Grease Hole Filling?

[Bon Sauvage]

Especially when you fill it with peanut butter to attract them.

 

[Adui]

~SNIP~ There has to be a good reason why they were used, since it's historically correct.

Um.. without getting too political or religious, there are lots of things that are historically correct and still wrong.. A good example would be the belief that dirt protects one from germs, once a common belief in the old world and why society didn't bathe as a general rule for a time..

Some things were used not because it worked well, but because no one had yet done the scientific research to figure out it was a bad idea...

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Yeah I can really see that and it's a neat feature on an old time squirrel or southern gun. I'd do like some and keep a patch on it to keep grit out, could be nasty firing any sort of grit down the bore.

 

[coloradoclyde]

A good example would be the belief that dirt protects one from germs,

Actually,....It does, or it can.... :haha:

Many antibiotics are derived from soil bacteria, fungi, and Streptomyces.

And then there are phages.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Yeah I can really see that and it's a neat feature on an old time squirrel or southern gun. I'd do like some and keep a patch on it to keep grit out, could be nasty firing any sort of grit down the bore.

Regarding grit, sand, or dust getting into your lube. I always figured if it's dusty enough for dirt to get into your lube, it's dusty enough for dirt to get down the barrel on it's own too...

I tend to use a stiff lube, this greatly minimizes the chance of dirt contamination. It also make debris removal easy too.

 

[Griz44Mag]

After getting up top speed on a grease hole, don't think there is any way I am going to pump a hole in my stock full of gunk, of any thickness....
I'll just put it on my patches before sending them down the bore, from my handy little tin filled with lubed patches.

 

[SDSmlf]

Have seen military literature where while in battle extra lead balls were to be kept in the combatants’ mouths. It is HC. Good reason why it was done - quick reload..... I’m not signing up, even if HC.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Have seen military literature where while in battle extra lead balls were to be kept in the combatants’ mouths. It is HC. Good reason why it was done - quick reload..... I’m not signing up, even if HC.

That's because you're not in combat.....If the enemy was charging you I suspect you would also have a mouth full of lead balls and maybe even swallow one or two.... :wink:

Everything has context.... :haha:

 

[coloradoclyde]

There has to be a good reason why they were used, since it's historically correct.

I suspect that back in the day they didn't have or have easy access to small tins or plastic containers to store patch grease in, like we do today. Thus the grease hole was implemented to keep a greasy mess out of your shooting bag.

make sense why they are typically found on poorer rifles too.

 

[Gene L]

Yes, and they didn't have bore butter and olive oil. Tallow would work just fine. I've got one .32 which I may bore a tallow hole just for the heck of it.

I also wonder how much real wear a minute grain of grit would do on a rifle barrel during the life of a rifle. Sure it's possible, but to me not worth the worry.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I've got one .32 which I may bore a tallow hole just for the heck of it.

.

Friendly advice if you do.
Use a drill press and a forstner bit, Tape the stock so the wood doesn't chip, Accurately measure the thickness if the stock and us a depth gauge stop on the press so you don't over drill.

You only get one chance to get it right....Also, stain the inside of the hole when done, or it will always be lighter colored than the rest of the stock. It won't take stain after you put lube in it.

It helps to have a friend to help support the gun when drilling.

I made my hole the same size as a patch, Looks good for .45 cal. not sure if you could do that with a .32 though.....You can always cut a circle out of masking tape and stick it to the stock for a visual.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Do you leave that center punch dimple from the Forstner bit there, or stop shallower, and dig the wood out so the dimple doesn't continue to show on the finished hole? That's the way I did it for my PB cavity. Stop shallow, and then dig.

 

[Black Hand]

Do you leave that center punch dimple from the Forstner bit there, or stop shallower, and dig the wood out so the dimple doesn't continue to show on the finished hole? That's the way I did it for my PB cavity. Stop shallow, and then dig.

If you look inside patchbox cavities on originals, you will see the dimples - work smarter, not harder...

 

[coloradoclyde]

I leave it.....I also account for the extra depth when drilling, especially on thin buttstocks.

Once grease is in the hole you can't see it.

I think chiseling in the hole could lead to potential problems....Like, OOPS!... :shocked2:

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Were grease holes still put in during the percussion era?

I know many here don't like the percussion guns but since this is the "general" section I figured it was okay to mention them.

 

[Zonie]

Sure it's ok to mention percussion guns on the forum.

As for grease holes, the few original guns I've seen that had grease holes in the side of the stock butt were percussion from the day they were built.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I know many here don't like the percussion guns but since this is the "general" section I figured it was okay to mention them.

You're confused.....We all love percussion guns....and flint guns....and matchlocks and wheel locks.....Anything designed before the end of the Civil War.

Just don't mention modern inlines,.... :wink:

 

[jon math]

Grease holes were also sometimes made in a square shape or a teardrop shape as well. I’d assume those would have been carved or mortise chiseled out of the stock. I put one in a Southern Mountain shotgun I built based on a description in Webb’s book and I’m not unhappy with it, I may add one to my squirrel rifle I like it so much.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I think most folks are just hung up on aesthetics and would have no problem with a hole that was covered by fancy shiny brass. Of course, covering the hole reduces it's ease of functionality IMO.

As for the grit issue, I've dropped my grease tin with the lid off more than once and it always lands face down as well as greased patches and a roll of pre-lubed ticking.

Since I rub the grease into the patch with my thumb, I can feel any grit or debris large enough to be of concern.

 

[jon math]

You just invented the mountain man’s corollary to Murphy’s Law of buttered bread; it always lands buttered side down! I have a pretty defined gag reflex and putting a patch on my tongue and wetting it for a spit patch is usually enough to get me retching. Loading off a bench I’m fine with a tin of grease and components spread out, but loading out of the pouch I can see the advantages of the grease hole especially when hunting something that requires more than one shot a day.