Patch lube, spit or lube?

[Craig Roach]

For me it depends on the gun and the day. Thats one of the things I love about the muzzleloaders, never get bored trying something a little different. I have to admit. I can only use spit for so many shots, and then I get dry mouth.

For prelubed patches I like mink oil or lamps tallow. Don't really know if they actually work better than any of the other lubes you can buy or is they just make me feel like I am doing something like I am on the frontier.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I just received my latest copy of "Muzzle Blasts" and the article by the Bevel Brothers discusses several of the many versions of patch lubricants including spit in the article. I think the fundamental finding is that all of them work. What differs is how the lubricant works for the application and how the lubricant conforms to the expected results. Also, a lubricant that works today may not perform as well tomorrow.

 

[Craig Roach]

I imagine a lot has to do with what you are able to expect out of your muzzleloader. I know when I shoot precision rifles I care about everything being consistent and putting shots in the same hole. When I am shooting the flintlocks I will never get the same accuracy. Mostly because I am grinning from ear to ear the entire time.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Started shooting in the 70's and over 99% of the time use a spit patch, the only time I use anything else is for hunting.
First it doesn't cost anything so can spend the money buying powder or lead.
Second you never have to worry about running out.
Third it eliminates the possibility of exposure of harmful chemicals to my rifle and myself.
Fourth you don't have to worry about a sticky messy lube getting all over your hands and rifle.

 

[mushka]

I think that some of us think too much about things that don't really matter a whole lot.

 

[TC Tommy]

For hunting I'll take along about six prelubed patches with light coating of bore butter.
At the range it's always spit patch all day long. If they're pre cut I'll put one in my mouth
as soon as I load for the next shot. If I'm cutting as I load with a knife, it's a strip of ticking
long enough for three shots that goes in the ole pie hole. Just press them with your tongue
till your pallet to squeeze out the extra. Think of it as backwoods tea.

 

[hanshi]

For blown patches or hard loading there are a few things one can try. First is placing an op wad between the powder and the prb. Another possible fix is to polish the muzzle crown for a gentle start with the short starter. With the first you can go to a smaller .485" and a ticking patch. In the case of the second a much tighter load will seat rather easily. My .50 with the muzzle treatment allows the use of a .490" ball and a .024" patch. A bonus is that no wiping is required between shots or strings of shots; just load & shoot... Torn patches generally are caused at & by the unpolished muzzle. Preventing blow by and patch burning requires some amount of patch compression into the grooves.

 

[BallBoy]

Just remember that saliva is found to cause cancer. But only if swallowed in small amounts over long periods of time

Only in California spit has a prop 65 cancer warning. So if you don’t live in Ca. Your risk of spit cancer is greatly diminished!!!

 

[Rob M.]

Since I'm usually always chewing tobacco I stick with TOW mink oil.

The first good point I've seen for not using spit patch BUT .....now I want you to try a spit patch with each brand of chewin tabacca ! See which one is best !

 

[deerstalkert]

Just remember that saliva is found to cause cancer. But only if swallowed in small amounts over long periods of time

according to the findings of the state of California?

 

[Cruzatte]

Just remember that saliva is found to cause cancer. But only if swallowed in small amounts over long periods of time

Well it has to be true. I read it on the internet.

 

[Snapshots Corner]

The patch material is clean when I put it in my mouth. Single use for shooting or cleaning. Nothing to fear.

I fixed and cleaned up my patch box, it will only hold clean patches from now on.

 

[Eterry]

I know that this is an old topic and I have used all kinds of lube for my patches and in my simple head the thickness of the patch is more impotent than the lube is, in order to obtain accuracy. I just posted a video on my YouTube channel on home made patch lube and yes it works...! But why are so many of you partial to using spit patch? If`n ya-àll can give me sane reasons to use spit patches I might just change my practice for the future! Even as it can be hard after almost 30 years of shooting front stuffers..! And we just might help out some flatlanders or newbies in the process...!

I tried crisco soaked patches, but way too sticky and gooey for a kid. My shop teacher suggested trying spit for lube.

That's still what I mainly use over 40 years later. I precut my patches, store them in an empty cap tin. When I'm shooting I place a few clean patches in my mouth, like you would a chew of tobacco. Before using I extract the saliva the same way you seat a football mouth guard, and spit the excess out. This leaves the patch soaked but dry enough not to hurt the powder.

I really like the fact they are readily available for the shooter, easy to use, no mess, nothing sticky on my hands. I've never had one foul the powder, even when left loaded a few days.

I have seen no loss of accuracy, maybe it helps clean the barrel thru use.

 

[Mark E. Prickett]

My Kibler SRM likes a
016 pillow ticking spit patch. Any other type lube I see a considerable loss of accuracy.

 

[Ballshooter]

My Kibler SRM likes a
016 pillow ticking spit patch. Any other type lube I see a considerable loss of accuracy.

I bet a 50/50 mix of Murphys oil and aspirated alcohol would work well. I was surprised at the results with my .62 cal. With that mix.

 

[Mark E. Prickett]

I bet a 50/50 mix of Murphys oil and aspirated alcohol would work well. I was surprised at the results with my .62 cal. With that mix.

I'll give a try

 

[Mark E. Prickett]

I bet a 50/50 mix of Murphys oil and aspirated alcohol would work well. I was surprised at the results with my .62 cal. With that mix.

What kind of alcohol is that?

 

[Ballshooter]

What kind of alcohol is that?

What I meant was isopropyl lol

 

[Kansas Kid]

All that matters is how it shoots. My bench rest rifle shoots shotgun patterns with greasy lubes particularly bore butter and one hole groups with liquid hand sanitizer 10 cents a gallon now.

 

[Troopertree]

I know that this is an old topic and I have used all kinds of lube for my patches and in my simple head the thickness of the patch is more impotent than the lube is, in order to obtain accuracy. I just posted a video on my YouTube channel on home made patch lube and yes it works...! But why are so many of you partial to using spit patch? If`n ya-àll can give me sane reasons to use spit patches I might just change my practice for the future! Even as it can be hard after almost 30 years of shooting front stuffers..! And we just might help out some flatlanders or newbies in the process...!

I was on my first woods walk and I had prelubed my patch with mink grease. They had been lubed a while. I got 6 shots when to ram a ball home and it stuck about 2/3 of the way down. A friend helped me pull the ball. He then instructed me to keep a patch in my mouth the rest of the walk, about 25 more shots. I have not had a problem on a woods walk since. He told me that a lubed patch is great for hunting but the fouling in the barrel will ultimately create a problem. I can't carry patch lube on the walk so spit it is. I have a brass button on my possibles bag strap with a strip of ticking on the button. Courtesy of my friends suggestion. Just my learnin process of listening to the ones who been there before me.