[SomeKid]

Is it because the alcohol is a poor lubricant for the firearm, or that it causes rust?

I think it would be a funny conversation:

Anti: "Guns and alcohol don't mix!"

Intelligent person: "Of course not, the alcohol causes rust..."

[cambeul41]

I thought that it was the water contaminating the alcohol that caused the rust.

[cracked butt]

alcoholdoesn'tcause rust, its a good degreaser.

[Mooseman]

Alcohol doesn't cause rust and is a decent lubricant. Just not for guns:D

[Hemicuda]

what alcohol does is strip away all the protective oils from the metals surface, allowing rust to get a toehold that much easier... the alcohol itself does NOT cause the rust... it is the degreasing action OF the alcohol that allows rust...

[Majic]

They won't mix because the alcohol won't dissolve the gun.

[bcolorado]

Sure do remember getting degreased a few times in college.
Too young to know better.....

[bumm]

A couple of friends and I used a huge amount of gunpowder, alcohol, and gasoline for several days some 35 years ago out in the Sandhills of Nebraska to prove the existence of a benevolent god watching over us. Without God watching over fools we'd all be dead. We all survived our stupidity!
Marty

[Strings]

>A couple of friends and I used a huge amount of gunpowder, alcohol, and gasoline for several days some 35 years ago out in the Sandhills of Nebraska to prove the existence of a benevolent god watching over us.<

Things like this (and I've had a few of my own) are the reason I think the answer to the question of "Why did God make Man?" is "For light entertainment". TELL me that God (however you want to personify Him/Her/It) doesn't laugh their spectral nethers off at humanity's habit of trying to extinguish itself after the immortal line "hey y'all, watch this!"...

[wally]

Famous redneck last words: "Hold my beer and watch this! ...."

--wally.

[Archie]

I think the gun might detract from the delicate flavor of Scotch.

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want any residue Hoppe's Number 9 in my Newcastle Brown Ale, either.

I wonder if alcohol has a fine enough viscosity to penetrate and deactivate primers?

Above all, I like my Scotch to have an organic taste to it, not a metallic.

[JoseM]

I was watching a history channel show on distillation (from bourbon, to scotch, to tequila) and one of the "facts" that came up right before a commercial said that in the old days, they would mix gun powder and spirits for "proof" of alcohol. If the gunpowder ignited, then that was the proof.

I always heard (but never researched or tested) that 100 proof alcohol would burn and anything less wouldn't....never heard of the mixing with gun powder until that history channel show though. I may have to google that!

[JoseM]

From Wikipedia...
http://www.answers.com/topic/alcoholic-proof

This system dates to the 18th century, and perhaps earlier, when spirits were graded with gunpowder: a solution of water and alcohol "proved" itself when it could be poured on a pinch of gunpowder and still ignite the wet powder. If it didn't ignite, the solution had too much water in it and the proof was considered low. This process led to the nickname firewater, coined by Native Americans.

So I guess alcohol and guns DO mix...but only "quality" whiskey!

[mbs357]

And here I thought they called it Firewater because it set them on fire.