Hoppes No. 9 / Hunting?

[wvbuckbuster]

Has or does anybody use Hoppes NO.9 lube to hunt with? I read all the info I could find here but no info on hunting with it. I have shot it at the range as stated by others but it seems to dry out fairly quick. On the bottle it says not to store below 32 degrees so it might freeze if used in real cold weather? Just wondering. Dan.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

i wouldnt, water based lubes tend to rust the bore while loaded. I found that out the hard way

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Are you talking about the "Dri-Lube" product, or using their black powder solvent as a lube?

I really think for hunting one should stick with the basic greases (lard, veg shortening, bear, tallow,) with perhaps some beeswax, or the oils (olive, peanut, canola, etc) mixed with beeswax.

Years ago I went to either lard or olive oil mixed with beeswax (3:1 ratio) as it is non-toxic, and has applications beyond bullet patch lube, and most importantly... it was non-toxic around my toddler.

LD

 

[coloradoclyde]

I’ll second that! Approximately 60% of all topical solutions are absorbed through the skin. So when you get that nasty oily, greasy, and toxic solvent on your fingers you’re not doing yourself any good.
Beeswax and olive oil are at least edible. A little beeswax and some old olive oil from the kitchen is dollars cheaper (lots of $) than anything commercial
It also has a multitude of other uses like:
Ӣ Lip balm
Ӣ Hand cream
Ӣ Rust preventative
Ӣ Lock water proofer
Ӣ Boot water proofer and conditioner
Just to name a few.
Finally answering your question; no I don’t use it for the above reasons and I also don’t like to hunt with solvents that I can smell from across the room.
If you haven’t tried a beeswax combo, try it! I did and haven’t looked back! :v

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah I made a cake of the stuff with lard for the first time I tried it, then forgot it on a shelf for about 18 months... it didn't go rancid. It smelled "musty" when I was right on top of it, but it didn't stink up the back room of the basement. I think it is the beeswax that does this.

LD

 

[coloradoclyde]

I mix mine in small batches really small, and fill those tiny mint tins from Altoids or Cracker Barrel
They fit real nice in my bag. I thicken or thin it with the seasons. I have a squirrel rifle with a grease hole in the butt stock , I lay the rifle on its side and pour it right in hot works great!

 

[azmntman]

I use hoppes # 9 black powder solvent AND PATCH LUBRICANT. For years. No rust issues....BUT... as per previous posts I always fire the rifle at end of day and reload in the morning with a light load, fire into a tree, then load again for the hunt (too many deer n elk twitching their ears wondering what that loud bang was (my cap). Not sure I'd wanna leave it in more than the day. Works excellent for me. Gonna try the recipes listed above and see, ordering mink stuff from JSTAR to try too. Good luck.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I wasn't planning on leaving it loaded for a long time was just wondering if say you had your gun loaded all day and didn't shoot it till that evening if it made any difference such as point of aim because the patch had dried out. Read a thread on here about dry patches not working for someone and wondered if this type of lube would fit in that catagory. All my experience has been with grease type lubes while hunting. Just looking for anyone who might have used it while hunting. Dan.

 

[azmntman]

I have had no issues, I would recommend it highly (but your gun may or may not shoot something else better, gotta play with it).

 

[azmntman]

also...it makes loading at the range easy, no swabbing, abut the best i have found to keep barrels soft and fouling minimal. Buddy uses Goex all day and no cleaning and he swears by it too.

 

[hanshi]

Hoppes #9 BP patch lube is my favorite and I use it exclusively at the range and, under certain conditions, in the woods. When I first leave out to hunt the patch is lubed with NL1000 (Bore Butter). If no shot is fired it can stay loaded with no worry about rust or powder contamination. If, however, a shot is fired then Hoppes is used from there on out. I'm not comfortable leaving a Hoppes lubed patch in my bore overnight. It can dry out but not during a normal days hunt.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Thanks for all the replies, Dan.

 

[Leatherbark]

If you read on your bottle it says that the No. 9 Plus has some kerosene in the formula. If I were to use a wet type of lube while hunting I would use a dry fiber wad betwixt the patch and the powder.
Seems like Hoppes quit making the stuff anyway.

Bob

 

[azmntman]

I just ordered three bottles from Amazon.com and with Prime it was 18.00+ Ordered the first one and it took 5 weeks, second two 2 days. 1st one w/o prime. Local shop has it too "once in a while"

 

[hanshi]

They still make it. My last purchase was a gallon drum.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I had bought a bottle of it and shot at the range with it but never gave it any thought toward using for hunting. The other day I put some on a patch and left it laying out on my desk and checked to see how long it took to dry out. Not very long!!! Put on some more and took about the same time 1- 2 hours. This was inside a house about 70 degrees. Hadn't used any of it for sometime and finding it hid in my stuff just got me to wondering. Was always told if ya don't know about something don't be shy to ask. Thanks, Dan.

 

[hanshi]

It certainly will dry out - which should pose no problem for the "dry patch" shooters - but it has always taken much longer when I tried to dry some out. I normally carried pre-lubed patches and often bring some home not used. I'll lay them spread out to dry. The next day they are usually still damp. Even after several days when they are dry they still have a slightly "greasy" feel to them. However, I would never load a Hoppes lubed patch in a bore unless it would be fired that same day.