<![CDATA[Sprinco USA: Blog Posts]]> https://sprinco-com.3dcartstores.com Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 EST en-us <![CDATA[Moly Coated Bullets Vs Moly Weapons Oil]]> https://sprinco-com.3dcartstores.com/Moly-Coated-Bullets-Vs-Moly-Weapons-Oil_b_3.html Wed, 6 Dec 2017 00:00:00 EST Recently I became aware of a product called Spica Gold manufactured by the Parsec Group in Bel Air, Maryland. (Note: This product is now available as "Plate+" from Sprinco, USA the authorized distributor for shooter materials from Parsec. Any questions or comments should be directed to Sprinco not Parsec.) This product is a colloidal suspension of extremely finely divided (less than 0.5 microns) Molybdenum Disulfide, or "Moly", in a light oil with various proprietary inhibitors. According to Parsec/Sprinco, one could use the product to coat the inside of a gun barrel and increase the corrosion resistance of the barrel and not have to use Moly coated bullets to get the benefits of reduced galling or copper deposition. Being able to coat the barrel offered the chance to compare various combinations of bare and coated barrels and bare and coated bullets. I have a sporterized Model 1903 Springfield with the original military 30’06 barrel (well used) that had never had Moly coated bullets fired in it. Although not an accurate gun, it would work nicely for a set of velocity experiments. I cleaned the barrel thoroughly with a chemical copper remover (Barnes C-10) until there was no sign of copper and followed this with JB (a very, very mild abrasive) and finally a fine polishing compound used on plastics. I then loaded up 100 rounds using military brass, Remington 150-gr. soft points and H414 powder with a load that had worked well in the past. All 100 rounds were as alike as possible. Fifty of the bullets were Moly coated using the NECO tumbling process. The bullets were 0.065" from touching the lands in order to keep the overall length short enough to feed through the magazine. The experiment first consisted of firing 25 rounds of non-coated bullets through the clean barrel. As expected there was considerable evidence of copper in the bore. I again cleaned the barrel of all signs of copper using the above process. I then fired 25 rounds of Moly coated bullets. There was some copper on the lands following the firing, but not nearly as much as with the bare bullets. (Remember that this is a rough, used, military barrel. A modern, lapped barrel would probably show no copper.) Cleaning was easier and followed the above procedure until there was no copper. The barrel also had no apparent sign of Moly, as it appeared shiny like fresh steel. Following the Parsec/Sprinco instructions, I corked the barrel, filled it and soaked it in Spica Gold/Plate+ for 5 days (48 to 72 hours recommend) then cleaned with a few dry patches. I observed a dull gray coating on the bore. I then fired 25 rounds of bare bullets in the Moly coated barrel. I observed some copper fouling on the lands. I judge that it was about the same as that following the Moly coated bullet firing. I then ran a few patches through the barrel and made no attempt to clean it. The last test was with Moly coated bullets in the Moly coated barrel. Again there was some copper fouling, some of which was left over from the previous test. But I couldn’t see particularly more than before. The velocity (in feet per second and the group sizes are in inches) results were as follows:


