Preparing mink oil-lubed patches?

[John Ciccone]

I have read that mink oil is a good patch lube for competition and cold weather. How so? What makes it better than other lubes for competition? Why is it better in cold weather?

It appears to come as a block in a tin. I assume you just melt it in a double boiler and saturate your patches in it. Yes? No?

Any one had any experience with this stuff?

Thanks, John C

[hanshi]

So far, I've never lived in sho-nuff cold.  I just take a precut patch and wipe it on the mink oil "block" and use it.  Usually there will be a few such treated patches in my bag.

[Daryl]

This is what I use.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/156/1/MINK-OIL
1st, I run a stack of patches onto a knotted thread using a needle.
I dip the patches, in melted lube, then squeeze out the excess back into the mink oil tin.
I pull out the thread and store the lubed patches in a 'tin' or a plastic empty bullet box.
In freezing weather, a patch becomes instantly soft in the fingers and is easily loaded in a freezing cold barrel.
At this stage of the game of life, we resist shooting in weather much colder than -5 C, which is about 23F I guess.
These patches worked for me many years ago, when I used to shoot down to -40 when hunting.
Indeed the coldest we hunted in was -56C.  That was -65F - mite cold on the hands and hard on main springs.
Only did that once & one day only. Maybe that's why I feel the cold now more than "Then"- or just getting old.

[Dobyns]

I use mink oil from TOTW for hunting, mostly.  Generally, I just rub some on the strip of patch material, start the ball flush, and cut at the muzzle.  I carry a few patched balls in a loading block in my hunting pouch.  I can't imagine the need to melt mink oil in a double boiler to dip lube a batch of patches. 

[Jerry]

I use two types of lube, depending what is handy. I also use TOTW mink oil lube and recently started using Unique Paste Lube for lubricating and sizing cast bullets. Also, Tandy's Mink Oil Paste ( for leather ) works good. The Unique does not contain petroleum products. In years past, I only used a bees wax and tallow lube.

[smylee grouch]

I guess some guys just wipe their patches on the mink oil, if your using tracks product like I do but I prefer to melt the stuff and saturate the patch clear through. This seems to work best for me as I have tried doing it both ways. Just seems like I get better results with the saturated patches. Your mileage may vary.

[Daryl]

I use mink oil from TOTW for hunting, mostly.  Generally, I just rub some on the strip of patch material, start the ball flush, and cut at the muzzle.  I carry a few patched balls in a loading block in my hunting pouch.  I can't imagine the need to melt mink oil in a double boiler to dip lube a batch of patches.

Well, you could imagine this - we generally shoot 40 to 100 shots on the trail walk. One must have enough patches for this day's shooting. Thus, if using mink oil, I melt it and pre-lube my patches. That way, EVERY patch is lubed exactly the same and I do not have to cut at the muzzle, nor carry extra lube with me.

[Turtle]

Yep, I also melt and soak my mink oil patches. I did experiments years ago with lubes for hunting. #1 I put lubed patches on a small pile of powder and waited a week to see which migrates and soaked the powder-mink oil won.
#2 I put lubed patches in the freezer overnight to see which froze-mink oil won.
  be sure to use PURE mink oil, not the shoe store stuff with silicone.
 I poke a hole in my patches before lubing and keep them on a wire on my bag strap.

[thecapgunkid]

Very interesting ideas, here.  Can you, or has anybody tried to, do this with a product like bore butter?

I use cleaner on my patches in fair weather because the gun is easier to clean, and would like to know about bore butter in winter

The only winter shooting I have ever done has been in the 25 below range on snowshoe trips up near lake george.  I've only taken my smoothbores on these treks




I always used a re-stocked Charleville because the big lock and bore were easier to handle.




This winter, because of accessibility of the local range, I wanna shoot a couple of my rifles and try something new...

Thanks

Capgun

[EC121]

I have had good luck with mixing coconut oil and TOTW mink oil.  The percentages can be adjusted to the weather.  Also there is a coconut oil in the baking dept. that doesn't set at low temps.  I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like it would be better for mixing with the mink oil.  The mixture seems to mix with the cleaners easier than some lubes I have used.  Makes for easier cleaning.  I use one of those coffee cup warmers and an empty mink oil tin to mix small batches to refill the bore butter container I use.  (Bore Butter went in the trash to get the container.)

