Is "Ed's Red" really any good or is it just an old wives' tale?

[HetchHetchy]

Is Ed's Red as a general bore cleaner, plastic wad remover, and carbon solvent really any good or is it just an old wives' tale? Here is one recipe:

1 part Dexron II, IIe or III Automatic Transmission Fluid
1 part K1 Kerosene
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits or Stodard Solvent/Varsol
1 part Acetone
1 pound of anhydrous lanolin

 

[SSN Vet]

I've always wanted to mix up a batch and try Ed's Red. But when I add up the price of all of those ingredients, look at how many lifetimes the minimal batch size will last me, and consider the potential that it stinks or doesn't work as anticipated, I always wind up buying another bottle of Hoppes #9 and CLP (or cheep gun oil) at Wally World for a few bucks each.

 

[MEHavey]

I actually mixed some up, and have had a squeeze bottle of it in the gun box for 10 years -- along with the remnants of about 12-15 other "trial" stuff in the closet.

But I've come to evolve to nothing more than KG-1 and Mobile-1 Synthetic... maybe KG-12 for bad coppering ... and that's it.

 

[boom boom]

I think that Brownells sells an Ed's Red type formula for those that want to try it. I have also seen some Ed's red derivative formulas that exclude the lanolin. One issue that I recall with Ed's Red is that you have to heat the mixture to mix in the lanolin and given the other quite flammable ingredients, that can be a problem as well as the mess.

 

[stchman]

On ebay I buy 1quart bottles of Hoppe's #9 for ~$15.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

My brother and I mixed up a batch a few years back. At the time we were competing in sub-gun matches and as you can imagine, something running at 1200 rounds per minute gets dirty pretty quick. It (Ed's) works great. I still have some left and use it regularly. Full disclosure, I clean some of my guns while sitting on the couch with the wife and watching tv. Ed's is not meant for those times. My wife wouldn't be thrilled with the smell. I luck out though, that woman loves the smell of Hoppes #9!

 

[Cannibul]

I've got a gallon of Ed's Red cleaner mixed up and a gallon of Ed's Red lube mixed up. It works pretty well. If you're in the N. Texas area and want some to try let me know.

 

[ThatGuyHank]

I mixed up a very small batch (a little over a half gallon) and after 2 years still have about a quart. It eats mild carbon build up really well and an extended soak makes scrubbing caked on carbon easier. I can't really say that it does much to copper fouling as I never really let it build up to a problem level. As a lube, it doesn't impress me. It's a bit runny and needs frequent reapplication (summers in jersey are getting hotter) except during winter.

It stinks and I'd avoid using it on a hunting firearm just because if I can smell it from 15 or 20 feet away I'm sure a prey animal picks it up from far off. As a cleaner its acceptable and cheap.

 

[Cannibul]

There's a separate recipe for the lube.


2-Quarts Synthetic Motor Oil.

1-Quart Automatic Transmission Fluid. Brand and spec don't matter.

1-Bottle of original STP. The blue bottle.

1-7 oz. jar of Hoppe's #9

 

[SlowFuse]

I mixed up a batch about 4 years ago. Still use it occasionally. I didn't include the lanolin. It works fine but is flammable. I cleaned an 11-48 with some and put a few rounds through it shortly after and had a small fire in the ejection port. Nothing major, but something to remember.

Seems to prevent buildup a little, or maybe it just comes out easier. I like it overall for a homemade solution.

 

[Gottahaveone]

It's all I use. I don't include either the Lanolin or the Acetone. It's by far the cheapest cleaner I've found, and it works exceptionally well.
Dear ol dad said they used to make it and use it when he was on the rifle team in high school in the 50's.

 

[Sport45]

My variation on the solution is 25% ATF, 50% Mineral Spirits, 25% Acetone.

I've been using it for at least a dozen years. It's cheap and works very well. Sometimes the acetone will evaporate out in storage but that's easily remedied by just pouring a bit more in.

 

[mjsdwash]

I used Dex2, kerosene, and Coconut oil a few times in a tire shot to break loose seized lugnuts, and hubs. Takes about an hour for those. If works well. If you dont like the smell of ATF, you can use power steering fluid.

 

[Louca]

I mixed up a very small batch (a little over a half gallon) and after 2 years still have about a quart. It eats mild carbon build up really well and an extended soak makes scrubbing caked on carbon easier. I can't really say that it does much to copper fouling as I never really let it build up to a problem level. As a lube, it doesn't impress me. It's a bit runny and needs frequent reapplication (summers in jersey are getting hotter) except during winter.

