I decided to do a challenge in Gun Cleaners- this is Hoppes#9 Vs. Ballistol. The Hoppes is strickly a gun solvent and Ballistol is an all in one type. Next will be BreakFree Vs. Ballistol
Here's a tip if you truly want a perfectly clean bore. I stopped using a brush a long time ago. Soak a cleanig pad and use a rod + cleaning jag, run it through the barrel and let it sit a few minutes. Run your clean patches. Eventually, the solvent evavorates. When this happens, you will start getting clean cloths not because the barrel is clean, but because the solvent has dried.
9mm is double the pressure than a .45 acp. It has a hotter chamber pressure this will create more soot in the barrel. You need 2 barrels with the exact round count to test both products. You also don't know how clean the bores are before the test. You can clean any gun until your latches come out clean. Clean the same gun again 3 days later and you will still get dirty patches. Let ballistol sit in your barrel for a few days, it will dissolve the lead and carbon. Also, one of those cleaners causes cancer and you used your bare hands. :( Hint: it's not Ballistol.
Getting a dirty patch when you ran Hoppe's #9 through the .45 barrel isn't surprising. When you cleaned the .45 barrel with the Hoppe's #9, you used a brush that you had previously used to clean another barrel. Some of the dirt from the first cleaning contaminated the brush.
I agree that this is required to be the 'most scientific'. Having said that, he used the brush with the Hoppes to apply as is recommended. I call that a disadvantage as you need an additional tool/step to saturate. Either way you slice it, he used the same technique on BOTH barrels and showed the ultimate outcome, thats pretty damn effective in my book.
This was probably the worst comparison I have ever seen. First of all, ramming an already dirty brush back through is obviously going to transfer residue back into the barrel.
@roadranger27 Same Here! Did 2 cleanings on the same barrel with Hoppe's#9, then got my Ballistol in the mail, sprayed the barrel and let it sit for 20 minutes, then took a brush, swiped it through 4 times, then took a clean white patch, ran it through, and it came out black! I threw my Hoppe's away, using only Ballistol now. Also, used some Amsoil synthetic 0W-30 motor oil on my Mosin-Nagant that hoppes wouldn't clean. Amsoil did the trick, followed by Ballistol.
i sadly do not have any Ballistol yet...., but what i do understand is that it does seem to be a much milder cleaner, because you don't want to get any of the Hoppe's on your wood grips because it will ruin the finish on the grips! great review, cheers mate!
The bore brush has crap on it from running it through when it was dirty... both barrels... a fair test would be to use a brand new bore brush on each barrel to see if it comes clean. I have cleaned a barrel and then re-cleaned it 2 months later when it was already clean and had crap come off from the bore brush... it was clean with a patch when I finished cleaning it but it got dirty when i used the bore brush on it the second time.. Just my observance, brush=dirt. Clean your bore brush...
The true test is to run yet another saturated cloth through the barrel - let it sit momentarily, then run another clean cloth. 9 out of 10 times you will be removing more powder. The process mentioned is repeated until a "saturated" cloth comes out clean followed by a clean dry cloth. I use this process when storing my firearms for extended periods. If I know I'll be shooting that particular firearm shortly, I won't go to that extent.
@dudelivestrong Just used some ballistol on a stuck sliding door works great but my wife keeps saying she smells shit on the patio! Lol I just blame it on the dog! Lmao
@chrizzis77 The only way to describe Ballistol is to compare it to stinky feet!! Lol, Hoppes is strong, but ballistol smells like ass, thanks for watching!
I clean them all dry with a brush. It's fun to see all the dust come out of it when you do it dry. Also nothing sticks to anything when you do it dry. After doing that, finish up with some oil and you're good to go. If rust, then put barrel and parts in a co trainer full of warm soapy water overnight. Then dry clean the following morning. Voila!
@elw619 Thanks, it is true I use Ballistol more then Hoppes now, I will use Hoppes on those times when I wait 2 weeks before cleaning my Gun,LOL. I through a can in anytime I am ordering from Midway, just kinda lays around till I need it.
I don't think this is a very accurate test unless you're using the same brand/type of ammunition for each gun - and each gun has the same number of rounds through it. Some brands of ammunition seem to be "dirtier" than others.
Your bore brush is contaminated from previously use. You added dirt to the barrel by dipping it and then running it through the barrel. You added only Ballistol by spraying it into the Baretta. You need to control your test a little better.
