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

[Ditt44]

You are all going to hate on me for this... haha but these are three shots from my Pedersoli Scout flint .50 with quick loaders that were 10 months old. Instead of breaking them down I wanted to see how they would shoot. This is 25 yards. the left most hole is shot #1 so that's on me not the load. I actually think I forgot to swab the oil from the barrel before loading, if I recall correctly. Wet patch, two dry patches, then reload. 60 grains 3F. .490 RB and .010 Ox-Yoke lube patch which laid around for ten months.

 

[Buckskinquin]

Recipe from “Fur, Fish and Game”, in the 70’s I believe.
2 ounces beeswax
8 oz. Castor oil
2 oz. MURPHY’s oil soap.
Melt beeswax, add castor oil and heat until all liquid. Add MURPHY’s Oil Soap and stir until it becomes frothy. (Don’t turn your back!” Remove from heat and pour in metal containers. I get my beeswax and metal containers at Michael’s. Metal containers are for candles and come with a metal lid. While I use Dawn and water for range shooting, this lube has decent consistency at all temps if hunting or possibly sealing BP pistol cylinders.

 

[ETipp]

Recipe from “Fur, Fish and Game”, in the 70’s I believe.
2 ounces beeswax
8 oz. Castor oil
2 oz. MURPHY’s oil soap.
Melt beeswax, add castor oil and heat until all liquid. Add MURPHY’s Oil Soap and stir until it becomes frothy. (Don’t turn your back!” Remove from heat and pour in metal containers. I get my beeswax and metal containers at Michael’s. Metal containers are for candles and come with a metal lid. While I use Dawn and water for range shooting, this lube has decent consistency at all temps if hunting or possibly sealing BP pistol cylinders.

Good deal. Think I'll give that a try.

 

[longcruise]

Regular old Canola oil!

Untitled by Sharps Man, on Flickr

Same here although I've been known to use corn oil if it's all that is available

 

[Greenjoytj]

Redline 2 cycle engine oil, anyone tried it on a PRB?
The qualities of this type of oil look ideal for ml use.

Synthetic Automatic transmission fluid, anyone tried it on a PRB?
It suppose to be a synthetic whale oil with improvements.

I would think the using white lithium grease would be tough to clean out as that grease is not soluble in water alone, lots of detergent will likely be required. Maybe a nitro powder solvent or other light solvent to finish up with.

I would need to test Murphy’s Oil Soap (MOS) on a clean common nail to see if it causes rust. MOS has an alkaline ph value of 11 so I don’t if it would cause rust quickly or eventually slow over time. I’ll need to buy some MOS to test.

Any concoction of MOS and Hydrogen peroxide and alcohol just turns into MOS and water. Hydrogen peroxide turn into water shortly after air exposure and alcohol evaporates fast leaving just MOS and water..

I have been a Dutch Schoultz Black Powder Rifle Accuracy dry lube system fan, but am getting tired of and annoyed with damp wiping, it is twice the rod work and half the shooting fun.
In my 54 cal flintlock I modified the DS dry lube system with melted TOTW mink oil saturating an over sized (58 cal.) over powder (OP) wad. I am now searching for a suitable “wetting agent” to apply to augment and assist my patches at keeping the fouling soft. I use a tight .535” ball and patch combination. My patches acquire a nice patch cloth weave pattern all around the balls equator on the lands and in the grooves.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I would think the using white lithium grease would be tough to clean out as that grease is not soluble in water alone, lots of detergent will likely be required. Maybe a nitro powder solvent or other light solvent to finish up with.

I've never tried lithium grease for lubing patches, but use it a lot on percussion revolvers, shooting real BP. It works well to grease the arbor and does not combine with BP fouling to create tar. I use it in combination with felt over powder wads lubed with pure neatsfoot oil, which keeps the bore fouling under control.

