Loading Blocks -- Keeping it greased

[Nuthatch]

I tried a homemade loading block for the first time yesterday. For the loading and firing part, it all went well & I can see some potential use for hunting. Up to this point, I had just been using loose components. So far, I've only hunted with conicals.

However, one fatal flaw for my neck of the woods is that this was the first time in about 3 years that I've seen a smoldering patch on the ground. When I lube a patch just before a shot, I've had burnt patches on the ground but nothing ever smoldering. But this one could have easily been used to get some brush going. Where I live and hunt, our woods are VERY dry during the season. Even our local ML club requires water-soluble patch lube only to be used at shoots due to fire risks. So this smoldering patch was alarming.

The block was loaded up the night before with well-greased patches (bore butter). Do I need to melt and saturate these patches to keep them from smoldering? Or is a freshly-greased patch (give up the loading block) the only way to keep the smolder away?

 

[Frontier's]

if your patches are burnt, your patches are either to dry, or the lube isn't holding up well. Bore butter has always been a poo poor lube in my book.

 

[sawyer04]

For what it is worth, I try to use leather when it is really dry, or resort to 45 caliber minnies. Hunting shot should be able to keep track, as you did.

 

[pwbsmokey]

I tried a homemade loading block for the first time yesterday. For the loading and firing part, it all went well & I can see some potential use for hunting. Up to this point, I had just been using loose components. So far, I've only hunted with conicals.

However, one fatal flaw for my neck of the woods is that this was the first time in about 3 years that I've seen a smoldering patch on the ground. When I lube a patch just before a shot, I've had burnt patches on the ground but nothing ever smoldering. But this one could have easily been used to get some brush going. Where I live and hunt, our woods are VERY dry during the season. Even our local ML club requires water-soluble patch lube only to be used at shoots due to fire risks. So this smoldering patch was alarming.

The block was loaded up the night before with well-greased patches (bore butter). Do I need to melt and saturate these patches to keep them from smoldering? Or is a freshly-greased patch (give up the loading block) the only way to keep the smolder away?

Coat the holes with beeswax. It will help stop the lube from soaking into the wood

 

[Flintlock]

Bore Butter seems to be a problem, lube patches with something else. I use olive oil. A bunch of us used to use bore butter but did find a lot of smoldering patches, never thought it worked very well anyway. You can try a pinch of wasp nest between powder and patch, should take care of the problem. As mentioned above you can use the beesway on your board, it will seal itself with properly lubed patches over time as well.

 

[Nuthatch]

Coat the holes with beeswax. It will help stop the lube from soaking into the wood

That's my preferred finish & what I used. I have about a dozen colonies so it's always around for stuff like that. I think I'll mix up some bear grease & beeswax to take with me on my upcoming hunt (backpacking) & check it before loading to make sure it is still slick enough to work.

 

[FishDFly]

When I maker loading blocks, the last thing I do is finish them with Tru Oil, top, bottom, sides and inside the holes. That seals everything up and no worry about them drying out or soaking up patch lube.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I use boiled linseed oil to saturate the holes in a block. I did an experinemt and left a block (and hook-breech barrel) loaded for almost a full year. Fired and reloaded from the block.

Not the best group. But the "grease lube" (Moose Snot) worked and hadn't hurt the cotton patching. There's an ancient thread here somewhere on the process. Not recommended but I wanted to see the long therm usefulness of my lube.

 

[hanshi]

If you're having burned patches (not smoldering, though) at all you either need an op wad or a thicker patching material.

 

[longcruise]

if your patches are burnt, your patches are either to dry, or the lube isn't holding up well. Bore butter has always been a poo poor lube in my book.

X2. In nearly 50 years of shooting balls I've had only one smoldering patch. BORE BUTTER!!

 

[hanshi]

I'm no fan of any Bore Butters. Don't know how they manage to keep selling that stuff.

 

[William Lincoln]

Homemade lube containing beeswax is best. Beeswax holds in the heat better
than anything I have found. Nothing worse than crisco running down your
holster.

 

[Frontier's]

beeswax i find to be the nastiest stuff and best saved for conicals.

How much lube are you guys putting on these patches, that it runs when it warms up? After i lube mine, they are soft, light, fluffy and literally looked like they were sprayed with a light gun oil.