I use shooter's choice bore cleaner for the barrel, and shooter's choice FP-10 for the cleaning and lubricating of everything like the barrel lugs, slide rails, extractor. But I use Slip 2000 Extreme weapons grease on the rails of the frame using a q tip. Action is smooth as silk. Kimber Ultra Carry II, zero probs..
You shouldnt use bore brush with solvent. The dirt you see is actually the solvent eating the bore brush. To prove my point, keep using brush then patch. You would notice two things. The patches are always dirty and the brush keep getting smaller. Solution? Only brush prior to solvent.
Hoppes 9 if you want lead and copper out. Balistol is sort of a jack of all trades master of none. Plus it smells like old socks. I use hoppes on bores, it dissolves better. Balistol is not bad and is less toxic probably safer.
@spacemanspiff2012 Yeah this is more of a begginners test, There was also some double dipping of solvents. I am a fan of Ballistol and still a user of good ol Hoppes. I gonna give thise another try, next time i will use two 45's.
@roadranger27 I love Ballistol and use it a lot, but I still haven't let go of good ol Hoppes#9, kinda like a 1911, been arounf forever for a reason. Thanks for teh comment.
I think ballistol is an ok cleaner/solvent. But it's not a miracle worker as some make it out to be. I think it's funny how people Get so "ass hurt" (as pete from the Armory Channel would say) just because people disagree with them. I mean, Most people would be shocked to find out how many Gunsmiths actually use Simple Green as there cleaners, hahaha!! You can by that next to dish detergent! for like $2.00
Running the bore brush in the barrel of the 9mm in order to get oil in the barrel basically just broke up all of the dirt in the barrel. I havent watched the rest of the video yet, but i assume it will have an influence in final results.
Yeah. After watching the entire video im convinced that the wire brush used to oil the barrel with Hoppes is what caused your results. The first instance, using the brush broke it up and then cleaned it with the dry pads. On the second instance with the 45, the ballistol guns didnt have a brush to help break up the dirt. In other words, it was only ballistol cleaning the gun as opposed to Hoppes, plus the wire brush.
Bro. I know it's not the point of the video.. but save the swabs and the time.. use the nylon bore brush soaked with either solvent, then a bore snake. Dry and finish with a swab or two, then a swab with oil. Done in a fraction of the time it takes to use only swabs.
Very true, unfortunately Ballistol wrote the BOOK on cleaning bores since very few people put stock in boojs anymore. In fact, I've heard that pretty much everything in boojs are lies. So for me I'll just stick with the ones that wrote the book, you know, because boojs suck.
I'm not sure your video proved anything conclusively. Apples and oranges comparison, one is a liquid the other an aerosol and both drew out more dirt the other had left behind. Perhaps the carbon build up on both needed more brushing with each before attempting to push patches through. I'd bet if you did it a third time you'd still be getting dirty patches.
Not fair, I cleaned by barrel last night and without using the brush my barrel looked clean and was coming out with clean patches...just for the hell of it, i soaked it in oil cleaner again and went though with the brush and I was still getting some dirt out...even with the same lubricant.
I think you should really cotton instead of those synthetic patches. Thanks for the vid but I think you missed a few things while you did your little comparison but thanks for taking the time to give people a little information. I was curious about if the Ballistol smells as horrible as the Hoppes #9? Hoppes #9 does work well but is way too strong for me while I'm cleaning so I switched to Hoppes Elite which is unscented.
.45 has more surface area so there would be more "dirt"...good try but i agree that if your going to do a true test you need to keep it equil with both and clean them seperatly. If you need to clean a bore then i have found that hoppes is hard to beat, not much experience with ballistol though so i am exceted to see how ballistol does. So far it may replace CLP for me, mainly because i can get a large can of non-aresol Ballistol for way cheaper than CLP.
@MadeInOregon27 I wouldn't, I would say only use it for inside the barrel, the outside of the frame you can wipe down with a towell or use a cleaning cloth, they are many version out there.
@TheNopedawg Not sure I would check if it will damage the finish? If it SS manybe not but please consult your manufactorer. I invested in a sonic cleaner and use that for the good ole dunking process. If you have a few guns it will be worth the investment.
I agree Hoppies is a better cleaner, thanks for the VID. Your process wasn't the same on bot barrels. Check the lab review its more scientific but the conclusion is the same.
