Lubes

[Horace]

What simple types of lube do you guys conjure up.

 

[roundball]

What simple types of lube do you guys conjure up.

Not sure if by 'conjure up' you mean homemade so I'll answer anyway...What works well for me here in NC's weather and humdity is just Natural Lube 1000 for most of the year, and the liquid Hoppes No9 Plus during the few low humidity dry winter months of the year.

 

[Slowpoke]

• Mink oil for hunting
• Murphy's oil soap, alcohol, and a smidgen of peroxide for target work
• spit for plinking

Come to think of it, I should really find something else for a hunting lube. Not many Minks in South Carolina and I'm probably just scaring the deer away with the smell.... I'll put that on my to-do list.

 

[bwhoffman]

Mule skinner,
I have of late been using OLIVE OIL straight and also 3parts olive oil with 1 part murphys oil soap.
I have used both these with some bee's wax blended in as well, all have worked great for me.
Do a search on this site for " moose milk' and "moose juice". the recipes are good, popular and proven!
I also use castor oil as my final wipe a storage lube for the bore and outer metal, has made me happy!

Brett

by the way......the olive oil/murphy's is my favorite!

 

[boar]

I used groundhog&beeswax 50-50 for 20 yrs then switched to deer tallow now. I like it better because it don't run out out of tin in hot weather .Groundhog when rendered down is oil, that is why I put the beeswax in it. Bear is good but it will run, same as skunk. Have all in freezer right now. The deer gets soft but will stay in tin in 90* weather. Have done the patch material with Moose Milk, then lube with deer.Double insurance. No problem. Dilly

 

[charcloth]

Mule Skinner,

I've been using spit year round for a little over twenty years. Works for me. Ain't broke, no need to fix it.

Charcloth

 

[Bountyhunter]

Venison tallow, and beeswax and olive oil.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The reasons there are so many variations in lubes used, besides the fact that each man has his own ideas on what works for him and what doesn't, is because we all live and shoot in different conditions. I general just use spit to lube patches when I am at the range in fair weather. The patch is not going to sit on the powder vary long before shooting, so it won't foul any portion of the load, and string my hits on the targets. But, when hunting, I change to wonderlube, now, and in the winter, below freezing( 32 degrees) I use alcohol for wiping between shots. I do use wonderlube on my patches because it seems to only get a little stiffer in the cold, but I like to dry out the condensed moisture in the barrel between shots in the winter before putting the next load of powder down the barrel. The patch with some rubbing alcohol on it does that for me, leaving me a dry, if not clean barrel for my next shot.

I have friends in my BP gun club who absolutely refuse to shoot when it gets below freezing, and become couch potatoes as soon as the temperature drops. They don't think its a fit thing to do to shoot your guns, much less hunt, when its that cold outside ! Obvously, they don't use any alcohol to dry their barrels in winter, as they never shoot, then! They also don't make a good person to ask for advice for cold weather lubes, etc.When it gets down to sub zero temperatures, you want to dispense with any oil or oil based lube at all, and just use alcohol for dampening the patch, and for cleaning the gun. Even alcohol won't work when it gets down to -60 degrees or so. I just saw where a hunter killed a muskox in Alaska when it was -65 degrees out. NOW, that is COLD !

My brother lives and shoots in Florida, where its humid almost every day of the year. He has had to learn to adjust his loading technique by drying his barrel between shots. If he doesn'tdo this, after several shots, his flash channel and nipple get clogged with gunk, and he has had to break the gun down to clean it to get it shooting again! By cleaning and drying between shots, he can shoot on the worst of days.

I have a cousin who lives in the mountains, where the relative humidity is low, even when its raining, he says! Only when its raining does he have to think about drying his barrel between shots. The rest of the time, the air is so dry he doesn't have to worry about a hot barrel condensing moisture from the air, regardless of temperature.

So, make a list of all these suggestions, and others, and try them. But, in the end, you probably will get better advice from an experienced ML shooter living in your own area as to which is the best lube to use and why. Pay attention to temperature and relative humidity, as IMHO and experience, these two things are the key factors in judging what kind of lube will work in your ML guns.

 

[Legionair]

I usually spit-lube if I'm plinkin for the same reason listed above - short time between shots.

But if I'm hunting, I use a olive oil/ beeswax mix thinned down almost to the consistancy of petroleum jelly. I know it won't set up in the cold, and it's rarely warm here during deer season.

Try mixing some up, or any of the other formulas... you'll find one that works good for you.

Incidentally, somewhere here is Stumpkiller's test of lubes against rust formation. Good info there.

Good luck....

Legion

 

[Ice Tigre]

I just saw where a hunter killed a muskox in Alaska when it was -65 degrees out. NOW, that is COLD !

