New lube.

[trlrider]

We hunted last weekend with a Avid Blackpowder Hunter. He told us he will leave his rifle loaded all deer season. Even after shooting it, swab it, reload it. Looking at the rifles he has, I saw not issues with any of them.

His matched pair of Elephant guns are very impressive.

I failed to inquire as to his lube of choice.

Brit: Just curious. Have you ever shot for a day, swabbed it and left it, then shot again the next day? Then swab and leave it for a third days shoot before a final good cleaning?
There have been many a time I could shoot 3 days running but the though of 3 days of cleaning stopped me. You got me thinking of trying it now.

 

[S.Kenton]

I'm going to partially disagree with that. Here's why.
Rancidity is a function of oxidation, so is rust. If the lube becomes rancid then it is permeated or has been penetrated with oxygen. To me it's usefulness as an oxygen barrier is no longer.

It's just a theory, I haven't actually put it to a test, but it is something to consider.

Of course my beeswax olive oil lube has never gone rancid.

I’ve noticed that when my patches, dipped in extra virgin olive oil, are not used up, they tend to get “sticky” over time. I had a few that I pre lubed and sealed in a ziplock baggie. I forgot about them and made more up. About a year passed and I found them again... the sticky patches were re lubed and used up. Now granted, I don’t make a beeswax olive oil concoction and use streight olive oil on my patches... so if they are mixed with beeswax maybe the stickyness isn’t noticed?

 

[Britsmoothy]

I’ve noticed that when my patches, dipped in extra virgin olive oil, are not used up, they tend to get “sticky” over time. I had a few that I pre lubed and sealed in a ziplock baggie. I forgot about them and made more up. About a year passed and I found them again... the sticky patches were re lubed and used up. Now granted, I don’t make a beeswax olive oil concoction and use streight olive oil on my patches... so if they are mixed with beeswax maybe the stickyness isn’t noticed?

Did they shoot just as good?

B.

 

[S.Kenton]

When it was below freezing temps I couldn’t get them to load... so I relubed and was good to go.

 

[S.Kenton]

I might try your lube recipe, streight olive oil is VERY VERY messy! I also have mink oil to try once again. When I first started this hobby I tried mink oil, I can’t remember the results... but will revisit it once again and try your lube recipe as well. Thanks for the post!

 

[Carbon 6]

I’ve noticed that when my patches, dipped in extra virgin olive oil, are not used up, they tend to get “sticky” over time. I had a few that I pre lubed and sealed in a ziplock baggie. I forgot about them and made more up. About a year passed and I found them again... the sticky patches were re lubed and used up. Now granted, I don’t make a beeswax olive oil concoction and use streight olive oil on my patches... so if they are mixed with beeswax maybe the stickyness isn’t noticed?

Stickiness is a sign of oxidation too.

I don't pre-lube patches any farther ahead than the day I am shooting

Don't use EXTRA virgin. EVOO is unrefined, it contains a lot of other stuff. It is great for cooking and eating because it is flavorful but when using it for lube you want the refined stuff. Go with regular olive oil or light olive oil. I use the light olive oil for making lube. it is extra refined, pure and stable.

One other thing to consider, is brand. Cheap brands like you might find at a dollar store can contain other oils like canola that will easily get sticky.

Heat, heat will cause any oil to oxidize, become rancid, or sticky much faster than oil that is kept cool. Light, heat, and oxygen are all enemies of oils.

The last thing I would consider is the patch material itself. Unwashed material can contain sizing which is little more than starch or cellulosic material. When combined with oil you are guaranteed to have a sticky mess eventually.
Washing your fabric can also present a problem if there is detergent residue. Many detergents contain an oxidizer that is used as a color safe bleach usually sodium percarbonate. The left over residue can accelerate the oxidation process.

So what do I recommend?
Don't use extra virgin. Use the more refined lighter olive oil.
Make sure your brand is pure and unadulterated.
Don't pre-lube for extended periods of time.

 

[Carbon 6]

I might try your lube recipe, streight olive oil is VERY VERY messy! !

One of the reasons I like using beeswax and olive oil lube is that it can be easily applied without creating a mess. Any left over lube on my finger can just be rubbed into my hand, it disappears leaving my hands not greasy or oily. Granted I don't get all sloppy with the stuff. It's a true natural lube. non-toxic and edible.

 

[S.Kenton]

Carbon; your backwards in your olive oil assessment...
Extra-virgin olive oil is made from pure, cold-pressed olives, whereas regular olive oil is a blend, including both cold-pressed and processed oils. ... Any cold-pressed oil that doesn't meet extra-virgin standards is then refined to get rid of undesirable impurities, giving the oil a more neutral flavor and lighter color.
But yes it is very messy. I’ve won many matches with it but grow tired of slippery fingers and messes. I have a friend who is just as consistent as I and he uses a mix of Murphy’s oil soap, ammonia and rubbing alcohol as a patch lube. Another uses a bees wax olive oil mixture as Britsmoothy does.. I’m going to try to see what kind of load I can work up as soon as the weather breaks..

