Cold weather bullet lube

[foresterdj]

For cold weather patches, I have been using neatsfoot oil, for times ball will be loaded for a while.

Current experiment is for bullet lube/grease for bullets in a loading block. I did read an older thread on this topic and agree that holding loading block inside your shirt makes the question mainly moot.

None-the-less, I did this test today with crisco, bore butter, TC maxi lube, wonder lube and Blue & Gray. Gobs of each on foil then into freezer for a few hours.




Then poked at them with a toothpick (so no heat from my finger affecting pliability).
Crisco still soft and easy to spread.
Bore butter, TC maxi lube and wonder lube all hard as a rock, barely could I poke a dent in them with the toothpick.
Blue & Gray also soft and spreadable.

The TC maxi lube and Blue & Gray (which came in a big toothpaste like tube) were both old, like early 1980's old, so may not even be sold anymore.

Next week when deer season for me starts I plan to load my .54 jaeger with a round ball with neatsfoot oil patch. In the loading block I plan to have some Minies, in case I need to reload quick and easily. I think I will use the blue & gray this year.

[Maven]

Try Stumpy's Moose Snot, which you concoct.  You can adjust the proportions to make a stiffer lube if you wish.  Also, you can use peanut oil instead of the castor oil that Stumpy's recipe calls for.

[Daryl]

Are you looking for a bullet lube, or a patch lube for cold weather?
A bullet lube does not have to remain soft/spreadable in cold weather. I only has to stay in the grooves of the bullet.
A good cold weather bullet lube, is SPG or 60% Beeswax:40% Vaseline or Lyman's black powder gold. Apply this it grease groove bullets before placing into a "block".

[Chocktaw Brave]

I think you’re onto it with the Crisco, butIf we’re talking a grooved bullet, I use 50-50 mix of beeswax and Crisco.
I guess if the lube was to get really hard at below zero temperatures, it could affect pressure of the bullet.

But for round ball patches I use Bear grease.

[Daryl]

Beeswax and Petroleum Wax (Vaseline) was one of the 19th century black powder lubes for grooved lubricated bullets.
I found it to work as well as SPG and Lyman's BP Gold, black powder cast bullet lubricants. Most match shooters in BP CTG long
range contests use SPG.(Steve Paul Garby's(of Wyoming) lube)

[okawbow]

I melt and mix deer tallow and bear oil. Very authentic and works great.

[Chocktaw Brave]

As long as it works well for you.  How cold are you talking about?
I have shot my black powder rifles at -20(at the range),the more I shot, the harder it was to load. A quick swab with Balistol/water mix was working to clean bore, until it started icing up in mason jar.
I’m hoping to do a moose hunt with my rifle during the muzzleloader season here (if I get drawn). Luckily temps shouldn’t be colder than 20 above in September.

[MuskratMike]

I have only used pure Neatsfoot oil or pure Neatsfoot oil mixed 50/50 with TOTW mink grease/oil. Both worked equally well in any temperature.

[Scota4570]

Assuming we are talking about hunting, why not use the dry patch method?  Use ballistol and water 1:5,  wring out, then let dry. The air temperature is irrelevant to the mineral oil in the patch. 

For target shooting I have gone to a moose milk wet patch.  I can skip all swabbing between shots.  I could never do that with oil or grease of any kind. 

In my experience patches with slick lube is not necessary or desirable. A little more friction seems to help the powder burn more consistently.  I do get better accuracy that way.  Heck, even spit work great.  Snotty slick patches and balls are more difficult to load for me too. 

[Dphariss]

If I wanted a grease I would use by WEIGHT. 1/3 Neatsfoot balance PURE beeswax. Add oil till its soft enough.  Use a double boiler to melt the wax. Then add warmed oil to it and let stay on the heat for at least 1/2 hour. Never melt Beeswax on direct heat you can ruin it. Don’t  get it too hot even with a double boiler. Beeswax that still contains any honey is a no-no as well. The old Sharps formula with Sperm Whale oil was a great patch lube. But finding Sperm Whale oil?  Not likely.

[Scota4570]

I tried Jojoba oil.  It is supposed to be as close to sperm oil as we can get to today.  The results on target were not remarkable. 

When test firing it was a slippery mess and made fumbling while loading problem.  I got some got on the outside of the glass  bottle I was using.  IT slipped out of my hands and broke on the ground at the range. 

Jojoba is easily sourced.  It may work better with a lightly oiled patch.  I have done that by mixing oils with mineral spirits in various ratios.  Then wring the patches out and let them dry.