Better than Bore Butter?

[Blizzard of '93]

I've tryed several types of lube includeing spit and rendered animal fats and olive oil.
my favorite is white 'go-jo' hand cleaner. has lanolin in it and other stuff. I soak a strip of patch material in it, lay out to dry some then roll up. I cut off with a patch knife at the muzzle.
I have'nt made any of stumpkiller's snot yet but it appears as if it would do well too.
I use a mix of lanolin (sheep fat) and wax ring or beeswax to lube REAL and revolver slugs with.

 

[Tom Compton]

I am currently working thru Dutch's dry lube system. It appears 8:1 water:balistol will win that comparison but there are still tests to make.

"Going dry", if truly sucessful, will get rid of the greasy mess, cold weather, hot weather, smell issues.
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

TC

 

[ohio ramrod]

The only problem with Dutch's system is if you store the "dry " patches for several months the ballistol will weaken the cotton fabric. Quickly used there is no problem!

 

[BrownBear]

I'm going to claim that my choices of patch lube work better than Bore Butter, but that's provisional. Very provisional.

I prefer a blend of deer tallow and olive oil because it leaves a softer fouling than Bore Butter and seems to leave patches in better shape than those fired with Bore Butter. It's provisional because I have to adjust the blend depending on the temperature range over the seasons. A 3:1 blend of tallow and oil is fine for our "warm" weather in the 50's-70's while a 2:1 is too soft. Conversely, the 2:1 is better when temp drops below 40.

Truthfully that's starting to feel like too much hassle, at least since I tried TOW's mink oil grease. It beats Bore Butter and works at least as well as my own concoction at keeping fouling soft and protecting patches. More important to me, it is usable over the full range of temperatures I shoot.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I believe the fabric deteriorates, but not from the Ballistol directly. Instead, bacteria feed on the mineral oil in the fabric, weakening it. Either way, the problem with storing lubed fabric patches is the same- I have seen the same thing happen with old patches I previously lubed with Young Country 101 lube, the original "Wonderlube". :surrender: :thumbsup:

The Ballistol injects moisture into the fabric, and microbes( bacteria) need warmth( heat), food, and moisture to grow and multiply. The food comes from the fabric, made of natural fibers, such as cotton, or linen. If you can remove the oxygen from the lubed fabrics, with one of those vacuum sealers, and store the patches in a freezer, you can extend the working life of pre-lubed patches for many months.

I believe that Greases work better than oils, of any kind, as they actually become a barrier to moisture reaching the fibers of the patch, and add NO moisture to the fabric to help the microbes swim around. The Beeswax used in Wonderlube is a natural antiseptic, and helps kill off bacteria. Beeswax mixed with natural tallows would serve the same function there. :thumbsup:

 

[rabjr]

You must use a lot of it then. I mix up a big batch and it'll last me years.

It's not that messy and theres no foul smell like some would believe. There maybe a better lube to use at the range but for a hunting lube the Tallow/Bear oil or Olive oil mix is hard to beat.

 

[BrownBear]

You must use a lot of it then. I mix up a big batch and it'll last me years.

It's not that messy and theres no foul smell like some would believe. There maybe a better lube to use at the range but for a hunting lube the Tallow/Bear oil or Olive oil mix is hard to beat.

Good to know that the stuff lasts a long time. I made up small batches of different combos, and two years later I still have plenty. Being cheap at heart I'm still using it faster than the $7 tin of mink oil grease I bought a year ago! :rotf:

 

[rabjr]

I just put a container of it in the back of the fridge to store it and when needed just warm some up and pour into one of my tins I use. :thumbsup:

 

[OB OBrien]

I am currently working thru Dutch's dry lube system. It appears 8:1 water:balistol will win that comparison but there are still tests to make.

"Going dry", if truly sucessful, will get rid of the greasy mess, cold weather, hot weather, smell issues.
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

TC

Hi 40; I'm using 7 to 1 Ballistol mix. It has worked out just right for me. Dutch says that what he hears back from most folks is that the 7 to 1 mix works the best. I only make about 7 or 8 strips at a time, roll em up and keep em in 35mm film cans.

 

[Tom Compton]

Thanks, OB. If 7:1 works any better than the 8:1, I'll have to mount a scope on the guns to take advantage of it. :rotf:

TC

 

[texcl]

I use straight lard for most hunting applications, olive oil for -10 and below temps . Back when I lived down south I used lard mixed with bees wax, less wax for patches more wax for minie balls and other conicals.

 

[hanshi]

I used spit patch for a while but that was years ago. It works about as well as anything. I go dry a lot nowadays. Crisco is the best grease lube in my guns and it is cheap. My first load of the day (when hunting) is always Crisco. My favorite, and the one I use now, is Hoppes #9 Plus. DGWs Black Solve is just as good and I use it sometimes.