Lubes (again)

[flashpoint]

Hello
I am somewhat new to Muzzleloading. I have been using TC pre-lubricated Bore Butter patches in my .45 Seneca. They seem to work well. However, I recently bought dry pillow ticking patches with the intent of tryin them out with Mink oil (I guess I would only put a thin coat on one side.) Has anyone noticed better accuracy with one or the other?

Another question I have is it seems like Bore Butter as a rust preventer after giving the barrel a thorough cleaning gets a bad rap. After cleaning, I put some on a dry patch and put it in my barrel. When I am ready to shoot again, I use a wet patch of TC cleaner to wipe out the barrel, then dry patch it before I go into the field.

It seem like the majority of comments on here are really negative about Bore Butter. In reading TC's owners manual Bore Butter sounds like the best thing since sliced bread. I know we all like to experiment and come up with our own recipes and that is great. However, quite honestly what is the problem with Bore Butter?
Thanks much

 

[exMember]

poor at keeping rust out of the bore. Its paraffin wax based. I hated it so much I had to develop my own anti rust luribcant. I was elk hunting one year in the snow. I always keep my barrel point down in snow/rain and after 4-6 hours, I ran a patch down my bore and it was orange/red already! Had enough of that stuff.

Used a tin of the track of the wolf mink oil before. I did the job but again, lacked anti rust ability and the funky musk smell over the months wasn't to my liking.

Do you trust bore butter enough to leave your rifle out in the open elements ?

 

[flashpoint]

Thanks for the information Frontier. I can't argue with your rust test picture at all. Is your Anti-Rust & Patch Lube petroleum based? And is it in liquid form or more of a paste consistency?
Thank you.

 

[exMember]

No petro, not even any beeswax either. Paste form.

 

[Hanshi]

My experience with patch lubes has not been extensive but I've tried many of the more common ones. I've tried spit, Crisco, Bore Butter, DGW Black Solve, Hoppes and mink oil and maybe a couple of others. The best of the bunch has been Black Solve, Hoppes, TOW mink oil and spit. I pretty much narrowed it down to Hoppes for general shooting and mink oil for hunting. These seem to be all I need.

Bore Butter, as Frontier Gander states, is lousy stuff. I don't want that mess in the bore of my guns. I often leave my (unfired) guns loaded all season and mink oil has been perfect for this. Hoppes makes seating tight loads - this is how I load - easy peasy. I clean with tap water and protect the bore with Barricade.

 

[flashpoint]

Thanks Hanshi. Will try the Mink oil.

 

[Renegadehunter]

I run the same setup as Hanshi. Hoppes BP solvent for the range and muzzleloader shoots, mink oil for hunting, clean with room temperature water, and protect with barricade. I always swab between shots, my rifle just simply shoots better when I do, but it isn't necessary with the Hoppes if your rifle stays accurate, it keeps fouling very soft and loading is easy. I leave mine loaded when hunting, might be a few weeks, so the barricade continues to protect the bore until I get a shot. I've noticed that leaving it in does take a little more effort to get clean patches after cleaning, but not too bad.
My renegade shot pre-lubed natural loob 1000 patches pretty well (shot a coyote at 90 yards with that setup), but it seemed to only clean out well if I used really hot water to clean...but then I'd get flash rust every time. Keeping the chap stick style lube out of the bore results in faster/easier clean up for me, and I can use room temp or cold water to avoid the flash rust.
I also have really good groups with a Dutch Schultz style "dry" patch lube of Castor oil (1 part) and denatured alcohol (6 parts), but it seems to damage the patch material if you prelube the patches for more than a month in advance. Mink oil doesn't, so just decided to go with it.

Play around with how much mink oil you apply to the patch if accuracy isn't great at first. The first time I tried it I rubbed patches around on it several passes and then rubbed it into the patch, about enough to fill the weave. Didn't shoot that great. Then I read a comment from Oldmountainman where he said it is really slick and you don't want to use very much of it, so I just made one pass with the patch across the lube and then rubbed it in. Much better group. Might just be that my rifle is really finicky, I don't know.

I would really like to try Jon's lube and will get around to ordering some here soon, it sounds really convenient. Lube patches, hunter friendly to leave loaded, and protect the bore with confidence all in the same stuff.

 

[tgbhw]

New to the sight and my first post. I have always used plain old Crisco or spit for patch lube as taught to me by my muzzle loading mentor who was a former SF Weapons Specialist. Barrels get dirty after firing regardless of what you use. Besides, he said, it's the closest thing to critter fat that's reasonable to buy!

