old balls

[tjohnson56]

Odd topic, hey? I have two T/C's a Renegade and a New Englander that I bought about 17 years ago and have shot very little, maybe a 100 rounds each in that time. But I'm getting the itch to use them. The ? I have is, I've got about 50 to 70 Hornady balls in a box that seem to have gone from bright to a dull gray with almost a white film on them. Were these balls lubed and it's the lube that is turning color? Should I rub some natural lube 1000 on them? I also have some old prelubed patches that are T/C natural lube 1000, should I relube the patches a little before I use them. It seems to me if the patch is greasy enough it can't be dangerous to use them, can it?

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Apache,

That grey and white is just oxidation. (rust) It won't affect your shootin them. I would re-lube those patches though. GW

 

[tjohnson56]

Thanks GW, should I just wipe off the balls with a rag or something? And how much lube should I put on the patches? Just a dab and rub it in on the barrel side of the patch? These patches came with natural lube 1000 on them and I do have a tube or two of that so thats what I'll probably use.

 

[renovato]

Definately wipe the oxidation off if you can. Shooting it can cause it to disperse into the air nearby, and breathing it ain't good fer ya. It doesn't hurt the balls any though. I've shot a bunch of oxidized ones that I found after a move. I must have had them for about 30 years. They shot fine.

 

[tjohnson56]

Thanks Plink, I'll do that.

 

[Mountainman56]

Just shoot em through a target or a critter. Cleans em right up.

 

[playfarmers]

Give the balls a spray of WD-40 and role them around on a rag, good as new. I have seen old patchs detiorate, so I would toss them.

 

[bwhoffman]

Give the balls a spray of WD-40 and role them around on a rag, good as new. I have seen old patchs detiorate, so I would toss them.

:thumbsup: or in an old sock!

 

[Swampman]

That's what I do. :thumbsup:

 

[boar]

When they have the white film they are oxidized, which means they are harder then when made. I keep mine in a sealed jar. If it were me they would go back to the melting pot. Dilly

 

[tjohnson56]

I don't have a melting pot. Are you saying it might be hard on on the rifling?

And thanks to all.

 

[Geraldo]

I just shoot them as is. Haven't noticed any difference in how they shoot or perform.

If you're real worried, I'll dispose of them for you :wink:

 

[Zonie]

The whitish gray and white stuff is Lead Oxide, commonly known as "white lead".
It was the main ingredient in house paints until some folks got the idea that it would cause brain damage in kids.
Now folks have to pay big bucks to crews dressed in spacesuit like cloths to scrape their houses old paint. (Talk about over reacting!)

The new paints use Titanium Oxide for the white base color which explains why paint went from $10/gal to $25/gal.


There is no doubt that lead, white or otherwise isn't good for a person to eat so if you wipe it off of the balls it is best to wash your hands well and throw the rag away.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

:shake:

 

[smo]

Zonie , 25 bucks a gallon is the cheap stuff! I have used thousands of gallons of paint that ran a $125.00 a gallon & more! But I will have to say that "the lead scare" is the least of anyone's worry .Do a little investagating there are alot more things in the old paint than just lead.Alot of it contained the "A" word! :v Now that is what I call TROUBLE. :hatsoff:

 

[Zonie]

Not "the A word"!!

Oh PLEASE tell me he didn't use the "A" word !!!

Living proof that "A little knowledge can be dangerous." (A lot of knowledge permits making sound rational decisions).

If anyone is still trying to figure out what the "A" word is, please get a good seat (and a stiff drink wouldn't hurt either). This is going to be brutal.



Asbestos.

 

[torn moc]

DIDNT our current President refer to asbestos
law suits as "FRIVOLOUS"
now there is a new word for ya.....
I guess it means that you cant walk 10 feet without Gasping and you cant fall asleep at night because your lungs are Wheezing so loud when you lay down....
I guess thats what it means cuz I have asbestosis.....THE BIG "A" WORD AGAIN....
But President shrub says it frivolous....
I got " F" WORD FOR HIM TOO.....

 

[Claude Mathis]

Give the balls a spray of WD-40 and role them around on a rag, good as new.

:thumbsup:

 

[tjohnson56]

Thanks Claude, I'll do that. Already tried to just wipe them off with a sock, it helped a lot but did not make them look like new.

I'm just trying to get into muzzle loading after owning 2 for a long time and not making use of them. I'll have a lot of ?'s for you folks tween now and fall. Hoping to paste a whitetail this fall with one of them but if not, oh well.

Thanks to all who replied, cept the guy who wanted me to use bore butter on them. Just could'nt swing it with the wife.

 

[JohnnyO]

Glad I found this thread, haven't opened my range box in about 2 years now...finally hoping I'll be able to shoot again, as the later part of those 2 years away from shooting was due to my back injury.
Opened my range box and looked in my little cloth shot bag and saw this

Guess I'll try the rag and wd-40 technique

I also had a bullet starter that turned green in the box...and the box smells bad, as the little containers of crisco I used for lube smell sour