Conclusion
Moly coated bullets do cause the velocity to drop as reported in the literature. A Moly coated barrel will give increased velocity as reported by the Parsec/Sprinco. A combination of the two cancel and give essentially the same results as no Moly at all. Note that the standard deviation for Moly coated bullets was over 45% greater than with bare bullets. I don’t understand why. There was no apparent effect on group size, but this is no benchrest gun either. How long will the coating on the barrel last? I don’t know. Parsec/Sprinco suggest running a patch with the Spica Gold/Plate+ through the barrel after each firing string, i.e. when you would normally clean it, and you should get 500 to 1000 rounds before a re-soak is needed. We will see. Frankly, coating the barrel seems to have some advantages: no fuss with Moly coated bullets, a slight gain in velocity, and a corrosion resistant coating in the barrel. I have done some reading of the scientific literature on Moly and there is repeated evidence that Molybdenum Disulfide plus water (in the air) plus oxygen (also in the air) will yield a bit of sulfuric acid which is not good on either your bullets or your barrel. I would like to see some more experimenting along the lines of the above. If you are interested in such experiments, contact Sprinco USA, Inc. in Chandler, Arizona at 800-397-9530 who now offers small amounts of Plate+ for the shooter.
]]> https://sprinco-com.3dcartstores.com/Moly-Coated-Bullets-Vs-Moly-Weapons-Oil_b_3.html Recently I became aware of a product called Spica Gold manufactured by the Parsec Group in Bel Air, Maryland. (Note: This product is now available as "Plate+" from Sprinco, USA the authorized distributor for shooter materials from Parsec. Any questions or comments should be directed to Sprinco not Parsec.) This product is a colloidal suspension of extremely finely divided (less than 0.5 microns) Molybdenum Disulfide, or "Moly", in a light oil with various proprietary inhibitors. According to Parsec/Sprinco, one could use the product to coat the inside of a gun barrel and increase the corrosion resistance of the barrel and not have to use Moly coated bullets to get the benefits of reduced galling or copper deposition. Being able to coat the barrel offered the chance to compare various combinations of bare and coated barrels and bare and coated bullets. I have a sporterized Model 1903 Springfield with the original military 30’06 barrel (well used) that had never had Moly coated bullets fired in it. Although not an accurate gun, it would work nicely for a set of velocity experiments. I cleaned the barrel thoroughly with a chemical copper remover (Barnes C-10) until there was no sign of copper and followed this with JB (a very, very mild abrasive) and finally a fine polishing compound used on plastics. I then loaded up 100 rounds using military brass, Remington 150-gr. soft points and H414 powder with a load that had worked well in the past. All 100 rounds were as alike as possible. Fifty of the bullets were Moly coated using the NECO tumbling process. The bullets were 0.065" from touching the lands in order to keep the overall length short enough to feed through the magazine. The experiment first consisted of firing 25 rounds of non-coated bullets through the clean barrel. As expected there was considerable evidence of copper in the bore. I again cleaned the barrel of all signs of copper using the above process. I then fired 25 rounds of Moly coated bullets. There was some copper on the lands following the firing, but not nearly as much as with the bare bullets. (Remember that this is a rough, used, military barrel. A modern, lapped barrel would probably show no copper.) Cleaning was easier and followed the above procedure until there was no copper. The barrel also had no apparent sign of Moly, as it appeared shiny like fresh steel. Following the Parsec/Sprinco instructions, I corked the barrel, filled it and soaked it in Spica Gold/Plate+ for 5 days (48 to 72 hours recommend) then cleaned with a few dry patches. I observed a dull gray coating on the bore. I then fired 25 rounds of bare bullets in the Moly coated barrel. I observed some copper fouling on the lands. I judge that it was about the same as that following the Moly coated bullet firing. I then ran a few patches through the barrel and made no attempt to clean it. The last test was with Moly coated bullets in the Moly coated barrel. Again there was some copper fouling, some of which was left over from the previous test. But I couldn’t see particularly more than before. The velocity (in feet per second and the group sizes are in inches) results were as follows:


Conclusion
Moly coated bullets do cause the velocity to drop as reported in the literature. A Moly coated barrel will give increased velocity as reported by the Parsec/Sprinco. A combination of the two cancel and give essentially the same results as no Moly at all. Note that the standard deviation for Moly coated bullets was over 45% greater than with bare bullets. I don’t understand why. There was no apparent effect on group size, but this is no benchrest gun either. How long will the coating on the barrel last? I don’t know. Parsec/Sprinco suggest running a patch with the Spica Gold/Plate+ through the barrel after each firing string, i.e. when you would normally clean it, and you should get 500 to 1000 rounds before a re-soak is needed. We will see. Frankly, coating the barrel seems to have some advantages: no fuss with Moly coated bullets, a slight gain in velocity, and a corrosion resistant coating in the barrel. I have done some reading of the scientific literature on Moly and there is repeated evidence that Molybdenum Disulfide plus water (in the air) plus oxygen (also in the air) will yield a bit of sulfuric acid which is not good on either your bullets or your barrel. I would like to see some more experimenting along the lines of the above. If you are interested in such experiments, contact Sprinco USA, Inc. in Chandler, Arizona at 800-397-9530 who now offers small amounts of Plate+ for the shooter.
]]> <![CDATA[What is the real truth about Moly?]]> https://sprinco-com.3dcartstores.com/What-is-the-real-truth-about-Moly_b_2.html Wed, 6 Dec 2017 00:00:00 EST

Suppliers of the best in replacement recoil springs and recoil reduction systems.

What is the real truth about Moly?

As published in SHOOTERS NEWS April 1999

"Can I eat game shot with moly coated bullets?"
Is moly toxic or hazardous in any way?"

There is a two-part answer to this question.

(A) Moly is necessary in the human body in order to maintain good health and is usually ingested by eating vegetables, which take up Moly from the soil. One need only read the back panel of almost all man made fertilizers to see that one of the ingredients is Moly as shown by the chemical symbol Mo. Any excess ingestion of Moly will result in the excess being thrown off by the body in the same manner as an excess of vitamins. Therefore, there is no danger at all in eating game animal killed with a Moly bullet.

(B) Breathing dry Moly is another story entirely. Moly with a particle size of seven microns or below is comparable to a droplet of fog suspended in the air and is very easily inhaled. Dry Moly in the presence of moisture (such as in the lungs) quickly becomes acidic and just as quickly begins to irritate lung tissue. The latter, irritated lung tissue, allows rapid invasion of bacteria and viruses which quickly lead to respiratory infections. Prolonged or regular inhalation of dry moly and the continued irritation of lung tissue can lead to lung cancer and death. Anyone who works with dry moly should wear a respirator and safety glasses at all times.

