Ballistol-based lube?

[John Smith IV]

Use Dutch Schultz's method and test what combo works best for you in your rifle.

Mix small samples of different concentrations of Ballistol/ water.
View attachment 348926

Soak a strip of patch material with each. You can label each with a Sharpy marker at each end to tell them apart and lay them on horizontal surface to dry overnight.
View attachment 348927

Roll them up and store in ziplock bags.
View attachment 348934

Then go to the range to test which works best for you in your rifle
View attachment 348929

As you can see, my rifle preferred 1:6 Ballistol/ water.

If you ask me, I'd say your rifle didn't care.

 

[Sam squanch]

Ballistol stinks way to much to consider for hunting.
Use water soluble oil instead. About 5:1 or 7:1 parts h2o to oil.

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]

I use the lanolin cream breast feeding mothers use on themselves….. pricey, and you get strange looks, but it works.

 

[Clark Badgett]

Use Dutch Schultz's method and test what combo works best for you in your rifle.

Mix small samples of different concentrations of Ballistol/ water.
View attachment 348926

Soak a strip of patch material with each. You can label each with a Sharpy marker at each end to tell them apart and lay them on horizontal surface to dry overnight.
View attachment 348927

Roll them up and store in ziplock bags.
View attachment 348934

Then go to the range to test which works best for you in your rifle
View attachment 348929

As you can see, my rifle preferred 1:6 Ballistol/ water.

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.

 

[JDBraddy]

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.

 

[Clark Badgett]

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.

 

[JDBraddy]

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.

 

[BS2366]

I bought 11oz of rendered duck for for $13.89 on Amazon. Gonna give it a try.

 

[ScottK]

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.

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.

 

[JDBraddy]

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.

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.

 

[ScottK]

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.

 

[SeaBee133]

You could always cheat…

 

[SeaBee133]

You could always cheat…

Wife bought it at “Great Wall of China Mart”. Fitting, as it was made in China…

 

[JDBraddy]

You could always cheat…

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]

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?

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.
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.

 

[JDBraddy]

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.
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.