I AM DONE

I echo all of your comments, especially the one of voicing my concern about what’s coming if this “pedo” actually steals the election and cameltoe ends up running what’s left of US into the Venezuela kind of place where, according to all these bottom dwelling , zero IQ nonthinkers life is really grand and they really are from the government and here to help us… Lord have mercy and if we have expended all the mercy we are going to get, then come Lord, please bring the tribulation.. this i pray, amen.

Tolerance is not a virtue, it is an anti-Christian vice.

MIX YOUR OWN “ED’S RED” BORE CLEANER… IT REALLY WORKS!

Ed Harris, Rev. 12-27-94

Three years ago I mixed my first “Ed’s Red” and I still think the “recipe” is a great idea. If you have never tried it, or maybe lost the recipe, I urge you save this and mix your own. My followers on the FIREARMS Echo think it’s the best thing since smokeless powder! Therefore, I’ll summarize the story again for the passing parade that didn’t get it the first time…

I originally did this because I used a lot of rifle bore cleaner and was deterred by the high price of commercial products. I knew there was no technical reason why you could not mix an effective bore cleaner using common hardware store ingredients which would be inexpensive, effective, and provide reasonable corrosion protection and adequate lubrication.

The “recipe” is based on proven principles and incorporates two polar and two non-polar ingredients. It is adapted from a formula in Hatcher’s Notebook, Frankford Arsenal Cleaner No.18, but substituting equivalent modern materials. I had the help of an organic chemist in doing this and we knew there would be no “surprises.” The original Hatcher recipe called for equal parts of acetone, turpentine, Pratt’s Astral Oil and sperm oil, and optionally 200 grams of lanolin added per liter.

Pratt’s Astral oil was nothing more than acid free, deodorized kerosene. We use K-1 kerosene of the type normally sold for indoor space heaters. An inexpensive, effective substitute for sperm oil is Dexron (II, IIe or III) automatic transmission fluid. Prior to about 1950, most ATFs were sperm oil based, but during WWII a synthetic was developed for use in precision instruments. With the great demand for automatic transmission autos after WWII, sperm oil was no longer practical to use in producing ATF in the quantity demanded, so the synthetic material became the basis for the Dexron fluids we know today. The additives in ATFs which include organometallic antioxidants and surfactants, make it highly suitable for our intended purpose.

Hatcher’s original formula used gum spirits of turpentine, but turpentine is expensive and highly flammable. Cheaper and safer is aliphatic mineral spirits, which is a petroleum based “safety solvent” used for thinning oil based paints and as automotive parts cleaner. It is commonly sold under the names “odorless mineral spirits,” “Stoddard Solvent” or “Varsol.”

There isn’t anything in Ed’s Red which will chemically remove copper fouling, but it does a better job on carbon residue than anything out there. Several users have told me, that exclusive use of “ER” does reduce the buildup of copper fouling, because it removes old impacted fouling which is left by other cleaners, reducing the adhesion of abraded metal to the surface, and leaving a cleaner surface which reduces subsequent fouling. It appears that “ER” will actually remove metal fouling it if you let it “soak” so the surfactants will do the job, though you may have to be patient.

The lanolin is optional. The cleaner works quite well without it. Incorporating the lanolin makes the cleaner easier on the hands, and provides better residual lubrication and corrosion protection if you use the cleaner as a protectant for long term storage. If you want to minimize cost, you can leave the lanolin out and save about $8 per gallon. Mix some yourself. I know it will work as well for you as it does for me.

CONTENTS: ED’S RED BORE CLEANER

1 part Dexron II, IIe or III ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later.
1 part Kerosene – deodorized, K1.
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TT-T-2981F, CAS #64741-49-9; or substitute “Stoddard Solvent”, CAS #8052-41-3, or equivalent (aka “Varsol”); OK to substitute aromatics free White Spirit.
1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1.
1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon; OK to substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store.

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS

Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use a clean 1 gallon metal, chemical-resistant, heavy gauge PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are also OK. Do NOT use HDPE, which is breathable because the acetone will evaporate. The acetone in ER will attack HDPE in about 6 months, making a heck of a mess!

