the action end in Ed's Red for about 6 hours today and then wiped it down and blew it out with a compressor. It's clean as a whistle now. I have a NOS Weaver side swing mount and NOS rings and a period Leupold 3X that I'll mount and see if it shoots. Should be fun!

Fun!

Yes, ol Ed's Red is terrific. I use it mostly just as you did - to rehab old stuff. Also triggers, lever/pump/semi bolts that don't want to disassemble today, thin lube for semi-auto's that live outside (garage, etc).

I only make two mason jars at a time. Just curious, how are you storing 3 gallons handily? Thanks.

From a longtime E.R. user, take a stab at "Pristine". Can get it at 300below.com, or Amazon.
$16 for the concentrate that makes 2.75 gallons of cleaner. The best carbon killer I've ever had.

CONTENTS: Ed's Red Bore Cleaner

1 part Dexron II, IIe or III ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later.

1 part Kerosene - deodorized, K1

1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TT-T-2981F, CAS
#64741-49-9, or may substitute "Stoddard Solvent", CAS #8052-41-3, or
equivalent, (aka "Varsol")

1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1.

(Optional up to 1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon, OK to
substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store)
http://www.handloads.com/articles/?id=9

The ATF and acetone is a good penetrating oil.

Acetone is a good solvent but releases VOCs. Use with ventilation.

I substituted cheap lacquer thinner in the probably misguided theory it wouldn't evaporate out as fast.Anyway couldn't find acetone in town. Lacquer thinner will contain a portion of acetone with less volatile compounds with the same solvent nature. Both work as solvents for nitrocelluose (nitro solvent).

I have no use for kerosene so I didn't have any but had an old can of Marvel Mystery Oil and substituted that. I like the smell. Petroleum, probably kerosene, based.

Anyway the stuff works very well, as well as any non-decoppering commercial solvent I've used.Much cheaper too. (I Store in camp fuel cans and Sea Foam cans.)
Between the ATF fluid and Mystery Oil I can't see the point of messing with lanolin.

Equal parts of Mobile 1, Dexron and mineral spirits....

But you're missing the nitro solvent (partially burned powder).

Ed Harris gave the recipe for his home brew solvent long before he turned it loose on the world. I use it in lieu of Hoppes as a bore cleaner, seasoning for chili, as a mixer with slivovitz, and a cure for bad breath. It works.

I've used it for years, also minus the lanolin. It just works.

For some reason, I had it my memory banks that Kroil was part of the mix?

It works pretty good on the clap too.

gnoahhh, You mean there is someone else who likes slivovitz? Long ago one of the old reporters did a story on the Orient Express. They served a shot of the stuff with breakfast. After he got through making faces he exclaimed, " Ahh! Breakfast of champions!"

fixt it for you...

Not liking this latest edition much...

I had it in a 5-gallon bucket to soak. Now it's in a plastic diesel gas container I had laying around.

I did not add the acetone. Just ATF, kerosene, and mineral spirits. This stuff just works. I used a cup to pour some down the barrel and where the gas parts meet the barrel up front and it still had a wet coating on it the next morning.

I read that it's been proven as a better penetrating lubricant than PB Blaster etal.

So what part of this attacks copper fouling?

If Ed's Red dissolves crap I wouldn't leave a Winchester 100 in it for long.

Nothing, to my knowledge. It's just a general purpose solvent, like Hoppes only better, IMO.

With the exception of the optional lanolin, don't substitute or delete any of the components. Ed experimented to a fare-thee-well as well as consulted with chemists to arrive at the best proportions. Deleting any component compromises the overall effectiveness.

I didn't like the smell so added orange oil which helps as a solvent. Just don't get it on the stock or any painted surfaces. I will add some mystery oil too. The acetone evaporated even through a ground glass stopper but it still works. Works great on stuck bolts and nuts too. I am tempted to add banana oil to it so it smells more like the old Hoppe's #9.