Moosemilk bath, great spa for guns. . .

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Pards,

I went to the hardware store and bought me a plastic bin with a good cover.  Put Moosemilk in it and gave my ROAs a bath.  I took the grip panels of first.  Then I took and blew 'em out with compressed air.  Slick as a whistle.  Pulled a boresnake thru the barrel, but probably didn't have to.

I will re-use the moosemilk bath whenever I need to thoroughly clean my guns, or when I get bored. . .

I like the way it gets into all the innards without having to dismantle the gun.  The Ballistol leaves a fine protective lube coating everywhere.  Sure works slick.

DD-DLoS

[Arcey]

I thought 'bout that 'fore.  Whut's the moose milk look like after the pistols were in there?

[Adirondack Jack]

Yep, thought about it too.  I was thinkin, since my rugers have grips that screw on TIGHT (my own fault, slightly screwed up escutions in the grips I made) I'd get some of those allen head grip screws so the grips come off easier, and one of those big, wide mouth plastic jugs like pickled eggs are often seen in (or somethin that would fit two guns), so I could just drown the guns overnight and blast em with air in the morning.

[Dick Dastardly]

I was thinkn' economy, so I found a bin that my ROAs would lay down in flat.  Then, I mixed up a batch of Moosemilk and slipped 'em in.  Worked slicker 'en snot.  The Ballistol left enuf film that there won't be no corrosion and the water dug out all the crud.  The compressed air blew out the snot and the crud.

I have used a cylinder shaped vial for the cylinders for a couple of years now.  The stuff left in the Moosemilk is unsightly, but it don't hurt nothing.  I expect to use the "spa" for a couple of years and then I may "filter" it and use it some more.

The thing I like about Ballistol (I buy it by the gallon can) is that it lasts darn near forever.  The stuff is safe on skin and don't hurt leather or wood.  My guns come clean, don't rust and have a lubericating film that lets 'em work the way they are supposed to.

The Germans developed the stuff way before WWI and our Government bought it for our service maintainence cleaner and lube.  Then, we went  to war with the makers. . . .  Anyway, the stuff is finally available and a lot of places are stocking it.  Ballistol mixes with water to form a colloidal suspension, much like water pump lube.  It turns white, but then it does something more.  When mixed with water it disolves bp residue and leaves a protective film of lubericant.  I've never had a rust question on guns where I've used Ballistol. 

FWIW, I mix it a bit rich.  I prefer a One part Ballistol to Seven parts water mix.  Many are completely happy with a One to Ten mix, but I prefer the richer mix cuz I'm too lazy to make sure my guns are all completely clean.  The film of Ballistio left behind buys me time to correct my lazy ways. . .

DD-DLoS

[hellgate]

I could never get more than a 1:10 mix. If I mixed it stronger I would get a layer of oil on  the top. Even if I added a soap there would still be a layer of oil on the top after standing a while.

[Dick Dastardly]

Here's the scoup on the 7:1 mixture of water and Ballistol.  Yes it does have a film on the top.  That simply coats everything.  The guns are slippery till they are wiped down.  That same slippery feel is also on all the innards.  The guns are simultaneously cleaned and thoroughly lubericated outside and in.

I intend to use the bath for a long time.  When it gets ugly I'll simply filter it and add an ounce or two of new mix to top it up.  It won't rot, but I'll have to keep it from freezing.  Although I doubt that freezing would hurt the stuff one bit.

This is a simple two ingredient colloidal suspension that has worked well for about a century.  I'm thinkn' most of the bugs are worked out of it.  FWIW, I'm still usin the Marshalls Bore Butter for high wear parts that I can easily reach with the very precise applicator.

DD-DLoS

[Arcey]

Whut I'd thunk of was a hunk of plastic gutter.  Couple end caps.  Pull the stock 'n forearm off the rifle, lay it in there 'n drown it.  Just ain't done it yet...........

[Goatlips]

Arcey,  ya out thunk me by sixty yards.  I was trying to come up with some kind of long narrow tub too but yours'll be built tomorrow, with room for the sixguns too.  Thanks!  (and thanks to DD for the affirmation of the method).

Goatlips

[Adirondack Jack]

This is onna them "things that make ya go "hmmm?"

Now the gears are a clankin' and we're gettin' some smoke an I see a vision of a PVC pipe with a offset reducer and a smaller PVC pipe and a couple of end caps.  Yank the wood off'n the marlin, stuff 'er nose down in the "dunk tank" so assembled and bracketed to the wall in the cellar, and leave 'er be for a soak.

