cold weather lube, freezing and fowling, also pyrodex ?

[AkDan]

after talking to a local smokepoler today we go to talking about my shot patterns and in particular fowling and lubrication.

I mentioned I'm using bore butter pretty exclusively because it's really all I know.

Well I'm finding out, the stuff freezes. This fella confirmed it.

He mentioned he's using syn motor oil instead of regular lube. This wont be a problem come this monday when I arrive in Mn. But it is something I have to consider for this fall if I get out for geese and ducks.

He mentioned that with my lube freezing I'm getting excessive fowling which is ruining my shot patterns. I hope he's right on my cyl bore barrel. The mod barrel shot good again, right up to the point I loaded the over powder wads in an empty barrel, along with shot and over shot wads and forgot my wad puller DOH! So Spent the hole evening working on patterning the cyl bore. One thing I did see happen a couple of times was a full cushion wad hitting the target and punching through at 25 yards. This was with 1 1/2oz of shot and 90 grains of powder, happened twice. Not sure why it happened at this point but gave it consideration that my cushion wads might have frozen solid? Or possibly shot was imbedded in it. Tried finding it to noavail as it went through both sides of a large cardboard box and off in the snow...somewhere.

She's dirty for sure, but I dont know what is acceptable and what isnt. But with all the shooting so far I've seen no difference in my mod barrels patterns regardless if its shot 1 or shot 10 from the day. The cyl bore I'm lucky to get a pattern out of!!!

So I have to ask, how much is freezing lube a problem. How much does it effect fowling and at what point does fowling start to really influence my patterns?


Another topic we started talking about was pyrodex. He mentioned it's much more finicky when it comes to loading pressure consistency. Right now I'm using pyrodex RS. Talked to the pyrodex peoples about the new stuff (name eludes me right now), and he said no stick with the RS. This is also what my old man shoots. Finding real black powder up here isnt all so easy. This pressure he mentiones he's noticed in loading muzzle rifles. Where oen shot might shoot 6 or 8"es off from the next shots due to loading pressure on the bullet or powder alone.

 

[sixoclockhold]

try mink oil from Track of the wolf does not freeze it is the answer to the problem about $7.00 for couple of year supply. can use year round.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Agreed on the mink oil! Master Blaster here gave me some at a cccccccccold 14 degree dry winter biathlon shoot one day to try, after I broke a ramrod on my 62cal smoothie trying to get the 3rd straight shot down the barrel when using Wonder Lube.

Mink Oil is "de 'bomb" in cold weather. Only $5 too from Track of the Wolf.

It is slow slick, that during that shoot ... I had to use the Jiffy John and I complained to Master Blaster that my fingers were soooooooooo slick from the mink oil - that I couldn't find myself to go #1 - so I had to sit down to pee :rotf: !

P.S. - get rid of the Pyrodex and use BP.

 

[ffffg]

"He mentioned that with my lube freezing I'm getting excessive fowling which is ruining my shot patterns." with bore butter? horse pucky!! its a wax base.. best cold weather lube ive found for bp shotguns... i shoot to -20 degrees below with the stuff and the only problem is i have to put it in my shirt pocket for loading as it gets stiff.. we'll get to the bottom of this when i get off work tonight... one problem ive had with mink oil is there are about 10 kinds.. the one i got had silicone in it and it didnt even say it on the can.. got so hard to load going down i almost had to go home with a stuck load.. so youd better get some brand names.. is your lube in contact with the shot? are you using a shot cup?.. describe your load exactly step by step as you load it.. dave

 

[Big John]

Mowrey50....The above was more info than I needed! :rotf:

 

[Britsmoothy]

AkDan, forgive me but have you tried just using two thick cards soaked lightly in olive oil between powder and shot, thts all I use :v I use pyrodex rs, all I can get-its fine for me :grin:

 

[AkDan]

FFFF,

I'm doing something similar, putting my BB in my jacket pocket to keep it from stiffening up. With borebutter on a cushion wad it's smacking the target at 25 yards and going right through both sides.

Brit,

I have tried a number of wad configs, including 2 1/8 hard cards over powder and that is what's shooting the best so far out of the cyl barrel though I can't say it's much of a pattern at all.

