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DuroFelt

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Blackfingers

40 Cal.
Joined
Jun 21, 2012
Messages
380
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11
Location
North Tonawanda, NY
Placed an order for felt the other day, confirmation came last night. In it was info on Tallow and Lanolin for lubing patches and wads. Anyone have a comment on these things? I have an order from another source for beeswax. Which is better? Blackfingers :confused:
 
They'll all work (although I have never used lanolin by itself). Tallow either used alone, or mixed with wax, will get awfully stiff in cold weather. I switched to mink oil, which stays soft in the cold, a long time ago. The felt wads I lube with mink oil, stay flexible, and load much easier in cold weather.

Might be worth experimenting with the lanolin though. If you have some throw in in the fridge, and the freezer to see how it responds at low temp. I have a feeling it might get a little too soft in the warmer months though. Hopefully someone will chime in who has more experience with it.
 
hmmm, never even thought of that. I don't know exactly what is in it. Probably a mix of mink oil and other ingredients. I don't "think" there are any petroleum products in it, but I would definitely want to find out before using it for a lube.

Might be worth a shot if you have a lot of it. I use it myself for leather goods, and it is about the same consistency as pure mink oil.
 
OK! Went to the garage to get the tub of Pecard, freezing outside but the stuff isn't rock hard. Ingredients are "all natural" but contains "petroleum distillates", sounds sort of conflicting. What do you think, Forrest?
 
I guess I would prefer if it didn't have the distillates in it, but it would probably work ok. They must add a little solvent to the mix to get the oil to absorb into leather easier.

It's not really going to harm anything per se, but if you notice you are getting some nasty fouling, that is hard to clean out I would stop using it. I'm sure it is a pretty small percentage of the mix, so it probably won't matter. Since you already have it, I would try it.

The way I lube my felt wads, is to melt a small container (about shoe polish sized can) of my mink oil in some hot water. Once it's melted, I pick up a felt wad by just grasping a few fibers on the top of the wad with a needle nose pliers. I dip it in the melted lube, and give it no more than "one Mississippi". The felt will absorb the warm lube pretty quick, and it doesn't take much. If they soak longer, all it does is waste lube, and make the wad heavier. The advantage of the felt wads is that they are soft, flexible, and light. Too much lube defeats that.

happy shooting
 
The anhydrous lanolin that I have is MUCH stiffer than mink oil even at room temperature. It looks like a brown grease, so if you have "lanolin" that appears white, its an emulsion (contains water)
 
I have used old wool coats that are 100 % wool. They are about 1/8 inch thick. I use them when shooting 12g over shot card and on the trade gun over powder and under ball. Is thicker felt better or will the wool work just as good
 
Ike said:
I have used old wool coats that are 100 % wool. They are about 1/8 inch thick. I use them when shooting 12g over shot card and on the trade gun over powder and under ball. Is thicker felt better or will the wool work just as good

I've settled on 1/8" felt as well. I've tried 1/4" and 3/8", but found the 1/8" patterns better in my guns. I use the thicker stuff for loading in cartridges for the type of guns we are not allowed to talk about here.

My general load is: powder, 1/8" nitro card, 1/8" felt, shot, overshot card. This throws a very nice and even cylinder pattern at 20-25 yards in my guns.
 
I don't think Wonder Wads terribly dense, so wool washed in hot water (felted) might work just fine if thick enough.

In my 12 bore, I use (2) 10ga Wonder Wads over the powder, shot in a brown paper shotcup, and then an over shot card.

Why 10ga? Because I bought quite a supply of them for not much $ and they work.
 
I have some beeswax coming Monday, anyway I punched 1/8" thick felt wads in .50, .54 and .58, lubed the 58's with Pecard, the 54's with Bore Butter and the 50's will get the beeswax next week. Now, just have to find time for the range. :2 Blackfingers
 
I use 1/8 felt lubed with my minnie lube, 5 parts beeswax to 1 part tallow. I am thinking of using 1/4 wads in my 3rd model dragoon, as I currently use 1 x 1/4 wads. They work a treat, in my Navy colt. Durofelt is good gear.
 
I make my own Mathews lube for black powder bullets but SPG works real well with durofelt wads as it will melt into them.
Mathews lube is harder to get soaked into the wads before it sponifies and sets up.
 
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