breakdown and cleaning of the Pietta 1851 colt navy
- Thread starter Zathras
- Start date
Probably none we need to concern ourselves with, unless you use motor oil or brake fluid on your guns. I've seen some claims that Rem Oil is hygroscopic, but nothing solid, and you can't believe everything you read on the internet anyway. "Hygroscopic" probably wasn't worth mentioning, but I offered it as a type of oil that should not be used. I'm sure most, if not all, commercial firearms oils are fine.
But, some oils are known to be good lubricants, and some are good protectants, but not always both. WD-40 is known for its property as a water displacer, but is not considered by most to be a good protectant. That is not one I would rely on to keep moisture out of fouling for the long term.
Mostly, I was just making the observation about the relative degrees of typical corrosion inside versus outside of antique firearms.
But, some oils are known to be good lubricants, and some are good protectants, but not always both. WD-40 is known for its property as a water displacer, but is not considered by most to be a good protectant. That is not one I would rely on to keep moisture out of fouling for the long term.
Mostly, I was just making the observation about the relative degrees of typical corrosion inside versus outside of antique firearms.
Zathras said:
Ballistol is a unique commercial cleaner & lubricant that you can learn all about on the company website:
http://www.ballistol.com/product_Firearms.htm
History:
http://www.ballistol.com/1_Ballistol 2010 Amazing Story Flyer PROOF3.pdf
It available from many retailers:
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,991.html
Moose milk is a homemade cleaning concoction that some folks may have developed slightly different recipes for. Here's one of them and IIRC it's better to make it with the 91% alcohol rather than the 70%.
Stumpy's Moose Milk
3 oz. Castor oil
1 oz. Murphy's Oil Soap
4 oz. Witch Hazel
8 oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
16 oz. Water
You are correct. I added Ballistol to the water until the Ballistol would no longer go into the emulsion state. That works out to be about 7 part water to 1 part Ballistol. Some like a 10 to 1 ratio. The water in the ratio provides the black powder fouling cleansing and the oil protects the metal. You will find that after a period of time the metal seems to retain the oil even after being scrubed in water. I store and use mine from a laundry spray bottle. I, like Fingers, like the aerosol spray as well for quick squirts for short term protection.
I am a printer and my blanket wash is a water soluble material. It's adequate for cleaning but the petroleum part of the mix will evaporate leaving the metal unprotected, so all water soluble petroleum products are not suitable for our use.
Ballistol is touted as being one of the "miracle" materials. Use it topically for arthritis relief, posion ivy relief, wound cleansing. internally as a laxative. Useful in all areas which a light coat of oil is desired.
I am a printer and my blanket wash is a water soluble material. It's adequate for cleaning but the petroleum part of the mix will evaporate leaving the metal unprotected, so all water soluble petroleum products are not suitable for our use.
Ballistol is touted as being one of the "miracle" materials. Use it topically for arthritis relief, posion ivy relief, wound cleansing. internally as a laxative. Useful in all areas which a light coat of oil is desired.
Fingers McGee
New member
And, it is purported to grow hair on a billiard ball 
Witch Hazel is an astringent cleanser containing unique volitile oils. It shares some similarity with isopropyl alcohol but then I'm not sure why it's an effective ingredient or why it's branches have traditionally been used as divining rods either.
http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/witchhazel.html
http://www.dickinsonbrands.com/about.htm
I don't know enough about the differences between one alcohol and another but personally, I would simply mix the ingredients as suggested using the isopropyl alcohol. Maybe it's more effective for displacing water or for evaporation or for some other reason like how it interacts with the other ingredients.
Substituting ingredients is the reason why there are so many different moose milk recipes.
http://www.stevenfoster.com/education/monograph/witchhazel.html
http://www.dickinsonbrands.com/about.htm
I don't know enough about the differences between one alcohol and another but personally, I would simply mix the ingredients as suggested using the isopropyl alcohol. Maybe it's more effective for displacing water or for evaporation or for some other reason like how it interacts with the other ingredients.
Substituting ingredients is the reason why there are so many different moose milk recipes.
Last edited:
Ballistol Source
I can't find the stuff locally.
I picked up some back in July from Brownells. $11.99 for the 16 oz can and $8.99 for the 6 oz Aerosol. Throw in $11.50 for S&H. That's $32.48.
I'm not cheap, just not easy, when it comes to some things. So I'm looking for a "better" source.
I can't find the stuff locally.
I picked up some back in July from Brownells. $11.99 for the 16 oz can and $8.99 for the 6 oz Aerosol. Throw in $11.50 for S&H. That's $32.48.
I'm not cheap, just not easy, when it comes to some things. So I'm looking for a "better" source.
Fingers McGee
New member
I don't know. Are the palms of your hands made of ivory?? . I though it was a hereditary thing in your case 
. I though it was a hereditary thing in your case Rifleman1776
New member
After 40+ years of shooting various traditional bp firearms I finally fell back on my KISS rule.
For the C&B revolvers, I never fully disassembled for cleaning and never had a problem.
I remove cylinder and other easy to remove parts, like the loading lever on the Ruger OA. I plunge the whole works, sans grips, into a small tub of soapy water. The soap is not some magic formula, just whatever happens to be at the back of the sink at the moment, or sometimes car wash soap. I'll use an old toothbrush to get at the exposed crevices, like around the caps. I'll use a patched jag inside the cylinders and plunge back and forth under the soap solution a few times. This eliminates the need to remove the nipples. Repeat in barrel. Then I'll use running water (kitchen sink, garden hose, whatever is handy) to rinse out the inside. I'll let dry or even put on an oven rack at low heat. When dry I'll use either aerosol carburetor cleaner or WD-40 to squirt hidden crud from the inside. And, finally, when all is really dry I lube moving parts with a good lube like Break-Free although WD-40 has served me well many times.
Now, do not be mislead into thinking I am not careful about how I clean these. To the contrary. I am very thorough. That is the key. Using special mystical cleaners is not necessary as BP residue cleans 90% with water only, the soap, or whatever, removes the rest.
There is no need to get anal over this process. Just be prompt after a shooting session and be thorough.
For the C&B revolvers, I never fully disassembled for cleaning and never had a problem.
I remove cylinder and other easy to remove parts, like the loading lever on the Ruger OA. I plunge the whole works, sans grips, into a small tub of soapy water. The soap is not some magic formula, just whatever happens to be at the back of the sink at the moment, or sometimes car wash soap. I'll use an old toothbrush to get at the exposed crevices, like around the caps. I'll use a patched jag inside the cylinders and plunge back and forth under the soap solution a few times. This eliminates the need to remove the nipples. Repeat in barrel. Then I'll use running water (kitchen sink, garden hose, whatever is handy) to rinse out the inside. I'll let dry or even put on an oven rack at low heat. When dry I'll use either aerosol carburetor cleaner or WD-40 to squirt hidden crud from the inside. And, finally, when all is really dry I lube moving parts with a good lube like Break-Free although WD-40 has served me well many times.
Now, do not be mislead into thinking I am not careful about how I clean these. To the contrary. I am very thorough. That is the key. Using special mystical cleaners is not necessary as BP residue cleans 90% with water only, the soap, or whatever, removes the rest.
There is no need to get anal over this process. Just be prompt after a shooting session and be thorough.