Chamber Lube Recommendations Requested

[Rhyno]

I’m looking for some easy, affordable recipes for chamber mouth grease/lube for cap-n-ball revolvers - or recommendations for easily obtained commercial products. I’ve used bore butter in the past, but find it to gets too runny in the warmer months. I know there’s a lot of disagreement as to whether one needs to grease the chamber mouths or if a lubed wad is good enough. That is a fun discussion, but I’d just like a few lube recommendations for me to look into. I appreciate the help from you folks with more experience than myself.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I used Crisco for years and later other lubes. I now use lubed wads just because they’re cleaner and easier. The lube is a melted mix of lard, beeswax and a bit of paraffin.

 

[J dirt]

I have used crisco/beeswax mixture for many years. Cheap, easy to make, and very effective in keeping fouling soft.

In the winter, mix it about 60/40 crisco/beeswax. Summer, about 50/50. It stays in the chamber much better than just crisco while firing as well.

 

[B P Arn]

Beeswax/Cisco here too.

 

[64Springer]

Search for Bore Lubricant.

Lots of great info to be found.

You'll go blind reading all the recipes.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Toilet bowl wax is easy to get and a popsicle stick puts it on well.

 

[Rhyno]

I have used crisco/beeswax mixture for many years. Cheap, easy to make, and very effective in keeping fouling soft.

In the winter, mix it about 60/40 crisco/beeswax. Summer, about 50/50. It stays in the chamber much better than just crisco while firing as well.

Thanks. I've heard many say to use bees wax and Crisco. Thanks for the ratios. I'm going to try to source some wax soon.

 

[Rhyno]

Toilet bowl wax is easy to get and a popsicle stick puts it on well.

I haven't heard of that one before. I like the popsicle stick idea!

 

[Pete453]

Wads. 50/50 beeswax with a splash of olive oil to soften it up.
I'm curious, does anyone that puts lube over the ball have any bore pictures, and could you post them. Lots of discussion, but I've yet to see pictures. Strictly in the name of science, to further mankind.

 

[Rhyno]

Wads. 50/50 beeswax with a splash of olive oil to soften it up.
I'm curious, does anyone that puts lube over the ball have any bore pictures, and could you post them. Lots of discussion, but I've yet to see pictures. Strictly in the name of science, to further mankind.

What is the 50/50? 50 beeswax and 50 olive oil? Also, what had you used and how many shots in the pic?

 

[No second place]

For what use in what temperature? From leaving loaded in a holster or drawer for serious use a coating of melted parrifin or bee's wax stays put in even warmer conditions. At the other extreme my testing proves best match winning accuracy can be achieved with 1/3 bee's wax to 2/3 Crisco wins between 60F- 90F .It's about the thickness .Adding various other compounds is popular but not needed. The easiest match worthy over ball lube can be bought in tunes and squirted a top each ball quickly. Ordinary Lithium grease...c

 

[smoothshooter]

I’m looking for some easy, affordable recipes for chamber mouth grease/lube for cap-n-ball revolvers - or recommendations for easily obtained commercial products. I’ve used bore butter in the past, but find it to gets too runny in the warmer months. I know there’s a lot of disagreement as to whether one needs to grease the chamber mouths or if a lubed wad is good enough. That is a fun discussion, but I’d just like a few lube recommendations for me to look into. I appreciate the help from you folks with more experience than myself.

View attachment 196468

If you don’t use any lube over the balls, you won’t have to worry about it getting runny in hot weather. That practice got started in the 1960’s by people who did not understand the causes of chain fires.
Use greased wads UNDER the balls for bore lubrication instead. Eliminates grease being blasted all over the sides of the gun after even one shot.
You can eliminate the use of grease entirely, but the cylinder will get difficult to rotate after about 18 shots.
NOTE: Chain-fires are not caused by anything going on at the front of the cylinder.
They are caused by fire jumping from one nipple to the other.

 

[rafterob]

I used crisco and beeswax until I didn't anymore. It was just too messy. After that, I had no problems shooting without any lube.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

All that goo gets hard in the cold and liquidized in the summer.
Sounds like a mess to me.
Proper fitting ball and wad is the way to go. You can only over kill for so long.

 

[Rhyno]

If you don’t use any lube over the balls, you won’t have to worry about it getting runny in hot weather. That practice got started in the 1960’s by people who did not understand the causes of chain fires.
Use greased wads UNDER the balls for bore lubrication instead. Eliminates grease being blasted all over the sides of the gun after even one shot.
You can eliminate the use of grease entirely, but the cylinder will get difficult to rotate after about 18 shots.
NOTE: Chain-fires are not caused by anything going on at the front of the cylinder.
They are caused by fire jumping from one nipple to the other.

I appreciate what you're saying, but I like the idea of more lube during the shooting process than the very lightly lubed wads I have been using. As far as chain firing, you might want to check out a video I watched the other day that seemed to handle this topic well. It's on YouTube and entitled "What Causes A Chain Fire?" The channel "Everything Black Powder" tested theories for chain fires and they could not get one to happen from the back of the cylinder, I.e. from the nipples. But they were able to get them from the front of the cylinder. Not conclusive, but a good test with interesting results.

 

[Rhyno]

All that goo gets hard in the cold and liquidized in the summer.
Sounds like a mess to me.
Proper fitting ball and wad is the way to go. You can only over kill for so long.

I agree, but for now I'm looking into the overkill

 

[Rhyno]

I used crisco and beeswax until I didn't anymore. It was just too messy. After that, I had no problems shooting without any lube.

I think I'm going to try a mixture of this that is more beeswax than crisco. I want a version that's fairly thick and able to be spread with a popsicle stick. Right now I mainly use a lubed patch under the ball. Seems to work well, but I like the idea of more lube. In the end, I'm really just messing around and having fun with it.

 

[smoothshooter]

I appreciate what you're saying, but I like the idea of more lube during the shooting process than the very lightly lubed wads I have been using. As far as chain firing, you might want to check out a video I watched the other day that seemed to handle this topic well. It's on YouTube and entitled "What Causes A Chain Fire?" The channel "Everything Black Powder" tested theories for chain fires and they could not get one to happen from the back of the cylinder, I.e. from the nipples. But they were able to get them from the front of the cylinder. Not conclusive, but a good test with interesting results.

If the shooter is using properly oversized balls, it is impossible for a chainfire to take place from the front of the cylinder.
There are multiple videos showing them happening by fire jumping from nipple to nipple.
Even if a chain fire takes place, it is not a catastrophic event. Does no harm to gun or shooter.
If you make your own wads you can make them up with more grease.
Also know that they do not have to be of chamber diameter. Even square wads work just fine.

 

[Pete453]

Oops, forgot an ingredient! 50/50 beeswax/deer tallow. It needs just a little bit of olive oil to soften it. You want it about the same consistency as butter or a little stiffer, at any given temp, just not greasy. I've tried without the oil, it's too stiff and doesn't work as well.
I shot 2 loads. 30grs & 35grs Goex 3f, lubed wad, and a lubed conical. I shot a dozen shots of each, I was working on sighting it in for hunting. It was hot that day, between 85 & 90. I get the same results in the winter shooting round balls. This lube is the best I've shot, some were close, but not as clean.

 

[Pete453]

I will add, the cylinder gap on that Uberti 1860 is set TIGHT, .002", if I remember correctly. No drag when using wads. With lubed bullets and no wad, the cylinder drags but doesn't bind.