https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/frank-a-hoppe-and-hoppes-no-9/By Frank Jastrzembski 12/22/2021
Gun owners have been using it for over a century. Hoppe’s No. 9 is one of the most popular gun cleaning solvents in the United States. We are spoiled today, but there was a time when cleaning a firearm was tedious and laborious. Also, gun barrels easily corroded and rusted due to the lack of an efficient cleaning solution on the market. That was at least until Philadelphia native Frank A. Hoppe concocted a mixture he christened “Nitro Power Solvent No. 9.” Until now, there has been very little written about the man whose solution changed how we clean firearms in the United States.
Hoppe: A Paint Manufacturer and SoldierThe son of German immigrants, Frank August Hoppe was born in Philadelphia on May 15, 1869. In 1882, he went to work with William Waterall, a pioneer in the paint and varnish industry. After five years of working for Waterall’s company, Hoppe left to take charge of the paint department for Achenbach & Miller, where he was employed for the next 20 years.
Hoppe No. 9 inventor Frank A. Hoppe
Frank A. Hoppe. (Joyce, Story of Philadelphia, 1919)
While still working in the paint business, Hoppe enlisted in the National Guard of Pennsylvania. He joined the organization in June 1887 and rose from the rank of private to captain during three decades of service. During the Spanish-American War, Hoppe was stationed with his company at Montchanin, Delaware, to guard the smokeless powder works of E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. A crack shot with a rifle, Hoppe was a team captain during the annual state competitions for the Hershman and Bowman trophies held in 1908. Three years later, he competed at the First Regiment Tournament and ranked among the 19 best competitors. Hoppe combined his background working with chemicals and skill with a rifle to create something that would change the gun cleaning industry forever.
Nitro Power Solvent No. 9The Army faced a major problem when it introduced the new bolt-action M1903 Springfield at the turn of the century. While the Springfield was an efficient rifle, it had one major flaw: smokeless powder was corrosive and rapidly rusted the barrel. The rifle’s barrel had to be thoroughly cleaned soon after shooting to ensure the gun didn’t rust. The Ordnance Department recommended a cleaning solution that consisted of ammonium persulfate, ammonium carbonate, ammonia and water. This had to be pulverized, measured with a scale or spoon and stirred before needing to sit for half an hour, and then could be used. The solution had to remain in the barrel for at least two hours to efficiently clean it. And soldiers typically had to do this more than once to remove the powder. The process was time-consuming, laborious and inefficient.
Hoppe’s solution was to provide a solvent that would be easy to use and thoroughly clean a rifle. Frank Hoppe registered a trademark for his “liquid chemical composition” on July 3, 1907, and called it “Nitro Power Solvent No. 9,” since it was composed of nine different chemicals. Soldiers could uncork a bottle and immediately use it. And it was very effective. It not only cleaned the rifle of smokeless or black powder residue but also removed lead and metal fouling without the use of brass brushes or wire gauze. Likewise, it protected the bore from rust after being applied without causing harm to the rifle’s barrel. Soldiers and rifle experts around the country praised it. Olympic gold medalist Charles B. Winder stated it was “the best cleaning material I know of.”
A Solution That Belongs in Every Home
Original bottle of Hoppe’s No. 9. (eBay Seller Clancy_Kid)
The gun cleaning solution was not only sold to soldiers and competitive shooters but civilians as well. Hoppe’s company declared that the solvent had “one thousand and one uses” beside a gun bore cleaner. It could be used to clean rust, gum, grease, tar and other types of material or dirt from tools, cutlery, machinery, automotive parts and even typewriters — pretty much anything with an iron or steel surface. There was soon a constant, steady demand for Hoppe’s No. 9, and bottles found their way on shelves or into toolkits. It became a staple for anyone who wanted to keep his or her firearms and tools clean and free from rust, pitting, fouling, corrosion and dirt, and has remained so ever since.
Unfortunately, Frank A. Hoppe didn’t live long enough to see most of his company’s success. On January 16, 1921, he suffered a stroke and died at the age of 51. His son, Frank Chestin Hoppe, took over as president. During the 1930s and 1940s and like his father, Frank Jr. also competed in national rifle tournaments. Even though it is no longer family-owned, Hoppe’s remains one of the oldest and most well-respected gun cleaning companies in the United States. Millions of gun owners have counted on Hoppe’s to protect their guns for over a century, and millions more will continue to use its products as long as they are sold.