"Is all moly the same?"

Most certainly not. Moly can be found in an infinite number of particle sizes and levels of purity depending upon the mining/refining source. The most desirable type of moly for weapons application is lubricant grade (1.5 microns or below), 99% pure (100% pure is not possible) and should be a wetted and inhibited formula in a colloidal suspension. Poorly refined or impure moly can contain undesirable quantities of Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Mercury, Nickel and Lead. Such impurities in quantity can be very detrimental to any weapon.

"I have heard that moly is corrosive. Is this true?"

Any moly is corrosive if it does not contain an inhibitor to neutralize the naturally occurring acidic quality of the moly. Dry moly is particularly bad as it is chemically impossible to add an inhibitor to dry moly. Even the most highly refined and pure moly will contain (among other compounds/elements) some Sulfur and Sulfur Dioxide (S02). When the Sulfur or Sulfur Dioxide is exposed to the humidity in air, it combines with water vapor to form Sulfuric Acid (H2S04) which then immediately attacks any metal. The higher the humidity the more acid is formed and the more corrosion which takes place. One cannot detect this corrosion by simple examination as it takes place between the moly crystal and the substrate and is hidden by the moly crystal covering it. Corrosion can only be seen by first removing all moly thereby exposing the corrosion to view. Those who fire bullets coated with dry moly will have little corrosion as long as firing is being done as the heat from firing drives off the moisture. However, as soon as a firing session stops and there upon cools down, water vapor will begin to be absorbed by the moly and corrosion begins. And, the longer between firing sessions, the more corrosion which will take place. The corrosive properties of uninhibited or dry moly have been well documented by military testing as far back as 1968.


"I am a precision competition shooter and already get almost twice the life out of my target barrel using dry moly-coated bullets when compared to my use of standard non-coated bullets. Why do I need to worry about corrosion, etc.?"
If you have no problem with the time, aggravation and expense of replacing your target barrel every 3,000 to 4,000 rounds (maximum life as reported by moly bullet users) and also have no problem with other drawbacks of using dry or uninhibited moly (velocity decreases, buildup/caking, etc.) then you should continue to use the dry moly coated bullets. If, on the other hand, you would like a viable alternative, then you should seek out a moly weapons oil formulation which is remicronized, inhibited and in the form of a colloidal suspension. Use of the latter as instructed will eliminate velocity decreases in rifle length barrels, virtually eliminate all fouling and provide an almost indefinite barrel life.
"What causes me to experience a reduction in velocity when firing moly-coated bullets?
This will be a complex answer with several factors involved. First, modern gun powder is in reality a solid propellant which is chemically formulated in a precise manner to burn at a controlled rate not unlike the solid propellant found in the booster rockets of the Space Shuttle and other spacecraft. Controlled burning is a critical factor in understanding the answer to this question. Another fact to keep in mind is that to our knowledge, no reloading charts or ballistic tables exist which were computed on the basis of a weapon firing moly coated bullets. In addition, it must also be understood that the popular "tumbling" method of coating bullets with dry moly leaves only a very thin layer of moly on the projectile as the attraction by molecular polarity between the moly and the gilding metal (bullet jacket) is relatively weak compared to moly's attraction to steel. Now, keeping the above factors in mind, let us actually track the path of a moly bullet as it is fired in a modern rifle. Once the primer is struck ignition begins in the solid propellant at the rear of the cartridge case. Expanding gas from the controlled burning of the propellant creates pressure which then forces the moly bullet out of the end of the cartridge case and into the throat of the bore. This initial leap of the bullet into the bore throat is a harsh environment for the bullet as it must not only size itself to the bore but must also conform itself to the lands and grooves of the rifling to begin its stabilizing spin. By virtue of its moly coating reducing friction, the bullet moves more easily and sooner in time (not speed) into the bore throat achieving its conformity and spin much sooner than an uncoated bullet. As this bullet travel is taking place, the propellant continues to burn at the controlled rate dictated by its chemical formulation which was compounded for non-coated bullets. Let us now imagine that the bullet has reached the half way point or 50% (approximately) down the length of the barrel. In our mind's eye we now "freeze frame" the tracking of the bullet at the approximate 50% point in its trip down the barrel in order to see what has happened and is happening. Since the bullet began its trip into the bore throat easier and with less effort than an uncoated bullet, the amount of propellant which had burned was less in relation to the position of the bullet down the bore. The reason being the moly bullet, having to overcome less friction in starting its movement, has required less energy from the burning propellant to begin its trip. As a result of this, the area or volume of space available to the expanding gas from the burning propellant has become greater due to the more rapid entry (sooner in time, not speed) of the moly bullet into the bore. It is a known scientific fact that pressure from an expanding gas is inversely proportional to the space in which the gas is allowed to expand. This means that the greater the space available for expansion of the gas, the less pressure the expanding gas exerts. One now readily sees that the overall pressure of the expanding gas, which has a direct effect on bullet velocity, has been reduced due to a larger volume of space in which to expand with the latter being caused by the quicker entry (in time, not speed) of the bullet into the bore. In addition, the propellant has now almost, if not completely, burned with little or no more to burn to create pressure. Let us now look at yet another thing which has happened at this approximate 50% mark. The moly bullet, due to the very thin coating of moly on its jacket, has had most, if not all, of the moly rubbed off and redeposited onto the steel of the first 50% of the bore length (this will vary to some degree depending upon the thickness of the moly coating on the bullet). The moly bullet has now become almost, if not completely, a standard non-coated bullet. The remaining thing which has happened is that the heat generated by firing the bullet has also been reduced due first to a larger area within the throat and bore in which the heat is transferred and secondly due to the reduction in frictional heat caused by the increased lubricity of the moly bullet. This reduction in heat is the primary reason for the increased life of the bore throat of the barrel when firing moly bullets. Let us now put things back into motion and track the bullet the rest of the way out of the barrel. In the remaining length of the bore, the bullet now begins to encounter increased friction as most, if not all, of the moly is now gone. This increased friction further slows the bullet and when the projectile finally exits the barrel, chronographic measurements clearly show a reduced bullet velocity when compared to the firing of standard non-coated bullets.
"How can I regain or set back the lost velocity?"
There are three ways this can be done. First, you can use a faster burning propellant (powder) in which case you will lose some of the extended life of the bore throat. Second, you can increase the charge of the same powder in order to provide a longer burn time and continued pressure as the moly bullet travels down the barrel. Use of the second method can leave unburned powder in the bore. Third, you can abandon entirely the use of moly bullets and use a properly formulated moly weapons oil.
"I have been firing moly bullets for some time and I'm getting some kind of buildup or caking in the bore. What is this stuff?"


