Patch lube recipes

[pepperbelly]

Could someone send me the recipes for moose milk and moose snot? And tell me which is for what application? I remember one is for cold weather and the other is for hot.
I had it saved on a hard drive on another computer that died.
I could just buy some bore butter but I seem to remember that the moose secretions are better.
I have also thought about getting some Ballistol. I wish it was available locally, but I can order some.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[pepperbelly]

nevermind. I managed to refine my search enough to find it.

I would like to read some alternative recipes in case one or more components are hard to find.

I also would like some Ballistol recipes, or is it just mixed 1:7?

Jim

 

[pulaskius]

Do you have a link to what you found so I can see it ?? I have Ballistol too so would like to know about recipes for that as well. Thanks !!

 

[pepperbelly]

Here is the link to the moose juices.

I am trying to figure out what to use here in Texas. It's over 100* and will be, err, warm, until almost November. I have been trying to figure out if I need a wet or dry lube.

Jim

 

[cowpoke1955]

I mix my Ballistol in 4 to 1, 4 parts water to 1 part oil. Works great. I can shoot all day without swabbing. Here's the link: http://www.ballistol.com/ .

 

[pepperbelly]

When the time comes that the bore does need to be wiped do you just use a Ballistol patch for that, or is it too dry?

Jim

 

[catman]

Birddog6 here has some very good PRB lube.
Here's his site
www.CustomMuzzleloaders.com

 

[Blizzard of '93]

just for the heck of it go to your fav auto parts and get a can of the go-jo white hand cleaner.
the best I've used and can't beat it for cheap.
works fine for range clean-up/wipe down too.

 

[Billnpatti]

Here is a recipe that I had in one of my many notebooks of "interesting stuff" tat I have run across from time to time. I think it is for one of th Moose secretions but I am not sure. I failed to make a note of its name. Anyway, here it is:

2 oz Bees wax
8 oz castor oil
1 oz Murphy's Oil Soap

I made up a batch but, being a fan of Balistol, I substituted it for the castor oil. It works great. But, I must caution you, do not make it in the house. Balistol is great stuff but it sure isn't a fragrance you want lingering in your house.

Also make sure that your bees wax is in a large container. If the bees wax is hot, the Balistol will foam when you add it and if the melted wax is in a small container, it could run over and make a mess. Stir the wax and Balistol until it starts to cool and thicken, then add the oil soap and stir vigorously until it forms a creamy mixture. Pour it into whatever containers you want to store it in and let it set up.

 

[doulos]

I was just shooting my .58 cal Stith hawken. At 50 yards it will pretty much have 5 shots touching or very close to it. the only limitation seems to be my shooting. I was using 1 part Ballistol to 6 parts water. Compared that patch lube to TOTW mink oil and the groups opened up slightly but still good.
All shot with out cleaning between shots.
All my guns seem to shoot slightly better with a dryer patch. Or a patch that is just lightly damp. This seems to work better for me than heavy waxy lubes on the patch. But the experimentation is the fun part.

 

[pepperbelly]

It sounds like Ballistol is the stuff to get, and mixing it with water is easier than the other stuff.
Is Ballistol only available online? I have checked with several gun shops and Cabela's and none have it. Is there another source I can try? I hate to pay Midway to ship one can of the stuff to me.

Jim

 

[Backwoods]

Like powder, ball and patch size, Patch lube is another accuracy variable. Different degrees of slickness will change your point of impact. It has been suggested to me to try several ratios of ballistol to water. 1:4, 1:5, 1:6 which will help fine tune your accuracy. There is no right answer for all rifles YMMV.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have had god luck for over 45 years with a mixture of 80% lard 20% beeswax for temps above 32 degrees F, and pure lard below freezing. But the other day just out of curosity I tried several different oils I had around and at 80 degrees F. They all performed about the same for groups and softness of fowling, The oils I used were: Sperm whale oil( both the real stuff and the synethic that dixie sells), Olive oil,Castor bean oil (medical perscription grade ), and both crisco and pure lard. All were better than spit or dry patches.I found it in teresting that there was no noticable difference in how hard they loaded, size of groups, or difficulty swaping between shots.The oils were messier than the lard or crisco at that temperature but not by much. So I will still use my 80% lard 20% beeswax just because I have a lot mixed up and it is less of a mess in hot weather.But it is my humble opinon that most non petrolium oils will work just fine with real black powder. I have not done any tests with substitute powders and probably never will.

 

[wilded]

I have used a mixture of 70% olive oil and 30% beeswax for years as my hunting lube. I also wipe all the metal on my guns with down with it. It makes a great leather treatment also. My grandfather used it on his horse tack. On the target line I use windex as a lube and also to run a cleaning patch between shots. JMHO

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here they are in all their glory:

Stumpy's Moose Juice

A general purpose blackpowder solvent and liquid patch lube. Shake well before using

Castor Oil 3 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.
Witch Hazel 4 oz.
Isopropyl Alcohol (91%) 8 oz.
Water (non-chlorinated) 16 oz.

I dip my patching in this twice and let it dry laid flat on wax paper in between. Makes a semi-dry patch material that's easy to carry & use. If you don't mind carrying a little bottle it's a GREAT liquid lube as is.


Stumpy's Moose Snot

A premium multi-shot between wiping (10+) patch lube stable over a wide temperature range.
SPECIFICALLY designed for use of patched round balls in a loading block

Beeswax 2 oz.
Castor Oil 8 oz.
Murphy's Oil Soap 1 oz.


Heat beeswax in a soup can set a pot of water. ( A double-boiler. I keep my beeswax in a one pound coffee can and measure out what I need by melting it and pouring it into measuring cups). Add just enough water so the inner can does not begin to float (should be just short of the lube level in the can). Heat the water to a low boil. In a separate can, add the castor oil and Murphy's oil soap (cold). Once the beeswax is melted, swap the castor oil can in the pot of water for the beeswax. Add the beeswax to the oils. It will clump up. Stir with an ice tea spoon as the mixture heats up. When it fully melts there will be a scum that floats to the top and just won't mix in. Be patient. DO NOT COOK THE MIXTURE. Once the solids are dissolved there is no need to heat further. Skim the scum off. Remove the mix from the heat and wipe the water off the outside (so it won't drip into the container when you pour it out). FINAL TOP SECRET STEP: Add a teaspoon of Murphy's Oil Soap and stir vigorously. This last step makes the lube frothy and smooth - really adds to the appearance; though it doesn't seem to matter to the function of the lube. Clamp the can in the jaws of a vice-grip pliers and pour into the waiting tins. Allow to cool a half hour.

Note: it if is a hinged tin - line the edge that has the hinges with a strip of aluminum foil so it doesn't ooze out before it cools.

 

[pepperbelly]

Stumpkiller that ought to be stickied at the top of this forum.
It might be worth it to include the Ballistol and other lube mixes so people like me don't ask for them all the time.

Jim