Ed's Red Bore Cleaner

[retread]

Just mixed my first gallon of Ed' Red yesterday. Boy does that stuff stink! The K-1 Kerosene is supposedly "odorless". Not!! Hope it works well. Definitely not cheap. Had to buy the kerosene Mineral Spirits in gallons. Did find Acetone and of course ATF in quarts. If it works well I might by some more ATF and Acetone and make up with the remainder of the gallons and give to friends.

[daboone]

I’ve used it for at least 10 years. Works best like most bore cleaners if a wet wipe is applied before returning home from the range. I carry it in a small PVC primer with applicator cans.

[kungfustyle]

Funny you said that. I just made another batch about a month ago and thought the same thing when I was cleaning up. Now I remember why I bought that 32oz of Hoppes 9.

[JBinMN]

Funny that. I made up a 3/4 gallon(without acetone) just about 8 months ago & I thought it was inexpensive.

1 qt Mineral Spirits is about $8.00
1 qt ATF is about $4.00
1 qt Kerosene about $1.00( 1 gallon is about $4.00 currently at the local Ag supplier, it was less expensive in the Summer)

without the acetone since I was concerned with any plastic parts being affected, it cost me about 13 frogskins for that 3/4 gallons. since a gallon has 128 ounces. then I made 96 ounces for 3/4 gallon.

$13.00/96 = $0.135 cents ( or .14 cents) per ounce.

For those who use the acetone, it would cost me about $7.00 a quart for that & added in to the others would be $20.00. Making a gallon at 128 ounces & cost would be about $0.156 ( or 16 cents) per ounce.

When I compare that to Hoppes # 9 @ $14.99 per Quart, at Midway: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/12...solvent-liquid

Working 96 oz of Hoppes #9 out to be $0.468 ( or .47 each) per ounce.

SharpshootR Wipe out No Lead solvent is 10.99 for only a 8 ounce container ( half pint) that is about $1.37 per ounce. Did not see a larger amount so the $1.37 should work though for cost purposes...
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/58...nt-8-oz-liquid

Nope.. I think I will stick to Ed's Red, without the acetone... Works for me & as far as "I" am concerned, pretty inexpensive compared to the others...

As is said though... YMMV , of course.


Hope that info above takes some of the sting out of your wallet for making the Ed's Red..


ETA: P.S.- you could convert those numbers above to buy by the gallon like the OP mentioned & I would think that in larger amounts the "bulk price' would make the cost per ounce even less... Depending on where ya buy & the local costs for the items. I just used my local costs.(without Midways shipping though) I guess if ya lived in a place where these things were hard to get, it might cost a bit more, but it would take a lot I would guess to get as high as the Hoppes,& even more to get the SharpshootR price... as said... YMMV

[Ed_Shot]

I like Ed's Red.

Local W-mart has 100% Acetone in the cosmetics section for $2.48 a quart.
Local W-mart has there ATF for $3.97 a quart.
Local Home Depot has Mineral Spirits for $14 a gal ($3.50 per qt.)
Local K1 Kerosene is $4 a gal ($1 per qt)

The local W-mart advertises Hoppes #9 for $14.99 a quart and I can make a gallon of ER $10.95.

[nun2kute]

Ed's Red is good. It does everything I want it to.

Years ago, when I was play'n at being finish carpenter for new construction, I was always making Formica countertops. Several dozen over the course of a ten year period. After spreading all that contact cement around in an enclosed area, Hoppes-Montana and Butch's, any solvent based cleaner, makes me feel like I entered some Siencefiction - Fantaxy as one of Larry Correia's characters.
Not a good place for me. Back then, it didn't bother me, but after being out of it for so long, whow. Makes me wonder how high I was floating back then and didn't know it.

I've used plenty of Hoppes in the past, its good too. I just cant stand the smell now.

[Static line]

Ed's Red is good. It does everything I want it to.

Years ago, when I was play'n at being finish carpenter for new construction, I was always making Formica countertops. Several dozen over the course of a ten year period. After spreading all that contact cement around in an enclosed area, Hoppes-Montana and Butch's, any solvent based cleaner, makes me feel like I entered some Siencefiction - Fantaxy as one of Larry Correia's characters.
Not a good place for me. Back then, it didn't bother me, but after being out of it for so long, whow. Makes me wonder how high I was floating back then and didn't know it.