The buildup/caking can be caused by two factors (or a combination of both) as follows: When one first begins to fire bullets with a burnished or impacted coating of moly, the moly quickly rubs off the bullet and is redeposited onto the walls of the bore. Continued firing of moly bullets continues to redeposit moly onto the bore but instead of in a burnished deposition of moly it becomes a compressed deposition of moly caused by the mechanical pressure of the bullet against the bore wall. Compressed deposition of moly will cause a thicker layer of moly to be plated onto the bore which then causes an undesirable buildup. There is great deal of truth in the old saying that "there can be too much of a good thing". In addition, one could be using a dry moly powder with an excessive amount of impurities in which case the buildup is being caused by not only the compressed deposition of too much moly but also by the impurities in the dry moly powder. For example, there is one metal working company in the US which consumes some 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of dry moly powder each year. The moly powder is used to "tumble coat" various mild steel shapes in preparation of a cold extrusion process which converts the steel into its desirable configuration. The wire drawing industry is another example of large consumers of dry moly powder used to coat steel rods which are then "cold drawn" into wire. The dry moly powder (many times not a true lubricant grade particle size) used by these industries soon becomes ineffective due to the accumulation of various impurities. Most of these impurities are oxides of iron, Zinc in the form of stearates and many other types. This used, ineffective and contaminated moly powder should then be disposed of in a land fill; however, it is known that much of it finds its way back into the market place through local machines shops, etc. who are unaware of the level of contamination it contains. Some of this contaminated moly powder is being purchased by shooters, also unaware of its contamination, to "tumble coat" bullets. And, it should be noted here that the popular method of tumble coating bullets with moly is nothing more than an adaptation of an industrial process used for well over 25 years in the metal working industry. In addition to used and contaminated moly being available, a great deal of poorly refined and impure moly has been coming into the US from such countries as mainland China, Mexico, Poland and other sources and this moly is no better than the used and contaminated type.

"How do I get this buildup / caking out of my rifle?"

Once moly has plated to steel, removing it is not an easy task. If the buildup is not too severe, it can be removed by using a dry powder chemical compound called Alkanox (your local chemical supply house should have it) and some very vigorous scrubbing with a brass brush. If Alkanox is not available, then use the gel type detergent made for dish washing machines with even more intense scrubbing with a brass brush. In severe cases, you will have to resort to using a mild abrasive and some elbow grease. They key word is "mild." Some products will rub the rifling right out of your barrel. Be careful!
"In the future, how can I avoid any buildup or caking and other undesirable side effects of using moly bullets?"

The most objective and honest answer we can give to this question is to discontinue the use of all moly-coated bullets. You can achieve better shooting results and a much longer barrel life with a properly formulated moly weapons oil as outlined. A properly formulated moly weapons oil deposits moly onto the bore by the "insitu deposition" method and completely eliminates buildup, caking, corrosion and loss of velocity together with providing you with many other benefits. In closing, let us recognize that Molybdenum Disulfide is the finest and most effective lubricant known to modern science - provided it is both formulated properly and applied correctly.

