Liquid Wonder Lube - Initial Testing

[roundball]

Ordered a bottle of this “Liquid Wonder Lube” (photo #1) to run some range tests, and started using some of it today, taking 20 consecutive shots with no wiping in a .50cal.

So far, its done fine as advertised, no change in accuracy, and after the 20 shots, there was only the equivalent of a single shot’s worth of fouling that came out on a cleaning patch.
Does not have the feel or lubricity of Hoppes PLUS and so far, I’ve seen nothing that would cause me to buy it to use in place of Hoppes, with the definite feeling that Hoppes PLUS is better.

But I noticed a peculiar odor after the shots”¦immediately remembered I’d smelled that odor before but couldn’t place it”¦then it finally clicked tonight. I noticed that odor a few years ago when using the .40cal prelubed patches in Photo #2.

And a common denominator of both products is the reference to “micronized” on the labels...at any rate there’s something common in their makeup that results in that identical odd odor.

 

[Rifleman1776]

For some that could be interesting.
I get the impression that, for many, the goal to muzzle loading is to get off as many shots as possible without swabbing the bore. If that is what you like, go for it.
I swab between every shot to keep my bore consistent. And, in keeping with the 'traditional' aspect of this avocation, I try to avoid using store bought stuff in plastic bottles. Helps the cheapskate side of me too,making my own 'stuff'.

 

[roundball]

The thread is geared towards offering some hands on insight to a product that had not seen much if any covereage around here...I spent my money, I spent my time, and I'm sharing the initial impressions with the product back to the membership.

Don't care if buying it is of no interest to you...the thread isn't geared towards your personal likes and dislikes regarding home made vs. store bought products in general.
Instead of injecting a different direction to a thread, please start a new thread so an existing one is not highjacked, thanks.

 

[airmansteve]

It would be interesting to find out what "micronized" really means... :hmm: and what ingredient is causing that peculiar odor. Thanks for the info!

 

[BrownBear]

But I noticed a peculiar odor after the shots”¦immediately remembered I’d smelled that odor before but couldn’t place it”¦

Geeez....

That sounds like a polite description of Ballistol! :rotf:

Not a clue what it could be, but happy that you've tried the stuff and raised the question.

 

[Jim Fitzgibbon]

Roundball I,m a sucker for trying new lubes.I
also swab between shots, but I also try to use
lubes that keep fouling soft.

Real black powder is just plain durty no matter
the lube.All I ask of my lube is ,Keep the fouling soft.

Fly :v

 

[roundball]

It would be interesting to find out what "micronized" really means... :hmm: and what ingredient is causing that peculiar odor. Thanks for the info!

Well, they're probably separate issues...the definition of Micronize is:
mi·cron·ize (mkr-nz)
tr.v. mi·cron·ized, mi·cron·iz·ing, mi·cron·iz·es
To reduce to particles that are only a few microns in diameter.

I assume that means the liquid came from something solid or semi-solid that was "micronized"...guessing here.

The odor is not strong, and I'm not even sure it would be called objectionable...just sort of an odd, faint, borderline unpleasant smell in the air.
I had the thought that it might have been a faint indication of something that had burned, but the patches were in perfect condition, and interestingly, the odor is not present on the fired patches.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

A Google search showed Ox Yoke Originals is a Rydon Company product and Muzzleloading Originals is a Southern Bloomers product.

Still it seems that there is a connection between the two because of the product descriptions. I wonder if there is a way to find the ingredients of them?

GW

 

[roundball]

Oh yes, Oxyoke makes all this stuff...then contracts out to other companies for them to also market it under their names.

For example, all the precut/prelubed patches that Oxyoke made also appeared in packages with other names on them like T/C, Traditions, CVA, Muzzleloader Originals, Remington, etc...all those companies didn't build manufacturing plants to make patches. Same with Oxyoke's Wonder Lube 1000...under contract, T/C sold it as Natural Lube 1000.

When Oxyoke was about to go chapter 11 several years ago, RMC bought them out and we benefited because the muzzleloading products continued to be available.

Southern Bloomer is just another company like T/C Traditions, etc, to serve as another marketing outlet.

I've made a couple of half-hearted attempts to learn the official ingredients via MSDS sites but haven't looked very hard...

 

[Rifleman1776]

The thread is geared towards offering some hands on insight to a product that had not seen much if any covereage around here...I spent my money, I spent my time, and I'm sharing the initial impressions with the product back to the membership.

