Best Animal fat for lube?

ahcollier · Wednesday at 8:19 AM

I see all kind of concoctions for patch lube. I’m currently using home made “Barrel Butter” of beeswax and olive oil.

I’ve heard people talk about some animal fats, mostly mutton/sheep.

What other animal fats do people use? Beef tallow? Clean pork fat?

What will rendered (clean) pork fat do to my rifle? Bacon fat is always the one thing I have lots of.

Thanks, Andy

Fatboyz · Wednesday at 8:55 AM

I use rendered down deer tallow and bees wax.

wiscoaster · Wednesday at 9:02 AM

Animal fat won't hurt your rifle. If you have lots of bacon fat, and it's rendered clean, use it. Beef and mutton tallow you can buy at the grocery store. I don't know there's any "best". They'll all work. You might find a mixture with animal fat a little "stiffer" than your current recipe with olive oil. I vary the ratio of olive oil in mine to make it softer in cool weather or firmer in hot weather. So, I'd suggest you play around with your beeswax to fat ratio to find what works best for you.

Phil Coffins · Wednesday at 9:07 AM

Unicorns back fat.

Tom A Hawk · Wednesday at 9:10 AM

I have been using mutton tallow for many years. It is by far the greasiest natural lube I have found to date.

Johnny Too-Tall · Wednesday at 9:14 AM

ahcollier said:
I see all kind of concoctions for patch lube. I’m currently using home made “Barrel Butter” of beeswax and olive oil.

I’ve heard people talk about some animal fats, mostly mutton/sheep.

What other animal fats do people use? Beef tallow? Clean pork fat?

What will rendered (clean) pork fat do to my rifle? Bacon fat is always the one thing I have lots of.

Thanks, Andy

If you value your rifle do not use bacon fat or bacon grease wayyyyyy to much salt in it which leads to corrosion. My buddy did this and left it loaded for almost a month for gun season and it completely rust the bore.

wiscoaster · Wednesday at 9:24 AM

Johnny Too-Tall said:
If you value your rifle do not use bacon fat or bacon grease wayyyyyy to much salt in it which leads to corrosion. My buddy did this and left it loaded for almost a month for gun season and it completely rust the bore.

He said he would render it first. Doesn't that get rid of the salt? If not, ya, you wouldn't want to use that!!

rafterob · Wednesday at 9:26 AM

Lamb fat-tallow is the best. A good mix of greasy to waxy consistency.

1950DAVE · Wednesday at 11:36 AM

Johnny Too-Tall said:
If you value your rifle do not use bacon fat or bacon grease wayyyyyy to much salt in it which leads to corrosion. My buddy did this and left it loaded for almost a month for gun season and it completely rust the bore.

And sodium nitrate.

wiscoaster said:
He said he would render it first. Doesn't that get rid of the salt? If not, ya, you wouldn't want to use that!!

No. Rendering only separates the solid matter from the fat.

wiscoaster · Wednesday at 11:45 AM

I guess I'll just keep saving MY bacon fat for soup!!

hunter thompson · Wednesday at 11:46 AM

DEER FAT and melt it slow outside and add murphys oil soap and i had to do it a few times to get the right consistancy

rp77469 · Wednesday at 11:49 AM

Pure bear grease or bear oil. What you get depends on what the bear has been eating.

Rifleman1776 · Wednesday at 12:34 PM

Several will be just fine. e.g. bear, mink, lamb and more. But, absolute worstest (DAMHIK) is chicken.

ahcollier · Wednesday at 12:37 PM

1950DAVE said:
And sodium nitrate.

No. Rendering only separates the solid matter from the fat.

Important safety tip. Got it.

1950DAVE said:
And sodium nitrate.

No. Rendering only separates the solid matter from the fat.

Got it. Important safety tip. What about pure pork fat, right off the hog, not bacon?

Beaverman2 · Wednesday at 12:40 PM

I second the Bear fat, works real good for biscuits and pie crust too!

deerstalkert · Wednesday at 12:49 PM

I use bear fat because i have 10 quarts of it and have no need for anything else. Generally mixed with different percentages of bees wax depending on the temperature.

TechMoron · Wednesday at 12:58 PM

You can get enough grease for two lifetimes of shooting from one possum.

LME · Wednesday at 1:04 PM

wiscoaster said:
Animal fat won't hurt your rifle. If you have lots of bacon fat, and it's rendered clean, use it. Beef and mutton tallow you can buy at the grocery store. I don't know there's any "best". They'll all work. You might find a mixture with animal fat a little "stiffer" than your current recipe with olive oil. I vary the ratio of olive oil in mine to make it softer in cool weather or firmer in hot weather. So, I'd suggest you play around with your beeswax to fat ratio to find what works best for you.

I think any fat will do but cured bacon fat has a lot of salt. I would avoid that kind of grease.

nhmoose · Wednesday at 3:23 PM

Morrell snow cap lard. Pure, no salt, Muslims hate it so I use it in my lube if I don't have bear fat.

Cheap and at your local food store.

1950DAVE · Wednesday at 11:13 PM

ahcollier said:
What about pure pork fat, right off the hog, not bacon?

That’s what lard is made of. No impurities. I have used lard, but it will go rancid sooner than many other fats/oils. I have kept beef tallow a lot longer with no rancidity.

Best Animal fat for lube?

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