Home brewed lube

[jtmattison]

I made a batch of beeswax and olive oil lube. It is stiff but when you squeeze it between your fingers it softens and can be worked with. I creamed some to give it the consistency of Bore butter. Bore Butter is much more oily than my lube and Bore Butter melts completely when you rub it between your fingers. My lube has more staying power, it doesn't melt away quickly. I think it will stick in the lube grooves of my Lee REAL's nicely. The stuff I creamed I will use to finger apply to other conicals or to patches.

I wanted to duplicate bore butter the best I could but I think what I made is actually better because it doesn't melt so fast. Oh, and my lube smells like honey, not like wintergreen.

Huntin

 

[Stumpkiller]

When you can shoot ten shots of patched round ball in a rifled barrel without wiping between shots Grasshopper, then you will have approached duplicting Natural Lube. I've made many concoctions of beeswax, Crisco and mutton tallow in various ratios but, while they make a good lube, none have that property which keeps me buying NL1K+.

I haven't toyed with oilve oil yet. I'm hoping to give castor oil a try over the summer. Give us a range report after lubing patched round balls in multiple strings.

 

[REX]

out a huntin; what was the ratio you used? ::

rex (westcoastBPgramps)
bp can be fun

 

[roundball]

StumpKiller, I use NL1000 in everything and shoot my entire 40 shot range sessions every Saturday without wiping between shots at all...outstanding stuff

 

[cayugad]

My last homemade lube I made from your other receipe, I finally had a chance to test in 70 degree weather. I am sad to say it did not hold up as well as I thought it would. I found that it was melting at the bench table and turning more liquid then solid.

The only good thing I noted with the lube was even though it became very soft and would not stay in the ribs of the REALs, I still smeared it over the entire surface of the conical and shot them anyway and they actually shot very well. I am now starting to think that packing the ribs is not as necessary as just coating the conical.

What is the actual duty of the lube? Is to to help the projectile spin easier on its trip up the barrel? Or is lube necessary to help the lead not distort from the heat of the powder charge? Perhaps someone actually knows. All I ever knew was you had to lube conicals to protect them. From what I never really knew.

I hope your new lube works good. Maybe after I use up all of the current lube I will get a chance to try this new one you make....

 

[jtmattison]

Gramps, I have no clue what the ratio is. I just mixed until the consistency felt right.
cayugad, I haven't used my other lube recipe in really hot weather yet but I have used it in 5-70 degree weather and had no problem with it clogging or melting.
I believe the real purpose of lube on a lead conical is to prevent leading of the bore and keep fouling soft.
With my original recipe of beeswax, crisco, and canola I could shoot at least 10 shots (conicals) before needing to swab.
I guess whether or not my lube really duplicated Bore Butter or not isn't important as long as it works for me.
I used Bore butter at the range Saturday and it was a pain to lube REAL's with. It melts right on your fingers making it impossible to finger lube a conical with.
I will lube a bunch of patches with my new concoction and do a range test with them this weekend.
I can't pay $7 a tube for 5 ounces of Bore Butter when I can make 10 times that much homemade lube for the same price.

Huntin

 

[jrdavis]

I believe the purpose of the lube is to keep the fowling soft so you can load without distortion...should use a buffer wad under the bullet to keep the powder from melting the base and moving your point of aim