 

[ffffg]

things happening in your barrel (internal balistics) change in different parts of the country sometimes.. cold does two things, it reduces power eficencey of the powder, and it makes a very dry environment.. if your getting hard fouling use more bore butter.. i dont even know the guage of your gun youve given so little info here... this is the problem, your not being strait with us, only giving bits and pieces.. we will start with cylinder bore.... (wads or loading can be different with constrictive modified choke)... put in your black power with a measure..........then put in a nitro card aprox 1 /8 inch thick.. this scrapes your bore as it goes down and is very important.. then take a fiber wad,.........put a large glob of bore butter (in winter)(smaller glob in summer) on the bottom and slide it down so the lube is between the nitro card and the fiber wad...pack this well.. now put in your shot..........then over shot card....DO NOT PACK THE SHOT!!.... these products im talking about are listed in your guage at track of the wolf or balistic products... nitro card, bore buter,fiber wad, overshot card........ dont vary this until youve gotten good at it.. then you can "improve" if you like.. this load is good in hot weather cold weather, dry weather and damp weather............. less powder,slower burning powder, more shot, larger shot, harder shot, knickel plated shot, can make patterns more dence.... your barrel muzzel should be shiny, after you shoot if you use enough lube.. you can cut back on lube as long as the end of the bore is shiny, not a dry grey look... if you dont get a good scraping and keep fouling from forming in the bore with enough lube, you can ruin patterns for the rest of the day... unless you swab the bore in this case.... a standard good pattern is 36 percent of the pellets being loaded in a 30 inch circle at 40 yards... while your trap shooting, pattern the 1st, 5th, 10th and 20th round on paper... if they come out fine your in buisiness... there is nothing wrong with 36 percent, you will need to learn how to get closer with black powder and cylinder bore... my feelings are if you get the close ones youl have a good day.. if your missing the close ones, and hitting a few far ones ,....- well, i feel there is somthing wrong with that.. keep at it.. dave.

 

[AkDan]

Dave,

Sorry, I had a hole post on patterning this gun just recently, patterning a 10 gauge is what it was called.

I've tried the basic 1/8 hard card, cushion wad, shot then over shot and didnt get hardly anything on the paper (using a 2'x3' sized piece) at 25 yards.

My modified barrel patterns great. I did notice some of that grey look you mentioned when not using the lubed cushion wad. I did keep adding more though I figured it wasnt enough, was worried about getting to much and getting into powder.

Also using number 5 copper plated lead.

The gun is a 10 gauge pedersoli from dixie, one barrel is mod, one is cyl. Neither are choked.

I leave tomorrow for Mn. Going to do some steelhead fishing when I get home and visit with teh family till easter sunday, then head to KS monday apr 9th. Plan is to bowhunt the first couple of day sand break out the smoke pole come the 11th. Run to Ne hopefully soon there after, and then to Mo by the 23rd where I'm hooking up with a buddy. Have a big hole there as I missed the WI surplus gig due to work load here not letting me time to make a phone call let alone eat lunch. SO nothing other then some walleye and more steelhead fishing till Mn bow tags start up on the 18th of may, leave Mn the 21 back to Alaska.

So far I feel the mod barrel is definatly on here in Alaska, I'm eager to try it out in Mn. she's packed and ready to go for transport. No powder and no primers.

anyways check that other thread out and see what might be going wrong if ya dont mind. I'll check this out again tomorrow before 3 AK time if possible. Then I'm off the ground running.

Later,
Dan


You can catch me on my trip at [email protected]

Again thanks

 

[ffffg]

You will need a fiber wad... i dont know what exactly your lubed cushion wad is.. if your cylinder barrel is overbored or your nitro cards are undersized it will cause lots of problems.. measure quite a few cards diameter at several locations...I cant remember i think you will need .015 to .030 oversize...i had cards taht were not round and had some undersized spots.. those cards were worthless for competition.. i had to make my own punch and then make my own nitro cards... you will eventually need a micrometer.. again- pattern at 40 yards with 30 inch paper, or larger paper if right barrel is pointing off... no pellets on paper at 25 yards could be a miss, not a bad pattern.. time will tell all.. dont rush this.. we all had to go thru it. next gun will be alot easier..... dave