Patch lube for round ball shooting..........Lawdy.

[Resolve]

The best ones I've used so far are TOTW mink oil (hunting), Hoppes BP Lube (best all around) and DGW "Black Solve".
If you want moose milk this is the only way to get the original.

My 3 favorites also, although at the range I sometimes use spit for the convenience. I would use it more but I'm not all that fond of patches in my mouth. Also, the only mink oil I use is the stuff that TOW sells, not the shoe conditioner.

 

[ETipp]

My 3 favorites also, although at the range I sometimes use spit for the convenience. I would use it more but I'm not all that fond of patches in my mouth. Also, the only mink oil I use is the stuff that TOW sells, not the shoe conditioner.

What's wrong with using Mink oil for boots?

 

[Resolve]

What's wrong with using Mink oil for boots?

If you go to the TOW website and look at their mink oil they explain the difference as they see it. I tried the regular mink oil and it was too runny for me. It may work for you, though.
Good Luck,
R

 

[Okie Hog]

Tried some of the runny lubes but never liked them.

Going through a cabinet i found two cans of Leath R Seal boot dressing from 40 years ago. Stuff is super patch lube. Sofsole Mink Oil leather dressing is also great, so is Frontiers Patch Lube. Just rub the patch over the solid lube.

My powder is Black MZ or Shooters World 3F. The patches are unwashed drill cloth. The ball loads hard and a short starter is mandatory. Ball is seated hard on the powder. i've fired as many as 30 rounds without swabbing.

There is this funny thing about the APP powders, Depending on humidity, temperature. etc.; there is sometimes a buildup of residue in the barrel that extends 4-6 inches back from the muzzle. That makes starting the ball very difficult. When that happens, the residue is removed by a moistened patch on the short starter.

 

[ETipp]

If you go to the TOW website and look at their mink oil they explain the difference as they see it. I tried the regular mink oil and it was too runny for me. It may work for you, though.
Good Luck,
R

Thank you for the information. However, some people use Go Jo for patch lube and like it quite well. Its pretty thin. Lots to wade through and try for sure.

 

[Patched]

All kinds of stuff makes good patch lube. The original GoJo hand cleaner is excellent patch lube. Simply smear a light coat on the patch. Great for cleaning the bore too.

Blackpowder fouling is pretty much a water-soluble soot…GoJo handcleaner rinses off with water…has worked perfectly for me for 30 years…

I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would add an oil or grease to a water-soluble soot…turning it into a black greasy/oily mess that now needs soap or solvent to be soluble…

The “moose milk” concept of water soluble oil and soap…leaves a slippery residue when “dry”…works great wet and as a “dry“ residue (never really gets dry)

GoJo has behaved in a similar way for me ..it has some viscosity can be thinned…wipes off of everything easily.

Why add grease to the soot…I tried bore butters,tallow, oils…2 shots in everything becomes an oily smudged mess…hands, gun, rod…clothes.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Been a long time since I shot patch and RB, and actually, that's all I really wanted to shoot. However, after owning a few TC ML rifles that did not play well with RB, I took the route of conical bullets. They have served me well overall. Took a lot of critters with them. But my heart is in shooting RB.

With that said, and before anyone makes the comment of "whatever your rifle likes best" or something along those lines, I am well aware of how some rifles prefer different recipes. What I am looking for is an overall patch lube, or a good starting point, if you will. The only lube I have ever used, to the best of my memory, was either Bore Butter or whatever some commercial patches were lubed with.

Reason for inquiring on this is simple. From my research I have found about a million different patch lubes that people swear by. From homemade to commercial. Its enough to make anyone's head spin. And yes, I have been taking notes.

Accuracy aside, there are other reasons why so many claim they like this or that lube better. Many swear some lubes will dirty up the barrels more than others. Yet many will say just the opposite. Some claim weather conditions is a factor. Some do not using spit due to it putting moisture down the barrel. Some use a wad on top of the powder due to concerns of the lube soaking into the powder. There are other reasons people site.

Moving along, I will certainly make my own patch lube if I know of a good starting point. If there's a commercial lube that is pretty darn good in many aspects, as well as many people have had good results with, then so be it.

Just looking for a general consensus on an overall good patch lube that has served many well in the past.

Oh, one last thing to note. I will be shooting a Crocket Squirrel rifle and a .54 Lyman Great Plains rifle.

Thank you.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Been a long time since I shot patch and RB, and actually, that's all I really wanted to shoot. However, after owning a few TC ML rifles that did not play well with RB, I took the route of conical bullets. They have served me well overall. Took a lot of critters with them. But my heart is in shooting RB.

With that said, and before anyone makes the comment of "whatever your rifle likes best" or something along those lines, I am well aware of how some rifles prefer different recipes. What I am looking for is an overall patch lube, or a good starting point, if you will. The only lube I have ever used, to the best of my memory, was either Bore Butter or whatever some commercial patches were lubed with.

Reason for inquiring on this is simple. From my research I have found about a million different patch lubes that people swear by. From homemade to commercial. Its enough to make anyone's head spin. And yes, I have been taking notes.

Accuracy aside, there are other reasons why so many claim they like this or that lube better. Many swear some lubes will dirty up the barrels more than others. Yet many will say just the opposite. Some claim weather conditions is a factor. Some do not using spit due to it putting moisture down the barrel. Some use a wad on top of the powder due to concerns of the lube soaking into the powder. There are other reasons people site.

Moving along, I will certainly make my own patch lube if I know of a good starting point. If there's a commercial lube that is pretty darn good in many aspects, as well as many people have had good results with, then so be it.

Just looking for a general consensus on an overall good patch lube that has served many well in the past.

