PJL Industries
ProChemCo/PrOlix
PO Box 1466
West Jordan, UT 84084-8466
801-569-2763
1-800-248-LUBE (5823)
Fax: 801-569-8225
http://www.prolixlubricant.com


Non-petroleum based solvent/lubricant for firearms

“PrOlix is a penetrating solvent that has been developed over many years, used in industry, and rated the safest, most effective agent. Based on citrus technology (it has a pleasant, mild smell in contrast to petroleum based solvents), it is biodegradable and ozone-safe.

LUBRICATES: PrOlix is a unique lubricant and the result of modern technology. It is not affected by adverse conditions of extreme hot and cold (-80°F to over 460°F). It remains dry to the touch.

The PrOlix protective skin (film) renews itself each time it is used, and prevents contaminates from adhering or attaching, making follow-up cleaning easier. Penetration is made possible by its thin formulation (8.2 cps). Then by the chemical action, it turns into a heavier (68cST 40°C) DRY, enduring and long lasting protective coating. PrOlix was even rated next to the winner of a grease test!”

I was thumbing through one of the many magazines that I view each month and ran across a product that was new to me. There’s nothing really too special about that but when I read that it had been around for 23 years, that intrigued me. I thought that I’d at least heard of all the “old” products on the market. After all, I’ve been around a long time and I’ve been shooting for most of that time.

Prolix. I wasn’t even sure how to pronounce the name. So I called the number that I found and spoke with Phil, the founder and developer of Prolix ("Pro licks") products. We spoke for some time about guns and the process of cleaning them, as well as about Prolix products. I told Phil that most of my readers are shotgunners and that many of them are turkey hunters.

I also explained that we turkey hunters are somewhat skeptical of claims made by all manufacturers. He said that he understood.  After being in business for many years, he's heard all the stories and claims by manufacturers of what their products can do. Skepticism can be a good thing.

I placed an order and told Phil that I’d evaluate his product fairly and then report the results that I obtained to my readers. “Fair enough”, was his reply.

Just a couple of days later, I received a 16 oz. bottle of Prolix “Total Gun Care Product” and a bonus 1.25 oz. bottle of "Prolix Xtra-T Dry Lube"*.

Now, I read about gun cleaning products all the time.  I've tried a number of them over the years, most work pretty well and some work better than others. Could this product that I’d never heard of really be that good.? Only one way to find out, put it to the roughest test I could find.

Cosmolene. That very word will sometimes send a chill up the spine of gun owners, especially those who’ve purchased surplus firearms that are literally filled with it, covered with it and slathered in it. It’s gooey, greasy and sheds most cleaners like water off a duck’s back.

There are some harsh products that will eventually wash it off, with some scrubbing. Oven cleaner, gasoline, kerosene, etc. will all work…eventually but are nasty themselves. How would Prolix measure up to the task?

I unwrapped 5 gun parts that had been shipped to me  buried in Cosmolene. I put them in a small pan, sprayed them with Prolix and went away for a while to let the parts soak and let the Prolix work.

While I was waiting, I decided to clean the bores of some shotguns. Some I’d already cleaned and some had been shot a few days ago, when the weather was better. It worked very well on the bores of the guns. It removed the “gunk” that was there and even cleaned some of the  previously “cleaned” guns.

I went back to the Cosmolene coated parts that had been soaking in the Prolix. I lightly brushed them with an old toothbrush and to my surprise, the Cosmolene floated away and the parts were clean. I was very impressed. If Prolix did nothing else, I'd buy it just to remove that stuff!

Next,  I shot a couple of the shotguns that I'd cleaned with Prolix and found that the bores were easier to clean than they were the first time. I did not see the build-up of plastic or unburned powder that I usually see after shooting these guns.

I performed one final test. I have a big .45 caliber revolver that I shoot on a pretty regular basis. I only clean it when it gets really dirty, so  it gets powder residue everywhere and lead/copper build up in the rifling. I decided just to spray it all over and  let it set for a while, like I'd done with the Cosmoline covered parts.

When I went back to it, I  lightly wiped the exterior areas that needed attention and then I ran a brush through the bore. The whole gun was clean in just a couple of minutes without the scrubbing that it normally takes.

Observations

Prolix works as advertised. It removes “gunk” of all kinds from firearms, on the interior and exterior surfaces, without any offensive odors or fumes. It even removes Cosmolene easily and quickly.

Conclusions

Based upon my experience with Prolix, I’d recommend it for cleaning and protecting your guns. It cleans bores as well as the exterior of guns, without harm to the existing finish and it's safe for the environment.

You can read more about Prolix at the web site listed above and read more “Product Test” results at http://www.allaboutshooting.com

*I'll run some tests on the Prolix Xtra-T soon and publish those results.