gun smells

[stonecutter2]

I got an M10 bayonet from the CMP for a 1903 or M1 Garand (actually, technically an M1903E1 - a 16" cut down to 10") that was made by RIA in 1911.

It is beautifully perfect, I don't think it was touched after it was cut down.

Anyways, it stunk like moth balls when I got it. The "cosmoline" it was in, inside of the scabbard, had that smell. That's not the kind of cosmoline smell that I like

 

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

I've noticed strange odors coming from adjoining lanes when I shoot my Tokarev.

 

[FROGO207]

Several of my ammo cans full of ammo have that "fresh ammo smell" when I open them to remove contents. Somewhere between acetone and ether. Love that smell.

 

[Scooter22]

Always liked Hoppes #9 and G96 spray. A newer one I started using is Ballistol. Kind of a oily minty smell. Seems like you can use it for all kinds of stuff including cuts. Might try it for mouth wash. One of the worst smells is some 1930s Pakistani .303. Must be dried camel dung assembled only with the left hand. Smells like old S#!t.

 

[sawdeanz]

Worst smell? I had some rem oil and cleaner in my car and the fumes were nearly overwhelming.

On the other hand frog lube smells just like peppermint patties.

And of course you can't discount the wonderful smell of gunpowder!

 

[rswartsell]

Hoppes #9 and Bananas,

old school cordite, nothing similar,

and whatever they used in Vietnam-era artillery shells,

all bring back indelible memories.

they say the olfactory is the most powerful sense for invoking memory.

 

[tactikel]

Dang RC, I haven't thought of the smell of fired paper hulls in 30 years! It really brings back pleasant memories!!
Second is of course Hoppes #9.
Third is the aroma of black powder residue.

 

[bonza]

I love the smell of nitro-cellulose powders when you take the lid off the can.

+1 for fired paper shotshells. I grew up in England, & fondly recall attending garden fetes on the grounds of our village 'Squires' estate, where we young boys went around collecting (& sniffing!) fired hulls fired in all those lovely double guns.

 

[Jaymo]

Tetra-Gun oil smells like derriere.
Not pleasant.

Tri-Flow Oil smells like 1990s Break Free CLP.
I like it.
BLO and tung oil smell good to me.

Tins of Chinese milsurp ammo and Chinese machine tools smell earthy.
Not unpleasant.

FP10 has a bit of a cinnamon smell.

Sometimes smokeless powder smells sweet after firing.
Sometimes it smells like ammonia.

BP? Oh, yeah. Love it.

To heck with new car smell. I like new gun smell.

The first time I used Ballistol was in the 1990s. I used it on my impact sockets to protect them from rust.
I got it on clearance at Home Depot.
Now, I use it on smoke poles.

Cosmoline? Definitely, new-old gun smell. Love it. Reminds me of milsurp SKS and SMLE.

 

[BullRunBear]

Love the smell of black powder fired on a crisp, autumn day.

The other favorite, like so many others here, is Hoppe's #9. My wife, bless her heart, likes that Hoppe's aroma as well. She first smelled it after our first date, which was to an indoor shooting range, when I cleaned the Single-Six. Over 30 years later she still hangs around when I clean the guns. (She doesn't help with the cleaning though. That's always been my job.)

Jeff

 

[oldcelt]

I will never forget the smell of the marsh on a foggy wet morning, the shotgun powder and Hoppes #9.

 

[Curator]

I have been telling my daughters to put a dab of "Hoppe's #9 behind each ear when they went out to meet guys. I figured they would meet the right kind of men. So far I am 76.5 % correct. Unfortunately, Hoppe's #9 is not recognized by metrosexuals. They think it smells like over-ripe melons. Who Knew?

 

[fallout mike]

Hariph creek, check out "weathered leather" scent car freshener made by scentsy. I love it. The travel tins are awesome.

 

[armedwalleye]

Thank you all for the smiles

This post reminds me of being a little kid again when my Dad came home from a deer hunt.

First question was if he shot. If so, I need to smell the empty cartridge. 300 Sav, but that's another story with a warm fuzzy.
Second question was if he got one. Always the same answer there. The old guy is one of the best offhand snap shooters I know.
Third question was if he brought home any leftover spam sandwiches.

I still smell my own empty cartridges.
The old guy taught me to shoot.
And I still save one spam sandwich from the hunt to eat at home the first night back.

Thanks, guys.

 

[Liberty1776]

Glad this subject came up - I love going to a gun show and handling many old guns. The smell that stays on my hands of old gun oil, etc. is wonderful. New guns don't smell the same. And as usual rcmodel is right - nothing matches the smell of a freshly-fired paper hull...