No More Hoppes #9

HotGuns · January 8th, 2006, 12:02 AM

I was cleaning my .300 Whisper and I ran out of Hoppes No. 9 cleaning solvent. Running out of anything in the middle of a job can be downright disgusting.

I figured the time was right to mix up some "Ed's Red" solvent, a formula that Id heard of for years but just never got around to trying. After a short forum search for the recipe that P95Carry had posted here awhile ago I printed it out and was good to go...
So...I headed to Walmart to get the right stuff.

As luck would have it, they didnt have the Type 3 transmission fluid and all they had for Turpentine was some sort of clone called "Turentine" that I didnt feel comfortable with. So, it was on to Lowes where I ended up with a quart of Turpentine and Acetone and then on to Auto Zone for the transmission fluid. Since I alread had plenty of K1 Kerosene, I was good for that.

I had a old gallon glass bottle that was dark colored that Id been keeping for some unknown reason, so it seemed like the thing to use. Using a funnel I poured each ingredient in there and shook it up.

I had wondered wherer the name "Ed's Red" came from, the fact that the whole thing turned red after adding the Transmission fluid was clue enough. After tearing down my AR to parade rest, I started dipping patches in the bottle. After figureing out that it was less than ideal with the small neck on the bottle, I ended up using the empty Hoppes No. 9 bottle as it had a bigger neck was was just the right size to dip patches in. I stashed the gallon bottle on a shelf for safekeeping. Hopefully it'll last me a year or two.

FWIW, I've seen commericial "Ed's Red" that is 6 bucks for 4 ounces, the same size that the Hoppes came in. I figured that I had about 10 bucks worth of stuff in the gallon that I made up, so its quite the deal.

The best part is that it seems to work as well as anything Ive tried and in some cases it works better. So it works and it is cheap.

If anyone out there in cyberspace had ever read about it or wondered about it, the next time you run out of gun cleaning stuff get the recipe and give it a try.

I highly reccomend it.

rstickle · January 8th, 2006, 10:42 AM

You just scared the hell out of me! Seeing the thread title I thought they were taking #9 off the market!

maclean3 · January 8th, 2006, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rstickle

You just scared the hell out of me! Seeing the thread title I thought they were taking #9 off the market!

Same here. My first thought was BURN THE HERETIC!!!
Jack

Scarface · January 8th, 2006, 11:55 AM

Hi Hotguns,

I've used Ed's Red for years, followed up by Militec - 1 on bearing surfaces. Occasionally, I use Montana Extreme through my barrels. I have no rust problems and my observation is that I have fewer malfunctions than other shooters.

Be Well,

Scarface

HotGuns · January 8th, 2006, 12:45 PM

I do like the smell of Hoppes better. After looking at the title...

I can see where one might panic !

Sorry about that...didnt mean to raise anyones blood pressure.

P95Carry · January 8th, 2006, 02:30 PM

Of course - nothing will quite replace the waft of Hoppes #9 on the morning air!!

For completeness' sake I will yet again add the other bit of info which I have posted before - (in fact I think someone else actually posted the Ed's Red and not me - no matter - it is academic really).

This is for those who shoot black powder or corrosive primed ammo -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me add this one tho to help people who need to clean BP guns or post corrosive ammo use -

3 pts - Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
3 pts - Peroxide (std 3%)
2 pts - Murphy's Oil Soap

I goes by various names - I know it as "Panther Pi$$"!

I made a whole gallon and it'll last way beyond my time!! I took a pint to keep in one of the peroxide bottles for regular use - keep it out of light. Main amount stored in dark corner in old yellow anti-freeze jug (rinsed out of course).

This stuff can be used cold on patches and I have found it more than effective.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

rstickle · January 8th, 2006, 07:08 PM

Actually for black powder I use regular old water to clean my rifle. Works fine.

ExSoldier · January 8th, 2006, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P95Carry

Of course - nothing will quite replace the waft of Hoppes #9 on the morning air!!

Morning air? I used to put it behind my ears before I went out on a date while I was in the army! You should have seen how the girls in that army town reacted!

Rob72 · January 9th, 2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P95Carry

Of course - nothing will quite replace the waft of Hoppes #9 on the morning air!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So my wife says......which is why I'm now using Hoppe's Elite........

Mighty HD · January 9th, 2006, 08:57 PM

I actually prefer simple green.

I used hoppes #9 through the hole....brushed it then ran some patches through it. Got it very clean as far as I could tell.

