lube

what do you use to lube a mini or maxi ball when shooting them

I no longer shoot conicals, but when I did I used good old Crisco successfully.

I use a 50/50 mix of lambs tallow and beeswax fot the minie balls that I shoot. Also use that for the few times that I shoot the REAL bullets.

I use a mixture of beeswax and salt free lard.50/50 for hot weather, 80%lard 20% beeswax for cold weather.

I pan lube my maxi balls using BP-01 from White Label Lube at www.lsstuff.com.

Been awhile since I shot conicals, but I used 50/50 beeswax & crisco.

SPG plus 4 oz. Stihl HP Synthetic, plus 4 oz. Jojoba oil.

Bees Wax and Sweet Oil 50/50 mix

Beeswax/lard 50/50 with teaspoon lanolin

curious about the source for "lard" and where you get it....also is Crisco the same as "lard".....apologize for the ignorance, but I grew up in a very "healthy" household, and I haven't actually used either of them to cook with for my entire life.

Brownie said:

what do you use to lube a mini or maxi ball when shooting them

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Depends on which rifle. The basic mix is 50/50 cheapest olive oil and beeswax. IF it's hot weather, then I will sometimes make that 40/60because that 50/50 mix can be sticky at temps in the upper 90's. IF it's really cold out, at freezing or below, I often do the opposite 60/40 or even 75/25. Helps if it's isn't rock-hard AND I use the stuff as well on other parts of the rifle. I've even used the 75/25 for skin protection when the wind was too brisk in cold weather.

I've found the easiest is to put the bullets into a pie tin and make the lube and pour it in, allowing it to harden before removing the bullets. Here is what I'm writing about in a photo I got off the internet.



LD

ELewis said:

curious about the source for "lard" and where you get it....also is Crisco the same as "lard".....apologize for the ignorance, but I grew up in a very "healthy" household, and I haven't actually used either of them to cook with for my entire life.

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Crisco is vegetable based. Lard is animal based like tallow. I was doing a bit of a deep dive several years back in researching lube when I ran across a thread on another forum about Crisco and a change in accuracy after they changed the formula to make it more "healthy". Well it might be more healthy but there was a noticable decline in accuracy in loads that revolved around Crisco. I decided to put it to a head to head test and lard won in all but 2 of my guns. As with any black powder load, you'll have to experiment with your guns to see.

Brownie said:

what do you use to lube a mini or maxi ball when shooting them

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Crisco

I've been saying for years that I was going to save and render deer fat to tallow and I never do. Lord I'm lazy.

deer tallow and olive oil works great for a patch lube, haven't tried it for bullets.

Start with crisco and add either beeswax (firm/stiffen/harden) or lanolin (make sticky). 50/50 beeswax/crisco w/o lanolin is OK for hot florida summer time, stayed "right" when bore butter would litterally pour out as a liquid.

Be aware if you go mixing your own (and you probably should) that the beeswax and crisco will separate as it cools, so you need to stir it constantly while it solidifies. And you don't want to chill/ice bath it to speed the process.

50/50 olive oil beeswax ratio may varey depending on how it sets up. Seems not all olive oil and beeswax ends up the exact same consistency for some reason..... Who knows maybe I can't measure lol

ELewis said:

curious about the source for "lard" and where you get it....also is Crisco the same as "lard".....apologize for the ignorance, but I grew up in a very "healthy" household, and I haven't actually used either of them to cook with for my entire life.

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Many grocery stores have one pound tubs of pure unsalted lard in the refrigerated section. Should be near the butter.

Great for lube and soap.

I use MCM lube:

https://www.northeasttradeco.com/online-store/MCM-BULLET-LUBE-Tubs-p68731540

Bees wax, un-salted lard or crisco and a splash of olive oil. As stated adjust the amount of bees wax to compensate for the heat or cold. Wanna get fancy a splash of liquid candy flavoring (your choice) smells nice and is good for chaped lips. its not rocket science. They tell me bear oil, grease works good also. Next bear might give it a go.