Ballistol Cleaner/Lube on Sale
MidwayUSA currently has Ballistol Sportsman’s Oil on sale through the end of May. “Oil” is a bit of a misnomer, because Ballistol is a non-toxic, all-natural product that serves a multitude of purposes. It is very popular with black powder shooters because it is not petro-chemical based. Accordingly it will not alter combustion or affect a “seasoned” muzzleloader or black powder cartridge gun, though it cleans black powder residues very effectively.
Centerfire shooters will find that Ballistol does a very good job cleaning powder fouling off case necks and case bodies. As a lube, Ballistol is clear, not waxy or chalky, and it is very slippery. Ballistol is this editor’s preferred lube for full-length sizing PPC and BR cases. It is easy to apply with fingers or a damp patch and it wipes off quickly with a paper towel. All you need is a very thin sheen on the case and your brass will run through the sizer die like a dream. Since Ballistol is non-toxic, you need not be concerned with getting it on your fingers–in fact Ballistol even has antiseptic properties.
The sale item is the large, 16-ounce liquid, MidwayUSA item 164428 (left above). This will last a long time. It is marked down to $7.99 from $9.99, through May 31, 2007. For .223 Rem, 6BR, and PPC case sizing, we prefer the 6-ounce Aerosol version, MidwayUSA item 831231, regularly priced at $6.99 (right above). The Aerosol is easier to apply–a thin mist is all you need. NOTE: for heavy case forming and necking-up duties, we do recommend you employ a thicker lube, such as Imperial Die Wax. For regular neck- and body-sizing of small to medium-sized cases, however, Ballistol works great.
The Ballistol Sportsman’s Oil works great — found this case lube tray from CBoss USA — my friend told me about. I hope I can post the site its http://www.cboss-usa.com and its pretty cool. It took less than 30 secs. to lube my cases with no oil in the casing. It works great with my reloading equipment.