Homemade Gun Oil

[alamogunr]

I was cleaning out some old stuff I had saved on the computer this morning and found this:

http://www.firearmsnews.com/guns/handguns/gunlube-for-the-masses-red-oil/

I'm a sucker for anything DIY but couldn't figure out what purpose the Hoppes #9 served in the recipe. It calls for such a small amount, either, there must be something in it that adds to the effectiveness or whoever came up with the recipe put it in "just because".

Anyone use this or ever heard of it?

[lefty o]

no thanks. almost guarantee a quality oil gun/automotive etc will out perform that mess when it comes to lubrication.

[Nueces]

I bet it's purpose was to provide the banana oil aroma of the Hoppe's 9, which has now been removed from the Hoppe's recipe.

I'm going shopping today and there's an auto parts store near the HEB, so I plan to lay in the ingredients of this red gun oil and give it a try.

[alamogunr]

no thanks. almost guarantee a quality oil gun/automotive etc will out perform that mess when it comes to lubrication.

I wasn't recommending it, just asked a question about the Hoppes #9.

Thanks, Nueces for your input.

[redhawk0]

I've been making Ed's Red gun cleaning solvent for years...by leaving out the Acetone and Mineral Spirits from the mixture it makes an excellent gun oil.

The only time I don't use ER is when I've had lead fouling...then I switch to Hoppe's Lead Remover.

[EDIT] here's the link http://handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9
redhawk

[lefty o]

I wasn't recommending it, just asked a question about the Hoppes #9.

Thanks, Nueces for your input.

and i was just making a statement!

[Thundarstick]

I have used a mixture of ATF, real mineral spirits, and Marvel Mistory oil for years. I think there is even something in the ATF that causes lead to oxidize. I also clean my rimfire suppressor with it as well.

[BHuij]

Not sure if the person who designed this was thinking in terms of every ingredient having a specific purpose.

I could be wrong, but it sounds more akin to "and yeah, let's throw some Hoppes #9 in there too, that stuff is good."

[William Yanda]

I suspect the originator liked the smell of banana extract.

[country gent]

It may have been as a carrier to thin the mix slightly so it could wick in to tight areas easier. Also a lot of oils include a detergent or solvent to loosen build ups for better surface coating.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I suspect the "whoever came up with the recipe put it in "just because"."
...and probably for the smell.

Also, it's not that different than what is known as "the secret gunshow Gunoil'
70% Mobil One full synth auto engine oil
30% STP
as I understand, the STP helps adhere the oil to exterior gun metal to retard finger prints, as well as, the Mobil One doesn't have the rainbow color effect that most petroleum oils have, so it doesn't alter the gun metal Blue color.

[sparky45]

I've been making Ed's Red gun cleaning solvent for years...by leaving out the Acetone and Mineral Spirits from the mixture it makes an excellent gun oil.

The only time I don't use ER is when I've had lead fouling...then I switch to Hoppe's Lead Remover.

[EDIT] here's the link http://handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9
redhawk

Ed's Red is EXCELLENT lube, and with the above mentioned additives, and excellent cleaner.

[knifemaker]

Ed's Red was made and used at the original Springfield Armory and used to clean and preserve military firearms. I have been using it for years and it is a excellent gun cleaner and leaves a fine film of oil on the firearm to prevent rust. I also exclude the acetone from the mix as it is not needed to clean a firearm. Far cheaper then the commercial gun cleaners.
I just read the original post and that is a different formula then Ed's Red gun cleaner. The gun cleaner uses mineral spirits, ATF, and kerosene, equal parts of all three. Acetone could also be added for a more aggressive cleaner, but is not needed.

[bruce drake]

1qt 10w30
1qt ATF
8 oz of Hoppes

mix together and put into various storage bottles. Its been my "goto" oil for cleaning and lubricating for years and I prefer it over my stockage of CLP.

Bruce

[Thundarstick]

I understand the only reason for the acetone is plastic wad fouling in shotguns. Been wrong before though.