Addendum

1st June 1999
Parsec Group

There appears to be continued confusion regarding certain aspects of using Molybdenum Disulfide in weapons environment. The following information is added to clear up some of this confusion:

1. It is claimed that removing moly (caked or not) from a barrel is not difficult and that simply running a patch through the bore will suffice. This is decidedly NOT correct and is based upon seeing the grey to black color coming out on the patch. The discoloration is being caused by the patch cleaning out the ultra thin layer of Molybdenum Trioxide (MoO3) which has formed on the surface of the Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) due to the heat of firing, MoS2 begins to oxidize to MoO3 at a temperature of around 1000 degrees F. This ultra thin coating of MoO3 tends to protect the MoS2 from further oxidation but DOES NOT seal the MoS2 from moisture in the air. The latter, picking up moisture from the air, is what reacts with the Sulfur and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) contained in the MoS2 to form corrosive acids. The only way to completely remove MoS2 after it has plated to the steel is to use a mild abrasive such as JB Bore Paste. Great care should be taken in order not to damage the lands and grooves of the bore when using any abrasive. MoO3 does have some lubricating ability (less than MoS2) but it does NOT have the layer / lattice structure of MoS2 nor does it have any affinity for steel or any other metal.

2. It has been stated that thousands of rifle shooters have used moly-coated bullets without excessive caking or corrosion. As caking and corrosion are related to the purity level, particle size and absence of acid neutralizers of the dry MoS2, there are thousands of rifle shooters who HAVE HAD problems with both caking and corrosion. The obvious conclusion here is to simply abandon the use of moly coated bullets and use a properly formulated moly weapons oil which has been inhibited against corrosion, is remicronized and with a purity level of 99% plus.

3. There are many who believe that swabbing the bore with a patch saturated with a penetrating oil called "Kroil" will eliminate all possibilities of corrosion. Again, the concept is NOT correct. The application of Kroil is only a temporary "fix" and will (for a maximum of about 2 days) seal off the MoS2 FROM MOISTURE IN THE AIR. Afterward, the Kroil film dries ruptures and again allows moisture in the air to contact the MoS2 crystals with acid formation as a result. Kroil contains no acid neutralizers and is formulated for the sole purpose of using it to loosen frozen and corroded nuts, bolts and other fasteners. Kroil obviously does a very good job in applications for which it was formulated. However, Kroil was NOT formulated as a weapons oil and was never intended to be used for weapons application. This information may be verified by speaking with the Kroil Chief Chemist, Mr. Joe Sinclair, who may be reached at 1-800-311-3374. It must be remembered and recognized that all chemical formulas should be used only for the purpose intended by its formula. One does not use motor oil to fry eggs for breakfast even though it is an oil. Motor oil was not formulated as a cooking oil and certainly should not be used as such. This logic holds true for any lubricant, solid or liquid, regarding its application to weapons of any kind. The end user of any chemical formula should first ask himself "am I using this product for the purpose intended and for which the product was formulated?" If the answer to either part of this question is "no," then you should certain not use it.

We trust this information will further clarify the confusion surrounding using MoS2 in a weapons application.

The Parsec Group
Weapons Engineering


Editor's Note:
John Gammuto, Editor

I like the ring of this report...a lot. A technical discussion of Molybdenum Disulfide, devoid of salesmanship, has been long in coming. I cannot remember when a single product has caused such consternation among shooters of similar mind and stated goals. If you would like to speak with some folks that truly know what they are talking about on this subject contact:

]]> https://sprinco-com.3dcartstores.com/What-is-the-real-truth-about-Moly_b_2.html

Suppliers of the best in replacement recoil springs and recoil reduction systems.

What is the real truth about Moly?

As published in SHOOTERS NEWS April 1999

"Can I eat game shot with moly coated bullets?"
Is moly toxic or hazardous in any way?"

There is a two-part answer to this question.

(A) Moly is necessary in the human body in order to maintain good health and is usually ingested by eating vegetables, which take up Moly from the soil. One need only read the back panel of almost all man made fertilizers to see that one of the ingredients is Moly as shown by the chemical symbol Mo. Any excess ingestion of Moly will result in the excess being thrown off by the body in the same manner as an excess of vitamins. Therefore, there is no danger at all in eating game animal killed with a Moly bullet.

(B) Breathing dry Moly is another story entirely. Moly with a particle size of seven microns or below is comparable to a droplet of fog suspended in the air and is very easily inhaled. Dry Moly in the presence of moisture (such as in the lungs) quickly becomes acidic and just as quickly begins to irritate lung tissue. The latter, irritated lung tissue, allows rapid invasion of bacteria and viruses which quickly lead to respiratory infections. Prolonged or regular inhalation of dry moly and the continued irritation of lung tissue can lead to lung cancer and death. Anyone who works with dry moly should wear a respirator and safety glasses at all times.

"Is all moly the same?"

