Hi all
It is typical of us Brits to ignore the old advice if it aint broke dont fix it so we fixed it!
Youngs 303 started out life as an antiseptic and this was printed on the early tins, I was told that it was a form of coal tar derivative possibly Phenol based though not being a chemist I am just repeating what I have been told. I do have a half full tin of the genuine stuff for trips down memory lane.
Rangoon oil of today is a made up version of its old self using a mixture of modern oils. The real stuff was supplied to the Brit Government in times past by the Rangoon Oil Company Burma, the modern oil is just a shadow of its former self according to people who can remember using the real thing.
One of my shooting buddies uses a form of strong coal tar disinfectant available here called Jeys Fluid as a substitute for 303 he says the smell is a little different but it works just fine and at half the cost.
My own preference for smokeless is a universal solvent for paint and nitro-cellulose finishes etc made by a German company Holz & Bautentechnik available at Lidl supermarkets not so good for Black Powder though but exceedingly low cost.
