Bullet Lube - What is that smell?

[grey8833]

Well, put this down as a "Don't do that again" experence. I made my first batch of bullet lube for a pan lubed grease grooved 536 grain freight train of a bullet from a great U-Tube video. 1 pound each of beeswax, parafin, petrolium jelly and a tablespoon of STP with two crayons. I believe the instructions said use Vasaline (only), but hey, petrolium jelly is petrolium jelly, right? So I got the cheap store brand. Everything into the double boiler, melted just great, poured to the pan just like the video - poped the bullets out of the lube block with the dowel - worked great!........

and then my wife says - "What is that smell? I know that smell and I really, really don't like it - store that where you like, but not in my house, and I don't care if it works!"

Seems the store brand had a bit (a lot) of that pecuiliar scent they put into the cheap jelly - my house, my lube, my bullets, my range bag, all smell strongly of a freshly powedered baby's bottom. DAMN.

Not the kind of impression you want to make on a rifle range.

Mike F

 

[jtmattison]

Other than the smell problem, that sounds like an awefull stiff lube recipe. Doesn't sound like it would do much in the way of keeping fouling soft.

I don't have any hands-on experience but petroleum isn't supposed to be good for black powder lube.

I like my good old beeswax and olive oil mix.

HD

 

[paulvallandigham]

You complicate matters too much with the different kinds of waxes, and whatever they do put in that petroleum jelly! Don't USE IT!

Stick with Beeswax, and olive oil, to keep it simple. For the summer, you want a lube that is a bit thicker, than what you will want for cooler weather shooting. Adjust the amount or ratio of wax to oil to come up with a mix that works for the climate where you shoot and hunt. ( Olive oil was called " Sweet Oil " back in the 18th century and earlier, so its plenty HC/PC. It was exported from Greece and other Mediterranean Countries where large groves of olive trees could be grown for thousands of years, and was a well known commodity even in the early Colonial Days. )

 

[longcruise]

I have some of that lube from years ago but no beeswax. Got it from the J.S. Wolfe book on shooting the trapdoor. I use it for BPC loads with excellent results.

Never had a smell but I did use the actual Vaseline brand.

 

[R.M.]

That lube is much like I used for smokeless years ago. Worked fine there, but I doubt it'll be much good for BP.

 

[ghostdncr]

I like my good old beeswax and olive oil mix.

HD

Same here, beeswax and olive oil. I prefer the beeswax toilet seals you can get from Home Depot for something like two bucks. :haha:

 

[longcruise]

Same here, beeswax and olive oil. I prefer the beeswax toilet seals you can get from Home Depot for something like two bucks

Evidently that stuff is working for you, but it's not beeswax.

 

[slowpokebr549]

I rendered out a bunch of tallow one year. After all that work, I didnt have any canning parafin to stiffen it up. I searched through the house for a candle with good hard wax.The only one I could come up with was rose scented.It was one of those lucky mixes that came out in the just the perfect proportions. I used it for quite a while with good results but I got some funny looks at the rondy's. My patches sure smelt purty. :redface:

 

[qtrhrs7]

Mike,

Did you use Crayolas? What color works best?

Sorry,man. Just hit me funny. :rotf:

 

[Dphar]

Well, put this down as a "Don't do that again" experence. I made my first batch of bullet lube for a pan lubed grease grooved 536 grain freight train of a bullet from a great U-Tube video. 1 pound each of beeswax, parafin, petrolium jelly and a tablespoon of STP with two crayons. I believe the instructions said use Vasaline (only), but hey, petrolium jelly is petrolium jelly, right? So I got the cheap store brand. Everything into the double boiler, melted just great, poured to the pan just like the video - poped the bullets out of the lube block with the dowel - worked great!........

and then my wife says - "What is that smell? I know that smell and I really, really don't like it - store that where you like, but not in my house, and I don't care if it works!"

Seems the store brand had a bit (a lot) of that pecuiliar scent they put into the cheap jelly - my house, my lube, my bullets, my range bag, all smell strongly of a freshly powedered baby's bottom. DAMN.

Not the kind of impression you want to make on a rifle range.

Mike F

Petroleum jelly and STP are not going to help the lube much. Most oily/greasy petroleum products can actually react with BP fouling and cause problems.
Its far easier to just buy a BP bullet lube. I think you can still buy SPG Lube in bulk for pan lubing.

Dan

 

[Deadeye]

Mike, forget the myth that petroleum doesn't work with black powder. Get the NRA formula 1/2 alox 1/2 beeswax or mix it yourself, works great, I've used it for at least 30 yrs. smells like alox, not too bad.

 

[bingo1952]

REAL Vaseline is kinda like Ballistol. It's a petroleum product but is so highly refined it is no longer petroleum. If you'll buy that there's some nice wetlands in the middle of the Sahara for sale cheap.
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :blah: :blah: :v

 

[grey8833]

Ok,

Got the point. The lube is for a new long range muzzle loading target rifle. New to long range shooting and grease groove bullets. Have mostly used patch lubes - and would not use petrolium as a patch lube.

Sooo.... after many comments from the wife concerning the all too familiar odor :shocked2: , none of them good, that batch of lube has been relagated to the garage - may try it later to see how bad it fouls. In the mean time I think I will go with the old standby - beeswax, crisco and canola oil (and to dogman, I think I will just forget the crayon :rotf: ).

Mike F