Patch Lube

[David W.]

I used to use Falkenberry juice exclusively, that is until they quit selling it. My patches were soaked with the stuff. The only misfires I had was because of a primer malfunction. The wetness also helps drive down the fouling from the previous shot. Because of the tight ball/patch combination, most of the liquid is squeezed out and in front of the load.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Liquid Wrench is basically kerosene, with some additives, so that it reverses the oxidation process and breaks down rust. Kerosene evaporates less than Alcohol, and gasoline, but it will evaporate.

I would not recommend it as a patch lube, because its neither a wax nor an oil. its also a petroleum derivative, so you have the problem of it mixing with your charge of black powder, and creating tars, and other nasties in the barrel and flash channels.

If you separate your patch with the Liquid Wrench in it, from the powder, it will work. But, so will spit, and water, and they both are a lot less expensive than Liquid Wrench! :shocked2: :surrender: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:

 

[Semisane]

Appreciate your observations Paul. But I think I'll stick with it.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Plus, when all the screws and bolts simultaneuosly fall off your flintlock in a heap you'll be sorry.

All those microscopic nano-wrenchs dissassembling the works.

:rotf:

 

[Semisane]

:haha: :bow: Dang Stumpkiller. Now you're got me worried. The next thing you know I'll be unscrewing my breech plug with my fingers. :wink:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Semisane: I understand your POV. I use Liquid Wrench to clean my honing stones, and love the stuff. It gets down into even my fine, Black Arkansas stones, eats out the steel bits locked into the holes in the stone, and lets them wash away.

When I first began shooting BP, someone at Friendship convinced me to buy a bottle of the Hoppes cleaning fluid and lube. White plastic bottle, with black lettering on it. I used if faithfully, and took lots of ribbing by the club shooters at the range. Most of them just used spit on their patches, both to lube and clean.

Then one day, I was at a parade, walking with club members, and my little bottle of fluid ran out. All I could use was SPIT, as as hot as it was, there wasn't much of that to go around, either!

But, It worked. Well. So well, I somehow found it difficult to go looking to replace that Hoppes bottle of lube when I finished it up, too. It was only years later that I happened to take my gallon jar of water out of my trunk, and put it next to my gear on the loading bench behind the line. I don't remember why I had it out, but it was there. SO----- I decided to finally get around to "testing" Water as a patch lube and cleaner.

Worked fine, too.

The only reason I now use spit is because its EASIER TO CARRY! :shocked2: :blah: :rotf: :surrender: :thumbsup:

[When I am hunting, I do use a wax/oil lube on my patches, to grease the barrel so that fouling is softened, and the bore is protected from condensation and rust causing moisture getting into the barrel during the hunt.]

 

[Semisane]

I haven't mentioned this because I can't prove it. But I believe the Liquid Wrench saved the bore of my .32 Pedersoli Frontier.

I do my shooting at our hunting club rifle range at a lease 80 miles from home. So it's usually a two day affair when I go to shoot, or at least an over-nighter and I stay in my little bunk house (picture below).

That being the case, I'm in the habit of thoroughly cleaning my guns when I'm finished shooting.

Last July I was shooting the Pedersoli at the lease. It was so dang HOT by the end of a Saturday morning shooting session (around Noon) I decided to not stay at the camp overnight. I packed up and headed home without cleaning the gun - just sprayed the pan and frizzen with a shot of Blaster PB-50 lubricant.

When I arrived home the woman with the gold ring who lives in my house announced that she hadn't expected me back and hadn't prepared a meal. Therefore, we would go out for dinner.

Being an obedient slave, I showered, shaved, dressed, and took her to the restaurant of her choice.

Forgot all about that dirty Pedersoli sitting in back of the truck. Forgot about it the next day too, and the next, and the next. Then for no reason I can explain, the thought struck me - "the .32 has been sitting in the truck dirty for over two weeks".

PANIC ATTACK!

When I retrieved it from the truck it didn't look bad at all. No visible rust. Gave it a good soap and water cleaning and inspected the bore. No rust. No pits.

Either I'm one lucky son-of-a-gun or that Liquid Wrench somehow protected the bore.

