What's your favorite Lube?

[Halftail]

Justmike,
Thanks for the info!I was told once that It could be bought in Canada but never could get any info.

 

Don't laugh to much, but I used to use K-Y jelly, before I started using Stumpy's Moose Milk. It's primary use was for stuffin anyway. ( :youcrazy: :crackup: :relaxon't go there)

 

[FearNot]

For patch and conical lube I use my homemade lube of beeswax and olive oil.
For cleaning and storage I use Rem-oil with teflon.

Huntin

Huntin,

What ratio of wax to oil? Been wanting to try that particular combo, but don't wanna ruin a bunch of beeswax expirementing.

 

[Richard Allen]

Hey, Birddog 6, how 'bout sharing your grease recipe with us. Either I missed it the first time around or my memory is wearing out along with the rest of me.

I've been looking for a lube I can use when loading from the bag. I want to eliminate hauling the range rod around during woods walks.

I have been using Dutch Shoultz's system for years and am convinced I've gotten the best accuracy from my rifles with his system. Trouble is, the ball/patch combination is too tight to safely use with a wooden wiping stick.

My wife and I shoot long guns with the barrels pinned to the stocks. I usually take the barrels out only once a year to be sure there's no rust in the barrel channel. Several years ago we quit using hot water when cleaning and started using 1 part Ballistol to 3 parts water for cleaning after matches and I am well satisfied with the results. After cleaning we wipe the whole gun down with a patch dampened with Ballistol and check it occasionally for rust. Of course if the gun gets wet, we strip it down as soon as possible and dry and relubricate everything.

The bottom line is I'm looking for a non-petroleum patch grease I can use that won't make my hands so greasy I can't hold onto my rifle or so sticky I can't turn it loose and that can be removed with my cold Ballistol cleaning solution.

Y'all got any suggestions?

Richard/Ga.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Click on the links below for some lube reading. Don't know about the Ballistol, but I've toyed around with a grease/wax based lube (Moose Snot) and a liquid lube/solvent (castor oil based moose milk) that can be applied to patching and allowed to dry for a very messless patch lube.

Stumpy's Moose Snot


Lube Wars #1


Lube Wars - Phase Two


Lube Wars - The Summary


Dry(ed) Lube

PS ~ Birddog6 sells his lube, and it would be a bit much to expect him to post his recipe here. We'll just have to steal it honestly. ::

 

[Tahquamenon]

Otis 085 UltraBore for in the barrel and bearing surfaces and long term storage.

Clenzoil for outside the barrel and stocks.

T/C Naturalube 1000 for patches and Conical.

Laundry soap and super hot water for general cleaning.

Isopropyl alcohol for field cleaning and oil removal.

Birchwood/Casey Choketube lube for nipples, breech plugs and choke tubes.

Butch's Bore Shine in the barrel for rust (if used gun), plastic, copper or lead fouling.

 

[bshultz]

I pretty much use ballistol for everything, mix it 50-50 with water. :imo: :m2c: :thumbsup: :redthumb:

 

I was just surfing the web and found this info interesting reading:

Bullet Lubricants
Composition of Extensively Used Bullet Lubricants
E.H. Harrison
American Rifleman, July, 1965

U.S. Army 1855 - 1 beeswax, 3 tallow.

U.S. Army 1861 - 8 beeswax, 1 tallow.

U.S. Army 1873 - 8 bayberry wax, 1 graphite.

U.S. Army 1880 and thereafter - Japan wax.

Sharps Rifle Co., 1878 - 1 beeswax, 2 sperm oil.

Massachusetts Arms Co. (Maynard rifle), 1890 - 1 beeswax, 3 tallow.

Marlin Firearms Co., 1891 - 1 beeswax, 4 tallow.

Smith & Wesson, 1891 - tallow.

H.M. Pope, about 1900 - 3 mutton tallow, 2 bay wax, 1 beeswax, 1steam cylinder oil, .2 of 1 Acheson graphite. The bay wax could be omitted.
Automobile door latch stick lubricant, U.S. Patent 1,920,161
(1931) - 5 paraffin wax, 3 petroleum jelly, 2 oil.
A large police department, 1962 - 1 beeswax, 1 paraffin wax, 1cosmoline.
Notes: "Cosmolene" in this context refers to dark petrolatum with no anti-corrosion additives. Refined yellow petrolatum (petroleum jelly, Vaseline) may be substituted.
Any mixture containing paraffin wax *must* include a plasticizer, such as petrolatum. Microcrystalline petroleum waxes may be used as-is.
The 1:3 beeswax/tallow mixture (or any composition composed mainly of tallow) is probably the most traditional choice for "primitive" shooters.
The 8:1 mixture is rather stiff, and better suited to conicals, paper cartridges, and the like.


Woody

 

[Halftail]

Justmike,
I called them and they only sell it by the case......$190 Canadian.I might try and talk the local hardware store into getting a case.

 

[DanWalker]

Thanks Stumpy - never would have thought of that! Re: Ballistol. Some (make that many) claim that it does stink. To me it is a smell that grows on you (kind of like BP?), so it is not offensive to me at all. In fact, I kind of like it.

