Best products and Methods

[horsesoldier03]

Well I have been away from the fire for a while and being the newbie I am, I need a refresher. I have a .50 Lyman GPR that I used to burn powder. I shoot patched round ball with crisco or prelubed patches with and generally 80 grn of pyrodex. (I said I was a newbie; this year I actually intend to go to FFF Goex). When I clean my rifle I use hot soapy water and then typically oil it with a very thin coat of gun oil. However, the more I read, the more I think that might be a mistake. I dont have any bear oil, and dont get to go bear hunting so I doubt I will have that for a while.
My big question is what is the best lube for patch (thinking about GOJO) and what should I treat my barrel with after cleaning it with hot soapy water to prevent rust?

 

[Zonie]

Stumpkillers Moose Juice http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/203261/
and Sheath or Barricade (Birchwood Casey product).

 

[horsesoldier03]

I will have to try that. So what is the best thing to use to prevent rust after cleaning with hot soapy water? Am I ok using a light coat of gun oil?

 

[jtmattison]

I use Rem-Oil to protect all of my ML's after cleaning with soapy water.
As Zonie said, Stumpy's moose milk or moose snot are good for RB patches.

HD

 

[mykeal]

Zonie mentioned Birchwood Casey's Sheath or Barricade for rust prevention. Excellent products. Others use Ballistol, Butch's Bore Shine, Rem Oil, Hoppe's No. 9 Plus, Bore Butter, olive oil, etc. etc. All good things and all are better than a petroleum based gun oil.

That being said, one can use the gun oil if you remember to thoroughly clean it BEFORE shooting with black powder. Some people use the non-petroleum products for in-season shooting but use gun oil for long term storage.

 

[awp101]

Zonie mentioned Birchwood Casey's Sheath or Barricade for rust prevention. Excellent products. Others use Ballistol, Butch's Bore Shine, Rem Oil, Hoppe's No. 9 Plus, Bore Butter, olive oil, etc. etc. All good things and all are better than a petroleum based gun oil.

What about CorrosionX? I don't know if it's petrolium based or not though... :hmm:

 

[renovato]

You'll probably get as many different replies as there are shooters. One person's favorite is different from the next. Crisco makes a good patch lube, as do many of the homemade formulas. I've had particularly good luck with Hoppe's #9 black powder solvent and lube. I've always had better luck with the wet lubes rather than the grease lubes.

Years back, I stumbled upon Ballistol and have been using it as a patch lube and cleaning solvent mixed with water, and straight as a leather/wood preservative, lubricant and rust preventer. It works great in the humidity level created by the evaporative coolers we use here. Not sure how it'd perform in a seriously humid area. I've seen tests that show it to be a great performer, but I've also talked to folks who had rust issues using it.

If you're in a very humid area, or need a rust preventative for long term storage, I doubt you'll find anything more effective than CorrosionX. It outperforms everything I've compared it to by a longshot. I had a water leak in my shop that ruined tools, rusted up guns protected with CLP, etc. The only gun in the shop that had been wiped with CorrosionX looked brand new.

If you use it in your bore, be sure to run a dry patch and a dash of rubbing alcohol to get it out before shooting. I haven't tried shooting with it in there, but it might gum up. Some do, and some don't.

As for your mention of "gun oil", many generic gun oils, of the type packaged in inexpensive cleaning kits, are nothing more than repackaged, cheap, sewing machine/light machine oil. They work, but aren't the best performers compared to today's higher quality offerings.

 

[mike alexandre]

Exactly what Plink said. Ballistol cut with water on the patch(see Dutches method). Ballistol in the water for a clean up and neat Ballistol for bore protection afterwards.

 

[Swampman]

Olive oil is the best, and it's historically correct.

Windex, cheap windshield washer fluid, or tepid water are the best cleaning agents.

Don't waste your money on "magic gun stuff."

 

[Juice Jaws]

use what ever works for you. everone makes a big deal about this patch, that oil, this lube, etc. I been doing this for over 30 years and tell all the new guys, listen to everone, and use what works for you. If your gun shoots good, and you are keeping the rust off, then you are doing it right. juice jaws

 

[Dillohide]

Agree with juice jaws. The way we clean these after firing and then most of us swab em out with something, I use alcohol, before firing again ... use what works for you and keeps the rust out.

