Mink Oil for conical lube?

[jamesthomas]

 I have a SMR .40 cal. and for deer hunting, I have some 200 grn. R.E.A.L. s that I want to try. I have no "proper conical lube but have a tin of Tracks Mink oil for Patched round ball. Has any one tried it for a conical lube and if so how did it do?. I plan on hitting the range this Monday or Tuesday for some sighting in with Rbs. and getting use to her. I got it this rifle this past March but whenever I had time to go shooting the weather was horrible, Rain, or wind or cold or all 3  . I know plenty of deer have been put in the freezer with a .40 Rb. and if the conicals don't pan out I have no problem using a Prb. Its just something I want to try to give me some extra range if I'm at the cutover I'll be at some this hunting season.

[Standing Bear]

IMO straight mink oil would be too thin. Also believe it would geez thinner (runny) if too warm like early season.
TC

[frontier gander]

yeah you'd have to add some bees wax to it to thicken it up.

[Daryl]

You could simply buy a stick of SPG or Lyman's Black Powder Gold bullet lube - it's cheap.  Both are excellent black powder bullet lubes.  I've used both of those with R.E.A.L. bullets when testing them in my .45 FlintLock and both worked very well - fill the grooves - you'll catch on quickly how to do it - wiping it into the groves with a finger, run the stick top of the bullet to the bottom to leave a chunk. The heat of your finger will then soften the lube so it can be 'wiped' into the grooves.

I was able to shoot 2, 5 shot groups with no wiping, then without wiping the bore first, easily load a .445" PURE lead ball with a .0225" denim patch for the 11th shot- which struck centre as it should. I had no problem using the rifle's 3/8" hickory rod, but of course, that load needed to be short started of course.

[jamesthomas]

 Thanks folks, it looks like a trip to Bass Pro, I also have a nice gun store in town that has some blackpowder stuff.

[Dphariss]

I would buy some SPG Lube if I were you, all the other "BP lubes" for bullets are knockoffs or copies. I would go direct blackpowderspg.com. Then learn how to "pan lube" if you don't know already.  SPG will work best for this application if pan lubed and they sell lube packaged so its easier to use for pan lubing, better than messing around with the sticks. Hand application or luber/sizer actually makes it a softer lube. Pan lubing leaves it a little harder.
No. I don't sell the stuff or work for SPG.
Dan

[HAWKEN]

I've had good lock using Crisco on my modern mini's in my .50 caliber percussion Hawken replica.......Robin

[stuart cee dub]

For lube ,I mix up beeswax and either some Crisco or more recently wonder lube ,put it on a small plastic covered dish and put that in the microwave heating till liquid .After pulling it out ,stir occasionally while cooling.

After cooling ,I'll try it on my minies looking for a fairly stiff mix at ambient outside temperature .Often, after trying it on a few bullets I'll add either more lube of beeswax and reheat to readjust .Summer temps needs more beeswax .

On the Crisco only/beeswax  mix I will add a pinch of Dr Bonner's liquid peppermint soap which seems to cut the Crisco stink and give it a nicer smell .
The wonder lube is more shelf stable than Crisco but more expensive as well .

What I have found is that straight Crisco keeps a bullet lubed only about 2/3rd up a 40'' barrel .The mix however keeps a bullet lubed all the way out, based on ease of loading subsequent shots.Some of this will depend on the depth of the grease grooves on your projectile .Shallower grooves need longer lasting better lube.

Made a bunch of lubed projectiles just last night in fact .Tabletop alchemy is part of the fun. If I were loading for a BP cartridge gun I would use a more sophisticated lube like SPG.   
So it goes         

[smokepoletex]

I have used the mink oil from tow that comes in a tin for lubing some .54 caliber lead conicals.  Works just fine.  It's a paste.  Also use it for patch lube.