Long term storage of cleaners in their original container

[john seeley]

Quick question. I've had plastic bottles of Hoppe's bore cleaner and oil, Weaponshield and BC Super Blue for about 3 years. Are these OK to continue to store in their original bottles for more than a few years? Will they eat away their containers or go bad?  Would it be better to transfer to glass containers? Thanks.

EDIT: Maybe this post belongs under the General Discussion topic?

[M1A4ME]

I've not had an issue with either Hoppe's#9 or 3n1 oil, Mobil 1 or Black Off (a black powder cleaner I used for cleaning after firing corrosive ammo) that have been in plastic bottles for 10 to 12 years (or a little more for the Black Off and Hoppe's).

I did have a bottle of Sweet's 7.62 leak out all over a shelf and make a mess.  I guess it needed to be used faster than 3 years. 

I mentioned it to my buddy (who'd recommended it to me) and told him it leaked out of the bottle and his reply was, "Oh yeah."  I took that to mean he'd had the same issue.  He no longer uses it either.

[john seeley]

Thanks. Well, that's good news for the Weaponsheild and Hoppes Oil. I guess the bore cleaner too. I'll never finish the bottle of Super Blue in my lifetime! I bought it because the pens were not available at the time.

Interesting about the Sweets. Every 10 years, I buy a bottle of Lestoil to get oil and grease from clothes. But the bottle goes bad and ruins the Lestoil way before it's empty. Now I pour the Lestoil into glass.

[CCWLearner]

I have wondered the same thing.  I have a plastic quart bottle of Hoppes #9 solvent that I am just about finished with, purchased in 2018.  It isn't going as quickly as it used to, since I'm not regularly soaking my pistol barrels in a jar full of it.  Anyway since I was concerned with it, I put that Hoppes and various other solvents and penetrating oils etc. into those disposable aluminum pans.  This way if they leak it will limit the exposure to the other bottles of whatever else they share a pan with.

I also use plastic needle oilers for various solvents and lubes, and have had pretty good luck with those, except for the one I filled with Kroil.  That thing regularly starts looking warped and as if it's losing air pressure inside.  I figure one day I'll find it turned into a pile of mush in the little aluminum mini pie tin where it sits by itself.

[john seeley]

Thanks. I also use those plastic needle oilers as well filled with Hoppe's oil and Weaponshield. I got them from ebay with rubber o ring seals. You used a quart of Hoppe's solvent in 2 years? Wow. I bet your place smells good.

Good idea on the pans. I have a lot of different sized pans from all of the toaster ovens I bought over the years.