AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: Paddlefoot on February 16, 2017, 09:51:19 AM
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Anyone still using mink oil for patch lube? The bear oil thread got me curious.
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I use nothing but Mink oil from TOW. It does not get stiff in cold weather, and does not get runny in warm weather.
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+1 on the Track mink oil.
Dave
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I use nothing but Mink oil from TOW. It does not get stiff in cold weather, and does not get runny in warm weather.
I use it for a hunting lube, but my experience is that it will indeed get runny in warm weather. Summer temperatures in a lot of the US, like here in Florida, will melt a tin of it. Some of us have found that out the hard way.
Mole Eyes
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Cut patches, on a thread, then dipped in melted (Track's ) mink oil then squeezed out and kept in a tin or small plastic 'tin' in the bag is a good way of carrying these. A properly 'finished' patched-ball, bullet- board is another way of carrying them, ready for loading.
In my .32, using mink oil and .320" balls with .020" patches - really easy loading all day and no fouling buildup in the bore at all, seriously, easy loading & no wiping.
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Mink oil is what I use in the bush. On the range I mostly use Hoppes. For small game, squirrels for example, where shots might be frequent & fast or none at all, the first load is mink oil, but sometimes Hoppes takes over after the first shot. All depends on what mood I'm in.
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I mix mink oil and coconut oil together to soften the coconut oil in cold weather and firm it up in warm weather. Not sure why, but it seems to make the barrel easier to clean.
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I mix mink oil and coconut oil together to soften the coconut oil in cold weather and firm it up in warm weather. Not sure why, but it seems to make the barrel easier to clean.
I have found the same thing as Moleeyes, it works great in cooler weather but it gets runny down here in Florida in the summer. Where do you get your coconut oil and is there any particular ratio you have found that works best and keeps it from running?
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Does the mink oil dry out??
I'm looking to get away from bore butter...I like to carry loading blocks while hunting and it didn't work well for me. I tried smearing an extra helping in the void between the patch and ball block and that'd still dry or freeze and fell out of the void and the patch dried too..
Also not uncommon for me to leave a gun loaded till I shoot something if weather is good...
I was looking at bear grease/bees wax as another possibility.
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I buy coconut oil in the baking aisle at the grocery store. They even sell one type that doesn't set up in cooler weather. It might work to soften the mink oil. There is no certain ratio. Just whatever you prefer. I use a coffee cup warmer on metal tins and a heat gun on plastic containers then mix the two til I get what I want. It can always be adjusted later. I use an old plastic Bore Butter jar. Something big enough to wipe a patch in. An Altoids tin works, but the lid isn't real tight. Once I use enough mink oil out of its tin I will use it for a big batch.
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yeah, I generally use "mink oil" but I seriously doubt there is any of that particular animal in it.
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Also use TOW Mink Oil and have better accuracy if I don`t over lube the Patches. I use a Ball Board for Pa. Primitive Deer season and have shot the Patch Balls after they have been setting in them all Winter and the accuracy is still there !
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I use nothing but Mink oil from TOW. It does not get stiff in cold weather, and does not get runny in warm weather.
Same here - we had our club shoot in February 2015 (I think it was 2015) had sub-zero temperatures to start and only got up to maybe 10 degrees. Mink Oil worked well that day. Any kind of liquid lube or liquid on cleaning patches froze fast. In fact, at the start of the shoot, you'd spray your cleaning patch with soapy water (bottle in the coat pocket) to wipe between shots and when you'd bring it back up, the water would all be ice and the patch frozen into the shape of the bore. The mink oil kept plugging away strong though in those conditions.
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Which is why we use WWWF + a bit of oil for ALL our target shooting.
WWWF is Winter Windshield Washer Fluid and the oil we add, is simply a couple ounces of Neetsfoot Oil per quart. The oil adds a bit of lubricity and slows the evapouration in the summer time. $2.99 or $3.99 per 4 liter jug that will last 2 years is pretty cheap lube. It does not freeze, no wiping necessary, loads easily and shoots cleanly. Blue Thunder brand is what I use, normally.
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So, how hard do you have to squeeze a mink to get the oil to come out? :-\
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So, how hard do you have to squeeze a mink to get the oil to come out? :-\
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Which type M or F?
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So, how hard do you have to squeeze a mink to get the oil to come out? :-\
Pretty hard, Mike. But you have to wear heavy leather gloves. 8)
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So, how hard do you have to squeeze a mink to get the oil to come out? :-\
Pretty hard, Mike. But you have to wear heavy leather gloves. 8)
Oh, so you do it while the little varmint is till alive eh? I'll bet they don't like being squeezed at all.... :o
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Squeeze till the pooh comes out. :P ;D
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This thread sure has gone downhill.
Back on topic. Love Track of the Wolf mink oil.