[BHuij]

Acetone is also great for getting fingernail polish out of your bore.

[C.F.Plinker]

I've settled on two oils. The first is a thick oil which tends to stay where you put it.

2 parts Dexron III automatic transmission fluid
1 part STP oil treatment.

I apply this using either my fingertip or a cotton swab as I reassemble the gun after detailed cleaning because you can get at all of the surfaces that need lubrication while the gun is apart.

The second is a much thinner oil which has very good wicking properties.

2 parts Dextron III automatic transmission fluid.
1 part deodorized K1 kerosene.

This is used after the gun has been reassembled. I have put small tubes ( the WD40 spray tubes work good ) on eye dropper bottles so I can get it where it needs to go.

[Traffer]

No mixing involved... I experimented with a lot of different stuff. The only thing that was very noticeably different was Synthetic Transmission oil. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for rust protection and lubrication semi-autos. BUT, it is amazing when it comes to cleaning. I use it to clean my guns. Then the places that rub get a little synthetic motor oil. I leave a thin film on the exterior of the gun and in the bore. Maybe I am doing something very wrong...let me know if you think so.

[Freischütz]

CF - any problems with the ATF/STP combination in cold weather?

[bruce drake]

Acetone is also great for getting fingernail polish out of your bore.

Well, I would recommend that you wait until your nail polish is dry before you stick your fingers in the bore again....

[C.F.Plinker]

CF - any problems with the ATF/STP combination in cold weather?

Most of my shooting is at an indoor range. I've used it when the storage temperatures have been down in the 50's (parked outdoors) with no problems. One shooter in a club I belonged to used straight STP. parked outside when it was in the 30's and couldn't operate the slide. I don't know what the temperatures are where you are at so I would suggest mixing up a half ounce or so, apply some, and if your domestic situation allows, store the gun in the refrigerator overnight. If it is still a little too stiff dilute the half ounce down with more ATF and try it again. If it still doesn't work use straight ATF or the thin oil recipe. Let us know what your experiences are.

[M-Tecs]

Ed's Red was made and used at the original Springfield Armory and used to clean and preserve military firearms.

That was Hatcher's original Frankford Arsenal No. 18 formula. Ed's Red is a spin off of that. If I remember correctly Ed was work for Savage Arms at the time and wanted a better product than what they were using at the time. This was long after Springfield Armory closed.

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

[Outpost75]

That was Hatcher's original Frankford Arsenal No. 18 formula. Ed's Red is a spin off of that. If I remember correctly Ed was work for Savage Arms at the time and wanted a better product than what they were using at the time. This was long after Springfield Armory closed.

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

The Ed's Red recipe substitutes ATF for the sperm whale oil that was in the old FA18 formula in Hatcher's Notebook.

The Ed's Red bore cleaner was popularized by him, but was probably first concocted in some form by John Miller of the Army National Guard rifle team, as they had a famous "red oil" mixture which is well known among those who shoot at Camp Perry. Ed met John when he was on the NRA Tech staff working at the National Matches in the early 1980s and was assisted by a VA Team shooter who was a chemical engineer at NavSea gun division, in making certain refinements in perfecting the recipe and instructions. Guys on the Virginia State team began using the stuff and when shooting at Quantico one of the Marine armorers was curious about the red stuff and asked what it was. The VA Team user, whose name I don't remember simply said, "Idunno, it's just red army bore cleaner," in reference to the National Guard rifle team.

The funny part which got garbled in translation was that when a sample got back to the RTE (rifle team equipment shop), the "R" and the "A" had became capitalized, and the unknown product thus attained the barrack's legend that it was indeed purloined rare Red Army bore cleaner of a secret formula brought back from Afghanistan, where the Soviets were at that time.

And so a sample was sent to the FBI lab...

Ed tells me that he got a call from one of his FBI contacts, who was laughing uncontrollably... So the story goes, "What are you and John Miller doing messing with the Marines head's again?..."

"Huh?" Ed was clueless. The story continues...