Most certainly not. Moly can be found in an infinite number of particle sizes and levels of purity depending upon the mining/refining source. The most desirable type of moly for weapons application is lubricant grade (1.5 microns or below), 99% pure (100% pure is not possible) and should be a wetted and inhibited formula in a colloidal suspension. Poorly refined or impure moly can contain undesirable quantities of Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Mercury, Nickel and Lead. Such impurities in quantity can be very detrimental to any weapon.

"I have heard that moly is corrosive. Is this true?"

Any moly is corrosive if it does not contain an inhibitor to neutralize the naturally occurring acidic quality of the moly. Dry moly is particularly bad as it is chemically impossible to add an inhibitor to dry moly. Even the most highly refined and pure moly will contain (among other compounds/elements) some Sulfur and Sulfur Dioxide (S02). When the Sulfur or Sulfur Dioxide is exposed to the humidity in air, it combines with water vapor to form Sulfuric Acid (H2S04) which then immediately attacks any metal. The higher the humidity the more acid is formed and the more corrosion which takes place. One cannot detect this corrosion by simple examination as it takes place between the moly crystal and the substrate and is hidden by the moly crystal covering it. Corrosion can only be seen by first removing all moly thereby exposing the corrosion to view. Those who fire bullets coated with dry moly will have little corrosion as long as firing is being done as the heat from firing drives off the moisture. However, as soon as a firing session stops and there upon cools down, water vapor will begin to be absorbed by the moly and corrosion begins. And, the longer between firing sessions, the more corrosion which will take place. The corrosive properties of uninhibited or dry moly have been well documented by military testing as far back as 1968.


"I am a precision competition shooter and already get almost twice the life out of my target barrel using dry moly-coated bullets when compared to my use of standard non-coated bullets. Why do I need to worry about corrosion, etc.?"
If you have no problem with the time, aggravation and expense of replacing your target barrel every 3,000 to 4,000 rounds (maximum life as reported by moly bullet users) and also have no problem with other drawbacks of using dry or uninhibited moly (velocity decreases, buildup/caking, etc.) then you should continue to use the dry moly coated bullets. If, on the other hand, you would like a viable alternative, then you should seek out a moly weapons oil formulation which is remicronized, inhibited and in the form of a colloidal suspension. Use of the latter as instructed will eliminate velocity decreases in rifle length barrels, virtually eliminate all fouling and provide an almost indefinite barrel life.
"What causes me to experience a reduction in velocity when firing moly-coated bullets?
This will be a complex answer with several factors involved. First, modern gun powder is in reality a solid propellant which is chemically formulated in a precise manner to burn at a controlled rate not unlike the solid propellant found in the booster rockets of the Space Shuttle and other spacecraft. Controlled burning is a critical factor in understanding the answer to this question. Another fact to keep in mind is that to our knowledge, no reloading charts or ballistic tables exist which were computed on the basis of a weapon firing moly coated bullets. In addition, it must also be understood that the popular "tumbling" method of coating bullets with dry moly leaves only a very thin layer of moly on the projectile as the attraction by molecular polarity between the moly and the gilding metal (bullet jacket) is relatively weak compared to moly's attraction to steel. Now, keeping the above factors in mind, let us actually track the path of a moly bullet as it is fired in a modern rifle. Once the primer is struck ignition begins in the solid propellant at the rear of the cartridge case. Expanding gas from the controlled burning of the propellant creates pressure which then forces the moly bullet out of the end of the cartridge case and into the throat of the bore. This initial leap of the bullet into the bore throat is a harsh environment for the bullet as it must not only size itself to the bore but must also conform itself to the lands and grooves of the rifling to begin its stabilizing spin. By virtue of its moly coating reducing friction, the bullet moves more easily and sooner in time (not speed) into the bore throat achieving its conformity and spin much sooner than an uncoated bullet. As this bullet travel is taking place, the propellant continues to burn at the controlled rate dictated by its chemical formulation which was compounded for non-coated bullets. Let us now imagine that the bullet has reached the half way point or 50% (approximately) down the length of the barrel. In our mind's eye we now "freeze frame" the tracking of the bullet at the approximate 50% point in its trip down the barrel in order to see what has happened and is happening. Since the bullet began its trip into the bore throat easier and with less effort than an uncoated bullet, the amount of propellant which had burned was less in relation to the position of the bullet down the bore. The reason being the moly bullet, having to overcome less friction in starting its movement, has required less energy from the burning propellant to begin its trip. As a result of this, the area or volume of space available to the expanding gas from the burning propellant has become greater due to the more rapid entry (sooner in time, not speed) of the moly bullet into the bore. It is a known scientific fact that pressure from an expanding gas is inversely proportional to the space in which the gas is allowed to expand. This means that the greater the space available for expansion of the gas, the less pressure the expanding gas exerts. One now readily sees that the overall pressure of the expanding gas, which has a direct effect on bullet velocity, has been reduced due to a larger volume of space in which to expand with the latter being caused by the quicker entry (in time, not speed) of the bullet into the bore. In addition, the propellant has now almost, if not completely, burned with little or no more to burn to create pressure. Let us now look at yet another thing which has happened at this approximate 50% mark. The moly bullet, due to the very thin coating of moly on its jacket, has had most, if not all, of the moly rubbed off and redeposited onto the steel of the first 50% of the bore length (this will vary to some degree depending upon the thickness of the moly coating on the bullet). The moly bullet has now become almost, if not completely, a standard non-coated bullet. The remaining thing which has happened is that the heat generated by firing the bullet has also been reduced due first to a larger area within the throat and bore in which the heat is transferred and secondly due to the reduction in frictional heat caused by the increased lubricity of the moly bullet. This reduction in heat is the primary reason for the increased life of the bore throat of the barrel when firing moly bullets. Let us now put things back into motion and track the bullet the rest of the way out of the barrel. In the remaining length of the bore, the bullet now begins to encounter increased friction as most, if not all, of the moly is now gone. This increased friction further slows the bullet and when the projectile finally exits the barrel, chronographic measurements clearly show a reduced bullet velocity when compared to the firing of standard non-coated bullets.
"How can I regain or set back the lost velocity?"
There are three ways this can be done. First, you can use a faster burning propellant (powder) in which case you will lose some of the extended life of the bore throat. Second, you can increase the charge of the same powder in order to provide a longer burn time and continued pressure as the moly bullet travels down the barrel. Use of the second method can leave unburned powder in the bore. Third, you can abandon entirely the use of moly bullets and use a properly formulated moly weapons oil.
"I have been firing moly bullets for some time and I'm getting some kind of buildup or caking in the bore. What is this stuff?"