Our Rifle Range

My Hooch (Basically an 8' x 8' plywood tent)

The gun box behind the seat of my Ford Ranger

 

[BrownBear]

That is without a doubt the most sensible, effective gun box I've ever seen! :bow:

 

[Rifleman1776]

That is one nice shooting set up at your home.
I like the truck box thing too. But.....tell me.....just how do you get the truck onto the loading bench at the range for matches??? :rotf:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Liquid Wrench is a PENETRATING OIL, that gets down under the crud to the steel in the barrel. If will form a barrier between the steel and the crud,as well as free oxygen in the air.

This was not a case of Luck, but instead a case where a product intended for another purpose, did its job well, and protected the barrel until you got around to cleaning it. The crud probably actually delayed the evaporation of the gases from the Kerosene. Even if the gases evaporated, the oil that penetrated to the surface of the steel would give you additional protection for some time.

Congratulations on the save, however. You must be living right. :thumbsup:

 

[Mike 56]

Semisane, Nice place you have there, I shoot with the infidels shooting suppository guns. I read here on the forum about you using Liquid Wrench for patch lube. I had a old can of the stuff on shelf i thought i would give it a try. So i loaded up my CVA 50cal using Liquid Wrench. Took my first shot using it i can't tell what mess it made in my barrel. It worked so well for you i was thinking what did i do wrong. I was at the grocery store and i saw a bottle of Liquid Wrench for 2.50 so i bought one. I loaded the same gun using the new bottle the gun never shot better. It was shooting groups like your guns. So i guess the new Liquid Wrench is deterrent than the old one.

Mike

Mike

 

[Semisane]

I'm glad it worked for you Mike. I'm especially glad you didn't give up after using that old stuff. Then you would have been postng a report on how it gunked up your bore and what a nut that Semisane is. :grin:

How was the clean-up after using the new bottle? In my experience, after a thirty or fifty round session using LW the bore cleans as well as with any other patch lube I've used, and I'm starting to believe it cleans quicker after using LW.

Anyway, the Smithsonian Institute may be interested in that old can of yours. :haha:

 

[Stumpkiller]

That looks just like the one I've got. ;-)


(I usually use PB-Blast to free stuck hardware).

 

[Mike 56]

My rifle shot clean. I swabbed in between shots for accuracy but did not have to. Clean up at the end of the day was easy. I now have a new 54cal GM barrel to try it in. Years back i met some guys at the range that were using W-D40 for patch lube they shot very well with it. That was before i shot MLs. I have never tried it but one of these days i will have to try it.
Mike

 

[Greenmtnboy]

Vearl, I know it heresy, but you might give Liquid Wrench a try. It's all I use as a patch lube these days.

Check out the results.

My .32 Pedersoli Frontier flinter.

My .54 Green Mountain barreled TC Renegade.

My .58 Green Mountain barreled TC Hawken.

Hey I noticed a scope on your muzzleloader in your last post against the shooting bench.
I ain't giving manure because it's a good way to find the right ball and patch, my question is... were these groups shot with a scope or open site?
they are very good and I may want to try liquid wrench.

I use one part merphy oil, one part Ballistol. six parts water or Lehigh lube and get groups like this with open sites.

 

[Semisane]

Greenmtnboy, The .54 TC/GM Renegade sports a 4X scope. The .58 TC/GM Hawken and the .32 Pedersoli both have peep sights.

I have a few sinful rifles and a few honest ones.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

no worries about the scope, I thought that as my eyes aged I would try J.B. welding a scope on my new muzzloloaders for R&D.
It does look odd tho :wink: Have you ever though about putting a leatherwood scope on your sidelocks?
But fer sure as soon as I get done guiding and am back home doing bench work I will try liquid wrench.
:thumbsup:

 

[Semisane]

It does look odd tho

Yes it does. But my wife looks odd also, and I got used to her too. :grin:

Have you ever though about putting a leatherwood scope on your sidelocks?

Two things about the Leatherwood scopes. (1) They are pretty dang expensive. (2) I just don't care for the looks of them. I know that's odd, given that I'm perfectly happy with the looks of a modern scope on a sidelock. But as Popeye said, I yam what I yam.

 

[Greenmtnboy]

(1) They are pretty dang expensive.

I hear ya there I am saving for a 6x short leatherwood for a Ubertie High wall 45-70 I got.
Shoots 405 cast with 67 grns of Swiss like a mother so I figured I would like to have a ol timy scope on it for short range hunting.