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Lube for conical out of a rifle

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[GF]Burke

32 Cal
Joined
Sep 17, 2020
Messages
27
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Location
Nampa
Hey guys. I'm new. I got down the round ball and testing with that. Will practice and see what works best.
I have maxi ball and mini ball molds on the way. What is the 'cheap guy' 'easy' way to do a conical? My understanding is - powder, a wad, then a lubed bullet.
I'm not trying to win competitions, but what do guys use on the fly and on a budget for lubing them? If I can do some off-grid type stuff, that would be better. Like tallow, etc. Just some ideas would be helpful.
This is out of a TC Renegade Hunter 50cal single trigger. Barrel: 26” octagonal, 1:48 twist. Using RS.
Thanks.
 
My understanding is powder, lubed bullet, shoot. I have never used a wad of any kind and got great accuracy out of my CVA Bobcat and Hornady Great Plains Bullets.

Anyone else?
 
You can make inexpensive lube with 70-75% wax and 25_30% veggie oil heated enough to congeal together. Makes a good all around lube.
 
I used deer tallow/bees wax/olive oil blend with good success but cannot remember the exact mixture right now. Remember the mixture will be contingent upon the ambient temps where you live. Too soft it will run, too hard it will be brittle.
Walk
 
For conicals, I like something such as 50/50 beeswax and olive oil, OR even more beeswax, say 70/30.
You get some sort of container. Some use a baking tin, and then put the bullets on that, nose up. Pour the melted lube into the ban, deep enough to cover the lube grooves, and then let it harden. Remove the bullets and voila, done.

Lubed Bullets 3.jpg


LD
 
Right on, thanks. So it's about filling the grooves, not just spraying on some lube.
I saw one youtuber that got horrible results from filling both grooves on the maxi. Then he just filled the lower groove and accuracy went way up. I guess all guns are different though.
 
For conicals, I like something such as 50/50 beeswax and olive oil, OR even more beeswax, say 70/30.
You get some sort of container. Some use a baking tin, and then put the bullets on that, nose up. Pour the melted lube into the ban, deep enough to cover the lube grooves, and then let it harden. Remove the bullets and voila, done.

View attachment 44015

LD
How do you remove those frpm the lube so cleanly? I have a .58 R.E.A.L. mold and can find no such thing as a "cutter of .58 caliber to remove them.
 
Take your REAL to the hardware store and find a piece of pipe or pipe fitting that is as close as possible to your REAL(without removing lead) as you can. Then grind the edge so it is sharp.
 
Take your REAL to the hardware store and find a piece of pipe or pipe fitting that is as close as possible to your REAL(without removing lead) as you can. Then grind the edge so it is sharp.
Have one I made from copper pipe. It does the job but not nearly as clean as those pictured. I am wondering if freezing them and pushing them out? Maybe the tapered design of the R.E.A.L. makes it so they will never be very clean and neat?
 
I saw a dude on youtube that after they set, warm them up again just slightly. Then they drop out after lifting the whole pie out.
 
I bought a whole set of plastic funnels at the dollar store fot a buck.

Anyway, drop a maxi into the top of the funnl base first and obseve the position of the base. Cut the funnel off a little on the small side of the base and then work it down until the funnl will just slide over the bullet with a little effort. The bullets will accumulate in the top of the funnel.

A quality lube designed for BPCR is a good choice.

The reason for filling the grooves completely is because when the powder goes off the bullet will upset (get wider and shorter) and filled lube grooves will have the lube under pressure which will help prevent leading.

Also, you may or may not experience leading with conicals in a ml gun. It’s a good idea to assume leading and work the barrel hard with some mediun coarse steel wool after initial cleaning with water.
 