"We got this lab request from MCDEC for analysis and one of our academy firearms instructors saw and read the tag on the evidence bag, sniffed the sample and then busted out laughing. I asked him what gives and he said, 'well, it sure ain't a Bartle's & James wine cooler, but I can tell you it IS Ed's Red' " and the name stuck. Ed told me later that he mixed the stuff in quantity at Ruger when he was QA manager for the Newport operation, and that they were still using it at the factory when he left in 1987.

Some fellows who went through police armorer's school at Ruger in the 1980s called it "Ruger Red" from the stain it left on the VPI paper used to pack Police Service Six and Speed Six revolvers at the time.

And now you know the rest of the story.

[D Crockett]

one thing I can tell you is I have been dipping me casting molds in it for over 25 years now and they do not rust in fact this week I need to make a new batch my cat nocked over the gal jar that I had it in and the lid was not on tight I might have 1 inch left in the bottom of that jar from that batch GOOD STUFF D Crockett

[M-Tecs]

The Ed's Red recipe substitutes ATF for the sperm whale oil that was in the old FA18 formula in Hatcher's Notebook.

The Ed's Red bore cleaner was popularized by him, but was probably first concocted in some form by John Miller of the Army National Guard rifle team, as they had a famous "red oil" mixture which is well known among those who shoot at Camp Perry. Ed met John when he was on the NRA Tech staff working at the National Matches in the early 1980s and was assisted by a VA Team shooter who was a chemical engineer at NavSea gun division, in making certain refinements in perfecting the recipe and instructions. Guys on the Virginia State team began using the stuff and when shooting at Quantico one of the Marine armorers was curious about the red stuff and asked what it was. The VA Team user, whose name I don't remember simply said, "Idunno, it's just red army bore cleaner," in reference to the National Guard rifle team.

The funny part which got garbled in translation was that when a sample got back to the RTE (rifle team equipment shop), the "R" and the "A" had became capitalized, and the unknown product thus attained the barrack's legend that it was indeed purloined rare Red Army bore cleaner of a secret formula brought back from Afghanistan, where the Soviets were at that time.

And so a sample was sent to the FBI lab...

Ed tells me that he got a call from one of his FBI contacts, who was laughing uncontrollably... So the story goes, "What are you and John Miller doing messing with the Marines head's again?..."

"Huh?" Ed was clueless. The story continues...

"We got this lab request from MCDEC for analysis and one of our academy firearms instructors saw and read the tag on the evidence bag, sniffed the sample and then busted out laughing. I asked him what gives and he said, 'well, it sure ain't a Bartle's & James wine cooler, but I can tell you it IS Ed's Red' " and the name stuck. Ed told me later that he mixed the stuff in quantity at Ruger when he was QA manager for the Newport operation, and that they were still using it at the factory when he left in 1987.

And now you know the rest of the story.

Thanks I didn't know most of that.

[Outpost75]

Thanks I didn't know most of that.

Robert N. Sears, who was on the NRA Technical Staff at the same time as Ed had worked at Kollmorgen Optical, Savage and Ithaca, in addition to the Springfield Armory. Bob is now in his eighties, but still frequents the Fairfax Rod & Gun Club on weekends.

[alamogunr]

I've used Ed's Red for so many different applications in addition to cleaning that I can't remember them all. I also mixed up a very close copy by Steve Hurst that he called Steve's Squeeze. Since I usually don't have extremely fouled bores, I can't tell much difference in effectiveness. Since Steve's Squeeze uses Marvel Mystery Oil it isn't as red as Ed's Red that uses ATF.

BTW, I haven't used acetone in Ed's Red since my first batch. I've also kept these mixes(except for the one that included acetone) in plastic grape juice jugs. One lasted at least 5 years when I accumulated enough metal cans to store it in.

[GhostHawk]

I'm a big believer in ATF. I no longer buy gun oil. Just go out to the garage and look for a part bottle of ATF. Current one is dextron III.

I keep small vials of it anywhere it might be handy including my gun cleaning kit in the range bag.

