Barrel seasoning

[Spikebuck]

+1 :thumbsup: If some people don't like to read and respond helpfully to what they consider dumb questions they shouldn't open the post, or at a minimum just close it again and move on. Trying to make people with questions feel ignorant or worse sure doesn't help anything, except perhaps an overinflated ego.

 

[hitandmissengine]

To the novice, the question seems quite respectible! I am just happy this forum is available. I have already received a great deal of direction on how to pursue my new found addiction of muzzel loading.
Thanks

 

[M. De Land]

What he probably meant was what size bit should be used to drill and tap a 1/4 inch hole, a very valid question I might add!

 

[M. De Land]

No, don't season just shoot, clean and experiment and your gun will show you what it likes in time.

 

[BrownBear]

Yup, the old Bore Butter seasoning trick.

It's in all the best cookbooks. Eggs don't stick so bad when you fry them. :rotf:

Please stick around and keep seasoning your barrel. When it's "shot out" be sure and post it real cheap in the want ads. I love to follow in the wake of barrel seasoners and buy their old shot out barrels for pennies on the dollar.

Don't tell anyone, but when you clean out all that "good" seasoning with the right solvent, the rifling magically reappears in the barrel and you have a very good (and cheap!) shooter on your hands. :bow:

 

[coloradoclyde]

4/16 ths :grin:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I wish I could see the look on your face when you have your Ah Ha Moment and all of this makes sense to you....

Stick around and keep reading.....

No! you can't season your barrel

Bore butter is manure!

If your barrel gums up...use a different lube and or clean between shots....
Also high humidity tends to make the fouling gummy.

 

[mooman76]

You said it yourself, it gummed up so that shows it's not working for you. I have used it and cleaned and reapplied it. Never had a problem but I live in a dry climate. I don't believe it would be adequate in a high humidity type environment like where you live. Might be for short term. It's an OK lube at best. Not great but gets the job done. I only use it because I have it but I usually use the good old spit lube.

 

[Chowmif16]

Gents,
Hitandmissengine has posted a valid question, and been met with vitriol and sarcasm. I think that we should embrace the questions that are posted, in the same way that you would expect questions of your own to be answered.
There are indeed posts that address the question and a simple reference to them would be more helpful than derision. I don't possess the skill to re-direct this post to the answer, but a simple search ought to do it.
In my understanding, seasoning barrels is only applicable to barrels of the past as they were of a different metal.
Welcome to the forum hitandmissengine, you will indeed find good information here.

 

[coloradoclyde]

The fact that the OP said his barrel became gummy from using bore butter is proof that it cannot season a barrel, ANY BARREL.
The gumminess is bore butter, burnt powder residue and water.
Seasoning requires sustained temperatures in excess 350 degrees F. for fat or oil to carbonize.
This is impossible to do by simple firing the weapon.

This argument keeps coming up because T/C put it on their package as a marketing gimmick.
And no one has ever been able to prove that you can season a barrel
Not with modern guns or with old hand forged barrels.
IT'S A MYTH.
But some people will believe anything...Hence the marketing gimmick.

With as many people that use bore butter there should be tens of thousands of seasoned barrels out there...BUT THERE ISN'T. What you do see though is a lot of ruined barrels.

 

[19 16 6]

I would hazard a guess, Richard, that if you entered my areas of trade knowledge that you would do some very shadetree things & ask some really silly sounding questions. I see & hear it every day & yet find it in myself to respond in a more gracious manner.
O.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Welcome to the fourm, IMO no question is a dumb question and may be the question someone else is to afraid to ask... There is a wealth of knowledge and information on this site. Might I suggest using the search button for common questions such as yours? When I read your subject line I thought to myself... "Oh boy here we go!" Somethings will open a can of worms and best left up to the search button. :thumbsup: Please don't let the negatives weigh your decisions on using this fourm, it's a wonderful place to learn and grow with the hobby. In the end, we ALL have one thing in common, and that's our love for making good smoke! :hatsoff:

 

[Billnpatti]

It is true that you cannot "season" barrels made of modern steel. The pores in modern steel are so tiny that the grease molecules cannot penetrate into them to season the bore. Bore Butter is a good product when used to lube patches or bullets but it is not a rust preventive. I have never experienced nor have I heard of it gumming up a barrel when used as a patch or bullet lube. To protect your barrel after cleaning it, you need to use a good gun oil that contains a rust inhibitor. You can use Remington's Remoil, Birchwood-Casey gun oil or even 3 in 1 oil. There are other good gun oils out there, just be sure that whatever you use contains a rust inhibitor. Before you shoot your gun the next time be sure to remove all of the oil from your bore before your first shot. To do this, I use some alcohol on a couple of patches to wipe out my bore followed by a dry patch. Snap a cap on you nipple before loading to be sure that nothing is blocking your flash channel and then load 'er up. :thumbsup:

 

[hitandmissengine]

While on the subject, what should be put on patches to clean bore between shots? Thanks for all the positive remarks. I will endeavor to use serch engine in future.

 

[FishDFly]

I doubt it, I have learned to be quiet and listen versus talking, a person learns by listening and keeping their mouth closed.

In Friendship they stop shooting at 1200 for an hour. You can go sit and listen and learn from the best shooters in the country.

They will teach if you are willing to listen.

A person can learn a lot here, but the same stupid questions keep coming up.

Example of extreme stupid. I was in Phoenix this year and was shooting my limited time fire and was concentrating on what I was doing. The guy next to me was loading his revolver and waving it around as he did not pistol loading stand.

My wife found a Range Officer and the Range Officer stopped the individual from what he was doing.

It was discovered the individual had passed his Range Officer training that morning.

In all honesty, if a person's concerns are how to season a barrel, how to clean it and how to sight it in, the last place I wish to be is shooting next to that person.

 

[19 16 6]

Only damp not wet.
I have used spit, water & an 8 water to one Ballistol mix to dampen the clean between shots patch. They all work for me.
O.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I use a moose milk concoction. equal parts murphy's oil soap, hydrogen peroxide and alcohol.

 

[FishDFly]

This will start another new fight, let the battle begin. I like the mixture and have used it for years.

Works well and folks are going to go crazy about using hydrogen peroxide in their barrels.

Best cleaner that I have found for line matches in a spray bottle.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Some may win the battle, but loose the war! Just a thought... Has anyone ever compiled or thought about creating a thread with basic ML information? I know EVERYONE has differing opinions on how things should be done, but I'm sure everyone can agree and come to a common ground on some universal points and information. I dunno, maybe it would alleviat, or at least help the frequency of these redundant questions? Just a thought. :hatsoff:

 

[19 16 6]

Not looking for a fight here.
On the point of a redundant question, it has always surprised me that three components can generate so much discussion.
Lock, stock & barrel. A bit simplified I know, but I begin to wonder where any new, never before asked question can come from.
Maybe that when we know it all we ought to just go out & shoot & not look here any longer.
O.