What barrel lube/oil do you use?

[aragorn]

What do you put down your barrel after cleaning? I know this is a well-trodden topic but most people swear by something, and I thought I'd see what the latest is.

I used to use solid Wonderlube rubbed into a cleaning patch, but several times forgot to clean out before shooting again and compressed the gunk into the breech of my barrel under the powder (= no fire, ball pull and major headache). Currently I'm using liquid Wonderlube, but am wondering if there's a better oil.

 

[Stumpkiller]

After cleaning I wipe the bore with alcohol, then a dry patch, then Birchwood Casey's Sheath. The next day I wipe the bore with a well lubed patch (Stumpy's Moose Snot, of course).

Before I shoot again I wipe with alcohol and re-lube.

 

[OTHERN]

I live in DRY LOW HUMIDITY wyo, so WD-40 works just fine for me. I use Ballistol for other climates.

Othern

 

[Landngroove]

I wipe the bore with Clenzoil, after cleaning. I also wipe the bore with dry patches before shooting, and snap a few caps to dry flash channel, on my percussions. On my flinters, dry patches, then a pipecleaner in the touchole before shooting.

 

[Halftail]

Ballistol and Nothing else.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

As long as you have done a good job cleaning the rifle any high quality gun oil should work fine. I to will clean the bore out with alchohol and dry patches right before I load. I would hate to have the oil mix with the powder.

 

I swear by 10/30 motor oil(You pick the brand) and always swab with a alcohol patch and a couple dry ones before loading the next time out.
Don

 

[jderrick]

Let me know if I'm screwing up, but I'm cleaning with warm water but then oiling with an oil by Remington that's stated to clean, lube and protect.... sounds like things worth doing. I dunno.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

jd, I bet your doing fine. You using Rem-oil?

If you are that will work fine.

 

Strider, although I'm still experimenting, I've had good luck with coating my bore with TC's Bore Butter. On another rifle I've been coating the bore with a light coat of automatic transmission fluid which to this point has proven to be even better yet although it's not exactly period correct.

 

[Wehrmacht]

Meine Gott, Herr Strider!! BALLISTOL en das Maul :shocked2:

 

[wtilenw]

I use Ballistol too.
Idaho PRB :v

 

[jderrick]

Yep, Rem-oil. One liquid that seems to do it all? Sometimes I like solutions that require little deep thought and that I can find at the local big-box store....

 

[n8dawg6]

right now i'm cleaning with the "new" hoppe's elite blackpowder solvent. seems to work ok, though i wouldnt say its anything special. dries up after a while, which is nice (dont have to worry about residual liquid creating rust). i don't think its meant to be a preservative, though, so after cleaning (and dry patching) i apply a good coating of break free clp. it works fine, as long as im careful to get it all back out of the bore before i shoot the rifle again.

 

[Swampman]

Olive oil by itself works fine. I also mix it 1/3 each olive oil, lard, and bee's wax. If it seems too thick, I add more olive oil.

I clean with tap water or sometimes with Windex or windshield washer fluid.

This hobby isn't hard.

 

[walruskid1]

i haven't tried it yet, i was advised to the benefits of mobil 1 synthetic oil as a barrel preservative for long term storage. anybody ever use it?

 

[MikeChapin]

I used to use 10 wt motor oil but switched to Balistol last year.

 

[Rocky Johnson]

I use dish soap and water to clean and then wipe with bore butter. Run dry patches down the barrel before loading. :winking: Rocky

 

[Richard Allen]

My cleaning solution is 1 part Ballistol to 3 parts water that is mixed in a flip top bottle and stored in my shooting box. I plug the touch hole with a round toothpick, squeeze a few drops of solution down the bore and swab the bore with cleaning patches wet with the solution until they come out clean, usually three or four are required. Then I wad up the last patch and put it in the bore, screw a worm onto the wiper and use it to push the patch to the breech face. I turn the wiper several turns and retrieve the patch. Repeat this step until the breech face is clean, usually two or three patches. Then I use damp patches to clean the outside of the lock, barrel and stock.

I then dry patch the bore and breech face and then wipe the outside of the gun dry with a rag. Next I swab the bore with a cleaning patch that is wet, but not dripping, with Ballistol. The oily patch usually pulls a little black residue that I think is graphite residue from the powder. I haven't been able to determine it causes any harm to my barrels so I don't worry about it. It can be removed by swabbing with more patches wet with Ballistol. I use the last oily patch to wipe down the outside of the gun. and then slide that patch between the nosecap and the wiper and use it to wipe the bore the next day or before I store the gun.

To prepare the gun for loading I try to remember to wipe the bore with a couple of dry patches although I can't tell that it makes any difference whether I wipe or not.

Richard/Ga.

 

[Stumpkiller]

i haven't tried it yet, i was advised to the benefits of mobil 1 synthetic oil as a barrel preservative for long term storage. anybody ever use it?

I use Dextron III ATF for storage of model aeroplane engines. I coat some of the components on/in my 35 Hp boat diesel for winter storage with it, too. "Sticks" better than the thinner oils, but may gum up if not well cleaned away before you shoot.