For removing lead I take half a shot glass of ATF, add 3-4 squirts of Goo-Gone into it.

I had a well leaded up SKS barrel that when Hoppes #9 patches came back clean 3 times in a row I tried the ATF/GG mix. Came back with chunks, lots of chunks. I'd run a loose wet patch down. Go cast for half an hour. Pull a couple of tight dry patches, get lots of lead out and repeat.

The positive side is i finally got it clean to the bottom of the grooves. Shiny all the way now. Was a bunch of copper fouling that came out green at the end.

And the ATF seems to leave a lubricating layer that sticks around even if the metal appears to be wiped dry. Great for revolvers.

[Blue2]

A couple of months ago I was being chased by a distributer of a new gun cleaning product system that is quite expensive. It had a cleaner and oil and grease. The products were very good but their big claim to fame was that they had very little oder. The cleaner was of course being accepted by police agencies and such as the new all amazing go to product. I purchased a gun smith size to try out of the three product system. The oil and grease are fine and work like oil and grease. However when doing a side by side comparison on some older fouled army rifles I found no better results from the space ge wonder cleaner than I obtained by my homemade Ed's Red. It did not have any perceivable oder and that might be important to some people but it didn't clean any better than Ed's Red.

[Elkins45]

For about 25 years I've been using 50% ATF, 25% STP and 25% Mobil 1 30wt. I have found nothing better. The ATF penetrates and has high heat resistance, the STP clings and doesn't run off, and the Mobil 1 is just a good lubricant with heat resistance as well. It's a very balanced formula that does everything I want and nothing I don't (except for staining white shirts red.)

[Traffer]

That was Hatcher's original Frankford Arsenal No. 18 formula. Ed's Red is a spin off of that. If I remember correctly Ed was work for Savage Arms at the time and wanted a better product than what they were using at the time. This was long after Springfield Armory closed.

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

For those many who have used or are using or will use ATF, I have found that the new Synthetic ATF is remarkably better than the old stuff. I would encourage you to give it a try. It is considerably more expensive but still way cheaper than buying dedicated gun oil products. Also I recently did a bit of research on lanolin. WOW that stuff is like magic. So many uses and really the only stuff to use in many situations. I found it to be the best lube for swaging.

[uscra112]

I understand the only reason for the acetone is plastic wad fouling in shotguns. Been wrong before though.

Acetone makes the oil creep into small spaces better. Farmers have been using 50/50 acetone/ATF as penetrating oil for decades. Nothing rusts like farm machinery, especially around cows.

[Outpost75]

Acetone makes the oil creep into small spaces better. Farmers have been using 50/50 acetone/ATF as penetrating oil for decades. Nothing rusts like farm machinery, especially around cows.

Also cuts the heavy calcium carbonate Ball powder fouling from early Vietnam and Korean era military ammo.

[Lloyd Smale]

mobil 1 works as good right out of the bottle as anything ive tried.

[Thundarstick]

The creep makes sense! I learn something new every other day!

[Spruce]

John Miller, that's a name I remember from the past. Used to shoot at a gun club he hung around at sometime with his hometown friends. Quit a gunsmith as I recall.

[Safeshot]

I use 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil (Example: Mobile 1) for all oil uses. Never had a problem with it.

[Drm50]

My old man was a supervisor at a power house. He always saved our IMR cans, took them to
work and dipped them in acetone to strip the paint from the cans and rinse out any powder left.
For gun oil he would bring home 10w turbine oil, pure oil non detergent. For bore cleaner we had
a product similar to Kroil, industrial stuff made by same company. We also had acetone and Carbontet. We never mixed anything and after using what was nessary to get cleaning done we
ran #9 through the bore dried and oiled with the 10w. We also had graphite, moly coat and
several types of synthetic grease like Lubraplate. Dad always carried a tin can that a roll of black
tape came in. He had a small soft cloth and Lubraplate grease in it. When out hunting and we got
caught in the rain he would wipe down the metal on the gun with it. It would be cleaned off when
we got home and throughly cleaned. This stuff must work, OM had been gone for 30yrs and his
guns and mine are still in top shape inside and out.

