Patch Lubes

[Slip6]

I just place the patch on my tongue and press it against my upper palate for a few seconds.

A mixture of beeswax and olive oil makes a superb replacement for bore butter. Won't separate like bore butter and is less greasy IMO.

What ratio do you use?

 

[Slip6]

I've found that gives me the most consistent groups.

With Ballistol and water, it's not just the ratio, but how "wet" the patches are. I have found the more dry, the better. I soak strips of pillow ticking in the 6:1 mixture, wring them out as much as possible, then lay them in a pan to dry overnight. The strips then get rolled up and stored in an empty shoe polish can in my possibles bag; I cut my patches at the muzzle.

How wide and how long do you make your strips?

 

[flashpoint]

What ratio do you use?

Now do you do this with or without the bees wax and olive oil??

 

[Onojutta]

How wide and how long do you make your strips?

In the picture, you can see that this particular strip was about 2-1/4" wide. It doesn't have to be precise because you will be cutting the material away from around the ball so you end up with exactly the right amount. You want the strips wide enough so there is enough material to surround the ball and so that there's enough there to grab and cut off. You can make them much wider, but you'll just be wasting material. You can see from where the balls have been cut out that I don't have a lot of material left on the sides, so I'll probably aim for 2-1/2" when I cut more. I could also make the strips 5" wide and be able to cut two balls wide. Or I could carry a whole sheet with me and just cut each ball from that. It really doesn't matter, it just depends on how you want to handle them.

For length, any will do. The longer the strip, the longer it will last, but the more bulky it will be and you'll need more room to lay the strips out to dry. I buy my pillow ticking by the yard, so I typically tear the strips off along the long length of the material. From there you can cut them into shorter lengths if desired. You could leave them a couple feet long if you're going to the range and will be doing a lot of shooting, or cut them to just a few inches if you wanted some smaller ones for your patch box or on a hunt. I don't treat the whole yard with ballistol, I make strips in small batches as needed and save the untreated sheet for later. I occasionally cut cleaning patches from it if I don't have anything else on hand.

If it hasn't been covered in this thread already, I run my new pillow ticking through the washer and dryer first to soften it up before I make my ballistol strips.

 

[Slip6]

In the picture, you can see that this particular strip was about 2-1/4" wide. It doesn't have to be precise because you will be cutting the material away from around the ball so you end up with exactly the right amount. You want the strips wide enough so there is enough material to surround the ball and so that there's enough there to grab and cut off. You can make them much wider, but you'll just be wasting material. You can see from where the balls have been cut out that I don't have a lot of material left on the sides, so I'll probably aim for 2-1/2" when I cut more. I could also make the strips 5" wide and be able to cut two balls wide. Or I could carry a whole sheet with me and just cut each ball from that. It really doesn't matter, it just depends on how you want to handle them.

For length, any will do. The longer the strip, the longer it will last, but the more bulky it will be and you'll need more room to lay the strips out to dry. I buy my pillow ticking by the yard, so I typically tear the strips off along the long length of the material. From there you can cut them into shorter lengths if desired. You could leave them a couple feet long if you're going to the range and will be doing a lot of shooting, or cut them to just a few inches if you wanted some smaller ones for your patch box or on a hunt.

Thank you

 

[oldwood]

Go get some 1000 + and the proper miked patch thickness , grease the patch , and using a finger , rub all the excess lube off. If your getting patch burn through , something's wrong. Wrong ball size??? Rough bore???

 

[david w]

I have used Falkenberry Juice for a long time now. I have two full bottles left. I could shoot 50 rounds and the last round went down the barrel as easy as the first. It's no longer made, however. I will be going to Dixie Gun Works soon, and Will try out some Ole Griz and see if it's as good. Ole Griz is marketed through the Hawken Shop. Although Ballistol should work wonders.

 

[J. Paul]

How wide and how long do you make your strips?

For width, I cut my strips so a rolled up one will fit into a plastic 35mm film canister to keep them clean and not drying out. There are some other snap top canisters that would work also.

 

[Stever]

Just a note on the patches using water and ballistol. Make sure you lay them flat to dry. If you hang them the solution will run to the bottom leaving you with an inconsistently lubed patch. Been using this method for years (ballistol and water) and have had good results. Yeah and keeping them in an airtight container will make them last a long time.

 

[Greasecookie]

Distilled water, or rain water, and pure grain alcohol.

 

[Slip6]

For width, I cut my strips so a rolled up one will fit into a plastic 35mm film canister to keep them clean and not drying out. There are some other snap top canisters that would work also.

Thank you

 

[Mtman725]

My 2 cents, from here I gathered all and this is what I came up with, in a small glass jar 1.5x3.5 thick glass Ballistol, bear grease,Murphy's oil soap, of equal parts, distilled water, shank well. My goal was a gooey patch for cold weather hunting,yesterday mid 20 to single digit, 10 shoots no patching between shoot. Was happy,patch's looked good, off hand was good out to 50, but had to stop due to the blowing wind & cold .

 

[Slip6]

My 2 cents, from here I gathered all and this is what I came up with, in a small glass jar 1.5x3.5 thick glass Ballistol, bear grease,Murphy's oil soap, of equal parts, distilled water, shank well. My goal was a gooey patch for cold weather hunting,yesterday mid 20 to single digit, 10 shoots no patching between shoot. Was happy,patch's looked good, off hand was good out to 50, but had to stop due to the blowing wind & cold .

Thanks, I’ll try your recipe

 

[deerstalkert]

Distilled water, or rain water, and pure grain alcohol.

by the tin cup or straight from the flask?