Trouble with a pre lubed Maxi Ball

[jacj6389]

I went to the range the other day to site in my .50 cal Thompson Renegade. I was going to try to site in the 320 grain TC pre-lubed maxi balls.

It was pretty cold, around 20 degrees. I started off by pouring 65 gr of ffg into the barrel and then attempted to load the maxi ball. I could only get the maxi ball about 1" into the barrel. I could not for the life of me, get that bullet to budge another fraction. I finally used a puller and after a lot of work was able to pull the maxi ball back out, but it was a helluva job to get it done. I then loaded a round ball with a prelubed ticking patch and it loaded perfectly. The gun fired well.

Just wondering what the heck the deal was with the pre-lubed maxi ball. I had a tube of bore butter with me, but it was so cold that the tube was hard and I couldn't even get it to squirt from the tube. After a fired the round ball, I barely could force one lubed cleaning patch down the barrel. I feel like there is maybe something wrong, but I don't have enough experience to know what it is.

I guess the question is: 1) Is there a reason my gun won't load maxi's, 2) Was it just too dang cold to use the bore butter. Does it need to be warmed up. And 3) why the heck was it so hard to get a lubed cleaning patch down the barrel?

Thanks for helping a novice.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Odd indeed! I can thumb load my maxi balls, but I make my own and I seldom or lightly lube them.
How about a picture and a caliper measurement of the top band and the bore diameter land to land and groove to groove?

Did you buy them at Wal-mart?

 

[jacj6389]

Yes, I did buy them at WalMart. I don't have a calipers for measuring, but I'll dig some up tomorrow. Thanks

 

[jethro224]

Don't know about the maxi as I only shoot PRB.
Bore butter does get really hard when it's cold. You could try putting it inside of your coat to keep it soft. Or try something else that doesn't freeze as easy. I always keep any grease type lube or lubed patches in a chest shirt pocket when it gets below freezing.

Why were you running a "lubed cleaning patch" down your bore? Don't use lubed patches for cleaning. A cleaning patch moist with spit, water, or your favorite cleaning solution followed by a dry patch should be used for cleaning between shots.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Why were you running a "lubed cleaning patch" down your bore? Don't use lubed patches for cleaning.

Good catch Jethro, He probably read this on the bottle

Thompson / Center Arms® Natural Lube 1,000 Plus Bore Butter Seasoning Patches. Great for use after cleaning your muzzleloader! 2 1/2" diameter, 100% cotton cleaning patches saturated in Natural Lube 1,000 Plus Bore Butter. Also perfect for easy field cleaning. Seasons the bore with repeated use. Works well with .45-.58 muzzleloaders. Comes in jar of 100. - See more at:

After the Redbull lawsuit they would be easy pickins for a class action suit with all those miraculous claims.

 

[roundball]

If you mentioned it I missed it...were you using a 'short starter'?

The bands on conicals have to be cut through by the end of the lands and while conicals are easy to sit in the muzzle because the bottom band is smaller diameter, I've always found it necessary to use a short starter to "punch" it on in...to get the end of the lands to cut through the bands...then it seats smoothly.

 

[Spikebuck]

If you mentioned it I missed it...were you using a 'short starter'?

The bands on conicals have to be cut through by the end of the lands and while conicals are easy to sit in the muzzle because the bottom band is smaller diameter, I've always found it necessary to use a short starter to "punch" it on in...to get the end of the lands to cut through the bands...then it seats smoothly.

+1. I've never had a problem loading a conical after the initial good whack or two it takes to engage the rifling and get it started. You just cannot get a hard enough impact with a regular loading rod, in my experience. Once engaged, they go right down easy.

Also...bore butter is not good in really cold temps. Gets hard as a rock. The Hornady Great Plains conicals and Buffalo Bullets I've used were already pre-lubed and I never had problems with whatever they use on them. Your TC's should be too and no extra lube should be necessary.