[44MAG#1]

The OP's post is nothing new. Military bullseye shooter has or had been using that for years. I had heard of it in the early 90's and have used it before.

[uscra112]

Using STP is guarondamteed to collect a film of grit in your gun where you really don't want it. Why not just use lapping compound?

[alamogunr]

The OP's post is nothing new. Military bullseye shooter has or had been using that for years. I had heard of it in the early 90's and have used it before.

As I said, I was cleaning old files off my computer. The date on this one was mid 90's. One thing this thread has done has been to bring out all kinds of gun lubes and cleaners which I find very interesting.

[Traffer]

Using STP is guarondamteed to collect a film of grit in your gun where you really don't want it. Why not just use lapping compound?
Now there is an idea. Coat your bore and every moving part with lapping compound. After a few years it will run really smooooooooooth.

[Walter Laich]

I tend to stick to the commercial stuff too. while I do dabble in DIY things (case lube for one) I want my guns rust free and in good working condition

no saying the homemade stuff is bad, just I am happy with what's on the shelf in LGS

[Traffer]

Synthetic ATF cleans so well, all I have to do is threaten to use it and my gun cleans itself.

[gnostic]

Mobil 1 is far and away, the best gun oil I've ever used, I use it in my AR's... To clean, Kerosene and ATF works great for carbon...

[loveruger]

I am a beliver in marvel mystry oil 35+years.

[lightload]

I use the Marvel product as a solvent. It's good stuff to have around.

[mullthing]

Not putting homemade stuff on my guns; too risky for me.

[Elkins45]

Not putting homemade stuff on my guns; too risky for me.

We’re talking about home mixed stuff, not home made. Guys aren’t refining crude in their backyards. What do you think commercial gun lubes are, some magic formula whipped up especially for guns? Not hardly: the market is way too small for any refiner to develop a bespoke product. Gun oil is just some guy mixing together exactly the same base ingredients you and I have access to. There’s nothing particularly better about paying someone else to do the mixing and then to pour it off in small bottles and sell it for 20X the cost.

I would rather know what’s in my bottle than trust some snake oil salesman. Fire Clean turned out to be canola oil, and Frog Lube is coconut oil. At least my stuff didn’t come from Grandma’s kitchen.

[bkbville]

Not putting homemade stuff on my guns; too risky for me.

I prefer the benefits of the knowledge I learn here... the aggregated decades (might I say centuries... or millenniums?) of heuristics and ongoing tweaking/testing of these solutions.

But to each his own.

[43PU]

I use 2 parts full synthetic motor oils (0w-20 because it’s what my car uses) 1 part dextrin transmission oil and 1 part STP oil treatment

Works like a charm!!!! I have my friends begging for it and a little goes a long ways!!

[William Yanda]

Acetone makes the oil creep into small spaces better. Farmers have been using 50/50 acetone/ATF as penetrating oil for decades. Nothing rusts like farm machinery, especially around cows.

If you think cows are bad, stay away from chickens!

[Kraschenbirn]

Now there is an idea. Coat your bore and every moving part with lapping compound. After a few years it will run really smooooooooooth.

Hmmm...I can recall doing exactly that to "break-in" new M60s in SE Asia. Mix a bit of lapping compound with GI lube ('Monkey goop'), brush onto all the moving parts, run a couple hundred rounds downrange, clean in a bucket of JP4, lube normally, and reassemble. Learned this from our company armorer who was already in the Army when some of our door gunners were born.

Bill

[WALLNUTT]

You can do worse than straight ATF. A solvent is not needed for oiling after cleaning. I use Red&Tacky as a grease for auto slides and the star on revolver cylinders. If it slides, grease it, if it turns, oil it.

[nicholst55]

Hmmm...I can recall doing exactly that to "break-in" new M60s in SE Asia. Mix a bit of lapping compound with GI lube ('Monkey goop'), brush onto all the moving parts, run a couple hundred rounds downrange, clean in a bucket of JP4, lube normally, and reassemble. Learned this from our company armorer who was already in the Army when some of our door gunners were born.