The buildup/caking can be caused by two factors (or a combination of both) as follows: When one first begins to fire bullets with a burnished or impacted coating of moly, the moly quickly rubs off the bullet and is redeposited onto the walls of the bore. Continued firing of moly bullets continues to redeposit moly onto the bore but instead of in a burnished deposition of moly it becomes a compressed deposition of moly caused by the mechanical pressure of the bullet against the bore wall. Compressed deposition of moly will cause a thicker layer of moly to be plated onto the bore which then causes an undesirable buildup. There is great deal of truth in the old saying that "there can be too much of a good thing". In addition, one could be using a dry moly powder with an excessive amount of impurities in which case the buildup is being caused by not only the compressed deposition of too much moly but also by the impurities in the dry moly powder. For example, there is one metal working company in the US which consumes some 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of dry moly powder each year. The moly powder is used to "tumble coat" various mild steel shapes in preparation of a cold extrusion process which converts the steel into its desirable configuration. The wire drawing industry is another example of large consumers of dry moly powder used to coat steel rods which are then "cold drawn" into wire. The dry moly powder (many times not a true lubricant grade particle size) used by these industries soon becomes ineffective due to the accumulation of various impurities. Most of these impurities are oxides of iron, Zinc in the form of stearates and many other types. This used, ineffective and contaminated moly powder should then be disposed of in a land fill; however, it is known that much of it finds its way back into the market place through local machines shops, etc. who are unaware of the level of contamination it contains. Some of this contaminated moly powder is being purchased by shooters, also unaware of its contamination, to "tumble coat" bullets. And, it should be noted here that the popular method of tumble coating bullets with moly is nothing more than an adaptation of an industrial process used for well over 25 years in the metal working industry. In addition to used and contaminated moly being available, a great deal of poorly refined and impure moly has been coming into the US from such countries as mainland China, Mexico, Poland and other sources and this moly is no better than the used and contaminated type.

"How do I get this buildup / caking out of my rifle?"

Once moly has plated to steel, removing it is not an easy task. If the buildup is not too severe, it can be removed by using a dry powder chemical compound called Alkanox (your local chemical supply house should have it) and some very vigorous scrubbing with a brass brush. If Alkanox is not available, then use the gel type detergent made for dish washing machines with even more intense scrubbing with a brass brush. In severe cases, you will have to resort to using a mild abrasive and some elbow grease. They key word is "mild." Some products will rub the rifling right out of your barrel. Be careful!
"In the future, how can I avoid any buildup or caking and other undesirable side effects of using moly bullets?"

The most objective and honest answer we can give to this question is to discontinue the use of all moly-coated bullets. You can achieve better shooting results and a much longer barrel life with a properly formulated moly weapons oil as outlined. A properly formulated moly weapons oil deposits moly onto the bore by the "insitu deposition" method and completely eliminates buildup, caking, corrosion and loss of velocity together with providing you with many other benefits. In closing, let us recognize that Molybdenum Disulfide is the finest and most effective lubricant known to modern science - provided it is both formulated properly and applied correctly.

