Alternative to Hoppes

[92G]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I really appreciate it! (Except maybe the part about getting a new family ). I love my family and I also love my guns and I want to keep them both.
I have some Ballistol & will try that. I've been using it as a lubricant but not as a cleaner.

ballistol will only work as a lubricant under two conditions:
-lack of evaporation, such as inside relatively air tight grooves or channels
-if used immediately

for cleaning critical action surfaces (bore, chamber, breech, extractor) I have found nothing that comes even close to ballistol. being made of short chain volatile alcohols, however, they don't stick around for long. the good part is they also do not burn. it's superior to a petroleum based product in every way. ballistol makes an excellent cleaner for literally everything from garden equipment to leather. it can be used ultrasonically. it will not damage or weaken polymer like harsher organic solvents. if using ballistol one will want a lubricant. there are literally 1000x different options. i use lucas gun oil for most purposes and mil comm TW-25b for hotter applications like BCGs, but I'm not nearly as particular about lubricants as cleaners.

keep in mind the primary enemy to steel is not wear-and-tear but rather corrosion. a synthetic lubricant will prevent condensation onto the metal surfaces and thus inhibit corrosion. ballistol will provide only a short term benefit in this regard. after a few weeks it's completely evaporated.

 

[PATRON]

I use rubbing alcohol from the dollar store,put in a spray bottle works really good.
Have used it for over 20 years.My wife hated the smell of that military surplus cleaner
in those small green metal cans.

 

[Knob Creek]

Ed's Red.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I use rubbing alcohol from the dollar store,put in a spray bottle works really good.
Have used it for over 20 years.My wife hated the smell of that military surplus cleaner
in those small green metal cans.

I still have some of that old mil surp cleaner. The smell is indeed vile!

 

[MuzzleDiscipline]

Hoppes is the fragrance of guns. It is a scent from my earliest childhood memories and if a gun doesn't smell like Hoppes it just isn't a proper gun. I also like revolvers, 1911s, blued steel, zinc parkerization, and walnut even French walnut.Cleaning off cosmoline is privilege and not a chore.

 

[mac1911]

Interflon is great stuff. Pretty much all I use.

EDIT - I use the Interflon Super for cleaning and lubing, and their Grease for specific points with high wear. They have several products, so read the description before buying. Very low odor that dissipates quickly.

all of this stuff is the same, some blend of Stoddard solvents, mineral oil / vegi oil. Interflon Super has Teflon..... I still have a huge can of rem oil with "teflon" does teflon really do anything in its non cured form? Like teflon pans?

 

[goodguywithagun]

Hoppes ELITE doesn't work as good, but not bad. M Pro7 or CLP

 

[mac1911]

ballistol will only work as a lubricant under two conditions:
-lack of evaporation, such as inside relatively air tight grooves or channels
-if used immediately

for cleaning critical action surfaces (bore, chamber, breech, extractor) I have found nothing that comes even close to ballistol. being made of short chain volatile alcohols, however, they don't stick around for long. the good part is they also do not burn. it's superior to a petroleum based product in every way. ballistol makes an excellent cleaner for literally everything from garden equipment to leather. it can be used ultrasonically. it will not damage or weaken polymer like harsher organic solvents. if using ballistol one will want a lubricant. there are literally 1000x different options. i use lucas gun oil for most purposes and mil comm TW-25b for hotter applications like BCGs, but I'm not nearly as particular about lubricants as cleaners.

keep in mind the primary enemy to steel is not wear-and-tear but rather corrosion. a synthetic lubricant will prevent condensation onto the metal surfaces and thus inhibit corrosion. ballistol will provide only a short term benefit in this regard. after a few weeks it's completely evaporated.

Balistol at least is one of the least toxic ones.....I think the health concerns are with the propellants?

BALLISTOLMATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (cont.)TECHNICAL DATA SHEETS FOR BALLISTOLContentsBallistol contains medicinal grade mineral oil, alkaline salts of oleic acid, several alcohols, Benzyl Acetate and an oil from vegetal seeds. The mineral oil is unchlorinated and conforms to the specifications of US Pharmacopeia XX.

heres WD40 ?

