Black powder lube

Black powder rifles and pistols, reloading black powder, and other information. The smoky stuff.

Re: Black powder lube

Post by Kelsey Cooter » 29 Jul 2019, 9:06 pm

Tank wrote:It’s a modern myth the whole grease over cylinder idea.....and the reason I quit shooting percussion revolvers in competition. You won’t find evidence of it being used back in the day....


Oh ok thats interesting, I know I've seen it written that that was the traditional way to lube but can't say I looked into it. Why did that being a modern myth cause you to stop using percussion revolvers in competition?
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Jul 2019, 9:12 pm

I've got another patch lube to add to the mix. Someone here might know what it is.

I'm not exactly sure what it is but it's labeled, solvent and patch lube and was sold to me by Green river Rifle Works in SA

It smells like ammonia, is watery, yellow in colour and has soapy feel.
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Mystery substance
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I find it definitely keeps the soot soft and I can load all day long without the need for a clean.

Other than that, sometimes I use a beeswax, lard, neatsfoot oil blend ... it's also good on my leather boots, home brew dubbin, :thumbsup:
I find it better for pre-lubing patches,

The only other black powder specific thing I've got is another unknown blend "Gun Oil"
Smells like turpentine, is watery, brown in colour and separates into 3 distinct layers when left to rest... I'm guessing oil of some kind, turpentine, and paraffin oil, wax or lard???
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by bigpete » 31 Jul 2019, 6:13 am

I've got both of them on one wheel
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 28 Mar 2022, 4:32 pm

bigpete wrote:I've got both of them on one wheel


Hey BP ...
Out of interest, do you know what the recipe of that Green River Rifle Works "Gun oil" is?
It's definitely turpentine and something white which seperates from the turpentine pretty quickly.
I'm guessing it's a water based cutting oil or something.
Any clues?
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by No1_49er » 29 Mar 2022, 3:15 am

on_one_wheel wrote:
bigpete wrote:I've got both of them on one wheel


Hey BP ...
Out of interest, do you know what the recipe of that Green River Rifle Works "Gun oil" is?
It's definitely turpentine and something white which seperates from the turpentine pretty quickly.
I'm guessing it's a water based cutting oil or something.
Any clues?

Why don't you ask Green River Rifle Works?
I'm sure that they'd be only too happy to divulge their recipe to the world. After all, why keep proprietary information a secret :sarcasm:
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Mar 2022, 8:23 am

No1_49er wrote:
on_one_wheel wrote:
bigpete wrote:I've got both of them on one wheel


Hey BP ...
Out of interest, do you know what the recipe of that Green River Rifle Works "Gun oil" is?
It's definitely turpentine and something white which seperates from the turpentine pretty quickly.
I'm guessing it's a water based cutting oil or something.
Any clues?

Why don't you ask Green River Rifle Works?
I'm sure that they'd be only too happy to divulge their recipe to the world. After all, why keep proprietary information a secret :sarcasm:


Funny thing is ... they probably would've told me If I'd asked, they were preparing to close the doors when I loaded up on all my muzzleloader gear, that could've been about 10 years back?
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Mar 2022, 8:28 am

Moose snot??

Just google "diy gun oil" Dozens of recipes out there
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Mar 2022, 10:32 am

Oldbloke wrote:Moose snot??

Just google "diy gun oil" Dozens of recipes out there


I've searched on and off for years. I've never found a BP gun oil recipe that uses turpentine, nor have I seen one that colour.
Bigpete has said he's got the same stuff... there's a good chance he'll know what it is.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Mar 2022, 10:54 am

But if your talking oil to store after cleaning BP isn't special. Any oil will do the job.

Only for cleaning or lubing balls its different.

What do you want to use it for?
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Mar 2022, 2:04 pm

Oldbloke wrote:But if your talking oil to store after cleaning BP isn't special. Any oil will do the job.

Only for cleaning or lubing balls its different.

What do you want to use it for?


that's not exactly correct, its important NOT to use mineral oil with black powder, secondly... If GRRW was happy to stake their reputation, workmanship and decades of experience on a product, I can assure you it would be the best possible product that could be used for the job.
Its a specialized black powder barrel oil for seasoning and protecting the barrel.
I don't really want to strip my seasoning by messing around with other products.

Today I managed to separate some of the solids from the container, I placed them on paper to soak away the oils and turpentine, Its starting to dry out to look like paraffin wax, the slight brown tint could possibly be some linseed oil?

