Thread: Hoppe's 9

The longer you leave a metal in storage, the more of a grease you want to use. We've used various off-the-shelf products in the military all of which work well, some better than others, as a daily gun lubricant for pistols, rifles, carbines, and aircraft machine guns; however, you want a grease if you're going to put it away and forget about it for a while.

Hoppes is also not a very good product to have in contact with your skin for long periods and the fumes may smell great but they are not exactly healthy either. It's kind of like old school painters who practically bathed in benzene and turpentine and many of them are no longer of this world.

Years ago, when I was competing and shooting on the pistol team, we were at the NRA Nationals in Yuma, Arizona. At 9 in the morning it was already over 100 degrees and climbing. There were about 25 of us at the 7 yard line, loaded, collecting our thoughts and waiting for the range master to begin the match.

My buddy, who was a nationally ranked shooter, was standing next to me as were several others shooting for national points and the title.

My buddy takes off his hat and says loud enough for half the line to hear, “Damn it is hot.” He wipes his brow dramatically and says, “I Shure wish I had something to drink.” He bends down and starts to rummage through his ammo box. Everyone is watching him, as we all stand, baking in the sweltering sun. He picks up a small 2 ounce bottle of Hoppe’s No. 9 and says, “I wonder what this stuff tastes like?” the line laughs and someone chides, “Drink it and find out”, and the line laughs harder.

He says “The hell with it, I need something to drink” he unscrews the top and drains the bottle, drops it on the dirt, swallows, wipes his mouth and says “ Oh man, that’s terrible, blagh”.The line is slacked jawed, staring in disbelief.

Immediately thereafter the range master says “All Ready on the Starting Line” and the buzzer sounds. Half the line, staring unable to get the image from their minds.
He had emptied and washed the bottle, filling it half way with tequila, waiting for just such an opportunity.

All’s fair in love and war…

Funny, back in the day I shot with the navy team at Moffit field calif.Nothing like a couple shots before a match to steady the hand.

Originally Posted by luteplayers

I wonder if anyone makes a Hoppes 9 scented soap. I love the smell of that stuff.

Or aftershave

Has some caustics in it if you look at the MSDS.

They do make an air freshener smells like No. 9

My garage has always scented of No. 9 solvent. Keep an 8 inch canning type jar with clasp lid and rubber gasket filled with No.9 for soaking gun barrels in. Toss em in and let them soak for a couple of days, then scrub and clean.

When I met my wife, she said she liked the smell of No.9, the first time she walked into the garage. That put a big check mark in the plus column for her. That was over 36 years ago.

Oh, man, I freaking LOVE the smell of Hoppe's...

Every time I get home from the range, I always set about cleaning my toys. Partly because of the smell of the No. 9 and partly because it's pretty much alone time, it always tends to be a Zen like experience.

As it pertains to razors, I dunno how much I'd trust it (the No. 9 solvent anyway, the oil might be okay).

I'd imagine Glen's advice would be pretty sound on this one...

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The way I was taught, back in the '70s, by a green beret just back from the Nam, you clean your piece with the no. 9 and then get it out with oil. If not it would, he said, do harm to the metal. I don't know if that is correct but I still use it to clean my guns, then follow up with gun oil to wipe out the no.9............

Yep! That's what worked...