Problems with "Bore Butter"

[LME]

Ok so I regularly read that somebody on these forums doesn't like "Bore Butter" for some reason or another. What I'm curious about is what is it you don't like . I have used it as a patch lube , conical bullet lube and to wipe the bore down and have had no issues. I don't use it for long term storage but it might work for ths . What's the rub and what are your experiences?

Your post reminds me of a old saying,""""Some people would complain if you hung them with a new rope"""!

 

[Stony Broke]

I can see where a lot of different lubes could aide towards having a smoldering patch out in the grass in front of you. I've never had that problem, but I have seen guys that did. I've even been in the middle of a bunch of guys at a match stomping out a fire about 20 feet in front of the line. I like using a patch lube that is less likely to have that problem. I will stick with my old mix of Murphy's and window cleaner. Window cleaners have alcohol in them and that part goes away in a hurry, but the Murphy's with it still gives some lubricant to the patch.

 

[good ole boy]

I’m of the mind that Bore Butter is really just Crisco with yellow food coloring added.

I’ve used it in the past but now just use Crisco . . . .no coloring added!

You better make sure your Crisco doesn,t have ay sodium(salt)in it.

 

[Jim]

You better make sure your Crisco doesn,t have ay sodium(salt)in it.

I’m not worried about that, as I swab the bore with a damp patch between shots.

My regimen is . . . .

A damp patch (water with a dash of Dawn) followed by two dry patches . . . .then reload.

 

[good ole boy]

I have had no problem with it but also use Ballistol.An old timer recently passed away that I hunted with for years and he was deadly with his T/C Hawkin.He used BB with his patches.If he shot he never cleaned he just reloaded with another BB patch and ball.His Hawken was over 40 years old and looked and shot great.He said the reloaded BB patch lubed the barrel and he didn,t clean till the end of the season.He would some years shoot multipul times a season dependin on how many deer he wanted to get.He never unloaded until the season was over or when he shot at a deer and his barrel is nice cause I looked.

 

[good ole boy]

I’m not worried about that, as I swab the bore with a damp patch between shots.

My regimen is . . . .

A damp patch (water with a dash of Dawn) followed by two dry patches . . . .then reload.

I would be.I pretty sure years ago i looked at a Crisco can and seen sodium and said that,s not for me.I won,t use any petroleum products either.I bought a new Firestorm a long time ago and used it for years and always stored it with BB and the barrel was perfect and never any corrosion.I sold it cause I hated the plastic stock and it was to modern for me but I dropped alot of deer with it with the good ole PRB.

 

[MAC1967]

I am not sure bore butter is the same as wonderlube … bore butter seems more liquid and seems to melt (it’s messy) whereas wonderlube patches don’t so much … (I used them in my smoothbore). My question is while it affects fowling does one lube give better accuracy than another ? There seems to be almost as many different lubes as there are shooters. My rice 32 does well w just a spit patch or Ballistol … in my Lyman 50 I’ve used Hoppes BP solvent and liked it better than bore butter but was one more accurate than another ? I don’t know.

 

[mooman76]

I would be.I pretty sure years ago i looked at a Crisco can and seen sodium and said that,s not for me.I won,t use any petroleum products either.I bought a new Firestorm a long time ago and used it for years and always stored it with BB and the barrel was perfect and never any corrosion.I sold it cause I hated the plastic stock and it was to modern for me but I dropped alot of deer with it with the good ole PRB.

I have yet to figure out why salt in lube and corrosive caps always comes up and have yet to receive a good answer. Powder in itself is corrosive and basically has salts in it so why does it matter if there is a small amount in lube or corrosive caps? It all has to be cleaned out in the end anyway.

 

[Jim]

I have yet to figure out why salt in lube and corrosive caps always comes up and have yet to receive a good answer. Powder in itself is corrosive and basically has salts in it so why does it matter if there is a small amount in lube or corrosive caps? It all has to be cleaned out in the end anyway.

Could not have said it better!

 

[good ole boy]

Your missin the point.Yes BP is corrosive,but I clean my rifle the same day it was fired.Whereas a sodium enriched lube can linger in a loaded rifle for who knows how long.Plus if you lube your rifle with a sodium based lube that,s a recipe for disaster.Like I mentioned earlier.The oldert gent I knew that passed liked the way BB lubed is barrel on a reload whereas he wasn,t concerned on cleaning it right away as the BB gave him protection and halted the corrosion at least temporarily.I know of alot of times he went a week or more before he cleaned his barrel after shootin and reloadin with BB and his bore is perfect.If you shoot your sodium enriched patch say at the range and take your rifle home and clean it I don,t think you,d ever have a problem.But load it with said patch and hunt with it for any length of time w/out firin it and your lookin for trouble.Same as if you want to store it with such lube.