Oh, one last thing to note. I will be shooting a Crocket Squirrel rifle and a .54 Lyman Great Plains rifle.

Thank you.

I personally use OX YOKE oiled patches. Always worked well for me, so I just keep using them. Semper Fi.

 

[sj_anderson62]

Bumbling bear grease. I started using it 25+ years ago. After that, I had a friend from New York send me the fat from his bear. I rendered it and added some beeswax to stiffen it up for warmer weather. Plus side, when I shoot a lot, it keeps my hands nice and soft.

 

[ETipp]

I personally use OX YOKE oiled patches. Always worked well for me, so I just keep using them. Semper Fi.

Thanks for posting that. I almost forgot about it. Just listed it in my notes.

 

[Tim-Ohio]

Bore Butter use to come in a smaller plastic jar. I still have some that's quite old. It is stiffer than the tubed Bore Butter.

If my memory serves, I believe that the stiffer bore butter in the jar was ment for luring maxi's.

 

[Rifleman1776]

This is one of the most cussed and discussed subjects on this forum. Do a search, you will find scores of suggestions. My current one is a mix of whale oil and beeswax. Jojoba oil is a good substitute for whale.

 

[TreeMan]

I used the Dutch system for years. Now for plinking or matches I just use winter windshield washer fluid in a squirt bottle for lube. Spit works the same. No more wiping between shots. The wet WW fluid cleans as I load. No difference in accuracy. Wiping between shots caused too many misfire issues pushing crud into the breach. For hunting I use mink oil. Not enough difference in POI between Windshield washer fluid and mink oil to worry about when hunting. Lube is one of those things that people way over complicate. Lube it with something wet, clean it with something wet and oil it for storage.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

Just found a you tube for making homemade bore butter.
Only thing Im wondering is how you get it in the spent tube?

Dont. Just get a tin, jar, can,whatever, as long as it has a lid.

 

[LME]

Been a long time since I shot patch and RB, and actually, that's all I really wanted to shoot. However, after owning a few TC ML rifles that did not play well with RB, I took the route of conical bullets. They have served me well overall. Took a lot of critters with them. But my heart is in shooting RB.

With that said, and before anyone makes the comment of "whatever your rifle likes best" or something along those lines, I am well aware of how some rifles prefer different recipes. What I am looking for is an overall patch lube, or a good starting point, if you will. The only lube I have ever used, to the best of my memory, was either Bore Butter or whatever some commercial patches were lubed with.

Reason for inquiring on this is simple. From my research I have found about a million different patch lubes that people swear by. From homemade to commercial. Its enough to make anyone's head spin. And yes, I have been taking notes.

Accuracy aside, there are other reasons why so many claim they like this or that lube better. Many swear some lubes will dirty up the barrels more than others. Yet many will say just the opposite. Some claim weather conditions is a factor. Some do not using spit due to it putting moisture down the barrel. Some use a wad on top of the powder due to concerns of the lube soaking into the powder. There are other reasons people site.

Moving along, I will certainly make my own patch lube if I know of a good starting point. If there's a commercial lube that is pretty darn good in many aspects, as well as many people have had good results with, then so be it.

Just looking for a general consensus on an overall good patch lube that has served many well in the past.

Oh, one last thing to note. I will be shooting a Crocket Squirrel rifle and a .54 Lyman Great Plains rifle.

Thank you.

I have shot a lot of lead balls and have seen no difference? If there is a difference it must be barely noticeable? As long as I use a tight ball it will go where I aim, most of the time. LOL!

 

[ETipp]

I have shot a lot of lead balls and have seen no difference? If there is a difference it must be barely noticeable? As long as I use a tight ball it will go where I aim, most of the time. LOL!

That sir, would be the best case scenario. I hope that holds true for my two RB shooting ML.

From what I have gained from all the research on patch lube, I think a lot of it has to do with bore fouling and cleaning. I've also found where some folks contend that by varying the amount of lube applied to each patch has changed the POI of RB.

Lots of good information to learn from this. Albeit it is darn near overwhelming.

 

[flntlokr]

Bore Butter use to come in a smaller plastic jar. I still have some that's quite old. It is stiffer than the tubed Bore Butter.

So far its looking like spit or Mink oil or Crisco and maybe Go Jo.

Do any of you mix beeswax with any of those, other than spit.

Pretty much the only reason I can come up with for adding bees wax is that it makes the lube 'stiffer' in hot weather. I gave up on all forms of greasy patch many years ago, except for hunting. Soapy wet, or spit works well and gives you a clean bore for every shot.

 

[LSB]

I have on hand now, Bore Butter, Mink Oil, and Go Jo. The Bore Butter I have on hand is an older can that is fairly firm. The other is in tubes and much thinner.

And indeed, there is all kinds of stuff people use for patch lube.

Muzzleloading deer season in South Dakota is the month of December. One word pretty much describes South Dakota in December-COLD. Therefore for hunting in December I use mink oil that I get from TOW as a patch lube. I know that mink oil doesn't freeze while I have read that many of the other patch lubes will freeze solid in the barrel when it is extremely cold. I cannot prove this but I have read it enough to believe it. Since I often don't unload my rifle for several days at a time during deer season, I use a felt wad between the patch and the powder. This gives me piece of mind that the mink oil cannot contaminate the powder charge. Just what works for me.

 

[LSB]

Do you use mink oil only or do you mix it with anything?

Just mink oil.

 

[ETipp]

Pretty much the only reason I can come up with for adding bees wax is that it makes the lube 'stiffer' in hot weather. I gave up on all forms of greasy patch many years ago, except for hunting. Soapy wet, or spit works well and gives you a clean bore for every shot.

When you state soapy wet, what exactly do you mean?