I then got a wild hair and finally decided to try the simple green method I kept reading about.

Needless to say I was surpised at how dirty the dark hole was.

Now it's spotless, follow up with militec-1 and its great.

January 8th, 2006, 12:02 AM	#1
HotGuns Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,609	No More Hoppes #9 I was cleaning my .300 Whisper and I ran out of Hoppes No. 9 cleaning solvent. Running out of anything in the middle of a job can be downright disgusting. I figured the time was right to mix up some "Ed's Red" solvent, a formula that Id heard of for years but just never got around to trying. After a short forum search for the recipe that P95Carry had posted here awhile ago I printed it out and was good to go... So...I headed to Walmart to get the right stuff. As luck would have it, they didnt have the Type 3 transmission fluid and all they had for Turpentine was some sort of clone called "Turentine" that I didnt feel comfortable with. So, it was on to Lowes where I ended up with a quart of Turpentine and Acetone and then on to Auto Zone for the transmission fluid. Since I alread had plenty of K1 Kerosene, I was good for that. I had a old gallon glass bottle that was dark colored that Id been keeping for some unknown reason, so it seemed like the thing to use. Using a funnel I poured each ingredient in there and shook it up. I had wondered wherer the name "Ed's Red" came from, the fact that the whole thing turned red after adding the Transmission fluid was clue enough. After tearing down my AR to parade rest, I started dipping patches in the bottle. After figureing out that it was less than ideal with the small neck on the bottle, I ended up using the empty Hoppes No. 9 bottle as it had a bigger neck was was just the right size to dip patches in. I stashed the gallon bottle on a shelf for safekeeping. Hopefully it'll last me a year or two. FWIW, I've seen commericial "Ed's Red" that is 6 bucks for 4 ounces, the same size that the Hoppes came in. I figured that I had about 10 bucks worth of stuff in the gallon that I made up, so its quite the deal. The best part is that it seems to work as well as anything Ive tried and in some cases it works better. So it works and it is cheap. If anyone out there in cyberspace had ever read about it or wondered about it, the next time you run out of gun cleaning stuff get the recipe and give it a try. I highly reccomend it.

January 8th, 2006, 10:42 AM	#2
rstickle Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Laurel, MD Posts: 12,748	You just scared the hell out of me! Seeing the thread title I thought they were taking #9 off the market! __________________ Rick EOD - Initial success or total failure

January 8th, 2006, 11:55 AM	#4
Scarface Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 17	Hi Hotguns, I've used Ed's Red for years, followed up by Militec - 1 on bearing surfaces. Occasionally, I use Montana Extreme through my barrels. I have no rust problems and my observation is that I have fewer malfunctions than other shooters. Be Well, Scarface __________________ Scarface Good night, Chesty, wherever you are http://www.anklepocket.com/

January 8th, 2006, 02:30 PM	#6
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,468	Of course - nothing will quite replace the waft of Hoppes #9 on the morning air!! For completeness' sake I will yet again add the other bit of info which I have posted before - (in fact I think someone else actually posted the Ed's Red and not me - no matter - it is academic really). This is for those who shoot black powder or corrosive primed ammo - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Let me add this one tho to help people who need to clean BP guns or post corrosive ammo use - 3 pts - Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol 3 pts - Peroxide (std 3%) 2 pts - Murphy's Oil Soap I goes by various names - I know it as "Panther Pi$$"! I made a whole gallon and it'll last way beyond my time!! I took a pint to keep in one of the peroxide bottles for regular use - keep it out of light. Main amount stored in dark corner in old yellow anti-freeze jug (rinsed out of course). This stuff can be used cold on patches and I have found it more than effective. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

January 8th, 2006, 07:08 PM	#7
rstickle Senior Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Laurel, MD Posts: 12,748	Actually for black powder I use regular old water to clean my rifle. Works fine. __________________ Rick EOD - Initial success or total failure

January 8th, 2006, 12:45 PM	#5
HotGuns Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,609	I do like the smell of Hoppes better. After looking at the title... I can see where one might panic ! Sorry about that...didnt mean to raise anyones blood pressure.

January 9th, 2006, 08:57 PM	#10
Mighty HD Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 65	I actually prefer simple green. I used hoppes #9 through the hole....brushed it then ran some patches through it. Got it very clean as far as I could tell. I then got a wild hair and finally decided to try the simple green method I kept reading about. Needless to say I was surpised at how dirty the dark hole was. Now it's spotless, follow up with militec-1 and its great.

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