patches, lube, and fouling

[tnlonghunter]

I've been shooting a .50 flintlock southern mountain rifle with a 38" barrell for about 4 years now. I use the round pre-lubed patch for .50-.54 round balls made by CVA (I know, not technically a period correct thing) with .495 round balls. I can usually load and fire 5-6 shots without cleaning before the fouling becomes too extreme to continue without fully cleaning the barrel. Also, the fouling is only really a problem for the 18 inches behind the muzzle. After getting past that, it's not a problem. I assume it's because the patch runs out of lube, but I would not be surprised to be wrong. Is there a better patch and lube combo to help reduce fouling?

 

[Black Hand]

Do you add additional lube to your patches? In my experience the patches you buy have the minimal amount of lube possible. Even when I bought patches, I put them in a tin and added additional lube which was then melted in using a toaster oven. I can shoot 20-30 shots out of my guns without having to clean along the way.
Black Hand

 

[rmonday2]

What type of powder are you using?

 

Is there a better patch and lube combo to help reduce fouling?

Yes, if you use saliva as a lube you will be able to shoot all day long and never have to clean until you are finished. In real dry condition however, you may have to run a patch down the bore every 25 shots or so to break up a ring of fouling just ahead of the seated ball.

Cody

 

[Mike Brooks]

Sounds like a powder problem to me. Elephant gives me that trouble, as does any kind of 2 ff in most guns I've shot. I've never had a gun that couldn't shoot all day after I got the load worked out with goex 3fff. I'm a big fan of wonder lube or liquid murphy's oil soap for lube.

 

[roundball]

Do you add additional lube to your patches? In my experience the patches you buy have the minimal amount of lube possible. Even when I bought patches, I put them in a tin and added additional lube which was then melted in using a toaster oven. I can shoot 20-30 shots out of my guns without having to clean along the way.
Black Hand

Humidity is a big factor...the lower the humidity the more lube I need...learned to melt extra natural lube 1000 into my prelubed patches during low humidity times of the year.

I use nominal size balls (ie: .490's) and get more lube in there with thicker .018" pillow ticking patches prelubed with natural lube 1000 as they hold more lube than the thinner .015" ones do;

For just light 50grn Goex 3F target loads in the summer time with high humidity, .015" prelubed patches work fine and go the whole 40 shot session without wiping.

 

[plewis]

TNlonghunter,
I have been serious about flint for 4 years now, not much next to some, but here is what works for be. All of my range shooting is with spit patch and a strip of .010" cotton cloth, cut on the muzzle. It's usually a stolen pillowcase from the linnen closet! Powder is 3f goex always, between 55 and 65 grains. I can shoot at least 25 rounds with only a little tightness toward the end. I usually let things cool off a bit and swab the bore a few times, then get back to it. The guns will do this all day! The only lubed patches I shoot are for rifle hunting and lubed wads for the smoothbores, as they won't dry out. I always shoot a ball .010" less than bore size and tend to go with a thinner patch. Accuracy is still great, and you can shoot that many more rounds before it really gums up! Good luck!

 

[tnlonghunter]

Thanks for all the advice. I shoot Goex FFF powder. How fast does the spit patching usually tend to dry out? It obviously seems the most economical and easiest to produce. I'll also be sure to try out some of the other lube recipes I found on another string. :thanks:

 

Tnlonghunter, if you're going to consider spit patch (and I think you should) a few things to consider. I don't use it for hunting for the very reason you are concerned about, in would dry out. On the range, I can't see any reason you can't leave the gun loaded for 1/2 hour, perhaps even an hour, without any problems although I don't know why you would. Consistency is important I think. I cut my patches at the muzzle from a strip. The first thing I do when I come to the line or get to the next station is put the end of the strip in my mouth. Then, while I'm getting my measure and measuring/pouring the powder then getting out a RB, the patch is getting good and wet. I get it as wet as it can be, then, when i pull the strip out of my mouth, I sort of squeegie it through my lips to remove any excess. If you do this the same every time you will have consistent patch lube. I hang my strip around my patch knife handle on my bag strap. I've done it this way for as long as I can remember and has always served me well.

Cody

 

[sfruhwirth]

I've done the spit patch as cody says and it does seem to work good. However in the last 3-4 years i've been using "moose milk".. a home brew similiar to many on other threads as a means of lube.
This lube also seems to help keep the fowling to a minimum and help speed up my cleaning process at the end of day..

:blue: