What do you guys lube your C&B revolvers with?

Surrywoodman · Nov 17, 2024

All,
I just got a Pietta 1851 Navy in 44 cal. brass frame that I gave $80 for. It seems to be close to pristine and the guy only shot it a few times until he had a chain fire which freaked him out. I used to have a Navy and Army many moons ago but sold them. Back in the day I used crisco but after a couple of shots it became a mess. Does anyone have an over ball lube that does not disintegrate too badly? I have read where folks used crisco/bees wax...looking for what you use that gives success. I am not really interested in wads but I am willing to consider, never have used them.

Phil Coffins · Nov 17, 2024

I use wads, when I used grease over the ball after the first shot most of the grease was blown off the other chambers.

French Colonial · Nov 17, 2024

Phil Coffins said:
I use wads, when I used grease over the ball after the first shot most of the grease was blown off the other chambers.

And made a mess all over the gun!

wiscoaster · Nov 17, 2024

Wads are great for the convenience factor.

Gtrubicon · Nov 17, 2024

I don’t lube r my revolvers. I use 454 balls.

Jappo · Nov 17, 2024

Gtrubicon said:
I don’t lube r my revolvers. I use 454 balls.

I don't either. I also use the 454. I do lube my my Walker arbor/cylinder before shooting. 50gr or more are notorious for gumming up rotation.

Salty · Nov 17, 2024

I do use wads lubed with water to Ballistol 7:1 then dried in the sun. I also use 454 balls in my Pietta 1858 Rem. Only 15 gr of Schuetzen 3f. Reasonably accurate at 15 yds.

Old Hawkeye · Nov 17, 2024

Lube over the loaded cylinder is a waste of time & money as well as messy. Lubed wad under the ball, a proper size ball & nipples that provide a good tight fit of the caps is all I do. Never had a chain fire. It's more likely your friends chain fire was caused by poor nipple to cap fit than anything else.

Jappo · Nov 17, 2024

Only chain fires I've had were from LeMats. I used .451s and they were tight. But they still worked loose under recoil. Tried .452, had to remove the cylinder and a rod to load them up. They still worked loose. Had another chain fire. Bought another and the same thing. And besides the balls working loose, the timing was off on both of them. The ball was hitting the side of the barrel. Its impossible to time one because of the way they are made.

Sparkplug · Nov 17, 2024

For RB I use a wad. Non lubed for long term and lubed if I know it will be shot soon. For conicals I just use whatever lube I have in the grooves. I have found Burts Bees original chapstick to do quite well.

KingOfKindling · Nov 17, 2024

I use nothing, just ball/conical and powder. Life is to short to mess with applying wads or gobs of grease for no good reason. I use the guns like they were meant to be used.

Use the proper ball size, and make sure your caps fit the nipples you're using, and there will not be a problem.

Taevers · Nov 17, 2024

Surrywoodman said:
All,
I just got a Pietta 1851 Navy in 44 cal. brass frame that I gave $80 for. It seems to be close to pristine and the guy only shot it a few times until he had a chain fire which freaked him out. I used to have a Navy and Army many moons ago but sold them. Back in the day I used crisco but after a couple of shots it became a mess. Does anyone have an over ball lube that does not disintegrate too badly? I have read where folks used crisco/bees wax...looking for what you use that gives success. I am not really interested in wads but I am willing to consider, never have used them.

https://geojohn.org/BlackPowder/RevolverMobile.html

Smokerr · Nov 17, 2024

Use .454 sized balls and you should have a good seal and no issue. That is how those guns were intended for use, the ball is squeezed and a band shows up (if you drive a ball out from the rear by removing the Cone you will see that).

Check top see if the chambers are round and not oval.

A shaved lead ring does not show an oval chamber below the front.

Rear chain fire is so rare as to be unheard of, close to impossible.

I have shot at least 1000 rounds in 58 NMA, an old ASP NMA (76) two ROA and the 47 Walker.

Back in the 70s I quit shooting my BP revolver because of the Crisco MESS.

Only watching videos on Chain fire did I get an explanation that it was NOT needed.

Some guns have a tapered chamber in the cylinder (the 76 ASP NMA). You won't get a lead ring even with .457 ball.

Someplace at .451 and below, you will get chain fires if you don't take precautions. I do shoot a bit of .451 but I put a lubed wad behind it as a safety measure. It still has a seal band (in mine) but its not all that wide.

One theory is a powder trail into the chamber and avoid that, make sure no lube is causing grains of power to stick to the side. I am less sure on that one but its not worth the risk.

RiverRat · Nov 17, 2024

I stopped using lube in all my bp revolvers. I get a good seal with .457 rbs in my 44’s and .375’s in the 36’s. When I did use lube over the rb, it was bear oil mixed with beeswax, the same lube I use for my patched rbs in my long guns.

nkbj · Nov 17, 2024

Surrywoodman, my old standby for most bullets is a grease formulated with Lanolin, Olive Oil and Beeswax.

Surrywoodman · Nov 18, 2024

Thanks for all the replies folks. One of the reasons I was asking is that the N-SSA rules call for lube over ball even if shooting with a wad, and I do remember crisco being a big mess, so I was hoping that there would be a concoction that would not run all over the place. I did read something but I don't remember where, that some used axle grease or something to that effect, maybe lithium grease? I don't know how either of those would play with black powder though

Old Hawkeye · Nov 18, 2024

Surrywoodman said:
Thanks for all the replies folks. One of the reasons I was asking is that the N-SSA rules call for lube over ball even if shooting with a wad, and I do remember crisco being a big mess, so I was hoping that there would be a concoction that would not run all over the place. I did read something but I don't remember where, that some used axle grease or something to that effect, maybe lithium grease? I don't know how either of those would play with black powder though

There is a synthetic grease that is used to pack the inside of C&B revolvers that is compatible with Black Powder. IIRC, it is called Mobil One. Doesn't turn to tar or gunk when exposed to burning black powder. There are threads here discussing it. Might be worth a try.

Surrywoodman · Nov 18, 2024

I will do a search, I use Mobile one synthetic oil in my truck. Thanks for the info

Frontstuffer070 · Nov 18, 2024

60% beezwax and 40% Lambs tallow ( or any rendered animal fat). It's good and stiff and serves me well for lubing the arbor. I also use it for bullet lube.

Garbear34 · Nov 18, 2024

Wads mostly. Either lubed with mix of bees wax and canola oil. Depending on weather temp summer more beeswax winter less. Still playing with recipes

Crisco big mess. If im going leave loaded un capped use wool felt wad unlabed.

My conicals paper cartridges just what lube in grease groove. Thats a beeswax paraffin wax oil mix. Also use balistol on the arbor every few cylinders little bit added. Going checkbout the synthtic mobile1 thing.

What do you guys lube your C&B revolvers with?

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