Mink Oil

[Rifleman1776]

Going to try mink oil as a lube for my patches. I have mink oil paste for shoes, can one use that??

It will probably work OK. But it is not pure, there are additives.

 

[jbwilliams3]

Track’s Mink Oil is pretty good and I like it for cold weather shooting (My friend never offered me any of his supply of bear fat, so it’s my cold weather grease!) I’m sure there are additives to Track’s Mink Oil, but it’s clearly not silicone petroleum-based and is specifically intended for patches. I think it’s record speaks for itself even if there’s beeswax and some other additives in it. Every tin of Kiwi mink oil I’ve ever had in my shoe care box are noticeably different and explicitly contain silicone. Theoretically, that might work okay for a while, but you most likely wouldn’t want that stuff being burned in your bore. It would probably cause some nasty gunk.

 

[Flintfan69]

I gave up on mind reading once I heard the first politician speak ...

I think I made myself pretty clear,,
Call Track of The Wolf; Ask for the owner Dave; ask Dave why his marketed "mink oil" is better then any other off the shelf "mink oil".
Then tell me what he said. Because if you can get a straight answer you have done better than me. :idunno:
Tell him you heard this from JohnT @ 56301

I did ask once and it wasn't hard to get an answer. They get their mink oil directly from a mink farm who packages it themselves. It's pure mink tallow. All I use myself from anything from my rifle patches, to melting it down to soak shotgun wads.

Maybe I just asked nicely...

 

[Flintfan69]

TOTW doesn't "make" anything,, they're just a marketing supply house.

That isn't actually true either. I was taken into another part of their facility when picking up a load of lead I made a deal for. They would put many machine shops to shame with the equipment they have been adding.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

The TotW mink’s oil is good stuff. It has a pleasing scent and I’ve been more than tempted to spread some on a slice of toasted bread!! :redface:

iirc, it is close in formulation to the sebum oil produced by ones own skin, and I believe there is lanolin it it. It is well though of and a great thing and really surprisingly inexpensive for what it is.

 

[NorthFork]

I'll wade in this subject hesitantly. I find that TOW mink oil builds up in the barrel with the fouling more than Wonderlube but not as bad as Borebutter. The mink oil in my opinion does not keep the fouling as soft either. I know some folks say WL and BB are the same thing but I don't think they are. All this said I use all 3. TOW mink oil is far more versatile over a wide temp range than either WL or BB.

 

[azmntman]

Sure......but do you like it for a patch lube?

 

[Rifleman1776]

I'll wade in this subject hesitantly. I find that TOW mink oil builds up in the barrel with the fouling more than Wonderlube but not as bad as Borebutter. The mink oil in my opinion does not keep the fouling as soft either. I know some folks say WL and BB are the same thing but I don't think they are. All this said I use all 3. TOW mink oil is far more versatile over a wide temp range than either WL or BB.

There are some puzzling things in your post. Like mink oil building up in the bore. From here, I'll surmise you are using too much, you do not swab between shots and your cleaning jag is oversized. Also, why would you use three different types of patch lube? :hmm: The name of this game for best results is consistency. Find what works best for you and stick with it.

 

[mushka]

I use a product, any given product, for what the product does well. I don't use a product because of who markets it. I use totw mink oil because it works for me, not just because totw sells it. I'm sure that there are other sources for this stuff.

 

[NorthFork]

Let me clarify. I have used all 3 in the past. I'm not using all 3 at once or willy nilly. Currently using TOW mink. No, I do not swab between shots. So jag diameter is meaningless in this case. Yes, it does seem to me that the fouling is thicker and or stiffer with the mink oil than BB or WL. Just my opinion.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I do not swab between shots. So jag diameter is meaningless in this case.

My tuppence here from half a century of swabbing ml bores. Jag size is very important even with occasional swabbing. If too large you will be shoving gunk down to the breech and not getting much of it back up. A smaller jag will slide past most of the gunk and the bunching up of the patch in the rebate (narrowed area behind jag) will grab the bore and gunk and pull is back out. I use a spit dampened, not soaked, cotton flannel patch for swabbing. BTW, I'm an every shot swabber. :v

 

[DarrinG]

Makes sense. So if I'm using a 50 cal jag in my 50 cal, and its a fairly tight fit (with a cotton cleaning patch), I should try using a 45 cal jag?

 

[azmntman]

You should use an extry .50 cal jag that has had play time with your drill and some Emory cloth. WELL supervised play time with many breaks in between to try in your rifle. IMHO

 

[Rifleman1776]

Makes sense. So if I'm using a 50 cal jag in my 50 cal, and its a fairly tight fit (with a cotton cleaning patch), I should try using a 45 cal jag?

Not necessarily that small although it might work OK. But, just take your present 50 jag and chuck up in drill press then using the flat of a file (my technique) take down a little bit and try. Adjusting and trying, then doing it again, maybe several times is just part of this game to get a rifle dialed in to where it is reliable for you.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Makes sense. So if I'm using a 50 cal jag in my 50 cal, and its a fairly tight fit (with a cotton cleaning patch), I should try using a 45 cal jag?

Darren,
I also swab between shots. I use a jag that is the rated jag for the bore, but I turned the end of the jag to get a nice taper on the front. That way the jag will pass the fouling on entry, but produce a good scrape on the way back out. I also wipe the nipple between shots to get a good seat on the cap.
I have shot range strings as long as 60 shots with great consistency and no issues with fouling buildup or ignition failures.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Makes sense. So if I'm using a 50 cal jag in my 50 cal, and its a fairly tight fit (with a cotton cleaning patch), I should try using a 45 cal jag?

Darren,
I also swab between shots. I use a jag that is the rated jag for the bore, but I turned the end of the jag to get a nice taper on the front. That way the jag will pass the fouling on entry, but produce a good scrape on the way back out. I also wipe the nipple between shots to get a good seat on the cap.
I have shot range strings as long as 60 shots with great consistency and no issues with fouling buildup or ignition failures.

That's called 'doin yer own thang'. :thumbsup: Ifn it works for you don't let me talk you out of it.

 

[Don Steele]

One small point a lot of people miss (unless like me,they are afflicted with being obsessive-compulsive about precision shooting) is that at least in my own experience purchasing jags:
"50 caliber isn't necessarily 50 caliber" :idunno:
Three examples of un-touched "50 caliber" jags out of my shooting box.(Yes...I not only measure patch material, I also measure jags... :shake: )
.475"
.438"
.420"
Those differences are not huge...but definitely enough to change results when wiping a bore depending of course on the thickness of the wiping patch and yea..before you ask...I measure THAT material as well before purchasing. :wink:.

 

[Griz44Mag]

One small point a lot of people miss (unless like me,they are afflicted with being obsessive-compulsive about precision shooting) is that at least in my own experience purchasing jags:
"50 caliber isn't necessarily 50 caliber" :idunno:
Three examples of un-touched "50 caliber" jags out of my shooting box.(Yes...I not only measure patch material, I also measure jags... :shake: )
.475"
.438"
.420"
Those differences are not huge...but definitely enough to change results when wiping a bore depending of course on the thickness of the wiping patch and yea..before you ask...I measure THAT material as well before purchasing. :wink:.

I found the same results when measuring jags. I just picked out the one that was the ugliest to cut down. I works like a charm.
I did the same for the .54, and .58. I have not done one for .72 yet, but will.

 

[DarrinG]

That makes sense too, and I'll give it a go. Thanks.

 

[hanshi]

I use TOW mink oil for hunting and often at the range. I can shoot dozens of rounds with the last one loading as easily as the first one. I've NEVER had it buildup in my barrels. BB and Wonderlube? Don't get me started.