Page 1of 4Safety Data Sheet -Composition/Information on IngredientsIngredientCAS #Weight PercentGHS ClassificationAliphatic Hydrocarbon64742-47-8<70Flammable Liq 3Petroleum Base Oil64742-53-664742-56-964742-65-0<25Not HazardousNon-Hazardous Rust InhibitorsMixture<10Not HazardousNon-Hazardous LubricantMixture<10Not HazardousCarbon Dioxide124-38-9<3Not HazardousFragranceMixture<1Not Hazardou

I will gander this non hazardous rust inhibitor and lubricant is some sort of natural oil, like linseed or such ?

Fun stuff.

My dad swore by 3 in 1 oil and wd 40 was great for coming in out of the wet weather. 3 in 1 is made by the WD40 company
Page -Composition/Information on IngredientsIngredientCAS #Weight PercentUS Hazcom 2012/ GHS ClassificationSeverely Hydrotreated Heavy Naphthenic Oil64742-52-5>97Not hazardousNaphtha, petroleum64742-47-8<2Aspiration Toxicity Category 1Non-Hazardous IngredientsMixture<3Not Hazardous

when yopu start digging into the MSDS sheets on all these cleaners/lubes you start to see they are all generally the same. I think the only real difference is the actual amount of product and the quality of the solvents and oil they use.

do they still put kerosene in Hoppes ?
yup as of 7/2/2019
s.Contains Kerosene (petroleum), Ethanol, propan-2-ol, Proprietary, Proprietary, Proprietary, Proprietary,Proprietary, Proprietary, Citronellol

dont get me wrong Kerosene does clean well, but it smells and feels awful on the skin

you can always use something like CP90 for rust protection ......

Almost ANY product will work as long as you actually apply it and do it correctly. I know many people who still use nothing but WD40 to clean and lubricate.

Me , I really dont have a favorite a decent size bottle of "cleaner/lube" will last me several to many years so whats available on the shelf when I want something is what I will generally grab.
I been using GunZilla for some time now.

Only harsh chem I use is 762 sweets or I recently picked up motana extreme copper killer----its nasty stuff BUT so far it has beat any other copper solvent I have tried. Sweets works well also but again Ammonia nasty....

 

[SparkyEE]

So, Ballistol is not stink-free, but it is mineral oil based, and very non-toxic. Its all I use, and happen to like the smell - but that opinion is not shared by all.

 

[enbloc]

You could stick with Hoppe's if you wanted...

Hoppe's Elite

The Hoppe’s Elite® cleaning line was designed with the active hunter and shooter in mind. A complete departure from our traditional Hoppe’s No. 9 solvent, this high-tech, odorless technology outperforms the standard cleaners and oils on the shelf today. Take it to the next level – the ELITE level.

 

[Laura]

I like using Hoppes #9 to clean my guns. However I am getting complaints from the family about the smell.
Any recommendations for an odor free alternative to Hoppes #9?
Thank you.

I had the same issue. It does a great job but I didn't want something that strong when cleaning indoors; I tried Ballistol, wasn't thrilled, so I switched again to MPro7. Very pleased with the results.

 

[jason19711971]

I like using Hoppes #9 to clean my guns. However I am getting complaints from the family about the smell.
Any recommendations for an odor free alternative to Hoppes #9?
Thank you.

Wife complains too but I like the smell

 

[gerrycaruso]

I use both Ballistol and Hoppes. Neither is a dedicated copper remover but both are effective against corrosive ammo and Ballistol is also effective against black power residue. You can keep both the family and your guns. Just tell them to hold their breath while you clean guns.

 

[mac1911]

You could stick with Hoppe's if you wanted...

Hoppe's Elite

The Hoppe’s Elite® cleaning line was designed with the active hunter and shooter in mind. A complete departure from our traditional Hoppe’s No. 9 solvent, this high-tech, odorless technology outperforms the standard cleaners and oils on the shelf today. Take it to the next level – the ELITE level.

