Beef tallow and beeswax lube??

[Loyalist Dave]

Hmmm...the melting point of beef fat is 130-140 F

Are you sure? Raw beef suet I believe might be that high, but the melting point for rendered beef tallow as well as that from sheep is 86-113 degrees F in our modern times, with the 113 deg F probably closer to what it was in the 18th century, from all of the sources that I've ever found (mostly soap making books). Melting point on the fats changes depending on what the cow has been eating, and where on the cow the fat is taken. Corn fed cows give fat that melts at a lower temp than grass fed, for example.

LD

 

[F.G. Ford]

Most any animal fats will work, and bees wax is just a medium to carry the fat in a more solid state.
When using animal fats you have to consider that most of these fats will go rancid in time and heat.
Not a nice thing to have in your shooting bag.
Bees wax and olive oil will not go rancid.
Saliva ( spit ) has worked for centuries and will probably work for another century or two. However in hunting situations the saliva will dry out in the barrel and provide no lube factor for patch and ball. Also too much saliva can have an effect on the powder it touches.
Spit patches will often show a patch that has a burn hole in it, especially if it has been in the barrel for an hour or so.
A patch properly soaked with beeswax and olive oil will not harm the powder, and will protect the patch from burn through, and lube the barrel on the way down and on the way out. This combination of olive oil and beeswax will keep the fowling soft as well. A good place to start is a mix of 75:25 of bees wax and olive oil. You can add mink oil, or sheep tallow if they don't go bad with time.
For any good shooting, being consistent is paramount. If you vary one little bit, the next shot will vary.
We all have our own secret way of loading and shooting our smoke poles, watching others especially bench rest shooters will help you to be a much better shooter.
Fred

 

[user 13896]

When round ball shooting I use spit. I only hunt squirrels with round balls and load after I find myself in the vicinity of of at least one of the little buggers. Most of my round ball shooting is at targets. For deer, and at the range, I use a .575 minnie in a 2-band Enfield or a grooved bullet in a .451 Volunteer. I know it is not traditional, but for years I have used a 50/50 mix of bee's wax and soy wax on all of my grooved bullets. I use it summer and winter and get good accuracy.

 

[Enfieldguy]

Keep in mind the shelf-life of the beef tallow. It will eventually go rancid. There's something about mutton tallow that keeps it stable for a very long time. Period Ordnance manuals specify the use of mutton tallow for it's long term stability. For my combustible revolver cartridges I use a 8:1 beeswax/mutton ratio as per a 1860 Federal manual.

 

[Black Hand]

Saliva ( spit ) has worked for centuries and will probably work for another century or two.

Does anyone have period references to saliva being used as a lube?

 

[George]

Not a certain one, only a possibility. James Audubon, Audubon and his Journals, Vol. II, Maria Audubon:

Describing a hunter loading his rifle before a raccoon hunt, early 19th:
"He introduces the powder into the tube; springs the box of his gun, greases the “patch” over with some melted tallow, or damps it; then places it on the honey-combed muzzle of his piece."

Spence

 

[Black Hand]

Not a certain one, only a possibility. James Audubon, Audubon and his Journals, Vol. II, Maria Audubon:

Describing a hunter loading his rifle before a raccoon hunt, early 19th:
"He introduces the powder into the tube; springs the box of his gun, greases the “patch” over with some melted tallow, or damps it; then places it on the honey-combed muzzle of his piece."

Spence

Thanks Spence!
I worry that the use of saliva is over-represented in significance by today's shooters. Personally, I won't use it, though I did for a time in the past. We spend so much time trying to avoid rust in the bore that I can't see why someone would regularly use something that could/would promote rust.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Thanks Spence!
I worry that the use of saliva is over-represented in significance by today's shooters. Personally, I won't use it, though I did for a time in the past. We spend so much time trying to avoid rust in the bore that I can't see why someone would regularly use something that could/would promote rust.

Black Hand, have a good question for you, today we are so worry about the smallest amount of rust, but back in the day do you think the" common man" thought that was something to worry about. I would think at the distance they shot game or man at and little or more rust would not better. Just some thoughts I had. Not talking about the military

 

[Black Hand]

...but back in the day do you think the" common man" thought that was something to worry about.

Then as now, I'm certain there were those that took care of their equipment and those that didn't. I guess if your life depended on the proper functioning of your gun, you'd probably take better care...

 

[Juice Jaws]

I am sure that's true, people don't change, just time does.

 

[peashooterJoe]

Any sources for mutton tallow, all mine has dried up..Peashooterjoe

 

[Stumpkiller]

https://grasslandbeef.com/lamb-tallow