DIY Bore Solvent: Ed's Red

[aviator41]

This solvent recipe has been around for a very long time. With todays prices for ammo, firearms and everything else that goes with the hobby, anywhere that you can save money helps, so I thought I'd post it.

The Ed's recipe was last updated by Ed himself in 1995. The combination of ingredients makes for an excellent bore cleaner and general degreaser that will leave an extremely thin layer of synthetic oil on most metal parts. It needs to be stated that it is possible that the concoction may react with some wood finishes since one component is acetone. A common answer to this problem is to leave the acetone out. While this does reduce the speed at which the cleaner will remove crud, it will still accomplish the task.

The formulation is as follows:

1 part Dexron III Automatic Transmission Fluid

responsible for leaving the thin film mentioned above and general crud cutting)​

1 part Deodorized Kerosene

General degreasing compound. It's widely used on many parts cleaners and can be obtained in small quantities at walmart in the camping section. it's usually in a blue bottle.​

1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits

Use REAL mineral spirits. It's important to note that some places use a 'mineral spirit substitute' that is suppose to be environmentally friendly.it DOES NOT work in this recipe. The mineral spirits are a grease thinning agent and used as the solvent in the recipe.​

1 part Acetone * Optional

Responsible for speeding up the cleaning process and some claim it's a copper fouling cleaner. I leave this out to prevent reactions with wood finishes and some plastic parts.​

This recipe will make gallons of scrubber for just a few bucks, allowing it to be used liberally and for soaking parts for long periods. It should not be stored in plastic containers as several components will break down most common plastics. One exception to that rule is the use of plastic gas cans, they seem to be okay. I store mine in mason jars so that small quantities are always ready to go. It's very flammable and should not be smoked around. Adding the acetone, should you choose to do so, will cause the solution to have a strong odor and therefore should be used in a well ventilated area.

I have used this solvent to much success doing everything from basic bore cleaning to removing comsoline with great success. If you don't like the film that is left on the parts, it's very easily removed with a quick squirt of the cheapest non-chlorinated brake or parts cleaner you can find (in a pinch, you can remove it with pure mineral spirits) - just make sure to put a thin layer of oil on your metal parts before they are allowed to sit for any period of time (or before reassembly).

Like I said, I am sure most of you already know about the recipe - but it never hearts to spread the word!

Aviator41

 

[Sanford]

Good post - and good stuff, IMHO.

I add the pound of Anhydrous Lanolin to the mix for its extra rust preventative properties and leave the Acetone out of the main batch then add it back in to my "in use" jar as needed to get out any heavy gunk. I also pour off about 8 ounces of the ATF/Kerosene mix before adding the other ingredients and keep it separately to use for oiling - could make that it up separately though, too.

I use the stuff by running a saturated patch through the bore, repeating, then letting that soak while I clean the rest of the gun. By the time I get back to the bore it's usually ready to finish with a dry patch to get all the gunk out from soaking, another pass or two with saturated patches just to clean up any leftover residue, and a final dry patch before closing things up. The exception is shotguns - if there's plastic fouling I'll add the Acetone to the mix and use a brush to get that all loosened up before letting it soak. I've also found that it's useful to use something else for copper fouling. ER will do it, but it's slow (takes on the order of hours) to soak underneath and loosen it.

Even at today's prices for the ingredients it's still a bit less expensive than plain old Hoppe's and such, but I also notice that I use more of it - hopefully that means I'm getting things cleaner than I would have otherwise.

 

[aviator41]

I wish it worked better on copper, but you are right. Copper fouling is better handled with a commercial product.

Like you, I tend to use more of the Eds red than I would Hoppes - I like to think Things are cleaner.

I did leave the lanolin out. I've never put it in, but might try it. Not being able to find the Lanolin was a put-off for me originally and kept me from making my first batch. May need to make a new batch with some lanolin in it. I tend to give a jar full of this stuff away any time a friend with firearms comes to the house. I've always told them that if they'd bring the jar back, I'd refill it for 'em on my penny. They all seem eternally grateful!

 

[HiredHand]

Akins Natural Food store carries lanolin in liquid and solid forms. You can find a bunch of other firearm cleaner and lube recipes here; http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

I wish it worked better on copper, but you are right. Copper fouling is better handled with a commercial product.

Like you, I tend to use more of the Eds red than I would Hoppes - I like to think Things are cleaner.

I did leave the lanolin out. I've never put it in, but might try it. Not being able to find the Lanolin was a put-off for me originally and kept me from making my first batch. May need to make a new batch with some lanolin in it. I tend to give a jar full of this stuff away any time a friend with firearms comes to the house. I've always told them that if they'd bring the jar back, I'd refill it for 'em on my penny. They all seem eternally grateful!

There's a school of thought that promotes only removing carbon from a barrel and leaving the copper alone.

 

[UnSafe]

Most Pharmacies (Walmart) can get you a tub of anhydrous lanolin cheaply.

 

[mtnboomer]

Ed's Red Plus Bore Cleaner

Uses: Same as regular Ed's Red, but with a copper removing ability similar to Marksman' Choice
MC-7.

Formula:
11 ounces of basic Ed's Red
2 ounces of 10% - 20% industrial strength ammonia
2 ounces of Rustlick WS-11 cutting oil or suitable alternative
1 ounce Murphy's Oil Soap

Mixing Instructions:
Mix the oil soap and ammonia in a separate container. In a suitable one (1) pint container containing 11
ounces of basic Ed's Red, add the cutting oil and mix together. Then add the oil soap/ammonia mixture
to the Ed's Red/ cutting oil mixture and shake the container to mix the ingredients. You will end up with
a pink opaque liquid that, for the most part, will remain in solution – but always shake well before
using. The resulting solution will remove mild copper deposits in bores if allowed to work about 15 –
20 minutes.
Cautions: Same as regular Ed's Red.



The ORIGINAL Hoppes No. 9 Formula
(This formula was taken from “Hatcher's Notebook”)

Uses: General bore cleaner. This is the original “Ode de Gun.” If you don't like the smell – you ain't
a real shooter! Any resemblance to the current “environmentally correct” No. 9 is completely
accidental!

Formula: (Amounts are rounded from the original formula to make one [1] quart.)
Original Component Notes

Ammonium Oleate (CAS# 544-60-5) 5 ounces (also known as ammonium soap)
Amyl Acetate 8.5 ounces (also know as banana oil)
Nitro-benzene 2 ounces (racing fuel additive, also found in
some model airplane fuels)
K1 Kerosene 8.5 ounces
Neutral Saponifiable Oil 8 ounces (not identified, ATF can be substituted)