Don't care if buying it is of no interest to you...the thread isn't geared towards your personal likes and dislikes regarding home made vs. store bought products in general.
Instead of injecting a different direction to a thread, please start a new thread so an existing one is not highjacked, thanks.

If that is what you like, go for it.

I supported your point of view.

 

[BEP]

Thank you, Roundball. Appreciate your time and the report. :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

Thank you, Roundball. Appreciate your time and the report. :hatsoff:

Now that I've invested in it, I'll be doing more testing if for no other reason than to use it up.
And the real test environment will be this coming winter when the humidity drops down into the 30-40% range.

As far as I'm concerned, Hoppes PLUS is the benchmark that Liquid Wonder Lube has to compete with...I can run 50 shot sessions with Hoppes under dry conditions no problems...we'll see if the LWL can do it as well.

I'm out of precut dry patches but have a section of pillow ticking and cotton duck left over from past experiments...can make some dry patches out of that stuff and try it in January/February after hunting seasons close.

 

[hanshi]

For continued shooting I haven't seen anything better than Hoppes. With that said I do see a use for lubes of this type especially if they keep fouling down. I might try it myself.

 

[roundball]

For continued shooting I haven't seen anything better than Hoppes.

Agree...Hoppes PLUS is fantastic.
Best price I found a few years ago was on a case of 8oz bottles from Sportsman's Guide...delivered price was only around $4.xx, close to $5.00/bottle.
I only use it during the dry winter months at the range, so I'm set for a while.

The Liguid Wonder Lube was a bit pricey at Dixie...maybe you can find it on sale somewhere

 

[TexiKan]

Is this lube somewhat a replacement for Lehigh Valley, once produced by OxYoke? Roundball, I know you did not compare against the original Lehigh lube. Would appreciate any comments from anyone who compared the two.

 

[arcticap]

I'll speculate that micronized refers to micronized paraffin waxes such as those also contained in Bore Butter and Wonder Lube.
That's said to be one of their main ingredients along with mineral oil and tincture of wintergreen.
Perhaps it's the wintergreen is the scent that they all have in common?
I'm guessing that somehow they have found a way to add the micronized paraffin to the liquid Wonder Lube.
Wonder Butter has a low melt temperature anyway. Maybe they've added other ingredients.
I'm curious about what the viscosity and color of the product is.
Does it resemble melted Wonder Butter at all?

 

[roundball]

I'm curious about what the viscosity and color of the product is.
Does it resemble melted Wonder Butter at all?

It is fairly thin...not quite as thin as water, but almost...ie: using the flip top squirt spout, when I turned it upside down over some patches gravity alone allowed it to drip out.
If you'r familiar with Hoppes, Hoppes is extremely thick compared to this stuff.

Yes, it the color of the bag of patches in my photo...my photo may have turned out to be an eyelash darker yellow than reality when I manipulated the contrast to get the text to stand out, but basically the bag of patches is the color of the Liquid Wonder Lube.

 

[Curt LaManna]

Thank you for the report of the product.
I've seen it for sale on the BP websites
and smelling the patches and wads, treated with the
Wonder Lube products, I thought it was Wintergreen oil and nothing else. Perhaps the addition of paraffin added for lubrication. I ordered some bottles of Wintergreen oil, that we use for work, as a lube for setting burrs, for jewelry work. I'm going to make up some Wintergreen oil and some Ballistol and make notes of the results.

 

[longcruise]

I, for one, appreciate seeing a test like this. Having used the hoppes and seeing that you think the hoppes superior will save me fooling around with yet another lube. I think we all have a degree of lubitis (the never ending search for the perfect lube )

I shoot spit for matches and woods walks and find it *functions* just like hoppes. But, of course, we don't want to leave those spit loads loaded for long periods. I'd use hoppes on a woods walk etc., but it's just another thing in the bag and another step in loading.

If this stuff is yellow, it's not anything like Lehigh valley lube. Lehigh had a high alcohol content and was clear. Tried it, loved it, but it was pricey and could not justify it. I did make my own "marmotslayer valley" lube with denatured alcohol and castor oil. Also great stuff, but with it's own nasty character!

Thanks for this report. Very informative.

 

[Robby]

Roundball, Thanks for taking the time to do this. Could you take a saturated patch and stick it in the freezer, maybe laying on a piece of scrap steel? I would be interested in its characteristics and reaction to sub-freezing temperatures, thanks.
Robby