Need advice on best way to lube patches

[Plateboater]

Have the denim from JoAnn fabric.   Been using the balistol water ratio and 1:1 worked.    Keep reading about mink oil sperm oil bear fat.    So I have TOW mink oil.   Have material cut into 2 in wide and about 18 in long strips.    Do I heat up mink oil in pan and massage in the denim to lube.   

Need some thoughts please!

[flinchrocket]

Just rub some on your patch material strips with your finger, then roll it up and set it aside. It will even itself out after a while. Remember, a little dab will go a long ways.

[Mike Lyons]

I noticed pre lubing a few cuts down on wiping off slippery fingers. 

[Daryl]

I lube my precut patches by melting the lube, and stringing the patches on a sewing needle. Dip the patches, squeeze them out and set aside, they are done & are easily pulled off the thread and stored in patch boxes (steel Sucrets boxes) or one of the Snuff or Fire Starting steel, brass, copper of German Silver boxes Track sells. The 2"+ round tins are VERY nice for carrying lubed pre-cuts.

For a strip, which I've never used for hunting, I always used spit - and ONLY for target shooting.

Ballistol 1:1 with water or Ballistol by itself is a target shooting lube only - definitely NOT a hunting lube, imho.

[Mike Lyons]

These little tobacco cans are air tight and nice for stuff like patches and lube.   I have dozens of them if you need a couple.

[Daryl]

Those look about perfect for 2 stacks of patches for .50 cal. patches and smaller.
These are the commercial boxes I use.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/23/1

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I put metal tins like that in the BBQ and burn off the paint.  Then I burnish with steel wool, and wax them thoroughly.  But my favourite is a copper hinged box for pre-cut patches with domed top and bottom.
For hunting, I only lube enough patches for the day's hunt.  I use round patches, pre-cut using a bearing race and a large ball bearing.  I use mink oil for hunting, and simply squeeze the grease through the patch from both sides before I set it aside for the next one.  Don't be afraid of getting too much of the grease into the cloth.  The bore of your rifle will love it.

[smylee grouch]

I also like my patches to be soaked through with lube not just smeared on the surface.

[Mike Lyons]

Thanks for post and the advice.  I had the butcher save me some internal beef fat and I boiled it down on the stove to make my own lube.  It seems to work as well as anything I've tried so far.  The commercial stuff got so hard that I couldn't push it out of the tube.  The other commercial product I used had me cleaning my bore every 3rd shot.  I'm new to this sport but I have come to the conclusion that natural fat works better than anything I've tried so far.  I'll have to throw my patch material in the melted fat prior to turning off the stove.

[flinchrocket]

I like TOW's mink oil, but tallow(beef,deer,bear) whatever you have is way better than the commercial junk.

[Plateboater]

Thanks guys as always

[smylee grouch]

I like tracks mink oil by itself but have had good luck cutting it 50/50 with bear oil or bear oil by itself.

[Daryl]

I used a block of UHMW - HDPE to the American lads for cutting patched on when using an arch punch.
Mine is 2" thick by 12" square. The cost was $10.00 at a plastics store/warehouse.

[Plateboater]

Thanks

[Huntschool]

I use mostly spit patches until it get really cold and the (although I don't get out in that kind of weather much any more) I use a small container of a mixture of water, a bit of soap, and alcohol.  They will not freeze.

I only use oil occasionally.  I sight my guns in with spit and then check them with other patch lubricants to check them.

[rfd]

i prefer to pre-grease patch strips with mutton tallow that has some beeswax thickener added.  double boiler melted/mixed, once cooled the resulting lube cake isn't hard nor too soft, it's momma bear just right.  rubbed onto both sides of the patch strip, the lube gets heat gunned into the cloth weave.  the resulting patch strips aren't greasy or wet, and are easy to roll up and pop in yer shooting bag.  mutton tallow smells nice (lanolin - good fer yer skin, too) and won't go rancid like other tallows.  this patch/grease combo allows shooting without any fouling control 'tween firings.  i got a note from dixie gun works saying they'll be offering tubs of mutton tallow again purty soon.

[DrewA]

Has anyone tried the Mink Oil sold by Tractor Supply used for horse tack?  I got some to waterproof my hiking boots and looks like the right consistency to use for patch lube.

Fiebing's Golden Mink Oil Leather Preserver

[Scota4570]

It does not make much difference what you use.  Put the patches in a baggie.  Apply the goose juice to the patches, squeeze the bag a bit. Just some lube, not all sloppy.  Let them sit a awhile to distribute the wet stuff. 

I have been using a commercial stuff that came with a spritz tip.  I just squirt them in a little tin or tupperware and shoot.  It is no more effective than moose milk or GI bore cleaner. 

Patch lubes is a favorite subject and there is no clear winner.  A totally dry patch might stick in the bore or start a fire so, that is out.  Just about anything else will work OK.  If I did not have anything fancy to use I would go with olive oil.     

[Daryl]

Scota, I know some guys have had good luck with Olive Oil. I am NOT one of those.  I tried it as a patch lube and as a component in bullet lube with beeswax.  For patched round balls, I found

Track's Mink Oil and Neestfoot Oil (not Neetsfoot Oil Compound - which is synthetic) make superior hunting lubes.  Track's Mink oil and as noted N.F.Oil have proven superior to me, for hunting.

I do like a water based lube for target shooting. My hands do not get covered with oil or grease with so much shooting and that is great.

I use pre-lubed patches for both hunting and target shooting. Square or round, does not matter.

[Plateboater]

Appreciate all the insight from this board

[Davemuzz]

Track's mink oil. Find a small tin or tin lid and make a setup to heat the mink oil using a propane torch. You don't need all that much flame. I dip 'em and squeeze out excess using a small straight edge agains a piece of metal. You know....like the old ringer washing machines.....but without the roller. 

[Rodd.Boyer]

i prefer to pre-grease patch strips with mutton tallow that has some beeswax thickener added.  double boiler melted/mixed, once cooled the resulting lube cake isn't hard nor too soft, it's momma bear just right.  rubbed onto both sides of the patch strip, the lube gets heat gunned into the cloth weave.  the resulting patch strips aren't greasy or wet, and are easy to roll up and pop in yer shooting bag.  mutton tallow smells nice (lanolin - good fer yer skin, too) and won't go rancid like other tallows.  this patch/grease combo allows shooting without any fouling control 'tween firings.  i got a note from dixie gun works saying they'll be offering tubs of mutton tallow again purty soon.

This is what I use as well.....  I have not tried to use it on pre-cut patches, just patch strips... roll it up nice and tight. It fits right nice in the pocket of my possibles bag.