What does patch lube actually do?

[FlintRock]

As the title suggests, I haven’t given enough thought to this.
I’ve got a new rifle coming and like to be consistent with as much as I can. Same goes for patch lube.
I’ve used mostly olive oil but I was thinking of just using spit for this gun. That brings me to the purpose of lube. Is it just for ease of loading or does it play a role in the ball leaving the barrel?

I ask because if that is the case maybe it wouldn’t suit when I’m hunting and my gun may stay loaded for a couple of weeks at a time. If it’s just to help loading I can’t see it as an issue.

second part of the question, what do people use as a patch lube for temps in the 30-90 temp range with typical in the 45-70 degree range?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Makes it easier for the ball to go in and out. Selecting the best lube for you requires trial and shooting.

 

[FishDFly]

Well said.

 

[deerstalkert]

the lube helps keep the fouling soft. i fired a few balls out of a small bore without a patch and lube a short time ago and the crud ring got like concrete quickly.

 

[M. De Land]

As the title suggests, I haven’t given enough thought to this.
I’ve got a new rifle coming and like to be consistent with as much as I can. Same goes for patch lube.
I’ve used mostly olive oil but I was thinking of just using spit for this gun. That brings me to the purpose of lube. Is it just for ease of loading or does it play a role in the ball leaving the barrel?

I ask because if that is the case maybe it wouldn’t suit when I’m hunting and my gun may stay loaded for a couple of weeks at a time. If it’s just to help loading I can’t see it as an issue.

second part of the question, what do people use as a patch lube for temps in the 30-90 temp range with typical in the 45-70 degree range?

I don't think it does very much personally. Which is why spit will work as well as anything else except in cold weather when it freezes.
I don't believe the patch really needs lube to seal the powder gas from getting by the ball. I think the real benefit of a damp or grease patch is to break up the fouling from the previous shot so a clean bore is present to spin the ball and not cut the patch.
I have settled on winter grade windshield wash with liquid soap, water and alcohol for my patch lube as it works in all weather and is very consistent. All of the ingriedients will break up powder fouling.

 

[TreeMan]

Spit is fine for targets but not for leaving the gun loaded for an extended time. I use spit or windshield washer fluid for matches and targets because im continuously shooting. For hunting I use mink oil. There really isn’t much if any difference in POI between the washer fluid, spit and mink oil. Mink oil allows it to stay loaded without causing a rust ring.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Patch lube gives us something to post about when we can’t get out to actually shoot. ; )

 

[FishDFly]

the lube helps keep the fouling soft. i fired a few balls out of a small bore without a patch and lube a short time ago and the crud ring got like concrete quickly.

Want to muddy the waters, what about teflon patching? It is dry.

 

[yonderin]

Years ago I tested lubed lead bullet, paper wrap and Teflon wrap out of a suppository gun. Interestingly, the Teflon was in the middle for velocity. Only a small trial, not big or scientific enough to hang my hat on.

 

[Dphar1950]

As the title suggests, I haven’t given enough thought to this.
I’ve got a new rifle coming and like to be consistent with as much as I can. Same goes for patch lube.
I’ve used mostly olive oil but I was thinking of just using spit for this gun. That brings me to the purpose of lube. Is it just for ease of loading or does it play a role in the ball leaving the barrel?

I ask because if that is the case maybe it wouldn’t suit when I’m hunting and my gun may stay loaded for a couple of weeks at a time. If it’s just to help loading I can’t see it as an issue.

second part of the question, what do people use as a patch lube for temps in the 30-90 temp range with typical in the 45-70 degree range?

Water based lubes can ring barrels. I use tallow, properly prepared as a patch lube not for soap or Neatsfoot oil. Unless shooting my heavy match rifle then I use Water Soluble oil mixed 5-7 parts water to 1 oil. Then the water allowed to evaporate. But this is wiped between shots, carefully.

 

[Dphar1950]

I don't think it does very much personally. Which is why spit will work as well as anything else except in cold weather when it freezes.
I don't believe the patch really needs lube to seal the powder gas from getting by the ball. I think the real benefit of a damp or grease patch is to break up the fouling from the previous shot so a clean bore is present to spin the ball and not cut the patch.
I have settled on winter grade windshield wash with liquid soap, water and alcohol for my patch lube as it works in all weather and is very consistent. All of the ingriedients will break up powder fouling.

The PRB does not seal the bore as a bullet must. And tallow or neatsfoot oil WILL soften the fouling. Remember tallow on a wad of tow was what was used to clean the bore without wetting it back in the day when a wet bore are a bad idea if someone came to the sound of the shot to “trim your hair”.

 

[tenngun]

Makes it easier to load, as said above.
Pushes fouling down the bore, too as said above
In this case spit works great, long term it dries and stops working
Patches are made out of natural fiber. Linen or cotton, maybe hemp.
In any case it’s flammable and exposed to lots of heat and pressure. And if not lubed a dry patch will burn. The grease or spit dissipates the heat. Keeps the patch from burning up.
Should you try spit patch and let it dry or load a dry patch you will find bits of burned torn up patch in front of your bore.

 

[user 34295]

Patch lube now this is a can of worms, there must be a thousand and one options which I'm sure are used for just as many reasons. Isn't it part of the joy that there is no right or wrong way and it seems to me that every gun likes something different.
I tend to favor heavily lubed patches (Bees wax and olive oil) as I find that they make loading a tight ball much easier, give a better seal and help control fouling. It is interesting to note that when using heavily lubed patches a small amount of powder is generally pushed through the flash hole into the pan as the ball is rammed down leading me to think that the seal between patched ball and bore is improved by the heavy lube.

 

[olskool]

i just posted about patch lube in another thread. the main thing is sliding the ball down, helps keep it from burning the patch. the best thing for the lube i use is keeping foul soft and keeping the barrel clean. with 50/50 dawn and water i can shoot all day or till i run out of powder, and the barrel stays clean throughout the day. i never swab either, and at clean up with Windex it takes about 10-15 minutes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[3 trees]

I prefer rendered Bear fat. Great lube and seems to shot as clean as anything! It loads as easily as any lube out there...

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

Patch and bullet lubes give us lots of great entertainment here on the forums. I think that is their main purpose now a days. Want some real fun? Just start a thread about using Ballistol! (Is Ballistol a petroleum?) Hoooo Boy!

 

[mushka]

I spit patch between every shot and load the ball with totw mink oil on a lightly lubed patch. Ball seems to load easier and the fowling doesn't seem so great.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I would say the mission of patch lube is to seal the bore.

 

[bigstick6017555]

Maybe a better description, it could be called a fouling softener

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Bore butter smells nice.