The brand of lithium grease that I've been using is Lucas.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Today I shot my longrifle in a 20 round woods walk. I used my regular target load of 60 grains of 3Fg Goex, a .490 ball, and 0.018 ticking. Before I've used pure neatsfoot oil for lube and had to swab every one or two shots. Today I used Mr. Flintlock lube and did not have to swab between shots. The last loaded as easy as the first and I could have kept shooting. I also shot better in this walk than previously, probably due to less fatigue because I wasn't swabbing. Cleanup afterwards wasn't any more difficult than previously.

Whatever he puts in the stuff, I am sold on Mr. Flintlock patch lube and bore cleaner for target shooting. I'll continue to use Track's Mink Oil or October Country's Bumblin Bear Grease for hunting, where I don't want a wet lube that may dry out over time.

 

[Greenjoytj]

I am sold on Mr. Flintlock patch lube and bore cleaner for target shooting
I don't want a wet lube that may dry out over time.

Put your usual amount of wet lube on a few patches and set them aside in the open air to see if it will evaporate. Check on them every few hours, days and weeks.
If it doesn’t evaporate off in a few days depending on relative humidity it likely won’t evaporate or show a reduction in the patches wetness feel for many weeks.

 

[Thomas.bill92]

I'm sure it's been said 100 times already but I don't feel like reading the whole thread right now haha! Here's my 2 cents. If I'm pre-cutting patches or cutting at the muzzle, I tend to use a liberal amount of regular old olive oil, extra virgin of course . When I load up my ball boards, I use a mink oil. Just seems to make less mess inside your bag.

 

[cositrike]

I use Murphys oil soap and alcohol mixed 50-50 as a patch lube. Can fire 15 to 20 shots without wiping .

You could probably double that, if you didn’t bother with the alcohol.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

This is not rocket science... well, actually, it sorta is... but if it is, then it is very simple rocket science. The "secret" is just about any non-petroleum lube. I have used Bore Butter, olive oil, aerosol cooking oil, and several others. I have noticed no real difference in performance/accuracy. If you want to mix up concoctions with Murphy's Oil Soap (which I use to clean my guns), Balistol, beeswax, bear grease, coon grease and various other substances, go ahead, but for patch lube, you will likely notice little of any difference. I usually use olive oil unless I am shooting commercial pre-lubed patches.

 

[Ed C.]

This is not rocket science... well, actually, it sorta is... but if it is, then it is very simple rocket science. The "secret" is just about any non-petroleum lube. I have used Bore Butter, olive oil, aerosol cooking oil, and several others. I have noticed no real difference in performance/accuracy. If you want to mix up concoctions with Murphy's Oil Soap (which I use to clean my guns), Balistol, beeswax, bear grease, coon grease and various other substances, go ahead, but for patch lube, you will likely notice little of any difference. I usually use olive oil unless I am shooting commercial pre-lubed patches.

I think you outed the "secret." Everybody is searching for the one magic lube, when in fact there are several lubes that will give equal results. No need to get too exotic. Plenty of common gun cleaning agents and pantry goods will do as lube. After a lot of experimenting, my motto is "keep it simple."

 

[FishDFly]

Do you think they sat around the camp fire in 1850 and argued as much as is done here over patch lubes and whether to wipe between shots?

 

[Ed C.]

Do you think they sat around the camp fire in 1850 and argued as much as is done here over patch lubes and whether to wipe between shots?

Back then I think they were happy to shoot a deer and not worry about 1 or 2" groups.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Do you think they sat around the camp fire in 1850 and argued as much as is done here over patch lubes and whether to wipe between shots?

Maybe, but I bet they spent much more time talking about religion, politics, the best way to cook racoon and who made the best knives & guns. Probably spent some time talking about horses, dogs and women as well. Depending upon the individuals and their occupations, they might have talked about the price of furs. Possibly they talked about music... and maybe some of them sang and played musical instruments. Crocket was known to have played the fiddle.

I'd like to have been able to eavesdrop on some of those conversations though. They'd have likely had very different world views than we have today.

