Sweet's Oil

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AlanF
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Sweet's Oil

#1 Postby AlanF » Fri Jun 19, 2020 9:34 pm

Sweet's Oil (in the white bottle) has been around a long time I assume, so many forum members will have used it at some stage. I've been using it for a couple of years when putting barrels away after cleaning. I put a few drops of Sweets on a patch or two and push it the through the bore, then prior to use, one dry patch gets the oil out. However, in barrels that have been stored in this way for several months, the oil has dried up and turned reddy brown. Is this rust????

Please no advice needed on all the other alternatives, just need comments from people who've used this particular oil.

Redhawk
Posts: 146
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:24 pm

Re: Sweet's Oil

#2 Postby Redhawk » Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:02 pm

Alan, I have used it to oil some other things around the house as a test to see how it settles after a period of time and it becomes sticky brown after a while
I have used some WD40 to clean it up

AlanF
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Re: Sweet's Oil

#3 Postby AlanF » Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:13 pm

Redhawk wrote:Alan, I have used it to oil some other things around the house as a test to see how it settles after a period of time and it becomes sticky brown after a while
I have used some WD40 to clean it up

Thanks for that info. So its probably not rust. I noticed on the bottle it says SHAKE WELL, and not having done that very often, I'm wondering if I'm getting a solution that is depleted in some way.

Redhawk
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Re: Sweet's Oil

#4 Postby Redhawk » Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:27 pm

Yeah, for that reason I have stopped using it to store barrels, I use it to get carbon out before I get the copper out with other solutions. It seems the sweets oil dissolves the fresh carbon well.
Last edited by Redhawk on Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Redhawk
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Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:24 pm

Re: Sweet's Oil

#5 Postby Redhawk » Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:28 pm

Best is to inspect the barrel with a borescope after removing the gunky remains to ensure there is no rust...

KHGS
Posts: 934
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:46 am
Location: Cowra NSW

Re: Sweet's Oil

#6 Postby KHGS » Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:34 pm

Well there we go again Alan, I just put up a post on this thread for your info on Sweets oil and it went into cyberspace ............once again!!!! Are you sure you don't have the facebook police patrolling this site?????? We will see if this one makes it!!!!
Keith H.

AlanF
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Re: Sweet's Oil

#7 Postby AlanF » Fri Jun 19, 2020 11:24 pm

KHGS wrote:Well there we go again Alan, I just put up a post on this thread for your info on Sweets oil and it went into cyberspace ............once again!!!! Are you sure you don't have the facebook police patrolling this site?????? We will see if this one makes it!!!!
Keith H.

I would very much like to hear what you have to say Keith, so please try again (and avoid using the Preview button :) )...

wsftr
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Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:58 pm

Re: Sweet's Oil

#8 Postby wsftr » Sat Jun 20, 2020 7:49 am

Kroil does the same thing. Its not rust. I find it takes a bit more than one dry patch to clean it out.

AlanF
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Location: Maffra, Vic

Re: Sweet's Oil

#9 Postby AlanF » Sat Jun 20, 2020 8:37 am

Thanks.

I patched out several affected barrels last night and couldn't see any rust with the borescope. I then shook the bottle, and reapplied the oil. I'm still interested in what Keith has to say, because he has some strong theories about mixing chemicals. My powder solvent at present is Helmar, but I always attempt to flush that out with a meths patch or two, then dry patch before applying the oil.

wsftr
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Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:58 pm

Re: Sweet's Oil

#10 Postby wsftr » Sat Jun 20, 2020 10:47 am

yeah I don't mix chemicals - who knows how they react or what compunds they form.

Jason72
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:23 pm

Re: Sweet's Oil

#11 Postby Jason72 » Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:09 pm

AlanF wrote:Sweet's Oil (in the white bottle) has been around a long time I assume, so many forum members will have used it at some stage. I've been using it for a couple of years when putting barrels away after cleaning. I put a few drops of Sweets on a patch or two and push it the through the bore, then prior to use, one dry patch gets the oil out. However, in barrels that have been stored in this way for several months, the oil has dried up and turned reddy brown. Is this rust????

Please no advice needed on all the other alternatives, just need comments from people who've used this particular oil.


While I think the sweets cleaning chemical is very good the oil I believe is ok but not the best for metal preservation. There are many oils out there that preserve metal but are not branded as a product for the shooting praternity. Do your research in the automotive section and you might be surprised. E.g. A good quality cylinder oil gives excellent protection and a good quality brake clean / carby clean spray cleans oil from metal very well.