As far as I know, Ed's Red was mostly meant to be a cleaner (excellent) and a protectant (fair). For liquid lubrication, I just use a 1:1 mixture of Mobil 1 and Auto Trans Fluid.

For cleaning, I use the standard recipe without the lanolin. I actually have two mixtures without lanolin: one with acetone and one without. My mix with acetone is used rarely and primarily for shotgun bores to get any plastic fouling out left from the wads. Ed's Red is a great cleaner and leaves a nice thin film on metal. For copper and brass removal, I use KG 12 and it is excellent. When I use that in the bore, I follow it up with a patch of Ed's Red.

 

[FLIGHT762]

I mixed up some a few years ago minus the lanolin. It works well for general cleaning. I use it mostly for my shotguns. As far as some say it also neutralizes the salts left from chlorate priming, I have first hand experience that it does not.

 

[Tirod]

I was a big fan of ATF until I could smell my gun while deer hunting. Fail.

Any concoction based on it will be just as bad, deer have top tier aromatic abilities. If I go to the effort to not ever wearing my hunting boots anywhere but the field, keep my hunting clothes bagged between seasons, and use a scent blocker, then spraying my gun down with some home brew mixture of noxious smells doesn't seem too smart.

Those who frequent ranges seem to be the ones who have come up with this kind of stuff, and I see it as an extension of their handloading or building. It's tech and they think they can do it better. It's their hobby.

I use a commercial lube designed for no scent and recommended by a Vegas rental gun range. It does what it's supposed to do - not smell, stick to the gun, resist hot gases, and be relatively inexpensive. Working in the auto trades, we are cautioned that petroleum distillates are now considered hazmat so no, I'm not mixing up new auto lubes just to have them all over my hands hunting. I choose to use something a bit more user friendly.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I've been using ATF based homebrew solvent for years. I'm middle aged, and have always done my own auto maintenance/repairs, so I've accrued a lot of spare ATF and other consumables on the shelf. Any self respecting man has kerosene and acetone in the garage.

For lube, I'm currently using a 10 year old bottle of Bel Ray 80W gear saver transmission oil. It may last another 10 years. My current dirtbike can't use it, so the guns may as well.

I use marine grease on my M1 Garand. The Garand loves it, thinks it's fancy even. When in reality I sold the boat and had leftover grease.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I use it regularly -- in fact, I also use it for resizing cases. Moisten a patch, and wipe the case with it, and it works great.

 

[cfullgraf]

I use Ed's Red and like it. I did not put the lanolin in mind. I made up a quart a few years ago and I'm about ready to make another batch.

I always have the ingredients on hand for other purposes so I'll never run out and it is lots less expensive than gun specific cleaners.

Are there other gun cleaners that work better--probably.

 

[equin]

My variation on the solution is 25% ATF, 50% Mineral Spirits, 25% Acetone.

I've been using it for at least a dozen years. It's cheap and works very well. Sometimes the acetone will evaporate out in storage but that's easily remedied by just pouring a bit more in.

Great minds think alike! I used basically the same formula and let mosin parts soak in it for a few days to help dissolve some of the cosmoline. Worked great for that.

 

[Schwing]

Since whipping up a batch a few years ago, it is pretty much all I use. The lanolin is completely optional and I have also found that the acetone is (sort of) optional. I think it was added to the formula mostly to remove plastic deposits from shotgun wads. I can't tell any difference when I leave it out for any other use.

I don't think it works any better than hoppes or other cleaners, it just costs less and, with the exception of ATF, I use all of the other ingredients used. I have a space heater that uses kerosene, and I use mineral spirits and acetone for all kinds of things. I usually have at least a gallon of each in my work shed.

I love that I can use it to basically give my gun parts a bath without even giving the cost any consideration.

 

[FROGO207]

The version I use is Kero, Marvel Mystery Oil, mixed 50/50 then 10 % acetone added. Works OK for me. Before I go hunting I spray the entire firearm with Carb Cleaner after removing plastic parts and relube with an odorless gun lube.

 

[HetchHetchy]

On ebay I buy 1quart bottles of Hoppe's #9 for ~$15.

I buy a gallon of mineral spirits for $16.99. Works just as well since they reformulated #9 -- it used to have some nasty stuff in it.

I oil my guns with Mobil 1. I bought a 5 quart jug of it for $19.99 some time ago. Seems to work just fine.

 

[Hardtarget]

When I made a batch I had a specific project in the works. That old gun was...nasty and caked on gurngy. I soaked the metal parts for two days and it cleaned up nice. Haven't opened the container since then.

Mark

 

[Cannibul]

One big thing to note is that the mineral spirits called for in the Ed's Red formula is NOT odorless mineral spirits which is a totally different compound.