Bill

And I, and all other Small Arms Repairmen hate you, and your company Armorer... Just saying.

[catboat]

Came across a “car talk” radio show a couple of years ago. They were discussing motor oils. One thing that caught my ear was that Pennzoil “High Mileage” motor oil has higher levels of zinc in it. The zinc aids to fill/seal voids from wear, also provides corrosion protection.

I’ve been using that product in my vehicles ever since listening to the show. I use it on my guns too. Can’t say it works better than anything I’ve used in the past, but I like the point of high zinc content for corrosion protection on my guns.

There is a website dedicated to oils/lubes called: Bob is the oil guy. Interesting reading. Nice to know that Marvel Mystery Oil ( mmo) is well-regarded over there. I use it a lot, including on guns.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary

[alamogunr]

I believe Goo-Gone is naphtha based.

Goo-Gone is recommended by some in the Air Guns section as patch solvent for cleaning barrels. Apparently air gun barrels are made of softer steel than firearms. I'm new to air guns so I am trying not to do anything to damage my barrel so don't use brushes or rods.

[alamogunr]

Came across a “car talk” radio show a couple of years ago. They were discussing motor oils. One thing that caught my ear was that Pennzoil “High Mileage” motor oil has higher levels of zinc in it. The zinc aids to fill/seal voids from wear, also provides corrosion protection.

I’ve been using that product in my vehicles ever since listening to the show. I use it on my guns too. Can’t say it works better than anything I’ve used in the past, but I like the point of high zinc content for corrosion protection on my guns.

There is a website dedicated to oils/lubes called: Bob is the oil guy. Interesting reading. Nice to know that Marvel Mystery Oil ( mmo) is well-regarded over there. I use it a lot, including on guns.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary

That site is interesting, especially if you enjoy reading a bunch of stuff you don't understand. Those folks are really into their oil and all kinds of things to help engines. It has influenced me to choose particular oils for my vehicles.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Came across a “car talk” radio show a couple of years ago. They were discussing motor oils. One thing that caught my ear was that Pennzoil “High Mileage” motor oil has higher levels of zinc in it. The zinc aids to fill/seal voids from wear, also provides corrosion protection.

I’ve been using that product in my vehicles ever since listening to the show. I use it on my guns too. Can’t say it works better than anything I’ve used in the past, but I like the point of high zinc content for corrosion protection on my guns.

There is a website dedicated to oils/lubes called: Bob is the oil guy. Interesting reading. Nice to know that Marvel Mystery Oil ( mmo) is well-regarded over there. I use it a lot, including on guns.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary

About 5 years ago, I did some research reading about Zinc additives to automotive engine oil. As I understand it, about the time cars were equiped with catalytic converters the automotive manufacturers specified no Zinc additives, due to them prematurely clogging up catalytic converters, I don't recall what API spec that was, but it was probably back in the late 1980s. That was also about the time when they started labeling some motor oil specifically for Diesel engines, as those had Zinc additives. Also, the standard STP oil treatment have a fairly high content of Zinc additives. Which explains one more reason why the "gunshow gunoil" recipe I posted in post #11 uses STP

[midland man]

well after reading all of this heres what i been using for over 25 years i use the old fashioned 3-1 oil on all my guns even the wood and it works great! so does anyone else use this oil on their guns??

[deltaenterprizes]

I suspect the "whoever came up with the recipe put it in "just because"."
...and probably for the smell.

Also, it's not that different than what is known as "the secret gunshow Gunoil'
70% Mobil One full synth auto engine oil
30% STP
What I like about it is it stays where you put it unlike the thin as water
stuff sold as gun oil.This is a matter st for semiautomatic firearms.
as I understand, the STP helps adhere the oil to exterior gun metal to retard finger prints, as well as, the Mobil One doesn't have the rainbow color effect that most petroleum oils have, so it doesn't alter the gun metal Blue color.

