Ed’s Red Bore Cleaner

In this issue we are offering an excellent home-made gun cleaning solvent. It is in many ways as good as anything you can purchase at a gun shop. Ingredients for this cleaner will always be available as long as we have cars in America


Ed’s Red Bore Cleaner
1 part Dexron II, lie or III ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later. 1 part Kerosene - deodorized, K!
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TF-T-2981F, CAS #64741-49-9, or substitute “Stoddard Solvent”, CAS #8052-4 1-3, or equivalent, (aka “Varsol”)
1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1. (Optional up to 1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon, OK to substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store)

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use a clean 1 gallon metal, or chemical-resistant, heavy gage PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are also OK. Do NOT use HDPE, which is breathable because the acetone will evaporate. The acetone in ER will attack HDPE in about 6 months, making a heck of a mess! Add the ATF first. Use the empty container to measure the other components, so that it is thoroughly rinsed. If you incorporate the lanolin into the mixture, melt this carefully in a double boiler, taking precautions against fire. Pour the melted lanolin it into a larger container, rinsing the lanolin container with the bore cleaner mix, and stirring until it is all dissolved. I recommend diverting a small quantity, up to 4 ozs. per quart of the 50-50 ATF/kerosene mix for use as an “ER-compatible” gun oil. This can be done without impairing the effectiveness of the mix.