Mutton talow

[Daryl Pelfrey]

Anyone like mutton talow for patch lube. If so what do you like about it.?

[Jerry]

I use mutton tallow year round here in Georgia. I like the fact that it is a natural product. The mutton tallow that I get from Dixie Gun Works is at a consistency that I can use it Year round here in Georgia. As a patchlube for round ball or wad lube for shot in my fowler, it seems to break down the fowling better. In most situations I can shoot several shots without cleaning. Thanks, Jerry

[Daryl Pelfrey]

Thanks Jerry. I used it years ago and was thinking about starting back with it.

[recurve]

Made up  patches with mutton tallow ( melted in double boiler then soaked patches squeezing out extra)the groups weren't great(my fault & wind blowing target back around  ) But no crud ring and loading (without cleaning) was Very consistent fowling staying soft will have to work on more loads

[Daryl]

Sounds promising, recurve.

[JohnnyFM]

I find mutton tallow to have quite similar characteristics as deer tallow regarding use as a black powder patch lube and for most of us, it’s a lot easier to obtain. The animal tallows seem to play nice with black powder, keeping the fouling to a minimum and making for easier loading.
Thanks for posting your own results record.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Use it in my homemade pistol wads. Top stuff. The fouling stays soooo soft and almost “fluffy”, wipes completely away but with a single patch run through the bore. In a word, it is absolutely superb and the stuff from Dixie has a pleasant, savory smell to it reminiscent of good broth.

[jaeren]

from what I've read muton tallow was readily available in the US until it was banned as an animal feed additive . I've been looking for a local source but have yet to find one selling any quantity. (I've bought from Dixie.) also have some bear tallow it stays quite soft as well. the deer and buffalo tallow was quite hard and haven't tried it yet.

[Daryl]

Seems to me, the nomenclature reads that tallow comes from split-hoof herbivores and greases and oils come from omnivores and predators.
That may or may not be wrong. I didn't google it.
 

[hanshi]

Interesting.  Wonder how mutton tallow would stack up against mink oil?

[OldMtnMan]

I can't imagine anything as good as Mink Oil. I used to use bear tallow and it wasn't as good as Mink Oil.

Not sure where they get all the minks to make it?

[Wingshot]

I can't imagine anything as good as Mink Oil. I used to use bear tallow and it wasn't as good as Mink Oil.

Not sure where they get all the minks to make it?

Commercial mink ranches would be my best guess as to the source. They are in dire straights with a bottomed out fur market. Word is they will be pelting out (most of them anyway) and then products like glands and oils will become scarce and expensive.

[rich pierce]

From Wikipedia
Mink oil is a source of palmitoleic acid, which possesses physical properties similar to human sebum. Because of this, mink oil is used in several medical and cosmetic products. Mink oil is also used for treating, conditioning and preserving nearly all kinds of leather.

Botanical alternatives to mink oil as a source of palmitoleic acid include macadamia nut oil (Macadamia integrifolia) and sea buckthorn oil (Hippophae rhamnoides), both of which contain as much or more palmitoleic acid (17% and 19–29% respectively) than does mink oil (17%).[1][2]

"Mink oil and its fatty acids are unique among animal-derived fats and oils. The total unsaturated fatty acids in mink oil account for more than 75% of the fatty acid content, but the oil, nevertheless, has a greater oxidative stability (resistance to rancidity)... than other animal or vegetable oils.”

Seems like it not going rancid is as important as any lube properties.

[hanshi]

.....and I suppose it's "curtains" (coituns in Jersey speak) for the poor mink before the oil can be obtained?  It's still the best grease lube I've ever used on patches.

[OldMtnMan]

I don't think the sheep are giving up mutton tallow easily either. 

[recurve]

shot today 50yds got my best group with Mutton tallow lube
  upper group was tallow . I had shot with spit (all 4-5 inches low and right ) tallow 1 inch low center

[Craig Wilcox]

I find myself wondering about tallow - I have about 5 lb of good buffalo tallow to use.  I have used a bit to make fixin' wax (half tallow, half beeswax, with some peppermint oil), and used a bit for cooking.  But - how will buffalo tallow work as a patch lube?  Looks good, has little taste, feels good to the fingers.
Guess I will just have to take a bit to the range with the old .45 and find out.
Good discussion, guys - learning good things every day!

[Pukka Bundook]

Not used mutton tallow myself yet, as I've not run out of deer tallow. 
Being dryer tallows, they won't wet your powder like some products do, and I'd think they'd be pretty much the same to use.

[Nessmuck]

So using sheared sheep wool off our sheep in the yard....instead of tow....would work eh ?

[Notchy Bob]

So using sheared sheep wool off our sheep in the yard....instead of tow....would work eh ?

Now, that's an interesting question.  "Wool grease" is lanolin.  I've never heard of using it for patch/wad lube, but why not?  No sheep will be harmed in obtaining it.  As for using raw sheep's wool instead of tow (for wadding your smoothbore, I assume), why not try it?  I don't think wool is highly flammable, raw wool comes somewhat "pre-lubed" with lanolin, and wool felt has been used for wads. 

Sounds like a winner to me!

Notchy Bob

[Pukka Bundook]

To quote "An Essay on shooting";

.".....................Wool is nothing worth".  (For wadding).

Wool "shrivels up" with heat/flame.
I use it like tow for oiling the bore though, as I have piles of it.

Best,
R.

[Notchy Bob]

To quote "An Essay on shooting";

.".....................Wool is nothing worth".  (For wadding).

Wool "shrivels up" with heat/flame.
I use it like tow for oiling the bore though, as I have piles of it.

Best,
R.

Thanks for that.  I just discovered An Essay on Shooting yesterday.  I haven't had time to read it all, but I've seen there is a tremendous amount of information in it that is still applicable for those of us who like to shoot traditional guns in traditional ways.

Notchy Bob

[R.J.Bruce]

U.S. Wellness Meats sells 2 pound tubs of lamb tallow for $16.80, plus shipping.

R.J.Bruce

[Pete G.]

  No sheep will be harmed in obtaining it. 

Notchy Bob

I think the sheep are kind of embarrassed for the first couple of weeks though.