 

[eat moose meat]

Spit,it's free, I seen to have a never ending supply,and its PC. :thumbsup:

 

[windriver]

:m2c: i was very happy with Crisco or spit but since i tried Stumpkiller's Moose Milk i have converted that is the best patch lube period for cleaning i use 1/2 alcohol 1/2 merphies oil sope for storage wd40 workes for me

Never heard of Moose Snot or Milk, but since there's a decided shortage of moose in our area, will have to pass on this. For years I've lubed my patch material by ripping pillow ticking into one inch strips and frying them in Crisco. Seems to work for me, but I have to do this when the wife is out shopping. She seems to think that stir-frying cloth strips is a bit over the top. :youcrazy:

For lubing after cleaning I use Bore Butter. I'm open to anything that is better.

 

[Stumpkiller]

The wife will never know you made moose milk - no heating required. Melting the beeswax for Moose Snot smells good.

It's not better than Bore Butter, but seems to be as good, and that's all I hoped for. Plus, it's cheaper & home-made. :redthumb:



Stumpy's Moose Milk

A general purpose blackpowder solvent and liquid patch lube. Shake well before using

Castor Oil 3 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.
Witch Hazel 4 oz.
Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 8 oz.
Water (non-chlorinated) 16 oz.

I dip my patching in this twice and let it dry between. Makes a semi-dry patch material that's easy to carry & use. If you don't mind carrying a little bottle it's a GREAT liquid lube as is.


Stumpy's Moose Snot

A premium multi-shot between wiping (10+) patch lube stable over a wide temperature range.
SPECIFICALLY designed for use of patched round balls in a loading block

Beeswax 2 oz.
Castor Oil 8 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.


Heat beeswax in a soup can set a pot of water. ( A double-boiler. I keep my beeswax in a one pound coffee can and measure out what I need by melting it and pouring it into measuring cups). Add just enough water so the inner can does not begin to float (should be just short of the lube level in the can). Heat the water to a low boil. In a separate can, add the castor oil and Murphy's oil soap (cold). Once the beeswax is melted, swap the castor oil can in the pot of water for the beeswax. Add the beeswax to the oils. It will clump up. Stir with an ice tea spoon as the mixture heats up. When it fully melts there will be a scum that floats to the top and just won't mix in. Be patient. DO NOT COOK THE MIXTURE. Once the solids are dissolved there is no need to heat further. Skim the scum off. Remove the mix from the heat and wipe the water off the outside (so it won't drip into the container when you pour it out). FINAL TOP SECRET STEP: Add a teaspoon of Murphy's Oil Soap and stir vigorously. This last step makes the lube frothy and smooth - really adds to the appearance; though it doesn't seem to matter to the function of the lube. Clamp the can in the jaws of a vice-grip pliers and pour into the waiting tins. Allow to cool a half hour.

Note: it if is a hinged tin - line the edge that has the hinges with a strip of aluminum foil so it doesn't ooze out before it cools.

 

[musketman]

Don't laugh to much, but I used to use K-Y jelly, before I started using Stumpy's Moose Milk. It's primary use was for stuffin anyway. ( :youcrazy: :crackup: :relaxon't go there)

LOL, Kentucky Jelly... :thumbsup:

 

Grape. Strawberry. or Blackberry :crackup:

Woody

 

[riverrat43]

Has anyone here tried plain ol Lehigh Valley Lube to wet patches and then let them dry like the moose milk method? I recall mixing up some moose milk with water soluable oil, Murphys, denatured alcohol and water. Soaked the patches( pillow ticking) , let them dry. Forgot about them for about 4 months and then found them. They felt kinda "slick" so I used a couple at the range. They came out on fire! Had to put a grass fire out downrange. Musta let 'em dry out too much.

 

FIRE FIRE !!!!!!!!! Call Smokey da Bear :crackup:

 

[sse]

OK, Griz, got a question for ya.

Why does every other little bottle of lubricant in the world cost 5 bucks and a little bottle of Rem oil cost 10 bucks??

(if ya know)

Regards, sse

 

[Griz]

They probably buy those little $5.00 bottles and pour them into their pretty green bottles with "Remington" on them and they become $10.00 bottles of oil. I honestly do not know. but I do know it is good oil and does not let rust get into my barrel. I've tried Hoppes gun oil and it left rust in :nono: :nono: What kind of oil do you use after cleaning?
Hey, that 80 # of fat in your signature.....if I take off my shirt I too have 80 Lbs. of beared fat hanging out. Is that what your talking about? :crackup:

 

[sse]

I use bore butter. I know some people have had real problems with it, but I think it contains a lot of the same stuff that guys make themselves or is available commercially. I check fairly often, too, to make sure there are no problems. If you do this fairly often, I don't see the point of a long term storage application. ??

I will start using bear oil as soon as the hunk I got defrosts enough to work with.

This close to spring a lot of "my" bear fat is consumed!

Regards, sse