 

[nchawkeye]

I've often thought of some of the guys with Braddock...Washington, Boone, Daniel Morgan, John Finley, Christopher Gist and I'm sure countless others that were born and bred in the woods....Just like we do now at deer camp, I bet they showed off their rifles, discussed sliding wood patch boxes vs brass...Double set triggers vs single...Bore sizes, barrel length, stock design, probably even powder charges, etc...Supposedly this is also where Boone learned of Kentucky from the trader Finley...

Wouldn't it be great if we could go back and hear the conversations...

 

[Bunk]

This is not rocket science... well, actually, it sorta is... but if it is, then it is very simple rocket science. The "secret" is just about any non-petroleum lube. I have used Bore Butter, olive oil, aerosol cooking oil, and several others. I have noticed no real difference in performance/accuracy. If you want to mix up concoctions with Murphy's Oil Soap (which I use to clean my guns), Balistol, beeswax, bear grease, coon grease and various other substances, go ahead, but for patch lube, you will likely notice little of any difference. I usually use olive oil unless I am shooting commercial pre-lubed patches.

I just wonder if Mobil 1 grease, which is compatible with Gunpowder residue, would work as a patch lube. it is synthetic not a petroleum product.
I am not a P&B shooter mostly Sharps and Smith I just thought i would jump in here perhaps in water over my head.
respectfully
Bunk

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I just wonder if Mobil 1 grease, which is compatible with Gunpowder residue, would work as a patch lube. it is synthetic not a petroleum product.
I am not a P&B shooter mostly Sharps and Smith I just thought i would jump in here perhaps in water over my head.
respectfully
Bunk

Well, I guess I would want to know where you got the information that it "is compatible with Gunpowder residue"... also why you capitalized "Gunpowder". In general though, most people prefer oils to grease for lubing patches as it is easier to lube them up with a liquid.

Petroleum oils/greases burn with the powder charge and basically make tar.

Do you use it with your Sharps rifle? What was your experience?

 

[Bunk]

Well, I guess I would want to know where you got the information that it "is compatible with Gunpowder residue"... also why you capitalized "Gunpowder". In general though, most people prefer oils to grease for lubing patches as it is easier to lube them up with a liquid.

Petroleum oils/greases burn with the powder charge and basically make tar.

Do you use it with your Sharps rifle? What was your experience?

Let me tell you that tar is the male child of a female dog (family friendly) to get out. Please don't ask me how I know.
Gunpowder is what Du Pont called it on their powder cans, the oval ones with the brass cap.
Since Du Pont has been making Gunpowder and Blastingpowder since 1802. I recon they know what it is and I have cans that call it that emptied by me in the now so long ago. I just continue to use that name. No offense meant.
No I have not tried it on my Sharps. really here is no place to use it.
I did, However, have an 1851 Navy done by 45D that had the frame packed with what I believe was Mobil 1 and had no problems with it.
A Colt revolver with adjustable trigger and no flat springs except the main spring.
But I digress it would seem there are as many patch lube formulas as there are cleaning systems my thought was, just for fun, to add to the mix.
Respectfully
Bunk

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Let me tell you that tar is the male child of a female dog (family friendly) to get out. Please don't ask me how I know.
Gunpowder is what Du Pont called it on their powder cans, the oval ones with the brass cap.
Since Du Pont has been making Gunpowder and Blastingpowder since 1802. I recon they know what it is and I have cans that call it that emptied by me in the now so long ago. I just continue to use that name. No offense meant.
No I have not tried it on my Sharps. really here is no place to use it.
I did, However, have an 1851 Navy done by 45D that had the frame packed with what I believe was Mobil 1 and had no problems with it.
A Colt revolver with adjustable trigger and no flat springs except the main spring.
But I digress it would seem there are as many patch lube formulas as there are cleaning systems my thought was, just for fun, to add to the mix.
Respectfully
Bunk

I didn't know that Gunpowder was originally a trade name. Interesting....