A lot of opinions and formulas out there. I have used paperpatched conicals for a number of years, but when I use a blackpowder bullet lube, I use one published in a 1943 NRA American Rifleman Magazine. Started using it in the 1970s and have no reason to use any other lube today. I am sure some will argue about it’s effectiveness, but this formula was published when there were still a lot of original blackpowder guns in use. And it has worked great for me. As I was told, 40% Mutton Tallow, 40% Paraffin, 20% Pure Beeswax. I’ve used rendered lamb fat as a substitute (bride likes lamb chops) with almost as good results as with mutton tallow, at least in my opinion. Have gotten last few pounds of mutton tallow from Durofelt, but there are other suppliers. In cold weather I may add a bit of olive oil to soften it up a bit. Another option that I know others like is beeswax and olive oil, mixed until you get the consistency you like. Add some Murphy’s Oil Soap for a ‘creamier’ mix. You can pickup beeswax at places like Hobby Lobby (use their weekly 40% coupon).
 
Sweet. Stuff to try. Well my lady handed me a few lbs of beesewax. So we did bees/olive oil mix. Try'r out.
 
Also, you may or may not experience leading with conicals in a ml gun. It’s a good idea to assume leading and work the barrel hard with some mediun coarse steel wool after initial cleaning with water.

Really! you’re telling this guy that steel wool in a barrel is a good idea? Copper scouring pad maximum, unless you can afford new barrels regularly. As for lube 70/30 beeswax/crico.(Trex in UK). Dip to the first groove, drain on greaseproof paper. The barrel will remove any excess. Baby wipes and paper towels keep my hand grease free. Different in the field I know but I’m not that lucky. My home made sizer removes my excess lube.
I bought a whole set of plastic funnels at the dollar store fot a buck.

Anyway, drop a maxi into the top of the funnl base first and obseve the position of the base. Cut the funnel off a little on the small side of the base and then work it down until the funnl will just slide over the bullet with a little effort. The bullets will accumulate in the top of the funnel.

A quality lube designed for BPCR is a good choice.

The reason for filling the grooves completely is because when the powder goes off the bullet will upset (get wider and shorter) and filled lube grooves will have the lube under pressure which will help prevent leading.

Also, you may or may not experience leading with conicals in a ml gun. It’s a good idea to assume leading and work the barrel hard with some mediun coarse steel wool after initial cleaning with water.

Really! You’re telling him to put steel wool down his barrel? Pure copper scouring pad at most, but I use a bronze brush although my 70/30 beeswax/crisco keeps leading to a minimum. I dip my bullets, bottom groove only, and dry on some greaseproof paper, my home made sizer removes the excess and part fills the other grooves. Almost everyone will find their own way and that’s what makes this sport so much fun. Let us know how you get on.
 
Has anybody tried unsalted peanut butter instead of unsalted lard or shortening?
No, I'm not joking. It's one of those things I've been meaning to get around to trying out.
Who knows but it might be the cat's meow.
 
Really! you’re telling this guy that steel wool in a barrel is a good idea? Copper scouring pad maximum, unless you can afford new barrels regularly. As for lube 70/30 beeswax/crico.(Trex in UK). Dip to the first groove, drain on greaseproof paper. The barrel will remove any excess. Baby wipes and paper towels keep my hand grease free. Different in the field I know but I’m not that lucky. My home made sizer removes my excess lube.


Really! You’re telling him to put steel wool down his barrel? Pure copper scouring pad at most, but I use a bronze brush although my 70/30 beeswax/crisco keeps leading to a minimum. I dip my bullets, bottom groove only, and dry on some greaseproof paper, my home made sizer removes the excess and part fills the other grooves. Almost everyone will find their own way and that’s what makes this sport so much fun. Let us know how you get on.

Yup, learned that from the best Scheutzen competitors in the US. Right on down the bore of their multi thousand dollar barrels. They just kept on winning. :) the copper chore boy works too but being coarse they may not get into the edges of the grooves.


Sorry Mod. My Ipad crashed. Double post a definite foxes pass!🥴

No shortage of fox paws around here. :)
 
Here is what I did for a rough bore in a .54 cal. T/C Renegade and it worked;



Before doing this I could only load the gun twice, third time was really hard to get the ball down the barrel. So after second shot I would have to swab the barrel. After trying this method I could shoot 8 - 10 or more without having to swab the barrel.
 
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