 

[Carbon 6]

Carbon; your backwards in your olive oil assessment...
Extra-virgin olive oil is made from pure, cold-pressed olives, whereas regular olive oil is a blend, including both cold-pressed and processed oils. ... Any cold-pressed oil that doesn't meet extra-virgin standards is then refined to get rid of undesirable impurities, giving the oil a more neutral flavor and lighter color.
..

I think you are just misunderstanding what I am trying to say.

How am I backwards?

 

[S.Kenton]

Extravirgin olive oil is the purest form of olive oil... plain olive oil has other oils added in.... either way your correct in saying it’s messy..

 

[Carbon 6]

Extravirgin olive oil is the purest form of olive oil... plain olive oil has other oils added in.... either way your correct in saying it’s messy..

You are confusing pure olive oil (a classification) with the oil being pure (not containing other compounds like chlorophyll or water)
I was referring to the latter.
The more an oil is refined the more pure (Free of other compounds) it becomes.
That's what refining does. Remove impurities and other compounds.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Ok so today I shot the gun again. Two pheasants and a pigeon.missed a few birds, seven more shots from the gun uncleaned, no missfires.
Tonight it was cleaned with hot water and patches, about 20 minutes.

Here are some poor photos.
Any marks or blemishes in the bores came with the gun to me thus.

Shot and greased last friday, sat around Saturday and Sunday. Called into service today with no issues. Could of been a week or more!
B.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Lot of conversation about olive oil. As one of primarily Italian descents, this should please me. But it bothers me. Reason, about two years ago a huge scandal about olive oil was uncovered. 60 Minutes reported on this. It seems a lot (most?) olive oil currently is only a small percentage of the real stuff. The greater content can be any of a number of other vegetable and non-vegetable substances. Currently, you really do not know what you are getting when the bottle is labeled "olive oil". Sad. That is why my patch lube mixes are made with peanut oil.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Lot of conversation about olive oil. As one of primarily Italian descents, this should please me. But it bothers me. Reason, about two years ago a huge scandal about olive oil was uncovered. 60 Minutes reported on this. It seems a lot (most?) olive oil currently is only a small percentage of the real stuff. The greater content can be any of a number of other vegetable and non-vegetable substances. Currently, you really do not know what you are getting when the bottle is labeled "olive oil". Sad. That is why my patch lube mixes are made with peanut oil.

Good point!
I have often wondered about coconut butter cut with something.

Might try the peanut oil next time!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hi Brit. Peanut works fine for me but also consider canola or one of the high temp resistant oils used in restaurants. e.g. I used to fry fish in peanut oil at 350-375 degrees. Over that it would smoke and give the fish an unpleasant flavor. But restaurants now use an oil that can get as hot as 425-450 degrees with no problem.

 

[SDSmlf]

Lot of conversation about olive oil. As one of primarily Italian descents, this should please me. But it bothers me. Reason, about two years ago a huge scandal about olive oil was uncovered. 60 Minutes reported on this. It seems a lot (most?) olive oil currently is only a small percentage of the real stuff. The greater content can be any of a number of other vegetable and non-vegetable substances. Currently, you really do not know what you are getting when the bottle is labeled "olive oil". Sad. That is why my patch lube mixes are made with peanut oil.

Have been told to stay away from any bottled in Italy or Greece because of controversy you mention. The best olive oil supposedly comes out of California because they regulate what is put in the bottle.

 

[EC121]

I use mink oil and non-hardening coconut oil the same way. The mink oil stops the coconut oil from being too messy, and the coconut oil stops the mink oil from hardening in cold weather. My rifle shoots cloverleafs at 50yds. using it. I thought I was missing the paper after the first four shot cloverleaf, but it was just hitting the same hole for the next 8 shots. Patches are precut/prelubed in an Altoids tin. They don't dry out or get sticky.

 

[oldwolf]

Are you guys using real Mink Oil or is it synthetic MO? If there is such a thing...

 

[renegadehunter]

Track of the Wolf sells a Mink tallow patch lube that they say is pure from rendered mink fat. I don't know if that is the source of the mink oil mentioned above. The mink oil sold for treating leather has additives and most choose to not use it for a patch lube due to the additives.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I mix untill I am happy with the consistency. It's probably 25/75 beeswax/olive oil for my needs.

Most people here I know, including No-So Skirmish shooters using the same lube, use it their minieballs or roundballs in a 50:50 mix.

In colder weather, I’ll switch to 25:75 or 3:1 with more oil, less wax.

In REALLY cold weather (< 20-degrees F), like when I run the Winter MZL biathlons, I switch to mink oil or coat the ball-in-paper-cartridge with a smear of mink oil by TOW. Have not seen that lube freeze yet!