Cleaning Solvents - Back to Hoppes #9

[Sam Casey]

Tried some Ballistol. Cleaned 2 38's after a weekend of shooting. Did not care for smell and cleaning action was less than spectacular. Have used Hoppes for years and prefer it. Tried the B product because it was touted as cleaner and lubricant/preservative. Concluded I'd rather add a little oil as final step with Hoppes than deal with bad smell of Ballistol.

[tazman]

Ballistol doesn't seem to exist around here. I have been using Hoppes for 40 years. It does a good job for me.

[smoked turkey]

I tend to agree that Hoppes 9 does a good job. Folks that have been using it for years and years say they have changed the formula and it doesn't do as good a job as that of yesteryear. It may not but Hoppes still does pretty good for me. I will say that I also like and use Ballistol especially for black powder swabbing and cleaning. I am different in that I do like the smell of Ballistol almost as much as the old original Hoppes #9. For me two smells I really like are the smell of leather and the old Hoppes #9 formula.

[OilyPablo]

Ballistol does nothing well. Waste of money. I clean with Hoppe's with a shot Kroil mixed in. I lube with the correct lubricant for the gun and the weather. I rust preserve mostly with CorrosionX. Eezox is a good preservative too, but it's nasty toxic.

[jhaston]

I go through a couple bottles of Hoppes #9 a year, I haven't tried very many others, I guess if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Outpost75]

I mix my own Ed's Red. Works for me

[country gent]

Ballistol water mix is good for black powder and if corrosive ammo has been used as it netralizes the salts. I use it mixed with good relults. I also have hoppes #9 and shooters choice benchrest on hand. I mix shooters choice kroil oil 50 50 The kroil oil acts as a penetrant carrier and helps get the shooters choice under the jacket or lead fouling lifting it.

[JWFilips]

1/3 Hoppes 1/3 Pure Turps 1/3 Kroll.....The answer to everything in cast boolit shooting

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've used Clenzoil for many years now. It does a great job as a solvent and a rust preventative as well. LLS

[FergusonTO35]

Been using Hoppe's since I was a kid. Around here you have to go to a big box sporting goods store in Lexington to find any other types.

[454PB]

I like Hoppes, but I've also used Marvel Mystery Oil for cleaning handguns.

[.22-10-45]

I use Hoppe's solvent for all my cast-bullet & rimfire cleanup. Lately, for revolvers, I have been using Bore Tech C4 Carbon Remover. I let cyl. & bore soak for a few min. & patch out, followed by Hoppe's. Used to use a pile of patches getting carbon out of cyl. with Hoppe's alone.

[goryshaw]

Still have a partial quart of 30+ year old Hoppes #9 sitting in the garage. Discovered Ed's Red a few years ago, and I'll never go back to Hoppes again. The smell of Hoppes brings back memories, but Ed's Red has cleaned guns that Hoppes won't touch.

[M-Tecs]

The old #9 with nitro benzene was OK but current stuff doesn't hold a candle to some of the new products.

[Lead Freak]

I like Hoppes, but I've also used Marvel Mystery Oil for cleaning handguns.

There's nothing like the smell of Marvel Mystery Oil! Mmmmmm!

[Mk42gunner]

I used Hoppe's #9 for a lot of years, Outer's Nitro Solvent too, then found out how to make Ed's Red. I've never actually seen a can of Ballistol for sale.

Robert

[Vann]

Hoppe's for cleaning smokeless, Ballistol for BP. That's the way I like it.

[JSH]

Hoppes #9, Ballistol, Kroil, and Wipe Out all set on my bench. I have some eds red and have used it for several years.
I tried several of the do all snake oils and the above is what has worked for me depending on the gun and what I am trying to clean.

[Petrol & Powder]

When it comes to firearms, EVERYONE has their own pet oil/cleaner/solvent, etc. So why should I be different ?

For an all around, cleaner/lubricant - "If I could only have one", type of product; I'm squarely with Le Loup Solitaire. Clenzoil is an excellent product. It appears to be a bit of a regional thing and I usually have to order it but it has come closer to the Nirvana "do-it-all" requirement than any other product I've found. And I've been using it about 15+ years now.

I keep Hoppes #9 on hand and it does do a good job on copper fouling but for the most part Kroil has replaced it when I'm shooting cast bullets. Kroil is also a very good product for general quick gun cleaning.

Ballistol is more of a wood & leather cleaner that can also be used on metal in a pinch.

I'm old school and still trust RIG for long term storage of any ferrous metal.

I keep a tube of white lithium grease on hand for some special applications. STP is good for cylinder arbors (but not much else, too thick!).
If you're on a tight budget and don't mind the red dye, good ol' ATF will get you by just fine. I know one country gent that's never used anything other than kerosene to clean his guns and 3 in 1 oil to lubricate his guns.

[44man]

I use Hoppe's and Butch's Bore shine is better then anything I have used. For carbon, M-Pro 7 is best.
Clenzoil is still good. Ed's Red does nothing for me at all over Hoppe's.
I have many solvents and not a one does what it says. The smell of Butch's is like nuts and I fear it in the trash can but the stuff will really clean a gun. It removes copper and lead.
Sweets for copper is good.
I have many cans of Ballistol and it is great for many things but for BP it is best.