OK, the question is: You are allowed to have a single cleaner/lube for all of your guns. For the sake of argument, this means it must be used on a 1911, an AR, an AK, an LCP, a Ruger Vaquero, and a K98k Mauser. Which do you pick of these three: Ballistol, Hoppes No9, or ATF? Why?
Solvent/Lube Throwdown
- Thread starter Daekar
- Start date
myshoulderissore
New member
ATF
Oh, you also asked why... My bad.
Why, because it works great, it is cheap, has a ton of research backing it under stressful conditions, and it works awesome.
Oh, you also asked why... My bad.
Why, because it works great, it is cheap, has a ton of research backing it under stressful conditions, and it works awesome.
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Carne Frio
New member
Breakfree CLP and any ATF would work. Gunzilla is also a CLP.
For long term storage Breakfree Collector. For "working" guns - Breakfree CLP. CLP is all you really need. It really is as good as they claim. For just a GOOD cheap lube - ATF. I don't feel that ATF has as good rust preventative qualities as CLP or Collector though but it is a very good lubricating
oil and dissolves carbon pretty well. And ATF in a transmission does need to be changed (along with the filter) if you drive as much as I do. When it turns from red to dirty brown it's time.
oil and dissolves carbon pretty well. And ATF in a transmission does need to be changed (along with the filter) if you drive as much as I do. When it turns from red to dirty brown it's time.
Silent Bob
New member
I would prefer G96 Gun Treatment as my only gun cleaning/lubricating fluid, but could definitely get by with just Breakfree CLP. Breakfree is a better lube but the G96 suffices and definitely smells better. I think G96 cleans better then CLP and is just as good as a preservative.
CLP is tested for its ability to remove powder residue and for corrosion resistance. It is being used world wide by our Soldiers to clean and lubricate their M16's.
You should be able to find the spec on DoDiss.
So I know it works as a powder solvent, it is not a lead or copper remover, but so what, use your bristle brush, and I know it works as a lubricant.
No lubricating oil is good for any long term corrosion resistance, but if you are talking a couple of weeks with heavy humidity, CLP will do.
I hate the smell of ATF. It is first and foremost a hydraulic fluid, I don't know how good a lubricant it is, but I do know that when I change my transmission fluid, it takes days to get the smell out of my hair. It is also a skin irritant.
I have never learned the reason why transmission pans don't come from the factory with drain plugs.
You should be able to find the spec on DoDiss.
So I know it works as a powder solvent, it is not a lead or copper remover, but so what, use your bristle brush, and I know it works as a lubricant.
No lubricating oil is good for any long term corrosion resistance, but if you are talking a couple of weeks with heavy humidity, CLP will do.
I hate the smell of ATF. It is first and foremost a hydraulic fluid, I don't know how good a lubricant it is, but I do know that when I change my transmission fluid, it takes days to get the smell out of my hair. It is also a skin irritant.
I have never learned the reason why transmission pans don't come from the factory with drain plugs.
Woo hoo ! another lubrication thread!
If you're only giving me a choice of those 3 - I'll take ATF, because I know that a lot of quality science went into it's creation and I don't know what's in Hopps or Ballistol - my opinion is that those companies have merely mixed stuff up and it's 90% marketing - 10% actual research / science.
I don't think using a single product for both cleaning and lubricating is a good idea, they are 2 different applications that call for different substances. But if I only had one - I'd use Breakfree CLP.
I will post here once I've gone and gathered all of the germane inforamation that's already been posted on the 8 other lube threads we have going...
If you're only giving me a choice of those 3 - I'll take ATF, because I know that a lot of quality science went into it's creation and I don't know what's in Hopps or Ballistol - my opinion is that those companies have merely mixed stuff up and it's 90% marketing - 10% actual research / science.
I don't think using a single product for both cleaning and lubricating is a good idea, they are 2 different applications that call for different substances. But if I only had one - I'd use Breakfree CLP.
I will post here once I've gone and gathered all of the germane inforamation that's already been posted on the 8 other lube threads we have going...
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I don't understand why hoppe's #9 is even mentioned in this thread. It is a solvent, not a lubricant. The stuff hoppe's sells as a lube is just mineral oil, if that's good enough for you, you can buy it at the drug store a lot cheaper.
#9 is a good solvent with an interesting smell, but that's neither here nor there...
#9 is a good solvent with an interesting smell, but that's neither here nor there...
Just mixed up my first batch of Ed's Red cleaner and lubricant today. Pretty neat stuff. For the cost of a couple of 4 ounce bottles of premium gun oil, I have about a gallon of Ed's.
I left out the acetone in the cleaner and am waiting for the lanolin to arrive, so for now the cleaner is equal parts ATF, mineral spirits and kerosene. Seems to work really well. It easily cleaned off the long baked on roofing asphalt blotched all over one of my hammers.
Tomorrow I try it on my new 20" Palmetto State Armory FN upper for a new AR15.
The Ed's lubricant is just ATF and Kerosene. Very thin but it leaves a film. Also cleans pretty good in its own right. Not sure what mineral spirits cleans that kerosene doesn't, but I am following the formula. Ed said that it is an "Ed's Red friendly" lubricant.
Still leaves a grease. Can't just clean and oil. Slides and other parts need grease to hang in there and not slip away.
I'm also getting some oil and grease recommended by Grant Cunningham, pistol smith. The oil is Lubriplate FMO-350-AW (food grade machinery oil). The grease is Lubriplate SFL-0. I should have them in a week and will see how they work as well.
Basically, if limited to one cleaner lubricant I would go with the ATF+Kerosene formula. In the field you may need one do all lube. But back at the bench it makes sense to use separate, specific products or formulas for each job: clean, lubricate, grease.
Oh yeah, and I use Shooter's Choice for copper fouling removal, and a Kleen Bore Lead Away cloth for cleaning hard fired carbon from revolver cylinder faces.
I left out the acetone in the cleaner and am waiting for the lanolin to arrive, so for now the cleaner is equal parts ATF, mineral spirits and kerosene. Seems to work really well. It easily cleaned off the long baked on roofing asphalt blotched all over one of my hammers.
Tomorrow I try it on my new 20" Palmetto State Armory FN upper for a new AR15.The Ed's lubricant is just ATF and Kerosene. Very thin but it leaves a film. Also cleans pretty good in its own right. Not sure what mineral spirits cleans that kerosene doesn't, but I am following the formula. Ed said that it is an "Ed's Red friendly" lubricant.
Still leaves a grease. Can't just clean and oil. Slides and other parts need grease to hang in there and not slip away.
I'm also getting some oil and grease recommended by Grant Cunningham, pistol smith. The oil is Lubriplate FMO-350-AW (food grade machinery oil). The grease is Lubriplate SFL-0. I should have them in a week and will see how they work as well.
Basically, if limited to one cleaner lubricant I would go with the ATF+Kerosene formula. In the field you may need one do all lube. But back at the bench it makes sense to use separate, specific products or formulas for each job: clean, lubricate, grease.
Oh yeah, and I use Shooter's Choice for copper fouling removal, and a Kleen Bore Lead Away cloth for cleaning hard fired carbon from revolver cylinder faces.
I also found that SAE 50 motor oil does a better job of staying put than I would have thought.
It really doesn't migrate as much as I expected.
I put a light coat on the recoil assembly of my Glock, expecting that it would leak out the bottom, but when I looked at it a few days later, the 50 hadn't come off the guide rod or spring at all.
It really doesn't migrate as much as I expected.
I put a light coat on the recoil assembly of my Glock, expecting that it would leak out the bottom, but when I looked at it a few days later, the 50 hadn't come off the guide rod or spring at all.