Hoppes #9 Plus for Patch lube applications.

[Roundball777]

I know a lot of folks like Hoppes #9 Plus as a patch lube. What is the best way to put it on patches or rolls. Do you apply it a few days before and let it dry out...or apply it at the bench directly on individual patches? Spray bottles, drip it? I am interested in how others apply it.
Thanks

[tddeangelo]

I do it at the range as I use the patches. I put a patch over the bottle mouth, hold it down with my thumb, shake. Done.

I really like it. I can shoot about as much as I want without cleaning between shots, and clean up later when I do the full cleaning on the rifle is pretty easy. I use bear grease for hunting patch lube and found my shots hit the same place with either lube, but with the bear grease, I can get maybe....MAYBE....5 or 6 shots before it has to be cleaned. And clean up later shows much more fouling coming out than after an extended shooting session with Hoppes as the lube.

[SCLoyalist]

I've been using 9Plus lately, and generally been happy with  group size, ease of loading, and cleanup.   I have been putting my patches into
an empty prescription bottle (funny how many of those are available at my age) and pouring a generous amount of 9+ in and allowing it to soak in and saturate for a few hours.   When I go to load a patch, I press the patch up against the loading bench with my thumb so it won't be going down bore dripping wet.  I'm thinking I can get the same benefits with less waste of lube if I fill a little spray or misting bottle with 9+ and spray both sides of the patch until it's damp all the way through, but not dripping.

My next range trip I intend to put up three slug gun bulls up at 50 yards.  All to be shot with the same powder charge, patch material and ball diameter.  First shot will be at first bull with the patching lubed as described above.   Second shot at second bull, but with the patch lubed with either spit or water.   Third shot at third bull with patch lubed via a spray bottle.    Then repeat the cycle until there are 5 shots on each target, and compare  group spread.   

[hanshi]

I've been using Hoppes for years and it is about as good as it gets.  At the range I'll put several patches in an old musket cap tin and drip the lube in until I get all the patches wet - not drippy - and put in a couple more dry patches to soak up excess lube.  I carry 4 or 5 patches in a small cap tin into the woods when I hunt.  If a lot of shooting is expected I'll carry a small bottle of lube and extra patches.

When I hunt I load the gun with a Natural Lube 1000 that won't rust even if left in for many days.  Hoppes takes over after the first shot.

[Daryl]

I place the number of patches I think I will use in a sucrets or other tin, copper or German commercial silver patch boxes - Track calls them snuff or fire starter containers or boxes.
I shake the bottle and then pour whatever liquid lube I am going to use over the patches,making sure they all become dripping wet, then I squeeze down on the tops of the patch 'stacks' and dribble the excess lube back into the bottle.
Wet patches, each virtually identical, work exceptionally well for the way I shoot, load and never have to wipe the bore during a day's shooting.

[Maven]

"Wet patches, each virtually identical, work exceptionally well for the way I shoot, load and never have to wipe the bore during a day's shooting."  ...DS

They work for just as well for me as well.  In fact, I shot an 18 round woods walk last week and 20 shots today with a different gun and neither needed their bores wiped.  Indeed, I could have easily doubled the no. of shots and still not needed to swab the bores (charges were 80gr. Diamondback FFg last week and 70gr. today). Btw, I used Taylor's recipe last week and 1 Ballistol : 6 water today.

[Don Steele]

I place the number of patches I think I will use in a sucrets or other tin, copper or German commercial silver patch boxes - Track calls them snuff or fire starter containers or boxes.
I shake the bottle and then pour whatever liquid lube I am going to use over the patches,making sure they all become dripping wet, then I squeeze down on the tops of the patch 'stacks' and dribble the excess lube back into the bottle.
Wet patches, each virtually identical, work exceptionally well for the way I shoot, load and never have to wipe the bore during a day's shooting.

Daryl,
What happens when you find you have guessed wrong, and have a bunch of wet patches left over..??
Do you keep'em sealed up and shoot them next time..??
Thanks.

[hanshi]

I place the number of patches I think I will use in a sucrets or other tin, copper or German commercial silver patch boxes - Track calls them snuff or fire starter containers or boxes.
I shake the bottle and then pour whatever liquid lube I am going to use over the patches,making sure they all become dripping wet, then I squeeze down on the tops of the patch 'stacks' and dribble the excess lube back into the bottle.
Wet patches, each virtually identical, work exceptionally well for the way I shoot, load and never have to wipe the bore during a day's shooting.

Daryl,
What happens when you find you have guessed wrong, and have a bunch of wet patches left over..??
Do you keep'em sealed up and shoot them next time..??
Thanks.

Don, forgive me for butting in but I thought you might be interested in what I do with wet patches.  I usually lay them out to dry.  They can be re-lubed later and escape deterioration.

[Daryl]

My answer as well, hanshi.  Re-lubing patches that have 'dried'  (WWWF+ NeetsfootOil) can change the oil content in the patches, but this doesn't seem to make much, if any difference to my shooting.

 If in a paper punching event, I use only 'fresh' patches.

[Don Steele]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen.
Currently, and for the past several years...I am fully involved with Dry patching using a solution of Ballistol/water.
I've been considering looking at "wet patch" options and have been wondering how to get consistent lubrication shot-to-shot.
I like to cut pre-lubed material at the muzzle rather than handle pre-cut patches.
Hoppes #9 PLUS is as hard to find around here as Ballistol, but there are other options.

[Daryl]

For strictly target shooting, spit - or - WWWF + a bit of neetsfoot oil works perfectly and is what I use.  I have always found spit by itself worked as well or better than anything else, however my testing with LHV left me wanting more of that stuff. It shot amazingly well- however, it did make me increase my powder charge by 10 grs. in both the .40 and .45, & up 5gr. in the .32.

[Bwana71]

I place the number of patches I think I will use in a sucrets or other tin, copper or German commercial silver patch boxes - Track calls them snuff or fire starter containers or boxes.
I shake the bottle and then pour whatever liquid lube I am going to use over the patches,making sure they all become dripping wet, then I squeeze down on the tops of the patch 'stacks' and dribble the excess lube back into the bottle.
Wet patches, each virtually identical, work exceptionally well for the way I shoot, load and never have to wipe the bore during a day's shooting.

That's exactly how I have done it for years and it works great for me.

[Candle Snuffer]

It's been close to or at least 40 years since I've used the Hoppes #9 Black Powder Solvent & Patch Lube, but today I did use some to clean my rifle and I was impressed with it. I bought out our store supply (5 bottles) since it wasn't selling and picked it up for cost.

I used it once a very long time ago when I was pretty much still finding my footing in the traditional muzzle loading sports and didn't care for it much, but since then I've learned a lot and today, as I said above - it impressed me (as a cleaner) and tomorrow I think I'm going to test it as a patch lube, though I'm pretty much sold on spit. I'd just kind of like to see what results I get. As said earlier - I was impressed with its cleaning ability.

[Daryl]

As with LHV, I found I had to adjust my powder charge somewhat with #9Plus.

[Maven]

I've never been able to find Hoppes #9 BP and thus resort to various recipes for "moose milk."  Today, however, I tried Taylor's patch lube blend for a second time and was really impressed with it.  My patches were just a tad short of dripping wet, btw.  Accuracy was wonderful (took 1st place in a local woods walk today!) and fouling, although present, was never a problem.