[rollingb]

I have had good luck with mixing coconut oil and TOTW mink oil.  The percentages can be adjusted the weather.  Also there is a coconut oil in the baking dept. that doesn't set at low temps.  I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like it would be better for mixing with the mink oil.  The mixture seems to mix with the cleaners easier than some lubes I have used.  Makes for easier cleaning.  I use one of those coffee cup warmers and an empty mink oil tin to mix small batches to refill the bore butter container I use.  (Bore Butter went in the trash to get the container.)

That is a good place for Bore Butter.

[Daryl]

I agree- bore butter is also known as lip-balm with wintergreen scent added.

Some guys have found it to 'wad-up in their rifling and destroy accuracy in as few

as 10 shots, then be difficult to get out of the bore. I did not have that experience

when I tried it, although is it thick, gets like concrete in cold weather and did not shoot

as well as Track's mink oil and Neetsfoot oil which turned out to be so far superior, that

 I threw out the lip balm - oops, sry, I meant bore butter.

[hanshi]

I found that BB and it's relatives were indeed formulated for the trash bin.  Hoppes is always a good choice unless the bore is to remain loaded more than a day.  TOW mink oil was the solution.  Out roaming through the bush is the perfect place for MO.  I've been a "patch by patch wiper" for a long time but have started thinking about finding a way to melt and soak without waste.  I'll figger sump'in out.

[Curmudgeon]

I like to mix Track mink oil in its lid with isopropyl alcohol.  The mix depends on feel, sometimes "runny", sometimes I like it thicker like heavy cream.  The patches soak up the mix quicker than straight mink oil.  Lay out the patches to dry then stack in a capbox tin.  A little messy on the fingers but gets the job done.  I'm a beginner at this and still experiment with how much alcohol to stir in and how much lube to leave on the patch.  I would someday like to try Jack D. or Old Grandpa but the range is 40 miles away and I'd rather not need to explain the smell to the constable.

Kevin

[OldMtnMan]

I just rub the mink oil on one side of the patch and then load them in loading boards. Simple and works fine for me.

[Flint62Smoothie]

Very interesting ideas, here. Can you, or has anybody tried to, do this with a product like bore butter?

BB is the WORST in cccccccold temps! Every Wintah (that's 'Winter' for you southerners ... ) I run the muzzleloading primitive biathlons on wood snowshoes, as held in NH, NY & VT. Temps in the VT shoots have been just above zero to 'warmer'.

One race, after my run was over, I volunteered to officiate/score the last shooting station (3 targets) and after witnessing many 'stuck' loads & broken ramrods whilst out on the race course, I brought my steel-cored ramrod and mink oil from TOW with me to that shooting station.

It was 17-degrees out and in less than 4-hours, I witnessed 8 broken ramrods, 7 from using Bore Butter and 1 from spit patching. I also pulled numerous loads or re-applied my mink oil so the shooters could continue participating & firing, of course taking that shot as a 'miss' ...

We have turned many a shooter and/or hunter on to Track's mink oil, as a muzzleloading patch lube, at these shoots! I've yet to see anything out perform it!

[OldMtnMan]

Mink oil is definitely the cold weather hunters friend. Good in hot weather too.

The mink isn't happy about it, but we are.

[Daryl]

Even stiff patches turn soft as soon as between your fingers.  I remember back in the early 70's of punching the ball through the frozen or HARD/Stiff lubred patch on the muzzle.

Thing of the past, with Neetsfoot or Mink Oil.  Good post,  Flint62Smoothie.

[Turtle]

it's good on toast and s bug repellant Too

[jdt367]

Catching up on this.... you guys soaking the patches; just heat up the mink oil, dip the patch and let it cool?  The guys running a needle thread through the middle, that's to be able to do more in one go instead of one at a time?

[Panzerschwein]

I don’t like to let lube set on the patching for too long. Just seems to sort of break it down after some time.

[canadianml1]

Great thread............reinforces my choice for lube.....Mink Oil! Yet to try it.

Thanks to all for chiming in!

[heelerau]

I use either mink oil or spit patch.  If a lot of shots, mink oil, I warm it in the sun and pull a strip of patch cloth over it, squeeze any excess back into the tin.  I carry my patch material now in a strip off my bag strap, I great idea I picked up off a chap on this forum.

[MuskratMike]

I cut my patching material into long strips. Melt the mink oil and soak the strip. Holding one end with a forceps or needle nose pliers I have another set of needle nose with no serrations simply squeeze lightly and pull down. I make several at a time roll them up and put the extras in a ziplock bag until needed in my shooting box.

[Leatherbark]

Take your patch and rub it in a circular motion with your thumb. Friction soon turns it liquidy enough to saturate the patch easily.

Bob