Then again, you probably already found your solution since a PRB will do just fine.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Coned muzzle maybe? I definetely have to use a short starter in my coned barrel.

 

[Patocazador]

I really dislike Bore Butter. After attempting to use it for various situations over the years, I still have 3/4 of a tub left. I use mink oil in cold weather and lard/beeswax mix in the warm weather.

I suggest we get together and have a "destroy the Bore Butter" outing. :2

 

[roundball]

I really dislike Bore Butter. After attempting to use it for various situations over the years, I still have 3/4 of a tub left. I use mink oil in cold weather and lard/beeswax mix in the warm weather.

LOL...your location is Florida...just how cold does it get down there?
:grin:

Conversely, all I've used for 21 years in North Carolina is bore butter (T/C's Natural Lube 1000) fantastic stuff...both the buck and Doe I've shot so far this season were in below freezing temps, no problems.

 

[Idaho Elk Hunter]

I live in Idaho and have used TC Bore Butter since the 1970's and my barrels are still perfect to this day as I put them away with bore butter after season of shooting. Never had rust or pitting either. I like to heat barrel up and soak with TC Bore Butter as it melts and gives a good coating and helps season new barrels too. If it gets too hard then buy a fresh tube....this has been my practice.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Agreed! it took me decades to use up my tube, and I finally got rid of it by melting and mixing it with something else.

And that stuff stinks! you go walkin through the woods smelling like your covered with Bengay.

 

[Idaho Elk Hunter]

I see they have a new "no scent" version now. I haven't tried it yet, but will next time buy some.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Didn't know that! thanks for the update. :thumbsup:

 

[Britsmoothy]

As with any muzzleloader bud anything being stuffed in that barrel has to be the correct size so it can be done by hand. Sounds obvious yeah, however sometimes some who mostly shoot breach loaders tend to take for granted just how a bullet is swaged to a barrel under power from the cartridge.
We don't have that luxury. Please don't just go by the label in the store :thumbsup:

B.

 

[roundball]

I see they have a new "no scent" version now.

All that stuff is geared to separate hunters from their money...makes no difference what lube smells like...if a deer catches the scent of lube in the wind it's already soaking in your human scent on the same breeze.
Think about it people...hunters all across the country have been using bore butter for a half century...and anyone who walks through the woods smelling like bore butter needs some serious lessons in hygiene.

OR......Who's to say a deer wouldn't like the smell of lube anyway ??

 

[Patocazador]

It was 34 here this morning. I call that cold.
I used to hunt in northern Wisconsin in below zero weather (occasionally) but gave that up when I got some sense.

 

[jacj6389]

Yes, I was using a short starter. Barely got the bullet in 1/2".

I went to a local gun dealer today that specializes in black powder. He asked if I had swabbed the barrel prior to loading. I had just purchased the gun used from a dealer and did not run a patch down it before (dumb move, I now know!) He suggested that whatever was used to lube the gun after it was fired last time had probably frozen and that I was "pushing the frozen lube down the barrel with the bullet."

And yes, the bore butter was hard as a dang rock. I couldn't have got any out of the tube if I had hit it with a hammer.

Anyway, maybe my failure to pre-swab the barrel was the problem. It's gonna warm up in a couple of days and I'm gonna try to sight it in again.
Until then, I'll hunt with my TC Hawken. It's ready to go.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[coloradoclyde]

If you’re dead set on using that dang bore butter squeeze a bunch into a sauce pan or clean tin can add some olive oil and gently melt the two together. Pour it into a tin and let cool then place in the freezer overnight. If you can spread it like warm room temp butter in the morning it should be fine to use in cold weather.
If not re-melt and add more olive oil and re-freeze.

 

[robinsroost]

When I lived in Cocoa, Florida, the temperature went down to 12 degrees, one night. It killed the Navel Orange tree growing in my yard. Felt cold to me..........Robin :wink: