OIL and FOULING

[Stumpkiller]

Good work Zonie.

In my playing around with castor oil I learned it is insoluable in water, but is soluable in alcohol. So, if you want to remove it from metal, wipe with alcohol.

Why do we do these experiments? Because we can! Don't assume because it comes in a blister pack with a bar code that it is an improvement over anything natural. When I did some steel rust testing with powder fouling THE WORSE rust (I mean it started in hours) was the spot wiped with T/C #13 Bore Cleaner. Worse than tap water for protection.

Suprisingly straight Murphy's Oil Soap was one of the better rust preventatives.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Oldwolf: Are you cleaning the barrel out of that CLP before taking it out to the range? I mean, are you using something like alcohol, to get that stuff out of the barrel? If not, that can cause the problem you are having. That is not to say that CLP is bad for the barrel. It may be a good preservative for storing the bore.

Have you tried OP wads, or " bore buttons ", or fillers, under that PRB to protect the patch from burning?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I use Birchwood-Casey Sheath for storage and before shooting I wipe with an alcohol patch and then a dry patch to clean it out. I also tip my rifle muzzle down for a day after applying it so it doesn't pool at the breech.

Before shooting I wipe the bore with a lubed patch to slick it up well before the first shot. I have convinced myself that step makes the first shot more consistant, makes the next few loadings easier and also makes ultimate cleaning faster.

 

[oldwolf]

Oldwolf: Are you cleaning the barrel out of that CLP before taking it out to the range? I mean, are you using something like alcohol, to get that stuff out of the barrel? If not, that can cause the problem you are having. That is not to say that CLP is bad for the barrel. It may be a good preservative for storing the bore.

Have you tried OP wads, or " bore buttons ", or fillers, under that PRB to protect the patch from burning?

No, I have only been taking a dry patch and wiping the bore prior to shooting it. I am sure CLP is a superior preservative, but I now wonder if I should take your advice and clean the bore with alcohol prior to going to the range. I could follow the alcohol wipe with olive oil to protect it for the short term, if, for example, my plans change and I can’t make it to the range for a week or so.

Yesterday, I began experimenting with “double patching” and it seemed to work, however my test was abbreviated. The first double patch shot high, which may be normal as Sam Fadala reported higher velocities when double patching his guns, with no burning of the patch around the ball.

However, my test didn’t get too far, as I alluded to above, because the added complexity of inserting a second patch so thoroughly befuddled my brain that I forgot to first add the powder charge to my follow up loading. :shake: :redface:

So, I had to cut it short and go home to pull the dry ball.

 

[paulvallandigham]

And I thought only I still did things like that, Old Wolf! :rotf:

I would definitely recommend that you clean the CLP out of the barrel with alcohol, and then use something like Olive Oil, or WD 40 to preserve the bore to the range. As long as WD40 is not left in the barrel long enough to congeal, it should burn out fairly easily. Better yet, take a bottle of rubbing alcohol with you to the range, and just clean the CLP out before you begin shooting. Skip the Olive oil or WD40.

For the field, I carry the alcohol bottle in the car and clean the barrel when I get out of the car/truck, to begin my hunt. I load the barrel after drying it, and then run a lubed patch( here is where the Olive oil comes in) with Wonderlube, to lube the barrel from the PRB to the muzzle. That protects the bore from rusting during the day, and gives the barrel extra lube so that the residue stays as soft as it would be if I were hunting in the hot summers here. Hunting here is a Fall activity, and in the morning, its usually cold, and the air is dry to foggy. If it were squirrel hunting season in the early Fall, I would be prepared to clean my barrel with both wet and dry patches after each shot. As someone said, If I were in need ever of a fast follow up shot, I would not be hunting with a muzzle loader.

 

[Thunderchild]

This is great stuff. :thumbsup:


Any thoughts on how peanut oil would fair as a patch lube.

I have thought about trying it.

TC

 

[sniper68]

Been using Beeswax and Peanut oil since the early 60's.. :grin: :thumbsup:
sniper

 

[roundball]

So, I had to cut it short and go home to pull the dry ball.

Well, unless you're an extremely unusual guy, you might as well plan on dry-balling again and take whatever you need to the range with you. Usually you can just shoot them out with a little powder worked in behind the ball if you have a patent breech, other wise a ball puller on a ramrod with pinned ends, or a CO2 load discharger work well.

With this being your first dry-ball experience you're just a novice...an apprentice dry-baller if you will.