See now this here stuff will be essential if this lazy pard is ever gonna fully convert to the HB propellant.  I been ridin' the fence with 777, but I only got a few lbs left

[Dick Dastardly]

Hey, that'd work Jack.  Just don't let no loose parts to to the bottom.  Not that a magnet on a stick wouldn't retrieve 'em. . .  The same tank cud do pistols, two at a time with the cylinders goin' down on a rope first.  Ya wouldn't need it fer scatterguns unless ya were runnin' 87s or 97s with BP.  Then it'd work great for them too.

Let's see, all ya would need would be a safe place to blow 'em off and some compressed air.

The world fears inventors.  They don't walk the same safe trail as the heard.

DD-DLoS

[Silas McFee]

HHHmmmmmmm I was waiting for some pioneers to blaze a trail for me.  I have 3 pistols and 1 rifle that's never really been cleaned inside out like that.  They seem to function fine, but I've wondered if I could be a little easier on the equipment.

Might need to order more Ballistol...

[Dick Dastardly]

Bring them to me, oh faithful one. . .

I've got enuf mixed up to propel a VW to Mars. . .

We will soak the guns in Moosemilk, ourselves in barly pop and wait for the compresser to come up to a full head.  Then, we will put on our space suits and blow the hell of 'em.  After that, we will insert our long boresnakes and make 'em sparkling clean, chamber to muzzle.  And, mightly greatful they will be.

Yup, BP cleanup kin use a barrel of barley pop. . .

DD-DLoS

[Silas McFee]

Hmmmm... Sounds like a worthy project for downtime at deer camp.  I think all the old uh-uh VHS tapes are eaten by lady beetles.

Seriously, was there a lot of crud inside the pistols?

[Dick Dastardly]

Naah Silas, 

The guns weren't that dirty but it's the old "if I can't see it, it must be hiding something" kind of thing.  Really tho, it's the easiest way I've found to clean the whole gun quick and easy.  The end result is a clean well oiled gun that will store well.

I'm still usin' some of the Marshall's Bore Butter on the high wear areas.  I like the way it keeps 'em slick.

DD-DLoS

[Bristow Kid]

DD,
I am trying your moosemilk bath on that dreaded Walker I bought since I still haven't got it all back together and working yet.  How long should I let it soak? 

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Kid,

I soak mine up to 30 seconds.  More than that and yer pampering yer guns.  It won't hurt to store 'em under a moosemilk in a bath tub forever, but they will be soggy and need a lot of wiping when ya pull 'em out..  Moosemilk won't hurt the wood, but the worms won't like it and will leave your grips forever.  Ivory don't mind moosemilk and neither does staghorn.  It won't hurt leather or the chrome on yer Thunderbird 57 Ford.

Your wife/girlfriend/sig-other won't much care for the oder of Moosemilk, but there's no accounting for taste.  If ya find a wooman whut likes the fragrence of Ballistol and can abide black powder shootn', put a tag on her, or please send her my way.

All kidding aside, Moosemilk does it's work soon.  Later is ok, but it's you, not the chemical that's waitin'.  It ain't fussy.

Now, go pull yer Boresnake thru and go have a tall cool one.

DD-DLoS

[Bristow Kid]

Thanks DD.  By the way shot my first buffalo shoot this past weekend using my own hand loaded BP  catriages.  I am now hooked on the DARKSIDE.  Love that smell and all the smoke and flames.

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Kid,

I've had the pleasure of being down wind of a whole row of BP shooters at the Racine County Line Range.  The fragrence was awsome.  Once you experience the potential and power of the "Original" powder, there's no going back.

I sincerely hope you have the opportunity of enjoying a venesin stake as a result of your work.

SASS is one good reason for shootn' Holy Black.

DD-DLoS

[Cincinnati Slim]

I tried the Moosemilk bath on a bunch of crusty percussion cylinders.

Works great but the stuff truly does coat everything !  Didn't get the chambers dry enough the first time and had a BUNCH of misfires. Caps being fired don't even begin to dr out a Ballistol/Moosemilk saturated cylinder. I had a heck of a time trying to get the inside of the chambers really clean and dry sos no to foul the powder charges when I went shooting. I for sure don't have to worry about rust during storage now !

But I'll take slick and slimey over rough and rusty ANYTIME !

Cheers

Cincinnati Slim

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Slim,

I like to dry mine out with my air compressor.  Sure messes up my spectacles, but 150 pounds of compressed air really blows everything out rite clean.  I give the cylinders another blow thru the nipples before I head for a match.  Usually, if I'm goin' to have a misfire, it's on the first stage.  That indicates oil fouling of the cap or powder, or both.  Blowin' 'em out with air really makes for less misfires.

I'm with ya on the slick and slippery compared to rough and rusty tho. .

DD-DLoS