-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Ballistol-based lube?
- Thread starter YampaValleyMountainMan
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Sam squanch
69 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2019
- Messages
- 3,167
- Reaction score
- 4,522
Smear some ballistol on a tree. Aim your game camera at it, see what shows up to sniff it…..you may be surprised.
Sam squanch
69 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2019
- Messages
- 3,167
- Reaction score
- 4,522
I use the lanolin cream breast feeding mothers use on themselves….. pricey, and you get strange looks, but it works.
Except when they dry, the water evaporates and the oil is left behind, at which point the mix ratio will matter not at all. All those patches were pure Ballistol.
The water acts as a carrier. Yes, once it evaporates it is pure ballistol left behind, but how much per unit of surface area? That's what the various concentrations control, is how much ballistol is evenly distributed per square inch, or centimeter, or whatever unit of surface area. For example, 1:5 would leave approximately twice as much ballistol per unit of surface area as 1:10.
Try that exact same test using all the same patch material instead of the wide variety you showed in your images. It’s most likely the patch ball combo.
Actually, I run the same test on each one of the patch materials shown, often multiple times, also for each ball size, and for each of my rifles. This is about half of them, not including the ones that I tested and sold.
This is my patch material box.
My post above was simply meant to illustrate the Dutch Schultz's method, and in no way represents the extent of my testing to work up a load for each rifle.
I first joined my local club, and started shooting black powder last September, and in that time, have cast over 150lbs of lead, used 30+ pounds of powder and 3,500 caps and even learned to Knapp my own flints over the past year.
With barely a year of experience in muzzle loading, I in no way consider myself anything but a novice, and am always looking for ways to practice and get better.
Last edited:
I bought 11oz of rendered duck for for $13.89 on Amazon. Gonna give it a try.
I would respectfully suggest you get a copy of Dutch’s book and read through it.
There are other ways to wring accuracy out of a ML, but his methods have worked for many here, including myself. I took two rifles through this process and was able to improve groups on both of them by varying the Ballistol to water ratio.
This also essentially creates a “dry” patch that will sit in there during a multi day hunt without dampening or fouling the powder.
Ballistol does have a smell when you are working with it, but it goes almost completely away on the finished patches. Having a single dry patch down in the barrel with a ball on top of it is not going to out you to a deer beyond the (relatively speaking) much stronger stink of yourself.
Last edited:
His book and others have helped me a lot, but so has finding an active club that regularly holds matches, and seeking the advice and tudaledge of the better and more experienced shooters.... gunsmiths.... and manufacturers.
It definitely creates a logic based starting point, and not just for the patches. His emphasis on both consistency through all operations and documentation were immensely helpful to me as a BP shooter.
Last edited:
SeaBee133
40 Cal
SeaBee133
40 Cal
Am familiar with Allen from gun cases and shooting accessories, but haven't seen this stuff.
Notice the Ballistol reference, is it a generic equivalent of Ballistol, or a black-powder bore cleaner containing Ballistol as an ingredient?
SeaBee133
40 Cal
It does not specify. But seeing as real Ballistol is German, and this stuff is Chinese… I know that Ballistol is also made under license in the USA, but Allen sources most of their products from India and China.Am familiar with Allen from gun cases and shooting accessories, but haven't seen this stuff.
Notice the Ballistol reference, is it a generic equivalent of Ballistol, or a black-powder bore cleaner containing Ballistol as an ingredient?
I like Ballistol. The local museum uses it and Kroil (needle cans) on real deal vintage arms. Including an English 12g caplock double I let them borrow on an “open ended” term. And several legit Springfield and Enfield rifles from “that” war.
China is notorious for reverse- engineering and flat-out stealing intellectual property, including copyright protected products, certainly wouldn't put it past them to copy and market a clone of Ballistol.
Mike in FL
50 Cal.
Alex, you are right to use part works, but I have a question that sprung from my ignorance. If you mix the Ballistol with water and then let the patches dry, is that not the same as NOT mixing with water?
Mike in FL
50 Cal.
I mean what works, not parts work. Stupid auto correct.
Ballistol emulsifies in water, so cutting it with water will leave less Ballistol very evenly distubuted throughout the patch vs using it full strength.
Varying the water/Ballistol ratio will vary the density of the coating left behind on the patch as well…
Varying the water/Ballistol ratio will vary the density of the coating left behind on the patch as well…
I use Dutch's method with a 7:1 ratio. Letting the water evaporate makes a lubed patch that is "dry" but lubed. Using straight Ballistol make a patch that is way too slick.
I have tested several of the dilutions. 7:1 is just right for me.
I have tested several of the dilutions. 7:1 is just right for me.