Addendum

1st June 1999
Parsec Group

There appears to be continued confusion regarding certain aspects of using Molybdenum Disulfide in weapons environment. The following information is added to clear up some of this confusion:

1. It is claimed that removing moly (caked or not) from a barrel is not difficult and that simply running a patch through the bore will suffice. This is decidedly NOT correct and is based upon seeing the grey to black color coming out on the patch. The discoloration is being caused by the patch cleaning out the ultra thin layer of Molybdenum Trioxide (MoO3) which has formed on the surface of the Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) due to the heat of firing, MoS2 begins to oxidize to MoO3 at a temperature of around 1000 degrees F. This ultra thin coating of MoO3 tends to protect the MoS2 from further oxidation but DOES NOT seal the MoS2 from moisture in the air. The latter, picking up moisture from the air, is what reacts with the Sulfur and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) contained in the MoS2 to form corrosive acids. The only way to completely remove MoS2 after it has plated to the steel is to use a mild abrasive such as JB Bore Paste. Great care should be taken in order not to damage the lands and grooves of the bore when using any abrasive. MoO3 does have some lubricating ability (less than MoS2) but it does NOT have the layer / lattice structure of MoS2 nor does it have any affinity for steel or any other metal.

2. It has been stated that thousands of rifle shooters have used moly-coated bullets without excessive caking or corrosion. As caking and corrosion are related to the purity level, particle size and absence of acid neutralizers of the dry MoS2, there are thousands of rifle shooters who HAVE HAD problems with both caking and corrosion. The obvious conclusion here is to simply abandon the use of moly coated bullets and use a properly formulated moly weapons oil which has been inhibited against corrosion, is remicronized and with a purity level of 99% plus.

3. There are many who believe that swabbing the bore with a patch saturated with a penetrating oil called "Kroil" will eliminate all possibilities of corrosion. Again, the concept is NOT correct. The application of Kroil is only a temporary "fix" and will (for a maximum of about 2 days) seal off the MoS2 FROM MOISTURE IN THE AIR. Afterward, the Kroil film dries ruptures and again allows moisture in the air to contact the MoS2 crystals with acid formation as a result. Kroil contains no acid neutralizers and is formulated for the sole purpose of using it to loosen frozen and corroded nuts, bolts and other fasteners. Kroil obviously does a very good job in applications for which it was formulated. However, Kroil was NOT formulated as a weapons oil and was never intended to be used for weapons application. This information may be verified by speaking with the Kroil Chief Chemist, Mr. Joe Sinclair, who may be reached at 1-800-311-3374. It must be remembered and recognized that all chemical formulas should be used only for the purpose intended by its formula. One does not use motor oil to fry eggs for breakfast even though it is an oil. Motor oil was not formulated as a cooking oil and certainly should not be used as such. This logic holds true for any lubricant, solid or liquid, regarding its application to weapons of any kind. The end user of any chemical formula should first ask himself "am I using this product for the purpose intended and for which the product was formulated?" If the answer to either part of this question is "no," then you should certain not use it.

We trust this information will further clarify the confusion surrounding using MoS2 in a weapons application.

The Parsec Group
Weapons Engineering


Editor's Note:
John Gammuto, Editor

I like the ring of this report...a lot. A technical discussion of Molybdenum Disulfide, devoid of salesmanship, has been long in coming. I cannot remember when a single product has caused such consternation among shooters of similar mind and stated goals. If you would like to speak with some folks that truly know what they are talking about on this subject contact:

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]]> https://sprinco-com.3dcartstores.com/Welcome-to-our-online-store_b_1.html Welcome to our online store! Our team is proud to announce that we're now open for business, and we look forward to serving you all in the future. If you have any questions about this store or the products found within, please don't hesitate to contact us any time.

Our website has been carefully designed to provide you with an amazingly flexible online shopping experience, and its ease of navigation is something we think you'll grow to depend on and appreciate. Feel free to browse our entire product catalog, and let us know if you have any questions, comments or concerns about the items housed within. Our team is always ready and willing to assist our customers, and we are happy for your visit.

When making a purchase in our online store, you will notice how easy it is to add products to the shopping cart, review every aspect of your order, and enter your payment information in our secure checkout. You should also know that we take customer security very seriously and pride ourselves on having our online store powered by 3dcart - a Visa PCI certified ecommerce solution - so you can rest comfortably knowing that your sensitive payment info is fully protected, safe and secure at all times. .

If you're pleased with the experience and service you've received from us, we encourage you to share that information across your social networks. Word of mouth is a huge traffic driver for our business, and your support means the world. If you do elect to sign up for our mailing list or share our products across your social media platforms, please know that you do so at your own discretion and you can unsubscribe from, or retract this information at any time.

If there is anything we can do to enhance your buying experience, please feel free to contact us at your convenience. Our mission is to offer impeccable service, and we won't rest until you're completely satisfied.

If you have any questions about our store's policies, please visit our "Terms and Conditions" page for more information.

We hope you enjoy our wide selection of advanced features including our product wish list, numerous social sharing capabilities as well as our streamlined single page checkout.

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