For target shooting, any water based "lube" will work. Experiment.
For hunting, use an oil or grease - preferably animal fats and greases - not petroleum.
Bore Butter is not a good lube as it will build up in the grooves - apparently - especially with loose loads.
It seems to cause more problems than it fixes.
Neetsfoot oil and Trackofthewolf's mink oil are both excellent hunting lubes.
.012" might make good winter-type panties - it is not of sufficient thickness to be a patch around a ball or for cleaning in my opinion.
If, however you like .012" patches, use them.
Ballistol is a water soluble oil. If mixed with water, some guys like it as a target shooting patch lube.
Ballistol is NOT a rust preventative, not a hunting lube, even by itself - 2 close friends tried it in fairly high humidity
climate as an after cleaning oil and both ended up with rust in their bores and on the outside of the barrels.
Any product that will mix with water, will not keep water or water vapor off the steel. The result is oxidation - ie: rust.
Lehigh Valley Lube, if you can find it, is a good target shooting lube, the best commercial lube I found, for targets.
It will evapourate from the patch over time, ie: couple days, and thus is not a good hunting lube, imho. Neetsfoot oil
or Track's Mink Oil is much better & are much longer lasting:ie: months.
Hoppe's #9 PLUS BLACK POWDER SOLVENT, is a pretty good hunting lube & is also be a good target lube.
SPIT is also a good target lube.
WWWF + a tich of neetsfoot oil is a good pre-prepped lube for target shooting and one we use as it does not freeze
due to the alcohol in the winter windshield washer fluid (-45F stuff) I have not tried the yellow or pink water repellent washer
fluid so cannot comment on their use. Any water repelling 'stuff' will likely not soften BP fouling. Blue Thunder is the brand most of us use.
$3.00 per gallon. A gallon lasts a year or more
depending on how much you shoot. If you insist on using a .012" patch, you are cleaning more than shooting so the gallon will last
multiple years.
