Patch lube freezer test

[Skychief]

File the following in your "for what it's worth" category.

After reading so many glowing reports of coconut oil as a patch lube, I intended to shoot today using it for testing. Due to too many chores, I failed to shoot today. What I did accomplish was testing the consistency, below freezing, of the coconut oil, as well as dollops of mutton tallow and Crisco.

The coconut oil froze as hard as a rock.
The mutton tallow hardened nearly as much.
The Crisco stiffened up, but, yet, seemed to have a fine consistency for patch lube work at my freezer's temperature.

I've written here, briefly, about trying vegetable shortening as a patch lube previously. The little I've shot with it gave good accuracy, no stubborn fouling buildup, and easy cleaning at the end of the day.

Now that it's passed today's little test, I'm going to try shooting it some more.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[coloradoclyde]

Crisco has never been a favorite of mine....But, that was the old stuff that was packed full of trans-fats. I haven't tried the new stuff. I'm still hooked on Beeswax and olive oil.

I do use Crisco in my grease lamps though....And to season cast iron. I rarely use it to cook with.:grin:

Crisco is cheaper than those fancy store bought lubes.....and you can fry a fish in it... :wink:

It's a DIY sport. :hatsoff:

 

[mooman76]

Crisco and the like has air whipped into it. That's why it retains some of it's softness when freezing. If you melt it and pour it back in the same container, it will take up less room. Crisco isn't my favorite either but it does work in a pinch. Coconut oil starts to melt around 80 degrees.

 

[smo]

I used Crisco back in the 70’ s & 80’ s for lube and with cap & ball revolvers.

Great lube but makes a mess.

Still good on cast iron :thumbsup:

I’m a fan of Olive Oil for shooting in hunting situations.

I shoot a spit patched round ball when just plinking.

 

[tenngun]

I use lard or mink oil, I carry a small tin in my bag, in the coldest I reloaded in I did stick the tin in my arm pit for a minute before I greased my patch with it.

 

[Skychief]

A few years ago, I killed a buck using mink oil for lube.

I thought I saw him expire, but wanted to reload in case Mr. Murphy made a visit.

Temps were in the teens. My reload took about 15 minutes, maybe longer, as I thought it would take a jack hammer to seat the prb. The fouling from the previous shot was STIFF! :shocked2:

I've not forgotten that and have know idea how my rod didn't break.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Rifleman1776]

Temps were in the teens. My reload took about 15 minutes, maybe longer, as I thought it would take a jack hammer to seat the prb. The fouling from the previous shot was STIFF!

In the field the chances of having problems is multiplied many times. I almost always hunted alone. Meaning I had no one to back me up. To reduce the chances of a problem like you describe I loaded a smaller size ball than I normally use into a loading block and often a thinner patch. e.g. .440" ball instead of normal .445" and a thin patch of about .005" instead of ticking. And, to me, very important, my ram rod is Delrin. No breakage and can take a lot of punishment. Big safety factor. I think this is perzactly how the original mountain men did it. :wink:

 

[Skychief]

:haha:

 

[Vaino]

I use Oxyoke 10000 Plus as a patch lube and after cleaning for the bore, all exterior metal surfaces and also the stock.

Some say not to use it in freezing temps but have used it when hunting snowshoe hares in minus 10 degree temps w/o a problem.

The way I figure it...what happens when the hot gases contact the patch lube? If frozen, the lube is melted and that's why I don't worry about it.......Fred

 

[BrownBear]

My biggest issue is with applying it in the cold. It just gets too stiff to apply to the patch. Kind of a paper tiger though. Either lube your patches ahead of time, or as I preferred to do, carry your patch lube inside your jacket to keep it softer. I started making and testing my own out of interest in potential historic versions. That is, until I discovered TOW's mink tallow and got lazy. In my usual temperature range, it's the most versatile of any grease-type I've tried.

Straight bear oil is excellent, but unless lubing patches ahead of time requires you to carry a bottle and somehow keep it from leaking. Brown bear oil seems to have a special talent for escaping bottles, and from what little I've seen, black bear oil is much the same.

 

[Vaino]

When doing any kind of hunting, I always use a loading block and load it before hunting . I really think that being concerned w/ "freezing lube" isn't something to worry about because the hot gases melt the lube if it does freeze......Fred

 

[BrownBear]

I really think that being concerned w/ "freezing lube" isn't something to worry about because the hot gases melt the lube if it does freeze......Fred

I'm with you. I doubt is has the slightest influence on the shooting, and there are work-arounds for the issues of applying stiff lubes.

I also often use loading blocks, at least for small game hunting where lots of shots are involved and cold hands frequently fumble small balls Try field-loading a bunch of .290 balls over the course of a day and see how many you lose on the ground! Instead I carry loading blocks- large ones (12 shot) and I carry several. But I also keep my little tub of spare lube warm, because on a great day of hunting I may need to sit down at some point and spend time reloading a block or two.

 

[Gene L]

When doing any kind of hunting, I always use a loading block and load it before hunting . I really think that being concerned w/ "freezing lube" isn't something to worry about because the hot gases melt the lube if it does freeze......Fred

I don't see it as a problem in shooting, but it seems like a problem loading with stiff lube.

 

[Skychief]

When doing any kind of hunting, I always use a loading block and load it before hunting . I really think that being concerned w/ "freezing lube" isn't something to worry about because the hot gases melt the lube if it does freeze......Fred

I don't see it as a problem in shooting, but it seems like a problem loading with stiff lube.

Bingo

 

[Black Hand]

If your lube doesn't soften from the heat of your hands (even in freezing temperatures), perhaps you are using the wrong lube...?

 

[George]

I no longer hunt when it's really frigid, but I have always made two lubes, summer and winter. The winter lube is much softer, has more oil in it, and I've never had a problem with it even in temperatures in the teens. I always cut patches at the muzzle, but I sometimes carry a prelubed strip so I don't have to fumble with a lube container.

Spence

 

[BrownBear]

I no longer hunt when it's really frigid, but I have always made two lubes, summer and winter.

That was my solution for years too, and a good one. But once upon a time I forgot about the winter lube and hung the bag not far from the heater in the house. Ummmm.... I'm sure happy that the INSIDE of the bag needed oiling too, cuzz it sure got the treatment when most of the lube drooled out of the tin. So did everything else in the bag, as a matter of fact. :rotf:

My mistake, but encouragement to continue searching for one size fits all.

 

[Vaino]

I preload the loading block in the house and if I have to load after all the shots have been taken, the car heater does a good job of softening the lube.....but this rarely happens. ....Fred

 

[Skychief]

Perhaps indeed.