I have been using that mixture for over 20 years, works well!
Put the mixture in the microwave to warm it so the ingredients will mix well!

[RU shooter]

well after reading all of this heres what i been using for over 25 years i use the old fashioned 3-1 oil on all my guns even the wood and it works great! so does anyone else use this oil on their guns??
I do I'm not in extreme climates or fire my guns excessively in a single range visit , seems to prevent rust as well as any other oil I've tried . IMO just about any oil would works for my general needs when my bottle of 3:1 runs out I'll probably just use some 5w30 since I have a half quart just setting in the shed that should last me 10 or so years .

[greenjoytj]

I haven't use Hoppe's 9 in year because I dislike the scent of it. Their "new" version doesn't sink like the old?

[toallmy]

I had a buddy that pulled the dipstick out of his truck to apply oil to a 45 slide once so I guess you use what you got if you need it right then .

[samari46]

Read the article on home made gun oil. I have a rather large assortment of oils,greases and solvents just for guns. Bought a Ruger American compact in 7.62x39 and couldn't get the copper out from the test firing. I have a small amount of Butch's bore shine and between swapping with a tight patch and scrubbing with a bore brush finally got it out. Drove me nuts. Must be using the copper plated steel jacketed mil surp ammo. Since reading the article I realize I don't have to leave the house to get the components listed. Have the red&tacky grease for rails and slides. couple flavors of atf, stp, Marvel mystery oil and some hoppes. I store my lathe oils that when I bought them in 5 gal pails in orange magic heavy duty hand soap with the grit in it. I flush out the empty containers extremely well and blow them out with the air compressor to dry them out.
One is labeled lathe oil which is the same as Mobil DTE 2160 (not sure about the right number) turbine oil and the other jug has the way oil which is supposed to limit and slippage on the cross slide assembly and tail stock. We had a mechanic who would drain his cars engine oil, dump in 5 quarts of the turbine oil and run the engine for about a half hour. Dump the oil and now change the filter and fresh engine oil. We had drums of mystery oils and would dump the oil changes in these drums. Bout once a year truck with a small hydraulic crane comes by and picks ip all the drums. Oil is sent to a refinery to get refined into another oil and all the contaminents were used for something else. By the way, the 30w non detergent oil is usually any brand that I add some marine gas stabilizer for my hit and miss engine. Many of you have listed many formulas but the ones with atf and stp seem to be the most common. We have kroil,Butch's bore shine and modern detergent atf fluids and detergent engine oils. I suspect that a good oil should be able to both clean and lubricate a firearm. Still have a few bottles of LSA around here. Nice information and you could mix smaller batches rather than gallons. Keep your buddies guessing as to what you are using. Have fum.Frank

[Traffer]

As long as people are adding to this thread...
Yesterday night I hauled out my new to me Handi Rifle in 45/70. I bought it about a month ago and just put it away. I was curious last night to see if it was leaded.
Sure enough. I went lead mining with this thing. I tried my old standard of chore boy copper scrubber filaments wrapped around a bronze brush with ATF (don't have any synthetic left so I was using regular ATF.) It was getting the lead out but it was taking a long time. I must have used up over 50 patches after the scrubbing with the copper and brush. That is too much wear on the bore anyway. So I took to the internet and found EDS RED. I didn't have the right ingredients so I used 1-1-1 ATF - Acetone - WD 40. It looked interesting. Pleasant pink color.
I applied it like they suggest ... putting a liberal amount on a patch and wetting down the barrel and letting it sit for half hour or so. I let it sit about an hour. I looked down the bore and was pretty amazed. I could see what appeared to be flakes of lead lifting away from the barrel. Looked like one of those trees with the scraggly messy bark.
I ran the brush through a little (without the copper) then ran tight patches through. BINGO. Clean! NO MORE LEAD. I was impressed to say the least.
I can't say if EDS RED works the same, better or worse but this stuff WORKS. I am going to call it PINK 1-1-1.