I've used plenty of Hoppes in the past, its good too. I just cant stand the smell now.

Funny thing.I like the smell of Hoppes so well that I added it to my Ed's Red.

[PBSmith]

Very happy with Ed's Red. I omitted acetone from the formula. Use it to wipe down tools, anything that might rust.

For those who don't like the aroma, inquire at your local pharmacy and see if they carry LorAnnOils. These come in 0.125 ounce glass bottles and cost a buck and a quarter. Pick a flavor and stir into your ER. The odor of Banana Cream is reminiscent of Hoppes #9, and some claim banana oil was an ingredient to that old favorite.

Other sources of banana oil (likely a synthetic variety) are readily available on e-bag.

[Gregorious]

My go to cleaner for general firearms cleaning. I buy quarts of ATF at garage sales for cheap, just to make Ed's Red. Works better than any commercially produced cleaners, in my experience.

[TNsailorman]

I got my Ed's Red from The Man himself years ago(the formula that is) and made up a gallon to use. I am now about out and I cannot find that original formula anywhere. Can someone post it here so I can make up some more. Thanks, james

[JBinMN]

I got my Ed's Red from The Man himself years ago(the formula that is) and made up a gallon to use. I am now about out and I cannot find that original formula anywhere. Can someone post it here so I can make up some more. Thanks, james

https://castbulletassoc.org/blog/art...-red-revisited

http://handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9

[Hossfly]

Look at member post, DaveInFloweryBranchGa, 11-25-2013, contains link to original info for Ed’s red.

[TNsailorman]

Thanks JB, got it printed and filed. james

[JBinMN]

Thanks JB, got it printed and filed. james

You are Welcome!, and glad to oblige!

[richhodg66]

I like Ed's Red.

Local W-mart has 100% Acetone in the cosmetics section for $2.48 a quart.
Local W-mart has there ATF for $3.97 a quart.
Local Home Depot has Mineral Spirits for $14 a gal ($3.50 per qt.)
Local K1 Kerosene is $4 a gal ($1 per qt)

The local W-mart advertises Hoppes #9 for $14.99 a quart and I can make a gallon of ER $10.95.

Yep. Anybody who thinks it's expensive never did the math to see what those little bottles of commercially made bore cleaners cost you. I keep a little of the stuff made for removing copper fouling for the few guns I shoot jacketed bullets in, but 98% of my gun cleaning is Ed's Red anymore.

[Dragonheart]

Ed' Red is great, I have used it for years. The acetone will take the paint off sights and can damage plastic, but as a bore cleaner it makes it more effective. However, since I powder coat my bullets I don't need a strong bore cleaner.
I leave out the acetone and I add the optional lanolin to the mix. The inexpensive solid lanolin 16 ounce cans be found at beauty supply stores and liquefied with a little heat like in a double boiler. Once in the mix the lanolin stays in suspension and leave a thin wax coating that lubricates & protects.
I clean my handguns with an ultrasonic cleaner then I dip the whole gun in my mix, let it drip dry and wipe off any excess. The gun is now clean, lubricated and preserved.

[Nueces]

I also leave out the acetone and have enjoyed Ed's Red for some years. I do keep a small bottle of acetone with the cleaning supplies, so it can be added in case of need. Never needed it, though.

[Patrick L]

I use Kleen Heat in place of the K1. It is a synthetic kerosene, and it is virtually odorless. It makes a pretty good cleaner on it's own too.

[15meter]

My take on Ed's Red is:

1 Quart Mineral Spirits
1 Quart ATF
1 Quart Kroil -- I got the Kroil cheeep when I worked for an industrial supply house, bought a gallon at their cost $12.00 I think, still have a half gallon left.

No acetone, concern about stock finishes.

Wonderful stuff, back when I mixed up my first batch, I think it cost me under $5.00 for three quarts. I keep mineral spirits by the gallon in the shop and the ATF was a gift from a brother-in-law. He got it out of the garage of a house he bought to rehab and turn into a rental.

Almost time to mix up a new batch.

[15meter]

Just looked up the price of Kroil by the gallon, over a $100! I think I need to put my half-gallon under lock and key