Hoppes elite ingredients
Diethanolamine (DEA or DEOA) is a colorless, viscous liquid organic chemical compound that is both a secondary amine and a dialcohol. According to the International Agency for Research, the compound is a suspected carcinogen to humans. The hydrophilic liquid is used as a surfactant as well as a corrosion inhibitor.

then this stuff

Diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid

Diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid | C9H28N3O15P5 | CID 85128 - structure, chemical names, physical and chemical properties, classification, patents, literature, biological activities, safety/hazards/toxicity information, supplier lists, and more.

pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

and

hydrogen chloride

The more I read up on this shit the more I just keep using warm water and dawn dish soap.

 

[enbloc]

Wow. Just f'in wow...

 

[LTCRN]

This information is from Grant Cunningham Lubrication 101. I'm sure it relates to cleaning sovents too.

"Is there anything we should avoid? Of course – any product that contains chlorine compounds. These compounds, usually referred to as chlorinated esters, were used as boundary additives for many years. As boundary lubes they actually work pretty well; the problem is that they promote a phenomenon known as “stress corrosion cracking” (SCC). Essentially, SCC creates microscopic pits and cracks that, under heat and pressure, widen to become noticeable cracks – and sometimes, even broken parts!"

WD-40 was designed as a moisture displacer. It’s far too light for any load protection, has incredibly poor corrosion resistance, contains zero boundary lubricants, and rapidly oxidizes to form a sickly yellow varnish (hint: this is not good for delicate internal lockwork.) There are those who will defend this stuff vehemently, but then again you can still find people who think smokeless powder is a passing fad. Just. Don’t.

Now Solvents:
When it comes to bore cleaners, it’s been my experience that everything works. Shooter’s Choice, Hoppe’s, Butch’s, Break Free, it really doesn’t matter – with one caveat.
I break cleaners into two basic types: general bore cleaners, and copper removers. Copper removers, such as Hoppe’s Benchrest and Sweet’s 7.62, usually contain ammonia to dissolve copper jacket residue. Ammonia compounds, if not thoroughly flushed, can pit steel. Pitted bores are not generally conducive to good accuracy! Those compounds are also hard on bronze bore brushes, which is why their makers often recommend nylon brushes wound on stainless steel cores. Regular use of a copper removing bore cleaner isn’t recommended, and I only use them in rifles where accuracy reductions are likely to be noticed, and only when the jacket fouling gets to a point that those reductions show up. Other than that, I use a regular bore cleaner.
The bore cleaner I use most is the popular homebrew Origihttps://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/solvents-degreasers/bore-solvents/ed-s-red-bore-cleaner-prod19936.aspxnated by C.E. “Ed” Harris, noted engineer and certified firearms genius, Ed’s Red is both economical and effective. I’ve found it to be as good as anything else in cleaning rifled bores, and a bit better than most when cleaning shotgun barrels. (The acetone in the formula makes it an ideal solvent for removing plastic wad fouling.) Since I use a lot of bore cleaner, being able to mix a gallon at a time saves me both money and effort.

 

[LLF]

I tried the Hoppes Elite ($19.00 for a bottle on Amazon -- expensive!). The Hoppes Elite worked well but the liquid felt thicker than Hoppes #9. There was absolutely no odor whatsoever. I removed the spray cap and used swabs and patches dipped in the Elite for cleaning. After using it my fingers felt sticky and I noticed that it was very easy for a bubble to form on the top of the bottle. I cleaned another gun out in the garage with Hoppes #9 and I have to say I thought the #9 did a better job with no sticky feel to it.
I will use both -- there are certainly no complaints when I use #9 at my range.
Thanks to all for your input.

 

[moojpg2]

breakthrough clean has no smell and is non toxic supposedly.

 

[Taipan01]

I'm in the boat with I like the smell of Hoppe's #9, brings back a lot of memories. I also use Elite as has been mentioned which is oder free for the most part. Smith and Wesson also makes a bore and action cleaner for synthetics which I use on my 642 as it won't harm the clear coat that is also fairly oder free.

 

[Al-Jim19]

I use safariland clp from walmart. I bet many will say its trash but it...

WuRkS fUr Me!!!1!

My guns work and im not stingy with application. The smell is very neutral.

 

[Picton]

CLP.

Sometimes 3-in-1, if I don’t feel like going upstairs.

 

[houdini]

shooting lube

 

[mac1911]

No one uses baby wipes

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I'd buy hoppes scented cologne if someone made it!!!