Patch Lube

[Carl Aldridge]

A little over a year ago I purchased my first muzzleloader,a TC Renegade flintlock in .54 cal. I followed TC's instructions and used bore butter to season the bore and as a patch lube with .530 rb's and ox yoke .018" patches. I was having a really hard time ramming the patched rb down the bore{2 hands all my strength] A blackpowder arms dealer took pity on me and recommended HOPPES #9 BP SOLVENT AND PATCH LUBE, I couldn't be happier. After much experimentation I settled on speer .535 rb's with .010" cotten patches over 100 grains 2F bp. I am getting 3.5 to 4" groups at 100 yds. I harvested a doe in October during Pennsylvania,s early muzzleloader season.{my first kill with a muzzleloader!} I am really hooked on muzzleloading now. Have any of you all experienced problems with Borebutter or success with Hoppes #9 lube?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome.

{This should really be under "Shooting Accessories" but I'll move it tomorrow.}

In general, liquid lubes are easier to load than grease lubes or dry lubes because they cut the fouling better. The offset is that they are messy and can't be pre-lubed, so you need to carry a bottle and squirt or pour at the muzzle instead of simply a loading block or pre-lubed patches on a patch box. There are several home-brew substitutes for Hoppes #9 and similar lubes. The generic term is "moose milk." Look back on the "Shooting Accessories" section and there are dozens of posts on patch lube.

 

I agree with Stumpkiller,.... I don't use nuthin fer "lube" thet I wouldn't use to actualy clean my rifle with, after all, thet is what yore do'n to the bore each time you load.

For consecutive shots I use "spit" at the range,.... when hunt'n, I use my "bear oil/bee's wax" concoction 'cause it don't dry out dur'n a day's hunt and I start the day with a clean bore!!

YMHS
rollingb

 

[roundball]

Don't see a relationship of "hard to load" with bore butter...it's all I've used for years in several muzzleloaders including inlines, sidelock percussions, and flintlocks, .45/.50/.54/.56/.58 calibers, including bullet/sabots, conicals, and Hornady/Speer patched round balls...IMHO, there's something else going on causing that.
I use Hornady .440/.490/.530/.550/.570 balls with .018" pillow ticking, and they all load fine.
:thumbsup:

 

[Griz]

I have to agree with stumpkiller also. I have had a REALLY bad experience with TC bore butter. I will even go one step further and tell you what I use. I use Lehigh Valley to lube my patches and I put them in a small brass snuff box with some lube and they stay moist for months, and Lehigh Valley won't freeze....I know that the Hoppes will freeze, I had it happen to me, then I use TC #13 bore cleaner to clean with. I shot last weekend, 18 shots and 8 wet cleaning patches and 4 dry ones and all that was left was the oiling and I was done with the barrel cleaning. I do not mean to make anyone mad about the bore butter comments. there are a few fellows that I shoot with that swear by it and there are some who swear at it. I do think each rifle is different and you need to find out what works best for you.
But, when I am getting clean with only 10 - 12 patches...thats what works for me. :imo: :redthumb:

 

I hafta agree with Griz--Lehigh Valley is the best liquid lube I have used--and it makes clean-up a lot easier. Having said that, I often used prelubed Ox Yoke patches with (I think) Wonder Lube and they work fine--I still clean up with Lehigh Valley.

 

[Carl Aldridge]

I agree that Hoppes #9 freezes it happened to me last Jan.(5 degrees above 0) I will have to give Lehigh Valley a try.Thanks

 

[Keith]

I know what Lehigh is and where to buy it, but what's in Lehigh Lube? Can I make it at home instead of buying it?

 

[B.Habermehl]

I really never had any problems with bore butter or othe grease type lubes. And still use them for hunting. For range use I can't beat Simple Green detergent for patch lube and it makes for as easy a clean up as I have ever found. The stuff that Hoppes makes works fine, but Simple Green is much cheeper.
I've been told what the birds say when they fly over me!

 

[Griz]

Honestly I do not know what is in it. It smells like dish liquid soap. I just know it works for me. :redthumb: