Grease/Tallow Hole?

[Smokey Plainsman]

Anyone have a grease/tallow hole in the stock of their rifle? If so, do you use it and what lube do you put in it? I am having a custom .36 squirrel rifle made and specified a grease hole.

Just looking for input on these grease holes, are they good? Thanks!

[Longknife]

Just make sure you have PLENTY of stock sealant in and around the hole or the lube will migrate into the wood and cause an unsightly mess!!! Any of the beeswax lubes will work, but if you plan on hunting in HOT weather, you will need to mix it stiffer...Ed

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thank you. I am beginning to question weather or not I should have gotten one installed.

[nosrettap1958]

They're a historically accurate feature on longrifles and take nothing away from the looks of a finely crafted squirrel rifle.

Just don't use it that's all.

[nosrettap1958]

I friend has a Dixie Mountain Rifle and he puts his greased patches in that hole instead of just grease.

[hanshi]

Since I lube with mink oil for hunting, I'd think it could get a little messy on warmer days.  I'd rather have a small patchbox in the butt stock so the lube would be protected at all times.

[JCKelly]

I had one long barreled full-stock percussion rifle, bass mounted, with a hole in the stock. From the diameter, and the white stuff like lead corrosion products in that hole, I'd say it was used to hold one patched ball. Sold the gun

[Dennis Glazener]

I have used them, but mostly put them there to be historically correct. I used a mix of bee's wax and bear oil just enough bear oil/grease to get the bees wax a little softer.  I have also used Crisco mixed with bees wax.
Dennis

[Hungry Horse]

 I have always been puzzled by grease holes. Most of the country where they were common are hotter the the hubs o halalooya.


Hungry Horse

[iloco]

I have a 45 caliber SMR that has a grease hole and I have never used it.  I like a patch box much better on any rifle.
I carry my cleaning jag and a screw for stuck balls in the patch box.  Patch lube I use is to thin to stay on the grease hole.

[Natureboy]

  My gun has a sliding wooden matchbox with two compartments--one for patches, etc, and a grease hole.  I put a wad of tow in the grease hole, the perfect size for a quick clean at the range.

[Smokey Plainsman]

They're a historically accurate feature on longrifles and take nothing away from the looks of a finely crafted squirrel rifle.

Just don't use it that's all.

Thank you, that makes me feel better. I suppose if I don't fancy it I won't use it, but have heard some guys really like them and it makes lubing pre made patches a snap at the range.

[Mike Brooks]

I had one on a gun long ago. Lube picks up a lot of dirt if you actually hunt with the gun.

[Dennis Glazener]

The rifles were probably not used much in hot weather. As Mike said, trash tends to collect in the grease hole, that's why the grease holes often were covered with a cap box. I have seen several full size patch boxes that were still filled with bear grease/beeswax.
Dennis

[WadePatton]

I keep straight deer tallow in mine.  It's plenty firm and good enough for a second load.  I mostly use it for weatherproofing the pan after priming. If any crud has collected on top of it, I scrape the dirty funk off and smear it on my boots, then I use the clean. Sometimes one of my pups will clean the tallow for me.

A protected hole would keep dust down, and the dogs out.  I don't use it for targets, just hunting. My tallow doesn't run.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thank you. I have heard some place a patch over the hole when not in use to keep it clean.

I wonder if mink oil tallow would do for the hole? I've a tin of it sitting in the cupboard. It smells very... minky. 

[Hungry Horse]

Smokey brings up a point that few seem to consider. If your patch lube stinks to high heaven, all the camo in the world probably isn't going to get you close enough to make an ethical shot. So, if you can smell it, your target animal probably thinks  you were dunked in teargas. It might actually work out fine if you were hunting buzzards.

  Hungry Horse

[Dennis Glazener]

If it stinks I doubt it makes much difference if its in a tallow hole or in your shot pouch.
Dennis

[sqrldog]

Pretty interesting HH I don't suppose the lube you just rammed down the bore or in your loading block or for that matter the contents of your hunting bag or horn have any odor that would alert a game animal. I doubt the odor of a little tallow in a tallow hole matters much. Wildlife seems pretty indifferent to dead animals as it occurs naturally around them frequently. Buzzards as you mention seem more attracted than most. I have seen deer actually walk by one of their own species dead and decaying and not pay much attention. Tim

[Hungry Horse]

I was actually thinking more of mink oil, bear grease, coconut oil, and even olive oil. They have very definite scents that would be foreign, or just flat alarming to the woodland critters.

  Hungry Horse

[hanshi]

With deer, I always hunt the wind with my shooting lane up wind.  Maybe it's just me but I don't notice any more of an odor with mink oil than I can detect from Crisco, Bore Butter, etc.  In fact, many of the popular lubes have stronger smells than mink oil, at least to my questionable olfactories.

[Hessian]

I use straight deer tallow. I boil it in changes of water until it doesn't have a strong odor. I sew my round balls in chamois and dip them in melted tallow. The chamois soaks up the tallow and hardens somewhat. Makes for quick loading with little mess and shoots where I aim them. As an added bonus you can use the tallow for waterproofing/ lip balm/ etc.
Hessian

[nosrettap1958]

You stink more than any grease you put in the hole.

[Natureboy]

  Most critters have senses of smell that we can only imagine.  I was once sitting on a hillside, and saw a coyote loping along toward the trail I had left in the tall grass.  When it hit where I had been, it was like he had struck an electric fence.  He did the fastest 180 I've ever seen, and he was reacting to merely the skin cells I had left behind while walking through the grass.  That's some sense of smell.

[Scota4570]

It may not stink at first.  After while it will go rancid.  I don't want rancid animal fat soaked into my stock.  If you have second thoughts you could add a real patch box.