 

[good ole boy]

But do what ever works for you.It ain,t my rifle.

 

[JamesT]

I used it when I was a goin in the black powder shooting. Worked great for lubin minnie ball.grease grooves anf for patch lube. Never had a.problem. Honestly forgot about it and.use other things for grease now. It had a nice mint smell to it.

 

[Hiwallhunter]

Personally love Borebutter, but rarely use it in my own guns. I have picked up a number of guns for next nothing because they were ‘shot out’ according to the previous owners. Common denominator, they only used with Borebutter and/or well seasoned the bore with the stuff before it was shot out. After a good cleaning with boiling water and a bronze brush to remove the Borebutter gunk/seasoning, I have found good bores in more than than half. The others that are rotted out with corrosion are scheduled for a ride to Mr. Hoyt. Better than 60/40 Borebutter crud vs corrosion in shot out barrels I have received. Have over half a dozen tubes of the BB stuff that I received with the guns when I acquired them. Will save it for lip protection when I go hunting up north or maybe donate as blanket items at a future shoot.

I agree and have used it for years. I lube patches with it and season the barrels (2)with it. Never had a problem out hunting with it and in colder weather my reloads are kept in a pocket inside my coat to keep some warmth . Two nights ago I took the kids out stripped them down and with the help of a 20litre bucket of really hot water got all the old stuff out with a brush then in with clean white patches which come out looking yellow kind of rusty than progressing to clean white. I dry the bore then immediately run bore butter up and down and let them cool off. Same as seasoning a cast iron pan. Good for another year ! Never use petroleum solvents if using this method. Has worked for as long as you keep your piece clean.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I can shoot a spit patch all day at a match without any wiping unless there's a delay between relays. Crisco for hunting when I may not fire a shot for days. Two things I quit using because they don't work for me are the Wonder Lubes and Marvelux flux.

 

[Jim]

Good ole Boy . . . .

Please note the photo of the label of the “lube” I use . . . . .especially the left side. (Sodium-free)

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

I've used it for patches and bullet lube. I used to use it for bore preservative but had a couple of guns that I didnt shoot for a long time. I used bore butter pre-made patches to wipe the bor every couple of months. I learned the hard way that the Bore Butter built up in front of the nipple, blocking the flash and causing misfires. After a thorough cleaning, all worked just fine. I now use Ballistol to wipe the bore for rust prevention.

 

[MichaelJCarpino]

I had a tube of Bore Butter back about 1973-4. Think I lubed maxiballs with it. I didn't know it was still manufactured till reading about it on this forum. It must be some perty good stuff or it wouldn't still be around. Interesting history on it.

I do not remember bore butter in 1973-74. I thought it came later, early 1990s maybe

 

[Hiwallhunter]

I've used it for patches and bullet lube. I used to use it for bore preservative but had a couple of guns that I didnt shoot for a long time. I used bore butter pre-made patches to wipe the bor every couple of months. I learned the hard way that the Bore Butter built up in front of the nipple, blocking the flash and causing misfires. After a thorough cleaning, all worked just fine. I now use Ballistol to wipe the bore for rust prevention.

A little trick I learnt early on was to snap a cap before loading up for that very reason. I had a round ball rifle I built from a kit (cheap piece of s..t) that was very contrary. Damn thing wouldn’t ignite even on a dry day sometimes!! Never ever had that happen with my JBMR’s! They do need more attention than a modern rifle for sure.

 

[mooman76]

Your missin the point.Yes BP is corrosive,but I clean my rifle the same day it was fired.Whereas a sodium enriched lube can linger in a loaded rifle for who knows how long.Plus if you lube your rifle with a sodium based lube that,s a recipe for disaster.Like I mentioned earlier.The oldert gent I knew that passed liked the way BB lubed is barrel on a reload whereas he wasn,t concerned on cleaning it right away as the BB gave him protection and halted the corrosion at least temporarily.I know of alot of times he went a week or more before he cleaned his barrel after shootin and reloadin with BB and his bore is perfect.If you shoot your sodium enriched patch say at the range and take your rifle home and clean it I don,t think you,d ever have a problem.But load it with said patch and hunt with it for any length of time w/out firin it and your lookin for trouble.Same as if you want to store it with such lube.

At least you answered. I don't totally agree but I respect your answer. I don't leave my guns loaded and don't use lube in the bore after cleaning.

 

[Josephg]

I do not remember bore butter in 1973-74. I thought it came later, early 1990s maybe

Yep. 73 - 74, somewhere in there. I could be off but not much. I used it in my first percussion rifle using maxiballs. Once I caught onto PRB I never went back.