Black Powder Shooting

[83nubnEC]

Anyone have any ideas as to the use of Vaseline as rust protection on the bottom of a rifle barrel? Seems if it offers rust protection, it would put a better protection layer on the metal than a film of oil!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

If you do not remove ALL of the Vaseline before you shoot the rifle, the fouling and Vaseline will turn into concrete and be all but impossible to remove.  Black Powder and petroleum based fluids don't play well together.

[Daryl]

The OP is talking of a rust preventive coating on the bottom flats of the barrel, seems to me.
If used inside the bore, it should still work, as it is a petroleum WAX (according to the late Bill Knight), not oil & as thus, when mixed with beeswax, it also makes a terrific bullet lube.(not patch lube)

[hanshi]

Long ago I used Vaseline in a homebrew mixture for use as bullet lube on minie bullets.  Vaseline is pretty good stuff for a lot of things.  For rust prevention use it might work just fine; I never tried it.  For protecting the bottom barrel flats in the stock I always used Rig Grease or Johnson Paste Wax.

[83nubnEC]

Thanks for all the information. It was the outside of the barrel in the stock channel that I was asking about, not as a lube. Although as a lube mix Vaseline may also work.

[Bill in Md]

Beeswax

[poppy]

I have used vaseline to coat my muzzleloader bores for years. A thin coat on it stays put especially when guns are stood up. I have never had a problem or never had any rust. I do use cold water which is important. After drying bore, I use lighter fluid on a patch to help get any graphite out. Then I use vaseline with a light coat and small dab on the end of the patch preferably a flat face jag not a cupped one.                 chris popp

[J.M.Browning]

Although a heat gun is not traditional it works to warm barrel bottom applying beeswax corse brown paper bag to remove excessive build up . Oils , Crisco , Vaseline , tacky grease & such is really not good medicine - pretty much like using WD 40 - trust me I know .

[Mike Brooks]

None of the antique guns that I have had apart had any rust preventative on the bottom. It would take 20 life times to rust away the bottom
of a barrel to the point it's dangerous.

[Hawg]

If you do not remove ALL of the Vaseline before you shoot the rifle, the fouling and Vaseline will turn into concrete and be all but impossible to remove.  Black Powder and petroleum based fluids don't play well together.

Petroleum products are usually bad juju in black powder bores. It's the more refined products that are bad. Stuff like Vaseline and paraffin are less refined and work pretty well.

[Daryl]

Vaseline and paraffin are waxes, not petroleum oils. The oils do not mix with BP at all.
The waxes do.

[J.M.Browning]

None of the antique guns that I have had apart had any rust preventative on the bottom. It would take 20 life times to rust away the bottom
of a barrel to the point it's dangerous.

No portion in the original post is any mention of rust compromising the integrity of the barrel , OP is clearly concerned a segment of the firearm not exposed to visual inspection with out some disassembly of firearm . In my subjective opinion this is a viable question that deserves a respectable answer . I also will state Although not in this group - many members on this board have not disassembled a firearm 150+ years .

[83nubnEC]

Thank you , MR Browning

[Daryl]

Barbie Chambers noted here, some time ago about a rifle that came into the shop. The barrel had never been removed for cleaning and the barrel's lower surface showed deep pitting from rust.
I assume the OP was concerned about this very thing. While it might not "rust through" in 20 lifetimes, that isn't the point. The point is a badly rusted barrel and how to prevent that.
Rig is what I would use.

[hanshi]

Normally the bottom flats of the barrel are the very last thing I think about protecting against rust.  But throw in "hunting" and thoughts do start to include the barrel area in the stock channel.  I once thought nothing much of hunting in rain but that attitude gradually changed as I got older.  In later years I avoided wet days whenever possible but you can't always get them right.  Any rifle that's wet gets a barrel removal and wipe down.

Initially with a new (to me) rifle I remove the barrel and put some kind of sealant in the stock barrel channel.  It may be wax or even True Oil.  Rig is my choice for the barrels bottom flats but there are other good choices.  But I quit hunting years ago and they now get fired only at the gun club.       

[bpd303]

My grandfather used bees wax on his barrel flats & stock in-letting for his original Ohio Vincent 36 cal flintlock.

Randy aka bpd303

[Scota4570]

My favorite for this is LPS-3.  IT dries into a soft wax.  IT does not soak into the wood like grease or oil can.  I spent to much time getting oil and comoline out of stocks to put it in the wood on purpose.  I have also used paste wax with good success.