Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing BALLISTOL Universal Oil

Hi MontanaMan,

My goal is to do the best possible job I can do on every aspect of my M1917 while refinishing it.

The rifle has fed me for years so it deserves the best. I bought Ballistol, based on one particular video I watched by a very serious gun collector.

I am open to all suggestions, and definitely not adverse to using different lubricants for different parts of the barrel and action.

Well guys, I finally used the BALLISTOL I bought last month today while cleaning out the action and the inside and out of the barrel of my M1917. I really like the stuff and am happy I bought it! Cleans very well and leaves a super slick lubricating residue.

The outside of my barrel looks new which says a lot, especially being a 106-year-old barrel. My barrel looked clean before I started, but after spraying it and letting it soak for a while, I was surprised to see some brown gunk come off the barrel on my blue shop rag.

Everything looks brand spanking new, looking forward to killing something with my freshly cleaned and lubricated action and barrel, I know you guys know exactly what I mean.......hehe

Two big Thumbs up from me.

Not a stock holder or have any interest in....But all of my guns look new, they get cleaned after every outing. I hunt around the world, literally. I carry a spray can of G-96 in my gun case, checked baggage for airline transport. It has been a companion for 50 years. For shotguns, a spray of G-96 down the barrel, set in a garbage can, left for two hours and a full day of a 2,000 bird shoot comes mirror clean with a bore snake, dissolves the shell cup plastic, lead, powder, etc. Displaces water in the rain too.

Inside my rifle bores I use Sweet Shooter. It is Techron suspended in a solvent, reported to make a slick, easy to clean bore, when shot in the wet bore break in process.

Thanks for your input Rapier, holly-mac you sound like on serious Shooter/Hunter!

I use Truly Remarkable Bore Solvent inside my barrels, and it works great. Usually, I only shoot 5 to ten rounds per year out of my M1917 so it works very well for me.

When researching the best bore solvents, I read an online article by OutdoorLife, in their article they list Hoppe's Famous No. 9 as the Best Overall solvent on the market, go figure. Best Spray was BALLISTOL from what I have seen so far it's exceptional.

I will be looking into Sweet Shooter and was surprised it wasn't on the OutdoorLife shortlist. Neither was Truly Remarkable.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best-gun-cleaning-solvents/

* Best Overall: Hoppe’s No. 9
* Best CLP: Break Free CLP
* Best Solvent and Lube: FrogLube Extreme
* Best Non-Toxic: Breakthrough Military-Grade Solvent
* Best for Copper Fouling: Barnes CR-10
* Best Spray: Ballistol
* Shooter’s Choice MC-7 Bore Cleaner
* Lucas Oil Extreme Duty Bore Solvent
* Shooter’s Choice Maximum Strength Copper Remover

Interesting list. Barnes cr-10 did not work well for me. I like Montana Copper Killer followed by No. 9. Only been using N0. 9 for 65 years.

i used to go out and buy "today's" copper cleaner and gun oil. i found that Sweets, Shooters Choice and Gunslick's foaming bore cleaner was it. i tried Hoppes, Froglube, Barnes, Montana...you name, i probably bought it.

now for gun oil it is either non-aerosol Ballistol (short storage) or aerosol G96 Gun Treatment (long storage). i'll use G96 if i buy a rifle, either new or used.

i shoot cast bullets in my rifles and revolvers. fit is King. i usually go .002 or .003" above the bore size. my 30-40 Krag and 444 Marlin are about 4500-5000 rounds out of them. the bore is still bright and shiny as the day i cleaned them. i will use Ballistol on the rifles, but never inside the bore. well, i clean the bore about after 1000 rounds. and by clean, i'll take a Ballistol patch that goes thru the bore about 4 or 5 times.

i also use Ballistol on my muzzleloaders.

Only 65 years? hehehe

You are a stud, good on you!

Yes, but I wipe all but a very thin film out and shoot a fouling shot before anything serious like an animal. Rem oil or no 9.

I use Ballistol exclusively on all my black powder guns. It is the best hands down for storage of a muzzleloader. I works better than anything I've used to keep down the surface rust, especially inside the barrels. It rinses out well with just hot water before you shoot. As soon as I get through shooting, I swab the barrels until I can clean them properly and then store them with a coat on and in the barrel.. I've had no problems in damp weather since using it. The only downside to me is the strong smell. I always wash it off before hunting deer, etc.

No. 9 good for powder build up but does nothing for copper fouling.

Charles E. Petty, who gives me the impression he’s a curmudgeon of rare abilities, once wrote that when someone tells him so and so is the best lubricant, he just says, “And HOW do you know THAT?”. He also said he uses whatever he has, usually something he’s been given.

I know one pro gunsmith who uses nothing but no 9. It takes it longer to get copper out than ammonia base solvents.

I use Ballistol as my PD cartridge sizing lube with no need to clean the cases of any residue after sizing and the Ballistol has thoroughly dried. I was skeptical after reading about this usage in an AS article but am now an ardent follower.

Rick M.

now use old-fashioned ballistol mixed with water to clean black powder and then wipe down with pure ballistol. I also have a ballistol aerosol that I use or just wiping the black powder collection down once in a while . I have ever have not used it on conventional firearms I have other stuff that I use and not saying it's better it's just a habit..