:rotf: Well, I don't think thats cold, but I'd only hunt in it if I was going to starve if I didn't. :youcrazy:

I've been useing beeswax/olive oil/murphys, beeswax/olive oil/castor oil, I have one that had lard in in but it molded :shocked2: Been going to try pre soaking, with olive-oil/murphys. I like hopes #9 lube and solvent too, I'm using it with pre lubed, lube 1000 patches right now. Good combo.

I've been going to try dry patching just for the heck of it some time too.... :hmm:


Gary

 

[roundball]

"...I like hopes #9 lube and solvent too, I'm using it with pre lubed, lube 1000 patches right now. Good combo..."

I've done that[url] also...in[/url] the dry winter months, squirted a little Hoppes into a bag of NL1000 patches and they work great

 

[paulvallandigham]

Try Dutch Shoulz's dry lube idea, where you soak the patching in moose milk, or your favorite whatever, and then dry the patches. If you use a rbber roller to spread the wet lubricant evenly over the patch material, ( Or just zap it in your microwave oven ) the patching will be " dry " but also contain lube, which will help seal the bore and lubricate when friction, and moisture from the air combine to make it wet again as the ball comes out the barrel.

 

[Toomuch_36]

Mule Skinner,

I've been using spit year round for a little over twenty years. Works for me. Ain't broke, no need to fix it.

Charcloth

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

Toomuch
.............
Shoot Flint

 

[Zonie]

Stumpy's Moose Juice

A general purpose blackpowder solvent and liquid patch lube. Shake well before using. Can be allowed to dry on dipped patching for a dry lube dry flat on waxed paper & dip twice for best saturation). Add ingredients in the following order and shake well after each is added.

Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 4 TABLESPOONS
Castor Oil 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS
Murphys Oil Soap 1 1/2 TEASPOONS
Witch Hazel 2 TABLESPOONS
Water (non-chlorinated) 1/2 CUP

 

[TN.Frank]

I've used Crisco for years and Olive Oil as of late. Ballistol works good too and you can clean with it too. No need for anything "fancy", remember, these are muzzle loaders not ray guns,LOL. :v

 

[jtmattison]

What simple types of lube do you guys conjure up.

Beeswax and olive oil. Mix in proportions to give it the consistency you need. I make one lube for patches which is sort of thin but doesn't liquify in high heat and another that is stiffer for lubing conicals.

HD

 

[roo shooter]

My latest lube is a even mix of beeswax and solidafied oil(blended animal fat) then olive oil added until I get the paste I want, seems to load fairly easy with this mix.

 

[jtmattison]

My latest lube is a even mix of beeswax and solidafied oil(blended animal fat) then olive oil added until I get the paste I want, seems to load fairly easy with this mix.

I believe animal products can go rancid. You could leave out the animal fat and still have a great lube with beeswax and olive oil.

HD

 

[roo shooter]

I will mix up some beeswax and olive oil and give it a try, may not be to soon I have a lot of other lube to use.
the solidafied oil (blended animal fat)that I use is the square blocks of fat that comes wraped in foil and you use in a deep frier to cook chips.

 

[Stumpkiller]

My two standbys. I wipe with spit on a patch every fifth shot or so, but I've gone 15 with both of these with no wiping between.


Stumpy's Moose Juice

A general purpose blackpowder solvent and liquid patch lube. Shake well before using

Castor Oil 3 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.
Witch Hazel 4 oz.
Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 8 oz.
Water (non-chlorinated) 16 oz.

I dip my patching in this twice and let it dry between. Makes a semi-dry patch material that's easy to carry & use. If you don't mind carrying a little bottle it's a GREAT liquid lube as is.


Stumpy's Moose Snot

A premium multi-shot between wiping (10+) patch lube stable over a wide temperature range.
SPECIFICALLY designed for use of patched round balls in a loading block

Beeswax 2 oz.
Castor Oil 8 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.


Heat beeswax in a soup can set a pot of water. ( A double-boiler. I keep my beeswax in a one pound coffee can and measure out what I need by melting it and pouring it into measuring cups). Add just enough water so the inner can does not begin to float (should be just short of the lube level in the can). Heat the water to a low boil. In a separate can, add the castor oil and Murphy's oil soap (cold). Once the beeswax is melted, swap the castor oil can in the pot of water for the beeswax. Add the beeswax to the oils. It will clump up. Stir with an ice tea spoon as the mixture heats up. When it fully melts there will be a scum that floats to the top and just won't mix in. Be patient. DO NOT COOK THE MIXTURE. Once the solids are dissolved there is no need to heat further. Skim the scum off. Remove the mix from the heat and wipe the water off the outside (so it won't drip into the container when you pour it out). FINAL TOP SECRET STEP: Add a teaspoon of Murphy's Oil Soap and stir vigorously. This last step makes the lube frothy and smooth - really adds to the appearance; though it doesn't seem to matter to the function of the lube. Clamp the can in the jaws of a vice-grip pliers and pour into the waiting tins. Allow to cool a half hour.

Note: it if is a hinged tin - line the edge that has the hinges with a strip of aluminum foil so it doesn't ooze out before it cools.