Add the ATF first. Use the empty container to measure the other components, so that it is thoroughly rinsed. If you incorporate the lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking precautions against fire. Pour the melted lanolin it into a larger container, rinsing the lanolin container with the bore cleaner mix, and stirring until it is all dissolved.

I recommend diverting a small quantity, up to 4 oz. per quart, of the 50-50 ATF/kerosene mix for use as an “ER-compatible” gun oil. This can be done without impairing the effectiveness of the mix.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING ED’S RED BORE CLEANER

1. Open the firearm action and ensure the bore is clear. Cleaning is most effective when done while the barrel is still warm to the touch from firing. Saturate a cotton patch with bore cleaner, wrap or impale on jag and push it through the bore from breech to muzzle. The patch should be a snug fit. Let the first patch fall off and do not pull it back into the bore.

2. Wet a second patch, and similarly start it into the bore from the breech, this time scrubbing from the throat area forward in 4-5” strokes and gradually advancing until the patch emerges out the muzzle. Waiting approximately 1 minute to let the bore cleaner soak will improve its action.

3. For pitted, heavily carbon-fouled “rattle battle” guns, leaded revolvers or neglected bores a bronze brush wet with bore cleaner may be used to remove stubborn deposits. This is unnecessary for smooth, target-grade barrels in routine use.

4. Use a final wet patch pushed straight through the bore to flush out loosened residue dissolved by Ed’s Red. Let the patch fall off the jag without pulling it back into the bore. If you are finished firing, leaving the bore wet will protect it from rust for up to 30 days. If the lanolin is incorporated into the mixture, it will protect the firearm from rust for up to two years. For longer term storage I recommend use of Lee Liquid Alox as a Cosmoline substitute. “ER” will readily remove hardened Alox or Cosmoline.

5. Wipe spilled Ed’s Red from exterior surfaces before storing the gun. While Ed’s Red is harmless to blue and nickel finishes, the acetone it contains is harmful to most wood finishes).

6. Before firing again, push two dry patches through the bore and dry the chamber, using a patch wrapped around a suitably sized brush or jag. First shot point of impact usually will not be disturbed by Ed’s Red if the bore is cleaned as described.

7. I have determined to my satisfaction that when Ed’s Red is used exclusively and thoroughly, that hot water cleaning is unnecessary after use of Pyrodex or military chlorate primers. However, if bores are not wiped between shots and shots and are heavily caked from black powder fouling, hot water cleaning is recommended first to break up heavy fouling deposits. Water cleaning should be followed by a thorough flush with Ed’s Red to prevent after-rusting which could result from residual moisture. It is ALWAYS good practice to clean TWICE, TWO DAYS APART whenever using chlorate primed ammunition, just to make sure you get all the residue out.

LABEL AND OBLIGATORY SAFETY WARNINGS
RIFLE BORE CLEANER
CAUTION – HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED.
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

1. Flammable mixture. Keep away from heat, sparks or flame.

2. FIRST AID – If swallowed DO NOT induce vomiting, call physician immediately. In case of eye contact immediately flush thoroughly with water and call a physician. For skin contact wash thoroughly.

3. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing vapors or spray mist. It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Reports have associated repeated and prolonged occupational overexposure to solvents with permanent brain and nervous system damage. If using in closed armory vaults lacking forced air ventilation wear respiratory protection meeting NIOSH TC23C or equivalent. Keep container tightly closed when not in use.

This “Recipe” is placed in the public domain, and may be freely distributed provided that it is done so in its entirely with all instructions and safety warnings included herein, and that proper attribution is given to the author.

Another alternative…

Ballistol has been popping up increasingly in stores, magazine articles, forums, and blog posts over the past few years- enough so that I thought I should check it out. I’m usually very skeptical of the CLP-of-the-month frenzy that preoccupies a lot of shooters, but Ballistol has been around since before the First World War. Products don’t usually survive that long unless they have something to recommend them, so decided to check it out.

