18 used gum spirits of turpentine, but turpentine is both expensive and also highly flammable, so I chose not to use it. The additives contained in Dexron include detergents or other surfactants which are highly suitable for inclusion in an all-purpose cleaner, lubricant and preservative. ATFs have been continually improved over the years. With the high demand for automatic transmission autos after WWII, sperm oil was no longer practical to produce ATFs in the needed quantities needed, so the wartime expedients were mass produced. When antioxidants were added to prevent gumming these worked well in precision instruments. During WWII sperm oil was mostly unavailable, so highly refined, dewaxed hydrofinished petroleum oils were developed, which had excellent thermal stability. Prior to 1950 most ATF's were sperm oil based.
Today you would ask for "K1" kerosene of the type sold for use in indoor space heaters.Īn inexpensive, effective substitute for sperm oil is Dexron III automatic transmission fluid. Pratts Astral Oil was nothing more than acidg more than acid free, deodorized kerosene. Some discussion of the ingredients in ER is helpful to understand the properties of the cleaner and how it works. Hatcher's recipe called for equal parts of acetone, turpentine, Pratts Astral Oil and sperm oil, and (optionally) 200 grams of anhydrous lanolin per liter into the cleaner. The formula is adapted from Hatcher's "Frankford Arsenal Cleaner No.18," but substitutes equivalent modern materials. Routine oiling after cleaning is unnecessary except for storage exceeding 1 year, or in harsh environments, such as salt air exposure. The resulting cleaner is safe, effective, inexpensive, provides excellent corrosion protection and adequate residual lubrication. I researched the subject rather thoroughly and determined there was no technical reason why an effective firearm bore cleaner couldn't be mixed using common hardware store ingredients. "ER" is not a "decoppering" solution for fast removal of heavy jacket fouling, but because is more effective in removal of caked carbon and primer residues than most other cleaners, so metal fouling is reduced when "ER" is used. It is highly effective for removing plastic fouling from shotgun bores, caked carbon inn semi-automatic rifles or pistols, or leading in revolvers. This cleaner has an action similar to military rifle bore cleaner, such as Mil-C-372B. Since I mixed my first "Ed's Red" (ER) bore cleaner five years ago, hundreds of users have told me that they find it as effective as commercial products. This is my go to cleaner for all by cast bullet rifles. Here is Ed Harris' instructions for making and using his Ed's Red bore cleaner.