 

[Philgumbo]

My experience with patch lubes has not been extensive but I've tried many of the more common ones. I've tried spit, Crisco, Bore Butter, DGW Black Solve, Hoppes and mink oil and maybe a couple of others. The best of the bunch has been Black Solve, Hoppes, TOW mink oil and spit. I pretty much narrowed it down to Hoppes for general shooting and mink oil for hunting. These seem to be all I need.

Bore Butter, as Frontier Gander states, is lousy stuff. I don't want that mess in the bore of my guns. I often leave my (unfired) guns loaded all season and mink oil has been perfect for this. Hoppes makes seating tight loads - this is how I load - easy peasy. I clean with tap water and protect the bore with Barricade.

I love Bore Butter, and it cleans up super easy. The trick is to only use a little bit.

 

[PaperPunch]

I use a product I knew of being originally called track lube, but was bought up by a certain entity so it was changed slightly and is now sold as frog lube. Its green, and works as a lube for any action of firearm, and also a patch lube in my smoke pole. It is made from natural ingredients (no petroleum) so that's one reason its for me. JMHO

 

[Satokad]

Just curious why you don’t use the Hoppes in the field as well as at the range?

 

[[email protected]]

I have gone to Frog Lube developed by former Seals. Works great lube adheres to barrel, cleaning is 5 patches to clean in field. Home steam through fire channel, then clean swabs hot barrel and then lube. Never any rust with scoping easy loading and consistent shooting, wish I was. Lol. Patches are bore butter from TC a d my three TC Hawkens seem to like this system. Your mileage may vary.

 

[[email protected]]

Eval of rust and lubes. Might be surprised in results. Gun Care Product Evaluation

 

[Hanshi]

Just curious why you don’t use the Hoppes in the field as well as at the range?

I'll answer this question since it involves many users. Hoppes contains - or use to contain at least - some amount of water in the formula. This could possibly result in rust if left in the bore for days. This is important for some who leave unfired guns loaded over the season. I do use it in the field when more than one shot is the norm.

 

[exMember]

#1 reason I invented my current lube. I never shoot my gun off while hunting unless I am shooting at something. I need long term rust protection that doesnt wipe off easily and doesnt evaporate. I wanted something that would actually dry to a glaze and not be sticky and attract dirt.

This is my Hawken that I loaned to a friend Sept 26th when I loaded it for him. We hunted in fog, light rain, horrible heat before the hunt ended.

I just fired it off today and BOOM she went! Not one spec of rust anywhere on this rifle or in the bore, where it matters most.

 

[toot]

why would any one ever leave a loaded gun in the house over the year after hunting season? sounds like a receipt for disaster ?.! I always fire it off in the field before I leave the field or woods clear when home and load it the next time I field it. that is the way I was taught and at 70+++++ I still do it. loaded guns left can carry over to cartridge ones and those are the ones that we see on the news or read about. jmhp.

 

[muzzleloader48]

why would any one ever leave a loaded gun in the house over the year after hunting season? sounds like a receipt for disaster ?.! I always fire it off in the field before I leave the field or woods clear when home and load it the next time I field it. that is the way I was taught and at 70+++++ I still do it. loaded guns left can carry over to cartridge ones and those are the ones that we see on the news or read about. jmhp.

Who said anything about leaving a gun loaded over ther after hunting season?
BTW: my .40 stays on my night stand loaded. That's year round.

 

[Buck Conner1]

Muzzleloaders used for hunting then retired can be a problem (we all have forgotten at one time or another about that gun being loaded.) When remembered most of the time - take it outside and clear the round, they work as designed should fire that ball. Once in a while you'll have issues like Jonathan said with cleaning from different lubes - color of bore, smell, etc.

When Jonathan developed his anti rust luribcant and other products to keep our firearms in good working condition I jumped on them, check out his wares - Good Stuff.

 

[toot]

.40 muzzle loader on a night stand loaded year round? hope it works when you need it? my bad, i was responding to another site post., loaded year round. sorry!

 

[Hanshi]

Nobody in my home 'cept my squeeze and me. Urchins never show up and aren't even allowed - I take drugs that compromise my immune system and aren't suppose to be around them anyway. I once kept a loaded c&b revolver on my nightstand for nearly a year. It fired all cylinders like a champ when I finally cleared it.