Lube

[Noz]

Sitting around bored.  I recall when I was shooting a lot of high power smokeless pistol loads I was using a homade lube using STP as the lube ingredient.  I never used it on a Black Powder load.
I went to STPs page for oil treatment, looked at the MSDS and discovered the main ingredient is Mineral Oil.
I know that mineral oil is used in a lot of BP recipes and wondered if anyone had tried it on the black powder guns?

[hellgate]

Geeze, Noz, you surely must be bored. One time I checked the MSDS sheet on Ballistol and it is mostly mineral oil and some kind of alcohol so you might as well go at it and let us know how it works.  So whaddya thinkin', MO mixed with parafin? Tallow? Good ol' beeswax?  Hafta admit, mineral oil is pretty cheap too.

[Coffinmaker]

I just can't help myself.  I shoot APP.  Don't need lube.  However, I do lube my guns with Mobile 1, grease and oil.

Coffinmaker

[Noz]

In my 41 mags I have run mineral oil, white lithium grease, high pressure-high heat grease all with a beeswax base and all with equally good results. For my 1860s I have been using pearl lube for several years. works in everything but a 32-20. I've been lubing the cylinder with Mobile one for a while but it really is too thick to work properly.

Just thinking.  Wish I had a couple of pounds of mutton tallow. I asked a local butcher if he had any fat from sheep that I could buy and render. He looked at me like I was crazy and asked: "Who eats sheep?".

[Cliff Fendley]

Deer tallow is a free byproduct every fall now. I can't believe I threw all that good bullet lube away up until the last few years.

[wildman1]

Works great an makes ya hungry when ya shoot. wM1

[hellgate]

My current all around lube for everything from 45/70 to 357 mag with either BP or a sub is 50/50 beeswax and deer tallow. It's fairly stiff but runs through my lubrisizer just fine and does not sweat out oil. I have bullets lubed with it 6 months ago an there is no sign of drying or cracking. Several years ago my brother shot a big fat barren doe (I think she was a lesbian) that had abour 2" of fat on her back and that's lasted for years. Last year I only got about 1/2 pound off a nice 3 point (6 point eastern count). My 45/70 carbine could shoot all day without fouling up the bore using that lube and the Lyman 385gr 457124.

[Lefty Dude]

I just can't help myself.  I shoot APP.  Don't need lube.  However, I do lube my guns with Mobile 1, grease and oil.

Coffinmaker

I just tried a new product called "Frog Lube". I used it on my C&B Arbors this past Club match. Had been using Mobil 1 grease, However this new Green paste just might get my nod for an excellent Arbor/Bushing lube.
I was quite impressed with the performance.

[dusty texian]

I use the 50/50 deer tallow and bees wax mix with good results with bp. Even in the large capacity bp. rounds and standard size lube groove bullets  in 30" barrels,there is plenty of lube for many shots at the rate of fire that I shoot. After a shoot clean-up is more like wiping grease from the bore instead of hard foul . ,,,DT

[Dick Dastardly]

There are many and varied lube recipes.  The thing that's needed is enough viscosity that it sticks while being liquid enough to flow when fired.  Price is always a consideration with our volume of shooting.  Ease of clean up is essential for continued enjoyment of black powder shooting.

PL-II is made with commercially available ingredients so that it remains the same from batch to batch reliably.  I've been using it for years and have never had any fouling problems.

One last thing.  The chosen lube has to stay put till it's loaded.  I can't stand a lube that fails before it's loaded.  Messy. . .

DD-MDA

[Blair]

This is for those of you asking about "sheep Tallow".
Try asking for "Lanolin".
It is a lube that has been used for cast lead bullet shooting for many years. It is a great product!
Most Drug Stores will offer it in one form or an other. One of the most common is called "Bag Balm".
It is a Lanolin and Petroleum Jelly based product. This is the only petroleum based product I would suggest for use with BP and cast lead bullets that is commonly available, at a reasonably priced product.
Please keep in mind, this is just a suggestion on my part.
My best,
Blair

[Noz]

I used pounds of Bagbalm when I was younger and milking cows. Never thought of it as a bullet lube. It works for everything else.
Lanolin is a different product than tallow and it also priced differently.