thanks

[johnson1942]

a few days back several of us was talking about ballistol and cleaning a bore. mine is ballistol, ammonia, dish soap and antifreeze. some one suggested adding alcohol in the mix. thank you so much as i took your advice and it made a good mix into a great mix. i could tell right away yesterday when i was shooting 2f black the diff. with the first swipe with a damp patch down the barrel that it cleaned a whole lot better. their was a lot less resistance at the breech. again thank you for the suggestion and im glad i took your advice. every one keep these tidbits comming, alot of us can use them.

[Maven]

Isn't antifreeze a form of alcohol? Although I'm certain that your mixture works well, do you need the NH4OH and dish soap? 1:6 Ballistol and H20 with rubbing alcohol for cold weather work well for me. Also, to neutralize the salts in BP residue, which are bases (-OH), consider using white vinegar or household peroxide in place of the ammonia.

[johnson1942]

the mixture was suggested to me years ago and i tried it. im not a chemist so i cant comment on what does what. it was suggested to me that antifreeze pevents rust and thats why that person used it for part of a barrel swab mixture. i just know yesterday adding the alcohol to my mixture turned a normally good day of shooting to a very pleasant day of shooting. for all i know just plain ballistol and alcohol is wonderful in its self. i was sighting in a 533 grain cast boolit in a 1/28 twist .50 i have and 1 damp and two dry patches was used inbetween shots. 3 hole touching at 60 yards is the result, im happy.

[BPShooter]

Have you ever read the label on the can. It says Black Powder- Dissolves powder residues. Emulsifies with water. Mildly alkaline, NEUTRALIZES ACIDS. Excellent patch lube. Clean Black Powder Residue. 50% Ballistol 50% Water.Increase water as desired. What's all that other **** for. I guess I've just been doing it wrong all these years.

[johnson1942]

again im not a chemist, about 25 years ago when i lived in n.dak. a few shooters were useing this mixture so i joined in. ive had over 15 muzzleloaders and the barrels were or are with out rust and show now signs of wear. it may be over doing it but i have a nice jug of the stuff and it really lasts. again when i added the alcohol to the mixture i noticed the fouling at the breech gave way a little easier than before. also on the final clean it took less patches than before. anti freeze prevents rust and what it is made of i dont know. no one else has to use this mix, but im going to, if it isnt broke or hurting anything than im going with it. the point of my post was not to cause argument but to thank the man who suggested alcohol who ever he was.

[dondiego]

I am going to have to try some now. Thanks!

[johnson1942]

we all learn from each other, please let us know how it turns out.

[BPShooter]

Ok, now I'm ready to try also. What are the portions? And I was wrong to call the mixture ****. After cleaning muzzleloaders for 30+ years I should be open to new solutions. Thanks in Advance. Steve.

[johnson1942]

my mixture is equal parts of ballistol, ammonia, antifreeze and now alcohol, with a squirt of dish soap. i go to wall mart and get a couple of yards of pure cotton flannel and make a couple thousand squares for cleaning. i take a containter and put it full of patches,then i pour in the mixture and cap it. when i shoot at my target area i take that container with me with a small baggy sack of dry patches. that way i dont need my spray bottle with me out side. if i go walking in the creek bottoms i just carry several in a baggy in my tote bag. i cant say its better than anything else but i like it. the easier it is to clean between shots for me the more fun i have. if all my guns were round ball guns i wouldnt be so fussy but i only have one roundball gun. the rest are paperpatch and castbullet gun. also 2 sabot guns. if any one tries this mixture let us know if their is any thing going here, thanks.

[Maven]

Actually, I'd be inclined to simplify the ingredients. Since anti-freeze is an alcohol with rust inhibitors added, I would try it undiluted as a patch lube v. 50-50 water & AF. I'd then test this against your mixture and 1 Ballistol + 1 rubbing alcohol (90% if you can get it) + 5 water. The latter will also remove BP fouling when using conicals and saboted bullets.

Btw, Mike Venturino's bbl. and BP cartridge cleaning solvent is simpler still: 1 quart Windex with Vinegar dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/001-34.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/001-34.jpg.html)
I have been using this for a while it certainly cuts through the residue.Having used others I find this Mr Muscle kitchen cleaner does the trick for me.