Most people claim the T/C Bore Butter is wax and some mineral spirits, along with some natural oils. And they they throw in a smell for the benefit of the shooter. As for mice and rats, them buggers will get into some things that I just do not understand. I have a bass boat and they love to get under the floor of the thing and pull styrofoam out of it. So I put bowl in there with poison for them. They eat that too, but each spring I have to clean the carpets in the boat all over again.