moose milk ingrediant question

[reklaus]

This is a question for the actual chemists out there. I have been collecting "formulas" for cleaning solutions and patch lube for the last couple of months. There are several formulas that share common ingredients. My questions are:
1. What makes Murphy' Oil Soap so popular, and what does it do that dish washing detergent won't do? (both in cleaning and as a patch lube.)

2. The Hydrogen Peroxide that I find on the shelf of the drug stores is 3% solution. In the various "formulas" I've seen, the highest consentration works out to 1% (that formulas being 1 part each Murphy's, rubbing alcohol, and Hydrogen Peroxide). Does this small amount actually do anything including promote rusting?

3. One formula used Wichhazel in it. What would Wichhazel do for cleaning a BP muzzleloader?

Thanks for the info
R.E. Klaus

[405]

Actually moose milk looks like milk.... usually a combo of water soluble oil and water. The % of each varies as to taste. I use 10% Ballistol, 90% water.

The peroxide-alcohol-Murphy's equal part of each you're referring to is kind of a standard BP "cleaning" solution.... one of a pazzillion. It is a fairly clear solution. It does not look like milk and I don't think it has ever been called "moose milk".

The classic moose milk of water soluble oil plus water is both a good BP cleaning solution and the oil (like Ballistol) has some anti-corrosive properties. I wouldn't count on the peroxide-alcohol-Murphy's combination to be a good anti-corrosive.

As far as a BP cleaning solution.... hard to beat hot water with soap. But, likewise not much of an anti-corrosive.

[reklaus]

You are correct and I probably used the wrong name for the title but I'm still interested in answers to the original questions.:-D
Thanks
R.E. Klaus

[405]

To extract individual chem ingredients from a solution or a mixture and guess as to reactive nature of the individual parts is impossible. The simple fact that they are together may and likely does alter their individual properties.

1) I have no idea why Murphy's is popular. Maybe because it will mix with water? Maybe because it is advertized as a cleaner and you can buy it by the gallon? It is different from detergent.

2) Difference between 3% and 1% is like asking the length of a rubber band and depends on the interaction with other ingredients in mixture or solution. Peroxide H2O2, an oxide, is a mild acid so is a mildly corrosive chem. Who knows how it acts when combined with various chems. I do know that a base mixed with an acid yields salts. Generic oxidizers, acids and corrosive bases etch iron.

3) Witch Hazel- since it's an extract or tea of a plant it's chemical nature is likely very complex. Try it and see if it is a magic BP bore cleaner. If it is, market as the Shamwow for bores that doubles as a skin acne treatment :mrgreen:

[cajun shooter]

When it comes to cleaning for BP it's like 405 stated there are a gizzillion recipes. I shoot nothing but BP and I have seen the peroxide thing before. I'm leary of using it for the reason given. If Felix was here he could do the chemical thing for you. I have been shooting BP since the eary 70's. I use Windex and vinegar, and moosemilk for all my cleaning chores. The moosemilk is mixed with a 7-1 ratio. 14 0z of water 2 0z of Ballistol for a pint of cleaner. The windex with vinegar is used by a lot of shooters for all the cleaning. I use it when I have fired BP shotgun shells I load with the plastic wad. It cleans the snakeskin out with just one pass after soaking down the barrel. The only thing I mix and don't myself understand how it works is my brass cleaner. For the most part I like the Kiss method. I soak all my brass at the range with a mix of Dawn with Oxy, Pine Sol, and lemon juice concentrate in a 3/4 gallon of water. It turns them black but after they are rinsed and tumbled with ceramic they look like new and shine on the inside as well.

[northmn]

Hydrogen Peroxide causes rust as it is basically a variation of water with extra Oxygen. The original Moose milk was water soluable machinists oil and water. Almost every shooter has a recipe for BP solvent and swears by it. Water is about as effective as any. I took Paul Matthews advice and tried antifreeze as the alcohol content is also a good solvent and it contains anticorrosives. Works good, and does seem to ally rusting and is relatively inexpensive. About anything used as a solvent works as a patch lube. Water has been tried and works. Solvents used as patch lubes are best for range use where fouling is desired to be kept down for continued shooting. Generally they do not work for hunting situations where the rifle is left loaded for some time. GGG Grandad used fats because that was what he had and also because they helped to prevent rust in a bore that was left loaded until needed, for days at a time if necessary. Grease type lubes as we see today do the same thing even if the round is shot off daily.

Northmn