Cheap Bore Cleaner

[Stryker]

About four years ago a buddy of mine gave me a homemade recipie for bore cleaner. I was hesitant at first (being a hoppes fan), but after making my first batch, I never looked back. Just this weekend I needed to make another batch so I broke out the recipie. While I had it out I'd thought I'd post it. The ingredients are very simple and they ran me about $8 at the local walmart. It makes a gallon, so that's about 7 cents/oz. An 8 oz bottle of Hoppe's runs about $5 in my area. Big Difference.
 
I highly recommend you mix outside or in a extremely well ventalated area. Only because you have your face over the ingredients for the 5 to 10 minutes it will take you to make it.
 
1 Quart Dexron II, IIe or III ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later.
 
1 Quart 1 part Kerosene - deodorized
 
1 Quart 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")
 
1 Quart Acetone, CAS #67-64-1
 
1/2 to 1 lb Lanolin. (Optional)
 
Like I said, I found everything at Wal-mart. If you can't, check your local hardware store. Also don't use kerosene that you get from the pump. Buy it from the store in the container. From a paint store I also purchased an empty/clean 1 gallon metal can with airtight lid. The type that paint thinner would come in, or you could use a clean 1 gallon gasoline can. The point being it needs to be airtight and can withstand the types of chemicals your putting into it.
 
Using a clean heavy pvc type bucket (like a 5 gallon bucket), pour in the ATF. pour the kerosene into the ATF container to get the rest out of it and pour into the 5 gallon bucket. At this point you can remove up to 4 oz of the mixture for use as a compatable gun oil. It works well to. Then add the Acetone and Aliphatic Mineral Spirits. Mix well and your done.
 
Optional - If you want to add the lanolin to the mixture, get you some pure lanolin. I use lansiloh from the pharmacy. This will easily double the price of the cleaner to about $16 per gallon / about .13 cents per oz. Remember Hoppes runs about .70 cents per oz. I have also been able to find the stuff dirt cheap at second hand baby boutiques and where ever else mothers who have stopped nursing unload their nursing stuff for consignment. The lanolin does 2 things, 1) it will help protect your skin from the other ingredients but 2) and more importantly, it acts as a rust inhibitor. If you incorporate the lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking recautions 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. And guys, you obviously want to use a double boiler your wife no longer wants or needs. Trust me on that one.
 

That's all there is to it. Not only do I use it on my rifles and pistols, it's great for garden tools like shovels and rakes to keep them from rusting out early. It is also a godsend for those who shoot corrosive ammo. I've never been able to get a gun as clean with hoppes as I can with this stuff. I will say this though, if you have a copper fouling problem, this stuff will work but it will require a little muscle. But if you continue to use it for cleaning, you may, like I did, see less copper build up at the end of the day.
 
Good Shooting

[Arkie55]

I have some of this stuff too.  It's called Ed's Red.  A lot of the Milsup guys make this stuff and use it clean up the old military rifles.  Works great!!!!  Thanks for posting the recipe.

[mtsharps]

made some Ed's Red yesterday worked good on my sharps

[Stryker]

I have some of this stuff too. It's called Ed's Red. A lot of the Milsup guys make this stuff and use it clean up the old military rifles. Works great!!!! Thanks for posting the recipe.

Ed's Red. That right, I couldn't remember the name. You're right about the milsup guys Arkie, it was one of them that turned me onto it.

When cleaning BP, the only thing different I do is flush the barrel with cold water to break up an BP residue before I start using it.