If you go to the commercial Ballistol web page you can read this breathless history of the product:
In 1904, Dr. Helmut Klever succeeded in producing the special compound, which he named “Ballistol” (from the words “ballistic” and “oleum”, the Latin word for “oil”). It soon became obvious that this new “ballistic oil” had truly amazing capabilities, and in 1905 the Imperial Army tested and adopted Ballistol, which stayed in use until 1945. By then, however, word had spread and within a decade, hunters, boaters, hikers, and outdoorsmen in Germany, Austria and Switzerland had converted to using this new “miracle oil.”

So what is Ballistol, exactly? The ingredients aren’t secret. There’s the MSDS, of course, and the formula hasn’t exactly been kept secret for the past 113 years. Like all lubricants, it has as its base an oil- in the case of Ballistol, mineral oil. This is the same lightweight petroleum distillate that is used as baby oil, transformer oil, or microscope objective immersion oil. It’s clear, nontoxic, and cheap- about 87 cents per pound in drum quantities. (Walmart has pharmaceutical grade mineral oil for $1.98/pint). It lacks the tenaciousness of polarized oils or greases, but if you regularly clean and lubricate a firearm it works just fine, which is why so many commercial gun lubes have mineral oil as their base.

The second ingredient is oleic acid, which makes up around 10% of Ballistol by volume. This is not a corrosive chemical, as the name might suggest, but a monounsaturated fatty acid. It’s also a major component of many soaps, and when combined with mineral oil it allows the oil to mix with water in suspension. That means you can dilute it with water and make “moose milk,” a favorite cloning solution for black powder shooters. When used undiluted as a CLP, it helps keep carbon and dirt in suspension so it can be flushed out.

The third main ingredient is benzyl acetate, which also makes up about 10% of Ballistol. This compound is commonly used as a component of artificial fruit flavors and aromas. It’s also an effective solvent for nitrocellulose, which is why it’s in Ballistol.

The last ingredient in Anethole, a plant extract that gives Ballistol its characteristic anise/licorice scent. Some find this scent very off-putting. I used in in my mixture for authenticity, but frankly, I’d leave it out as it doesn’t contribute anything functional to the mixture. I suspect its presence in the original formula may have been for some assumed medicinal purpose as it was commonly used to clean wounds, according to some sources. I mixed up mine in a mineral oil bottle with a flip-up spout that I think was sold for applying oil to wooden cutting boards, but you could also use a spray bottle of the sort I used for my Ed’s Red experiments.

Having mixed up all the ingredients, I wetted a few patches an pulled them through a .22 that had been to the range recently, and as you might expect, it left a clean and shiny barrel. I also used it to clean carbon deposits form the cylinder of my S&W 14-3 Masterpiece, and again, it worked just as well as the Break Free I usually use.

So there it is: Mineral oil, soap, and nontoxic nitrocellulose solvent. Total cost for a pint was under $3, which compares very favorably with $18 that Midway gets for a pint can of the commercial product. If you’d like to try mixing it up on your own, you can get mineral oil almost anywhere, and I’ve found vendors selling small amounts of oleic acid, butyl acetate, and anethol on both eBay and on Etsy. Anethole can also be found in health food stores and various new age apothecaries at ridiculously inflated prices. Shop around, as prices vary widely.

I don’t disagree with your “at this point” assertion, but the U.S. does not invade countries in the traditional sense of the word.

It goes on a few bombing runs here and there and might temporarily occupy small parcels of real estate.

North Vietnam, case in point, was never invaded.

That is a dangerous assumption. We are at a pinnacle of divisiveness. As this plays out, we could be most vulnerable to a country or axis of countries deciding to take advantage of the situation.

Just as I abhor the concept of civil asset forfeiture or dealing with cops on a power trip taking advantage of their authority, I do not wish to see the police infrastructure totally dismantled.

“A standing army is like a standing member. It’s an excellent assurance of domestic tranquility, but a dangerous temptation to foreign adventure. What, sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty.” Elbridge Gerry

Yes, and give them a copy of Smedley Butler’s War is a Racket too.