Cheers
Jason

RDavies
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Location: Singleton NSW

Re: Sweet's Oil

#12 Postby RDavies » Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:34 am

I have over a dozen barrels which are left stored with Sweets oil in the barrel and none have rusted internally even though quite a few have ended up with a little surface rust on the bare exterior.
It does turn into a thick gluggy residue which will need a few patches of solvent to get out, otherwise it is like swabbing treacle out. None of the bores have shown any rust under the borescope once the sweets oil is removed.

John T
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Location: Brisbane

Re: Sweet's Oil

#13 Postby John T » Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:56 am

Hello.

With Alan, I have been waiting for Keith.

Long before I started shooting, Sweet's was the go-to gear. I believe Jim introduced the Solvent and the Oil as inexpensive and reliable alternatives to the English and American cleaners such as Parker-Hale and Hoppies. In the sixties and seventies, "Sweet's" held its own against the "posh" cleaners (and still does, to some minds).

I remember one application of the Solvent was to put a nice woolly patch (4x was not called flannel for nothing) on the Parker-Hale jag, push it up to the muzzle and draw back about an inch. Reverse the rifle and fill the gap with Solvent. Slowly, withdraw the cleaning rod, with a rag at the chamber to catch the Solvent. Return to stubbie. Patch out the Solvent. Then a couple of licks with some Oil. Return to stubbie.

Our Club hut was redolent with Solvent, which was pleasant to some, but no one liked the Oil. It was not favoured, for its smell or its efficacy. We used it because we believed it was an antidote for the Solvent. You had to careful. Shake vigorously and use sparingly, otherwise, next week your magazine (303) would be gummed up and maybe (disaster) your trigger.

Many years ago, Martty Lobert warned me that the Solvent broke down with prolonged standing, as important ingredients settled out. Looking back, the Oil is far more prone to this destructive process. I can still see the half-filled white bottles with sludge that would not be out of place in an alien toxic dump.

Who knows? The Oil may have unknown qualities. Keep it in small batches, stir regularly and maybe warm.

John T.

KHGS
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Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:46 am
Location: Cowra NSW

Re: Sweet's Oil

#14 Postby KHGS » Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:39 am

AlanF wrote:
KHGS wrote:Well there we go again Alan, I just put up a post on this thread for your info on Sweets oil and it went into cyberspace ............once again!!!! Are you sure you don't have the facebook police patrolling this site?????? We will see if this one makes it!!!!
Keith H.

I would very much like to hear what you have to say Keith, so please try again (and avoid using the Preview button :) )...[/quote

O.K. first I did not hit the preview button. Sweet's oil has been my go to barrel oil for as long as it has been available. If you wish to store barrels with it, saturate the CLEAN bore with Sweets oil on a bristle brush, store the barrel horizontal and turn periodically. Week to week use, I apply to a CLEAN barrel with a well oiled patch, follow with a dry patch. I don't patch out before shooting. Why do I like Sweet's oil? I have trialed many bore oils over the years but Sweets is the only oil that I have found to consistently allow me to not waste a sighter. I have never had an issue with a first sighter with Sweets oil it is always in the group or at worst at the bottom of the group. This is of course is in barrels that are CLEAN, no carbon. if you have undetected carbon fouling all bets are off. Carbon left in a stored barrel can still allow corrosion to occur under the fouling even when oiled out correctly!!! Now before ANYONE jumps all over this with "I have used such & such oil with no problems" please note I have not said that Sweet's is the ONLY oil to use, what I have said relates to my and many of my customers experiences. As an aside there are other oils I use for external rifle metal work protection and another oil for lubrication. I also don't use a firearm specific carbon remover, none of the specific firearm carbon removers that I HAVE TRIED work!!! This info is what I have learned over 50 years of comp shooting and over 40 + years of full time professional gunsmithing. That by the way makes me one of those OLD gunsmiths and as such according to another thread on this forum I must be considered "over the hill" and incompetent!!!!!
Keith H.

Rich4
Posts: 534
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Location: Chinchilla

Re: Sweet's Oil

#15 Postby Rich4 » Mon Jun 22, 2020 1:37 pm

I believe the bottles themselves are worse than the oil, “biodegradable” is putting it mildly, as to those older types, I prefer to refer to them as “experienced” “old” just seems offensive :lol:


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