I on the other hand, have mastered the art of dry-balling, to include clearing one dry-ball and immediately dry-balling again...so I enjoy the title of Senior Dry-Baller...and have a great deal of hands-on experience removing them by shooting them out, using a ball puller, and using a CO2 discharger...all of which work fine.

 

[Semisane]

I on the other hand, have mastered the art of dry-balling, to include clearing one dry-ball and immediately dry-balling again...so I enjoy the title of Senior Dry-Baller

Dang roundball, did that myself with my Zouave about two months ago. Thought I was the only double-consecutive-dry-baller in the whole world. Have been keeping that dirty little secret to myself. Now I find that I'm a Senior Dry-Baller I feel much better.
:thumbsup:

 

[oldwolf]

With this being your first dry-ball experience you're just a novice...an apprentice dry-baller if you will.

Actually, and this is not being boastful :haha: , I have had 4 dry ball experiences. I found that soaking the barrel in hot water for a while allows the lube to soften making it easier to pull.

This was the first time I pulled a dry ball with my new .017 patches though. Actually, after the ticking was washed and dried it measured .020. It's a bit harder to short start than the .015 patches I had, but not by too much.

 

[arkrivco]

Very interesting thread! This forum is awesome!
I use Rem oil(sorry!) to protect the bore after cleaning. I then(as many have already said) clean the bore with alcohol before shooting. This has never hurt my patterning. I use Breakfree CLP for all my cleaning with regular shotguns. I would love to see Rem oil and Breakfree CLP added to this test using Black Powder as the propellant as I am not the only one to use petroleum based lubricants to protect the bore between shooting sessions.
Thanks! :thumbsup:

arkrivco

"love those old guns!"

 

[Zonie]

arkrivco: Sorry, but my testing is done.
I do hope no one takes my test results to mean that they shouldn't use modern petroleum products to protect their guns. That wasn't the aim of my testing. In fact, I use, and will continue to use Birchwood Casey Sheath/Barricade to protect all of my muzzle loading guns. It works great.

The important thing I hope people learn from my tests is they should never use petroleum oils for patch lubes and they should always wipe any petroleum oils they have used to protect their guns out with a good oil cutting fluid before they load and shoot their guns.

 

[arkrivco]

Thanks for the reply. Such discussions allow for experimentation and tinkering as we all try and make improvements in our sport.

arkrivco

"love those old guns" :wink:

 

[Melton Kidd]

there have been references to using ballistol as a patch lube. Ballistol contains emulsified mineral oil. Mineral oil is a patroleum . My question is, has anyone had problems using Ballistol as a patch lube? If so what were they. I can understand how engine oil or transmision fluid would cause cleaning problems because they are formulated to resist heat and pressure and to not wipe off. However I would be intrested in first hand experience with mineral oil especialy emulsified with soap and water.

 

[deanscamaro]

Zonie, you keep this up and you might dispel a lot of urban legends. You didn't say it, but it looked like Bore Butter, left in the barrel after a round of shooting to protect from rust (which I have read is a method that a lot of people on this forum follow), doesn't need to be wiped out before the next shoot, unless I am reading your results wrong.
:hmm:

 

[deanscamaro]

Why don't you ask for some funding from bpb, as he seemed to be really enthralled by your experiments.
:rotf: :rotf:

 

[billandbeaufort]

Marmot oil!

Interesting test. I've been shooting castor oil thinned with alcohol. Looks like veg oil will clean up just fine and cost less $$.

How about olive oil and peanut oil?

Peanut Butter works great but makes me hungry! :rotf:

 

[Dalekg6]

Hi,

Good tests Zonie. I was thinking of doing something similar but haven't got around to it yet. Maybe this evening, yeh right! I'll try.

Wiping one side with water is good but I was thinking it would be good to try wiping the other side with the same product as what is on the metal at that spot rather than soap and water. I often wipe the bore with the same stuff I use as a lube.

Dale

 

[Dalekg6]

Well I tried to do a similar test this afternoon. I used some common lubes and gun cleaners I had handy. I couldn't tell any difference in any of them as far as cleanability was concerned. Maybe there was a slight advantage for olive oil but nothing conclusive like Zonie's tests. The only notable difference in procedure was that I used 10gr of Goex FFg. And I used a plate of standard uncoated steel sheet metal. Maybe the difference was between Zonie's Arizona and my damp cool day in Indiana.

Since I didn't get anything conclusive I set the metal plate outside to see what rusts.

Dale

 

[eaglesnester]

Try paying over 31 bucks a pound like up here in Canada for trip 7. :cursing: ff