Mink Oil for Smoothbores (shot and roundball)?

[Appalachian Harry]

I know that I have already posted a thread on opinions of Ballistol lube for shot and round ball loads in a smoothbore. But I would like to get some opinion from strictly smoothbore shooters on Mink oil as lube in roundball and shot load to find a lube for me...

Also if you have to swab in between shots with it or not...

i’m going to test my gun with different lubes I just want different opinions to expand my mind and to get different ideas for myself... I know I can look up threads of this but I want to listen to strictly smoothbore hunters and not just rifle hunters (Just because the guns are different)

 

[Rató:rats]

Haven’t had to swab with proper mink oil and I’ll put 15-25 rounds through her per session. I shoot with 3F in my 20 ga. 2F usually produces more fouling so it might be a different story.

 

[Des52]

Mink oil is all I use anymore in all my BP smoothbores and rifles. I don't swab with my smoothbores and don't have a problem shooting all afternoon, just make shure to get a good swipe on the patch or wad.

 

[Appalachian Harry]

Do you all roll the wads or rub the patches in the mink oil? Or melt it and soak it in mink oil?

Seen any problems with carbon/crud rings? And powder contamination? Or even patches or wads burning up on ground?

 

[Rató:rats]

I put the wads or patches in an old pipe tobacco tin with a dollop of mink oil and hit it with the heat gun. After the mink oil re-solidifies I remove the patches or wads and hit the remaining oil with the heat gun again and pour it back into the tin it came from. Waste not. Never noticed any powder contamination but it’s possible. No crud rings either, a proper cleaning at home and my barrel is like factory new.

 

[Appalachian Harry]

I put the wads or patches in an old pipe tobacco tin and hit it with the heat gun. After the mink oil re-solidifies I remove the patches or wads and hit the remaining oil with the heat gun again and pour it back into the tin it came from. Waste not. Never noticed any powder contamination but it’s possible. No crud rings either, a proper cleaning at home and my barrel is like factory new.

Wow! So you like them absolutely soaked in the stuff!

 

[Rató:rats]

If you use correctly sized wads a little oil gets squeezed out as you start them down the bore but not as much as the Skychief Load with the fiber wad drenched. I make them in batches and it might be weeks before they get used, I find soaking them in a warm puddle of mink oil in the can ensures they don’t dry out. That being said I know guys who just rub them in a couple times in the mink oil tin and that works fine too.

 

[Hawk78]

Haven’t had to swab with proper mink oil and I’ll put 15-25 rounds through her per session. I shoot with 3F in my 20 ga. 2F usually produces more fouling so it might be a different story.
I like your method, very clever indeed.

 

[Brokennock]

Yes

 

[tenngun]

Yup, had my smooth rifle out today and mink oil was what I used.

 

[Mwal]

Big fan of mink tallow from TOTW. when using patches I rub them until saturated. When using tow I rub some on that as well . I do not have smoldering patches or tow. I pickup and reuse the tow. My patches could be reused if I needed to. I do not swab until I am cleaning. Usually I shoot about 20 rounds a session. I use 1 1/2 f or 2f.
Mwal

 

[Appalachian Harry]

So probably a stupid question but does this lube clean the barrel when shot or does it just loosen the fouling when loading so when loads are shot, they come out in a consistent state with little fouling resistance?

 

[Mwal]

I believe it keeps fouling soft and your are pushing it down with each shot then it blows out of barrel when next shot goes off. I think clean up is easy as well I toothpick touch hole. Fill barrel with cold water let it sit 5 to ten minutes dump out. Then run some tow on a worm down and scrub around. THen a few cloth patches to dry then final patch with Barricade and stand in corner muzzle down over night. rub all metal parts with barricade again and put into storage.

Mwal

 

[hanshi]

Mink oil works as well in my smoothbore as it does in the rifles. No swabbing until shooting is over for the day. This is for prb but haven't used it enough with shot yet for it to be conclusive.

 

[Historian]

Yes I use it for my Pedersoli SXS 20 ga's for lubing the leather over powder wads and the wool felt wads in cold weather as it does not harden like the bees wax and olive oil mixture which I use in warmer weather. When the temps drop down below 45°F I use the mink oil form TOTW. Great stuff.

 

[Ed Pilkington]

Great info!!!!! Thanks

 

[shaman]

I had never thought of mink oil for anything other than a boot dressing before this thread.

My lube of choice has always been Crisco. Any particular problems with Crisco vs. Mink Oil?

 

[Mwal]

I use melted crisco to lube fiber shotgun wads. The mink tallow I use for patches and tow. Jave not tried crisco for patches.

 

[tenngun]

I had never thought of mink oil for anything other than a boot dressing before this thread.

My lube of choice has always been Crisco. Any particular problems with Crisco vs. Mink Oil?

No
But like to pretend so

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I had never thought of mink oil for anything other than a boot dressing before this thread.

My lube of choice has always been Crisco. Any particular problems with Crisco vs. Mink Oil?

Shaman - Be AWARE that we’re discussing a specialized mink oil patch lube product from Track of the Wolf (TOW) and not a waterproof dressing for boots, that is likely a product that contains synthetics and a petroleum by-product … and not much to possibly zero ‘mink’ oil’!