Again, I'm pretty keen to hear from bigpete, I know he had the same product and being a resourceful fella, there's a good chance he's got it sussed.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Mar 2022, 2:26 pm

"that's not exactly correct, its important NOT to use mineral oil with black powder"

Yeh know that. (not sure why though)

But, don't you clean/dry out the barrel before shooting if it's been in storage? That's what I do.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Mar 2022, 3:00 pm

Oldbloke wrote:"that's not exactly correct, its important NOT to use mineral oil with black powder"

Yeh know that. (not sure why though)

But, don't you clean/dry out the barrel before shooting if it's been in storage? That's what I do.


Mineral oil messes with the powder and would strip the seasoning.
I don't do anything before shooting, the gun oil dries out leaving a layer of magic. (OK... it's more varnish than magic)
Once finished I wash it with hot water, wipe it dry and apply GRRW Gun oil.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Mar 2022, 3:14 pm

OK, that's new to me
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Mar 2022, 3:50 pm

Oldbloke wrote:OK, that's new to me


bore seasoning,
Its just an old metal finishing technique that seals and protects steel and iron. much like seasoning your cast iron pots n pans.

check these out, http://www.mooseforge.com/Techniques/finish.html not BP related but there's some similar recipes happening there.

Im going to nail this recipe one way or another... I'm still thinking its turps, paraffin wax and a tad of linseed oil which would explain the light tan colour.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by bigpete » 29 Mar 2022, 5:19 pm

Ok.
No I don't know what it is,I've always assumed its a water based cutting oil or something.
I've never heard of seasoning a barrel either. All the oil is meant to do is prevent rust and absorb salts from the burnt blackpowder left after cleaning. And mineral oils apparently mix with blackpowder residue and form tar,thats why you don't use them.
I don't swab my 50 cals before shooting,I probably should. Neither do I swab before shooting my 12g. But I do with my 36. Only time my lack of swabbing pre shooting has caused me trouble was once early on with the 36 when I had sprayed a bunch of RP7 down the barrel. Because of the smaller powder charge soaking in the liquid I experienced a dud fire with plenty of unburned wet powder left in the barrel.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 29 Mar 2022, 5:48 pm

That's a shame.
I'll keep chipping away at it.
I'll have it in a few days :thumbsup:

I'm surprised neither of you fellas have heard of barrel seasoning.
Perhaps I've been hanging around Colonel Sanders too long :unknown:
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 08 Apr 2022, 3:31 pm

So, what's an alternative to leave the barrel stored for a few months? Some lards and vegetable oils tend to go rancid/off over time.

ATF is vegitable oil based?
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by on_one_wheel » 08 Apr 2022, 5:58 pm

Oldbloke wrote:So, what's an alternative to leave the barrel stored for a few months? Some lards and vegetable oils tend to go rancid/off over time.

ATF is vegitable oil based?


Im embraced to admit, I've left mine for literally years with that GRRW Gun oil in the barrel withoutan issue. Mind you my safe is kept very dry with thise moisture absorbing boxes.
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by bigpete » 08 Apr 2022, 6:03 pm

Oldbloke wrote:So, what's an alternative to leave the barrel stored for a few months? Some lards and vegetable oils tend to go rancid/off over time.

ATF is vegitable oil based?


What does it matter if they go off,not like you'll be eating it lol
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by dnedative » 08 Apr 2022, 6:18 pm

Oldbloke wrote:So, what's an alternative to leave the barrel stored for a few months? Some lards and vegetable oils tend to go rancid/off over time.

ATF is vegitable oil based?


Wet ballistol patch and a squirt down the pipe for good measure;
Never had an issue doing that
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 08 Apr 2022, 6:26 pm

If they go "off" wouldn't the level of rust protection be reduced??
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by dnedative » 08 Apr 2022, 6:29 pm

Oldbloke wrote:If they go "off" wouldn't the level of rust protection be reduced??


I would imagine so, who knows what it breaks down into.
ATF would work fine though, that stuff never goes off lol
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 08 Apr 2022, 6:33 pm

ballistol is 60-100% white mineral oil.
(Paraffin oil) not real "natural"
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by dnedative » 08 Apr 2022, 7:00 pm

If ballistol is bad news for black powder guns I'll eat my boots
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by Oldbloke » 08 Apr 2022, 7:17 pm

dnedative wrote:If ballistol is bad news for black powder guns I'll eat my boots


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:allegedly: :drinks:
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Re: Black powder lube

Post by dnedative » 08 Apr 2022, 7:20 pm

hahah

If we could still buy whale oil we wouldnt be having this conversation
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