 

[Swampman]

Be careful with alcohol, it will take your stock finish right off.

 

[The Hungry Hunter]

I also have a Lyman GPR and also the Trade rifle in 50 cal. I used 3f and chnged to 4f, found it to be more accurrate in both rifles. I use TC No 13 Bore cleaner and patch lube is the Mink Oil from Track of the Wolf. But what others have said what ever you believe in and works best for you..

 

[Swampman]

I wouldn't use 4F as a main charge. It's dangerous IMO.

 

[J.D.]

I wouldn't use 4F as a main charge. It's dangerous IMO.

Marks is right, 4F is priming powder, not for use in the main charge.

Personally, I use Breakfree as a bore preservative and over all lubricant. Just swab the oil out of the bore with a alcohol on a patch prior to loading and you will be ok.

I do swab occasionally with balistol/water mix, and swab the bore after a range session, prior to going home.

As for patch lubes, use what works. I prefer mutton tallow for hunting or for those events that require a gun to be loaded for over a few minutes though crisco works good too.

For line shooting or any time the gun will be fired soon after loading, spit is the lube of choice.

I can load and shoot all day without swabbing, and clean up is a breeze.

That said, every gun likes what it likes, so's ya gotta try several patch/ball/lube combinations to see what it likes.

Change only one component at a time, so's you know which change improved, or hurt accuracy.

IMHO, the yellow miracle lubes don't work for me. Some folks like 'em, I don't. IMHO, there is waaaaayyyy too much hype surrounding them for my liking.

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOU have to be kidding, or this is a typo. NEVER USE FFFFg powder for anything other than priming the pan! THIS ADVISE IS PRINTED ON EVERY CAN OF FFFFg POWDER SOLD!

I know you are new to the forum, so PLEASE accept this cautionary advise from all of us. You can use FFFg and FFg powders in the barrel of a .50 caliber rifle, but Fg is not recommended( if you can find any to buy) and FFFFg powder is for PRIMING ONLY!

Welcome to the forum. I hope the life we saved today is yours. :surrender: :thumbsup:

 

[horsesoldier03]

I did make it out to go and do some shooting today. I found several things I have heard here to be true.

1) Had thick crud coming out on patches from using Petro based oil to prevent rust. Definately going to stop using OIL Base. I think I will use olive oil.

2) Pyrodex does lose it's UMMPHHH after sitting since last season. I was shooting 90 grain PRB loads and they just didnt have the same feel/sound of blast when I pulled the trigger.
(Threw out the rest of the Pyrodex, and plan to get FFFg before I go out again.)

3) Screwed up and used a lubed patch to wipe the barrel with. Put it on the end of the ramrod and only pulled the rod out, end of shooting session. (I still need a few attachments) And only after 10 shots fired.
(Learned an important lesson, have 2 types of patches, one for running dry patch down barrel between shots and one to shoot. Its nice if they are different colors so you dont grab the wrong one.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I buy either 2 1/2 inch round cleaning patches, or use the 3 inch square patchs to clean the guns. The larger ones work on my 2 smoothies, and can also be used in my .50. When I was shooting the .45, I had to buy the 2 1/2 round patches, 'tho. The bigger patches would sometimes hang up.

Buy them by the 1,000, or even larger quantities, for the best prices.

Or, buy your own 100% pure cotton flannel fabric by the yard at fabric stores, and cut your own. I like making the squares, as once you begin a cut, you can usually just tear off the strip. If you buy your own fabric, you can get it another color than white. That will help you know the difference. The patches used to wrap around the RB is made of either pillow ticking, pocket drill, denim, or linen. Just the weave of the fabric-- by its feel-- is enough to let me know which patch I have in my hand when I am loading in the dark.

 

[Swampman]

I make all my cleaning patches out of old t-shirts.

 

[J.D.]

1) Had thick crud coming out on patches from using Petro based oil to prevent rust. Definately going to stop using OIL Base. I think I will use olive oil.

I have used all sorts of oils from petro to natural and IMHO, the best preservatives are designed as preservatives, i.e. petroleum based oils.

All you need to do is swab the bore with a patch wet with alcohol to remove the oil. Otherwise, you will get the same result, no matter what is used to preserve the bore.

Ya gotta swab whatever preservative out of your bore, no matter what, so might as well use the best products available; those designed as preservatives.