Ed's Red in Afganistan?

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  • Last Post 21 January 2014
RicinYakima posted this 26 July 2012

I had a long talk with a friend's son, US Army Ranger SAW guy, on his way back to Afganistan for the untenth time. Cleans his weapon with mineral sprits and lubes with ATF. He also carries a two oz. squirt bottle of AFT every night when out on “patrol". Seems like the “special SW Asia” lube doesn't work as well as plain old ATF. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ric

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CB posted this 26 July 2012

Ric, I just got a quart of RedLine ATF Hi-temp. This is full synthetic atf. Viscosity appears higher than standard atf. I'm getting ready to make a batch of HI-Performance Ed's Red........:D

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CB posted this 26 July 2012

Wonder if it will make ya clean faster...

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JeffinNZ posted this 26 July 2012

Mil Spec Ed's Red!!

Cheers from New Zealand

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Ed Harris posted this 27 July 2012

Back in the day when we first mixed it, the specops guys referred to it as “red army bore cleaner” which soon was distorted into “Red Army (as in Soviet, rather than just describing it by its color) bore cleaner. This was about the time the Russians were in Afghanistan.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Reg posted this 11 August 2012

I don't care what you call it. Best darned bore cleaner I have ever found and it keeps actions properly lubed !!!!

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Chargar posted this 11 August 2012

I have been shooting and cleaning firearms for well over 50 years and Ed's Red is the best powder solvent I have ever used.

It is also the best honing oil, I have ever used for knife sharpening on an oil stone.

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rojkoh posted this 21 May 2013

RicinYakima wrote: I had a long talk with a friend's son, US Army Ranger SAW guy, on his way back to Afganistan for the untenth time. Cleans his weapon with mineral sprits and lubes with ATF. He also carries a two oz. squirt bottle of AFT every night when out on “patrol". Seems like the “special SW Asia” lube doesn't work as well as plain old ATF. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Ric

Tell your Son hi from the guy that did independent studies of the SAW competitors in 1980, one year before the official competition

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Gravely posted this 20 January 2014

I use Ed's Red and sometimes have problems in cold weather with my .45 functioning and would like to know if others have problems with Ed's red oil in cold weather.

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rojkoh posted this 20 January 2014

Gravely wrote: I use Ed's Red and sometimes have problems in cold weather with my .45 functioning and would like to know if others have problems with Ed's red oil in cold weather.

I use it for cleaning, not lube. It's incredibly good especially on two really nasty pistols I worked on. Ed says no problem with it in the cold as a lube/cleaner. 

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Ed Harris posted this 20 January 2014

Synthetic Dexron II or Dexron III ATF should be good to -65 degs. F. Synthetic ATF will flow at lower temperatures than a mineral-based Dexron II or Dexron III product.If yours is gumming up, it has absorbed water or is contaminated with something else.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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RicinYakima posted this 20 January 2014

Most, if not all, auto trans fluids will entrap water from the air if exposed for long periods of time. Not as quickly as DOT class III brake fluid, but it still happens. In SC you may have to consider wiping it almost off with a paper towel before assembly, or replacing it more often. Don't know for sure, but that may help. Ric

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45ACPete posted this 21 January 2014

This last batch of ER I mixed “separates out” into approx. 60-40 proportions--the 60% portion ATF-color and the 40% portion fairly clear. Clearly the ATF is in solution with some of the mineral spirits, kerosene, or acetone but not all. I did mix equal parts of the four ingredients. Not a problem--I just give the container a shake before using but had not seen this before--but then I had never had the stuff in a clear or opaque container before.

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RicinYakima posted this 21 January 2014

Looking at your address, it wasn't the California required “paint thinner” that is water based and not real mineral spirits, by any chance?

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45ACPete posted this 21 January 2014

Don't think so, Ric. This smells like, and cleans like any mineral spirits I've ever used.

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