Author Topic: Bore seasoning? (Read 4536 times)

Wingshot · « **on:** June 25, 2019, 04:41:14 AM »

Over the decades I’ve used/tried a myriad of concoctions related to cleaning my bore for both the short term and long term. My exposure to other BP shooters was fairly limited so what I learned, I learned on my own. What works for me is Wonder Lube, I clean my barrel with water (hot), dry the bore and while it is still warm I run a patch generously coated with WL down and call it a day. I scrub my lock in hot water, dry it and use the same patch to apply some lube to the internal workings. My results: always a smooth loading rifle with minimal fouling and swabbing between shots, (I use WL on my shooting patches) consistent performance in both accuracy and reliability. When I’m putting a gun away for a while I go heavy on the post cleaning application and then wipe the bore out good before shooting. I feel that my process resembles what lard does for a cast iron skillet. I would love to hear what you all think or do differently. If I’m dead wrong in my logic, I welcome the criticism.

rich pierce · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2019, 05:06:47 AM »

If you’re heating the barrel to 375 to 450 degrees every time, it is probably seasoning the bore like lard seasons a skillet. That of course would make it load tighter.

Wingshot · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2019, 05:24:10 AM »

Quote from: rich pierce on June 25, 2019, 05:06:47 AM

If you’re heating the barrel to 375 to 450 degrees every time, it is probably seasoning the bore like lard seasons a skillet. That of course would make it load tighter.

I can say that I’m using water that’s at a temp. well below the boiling point. The lube has a very low melting point and thins out dramatically. I always dry patch the bore before loading before a shooting session or hunting. I’ve been out in some pretty cold weather and to date, have not any issues locks or loading/reloading. My patching is lubed very lightly.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2019, 05:48:02 AM »

I prefer a bare bore with only a very thin film of anti-rust type oil on my bore then wipe it dry before shooting. Clean with room temp water only. Ben doing it this way for about 50+ years now and it works.

Mauser06 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2019, 08:19:12 AM »

I used to "believe" that too.......

Then I could barely get my TC Hawken to fire...... something wasn't right.

After years of that treatment, the patent breech actually clogged up....

My recommendation, stick with what works for you. Whatever you think shoots well, loads well, prevents rust etc. Just be mindful that the grease that turns to liquid is going to turn back to a grease. That's likely to be the touch hole/nipple/patent breech/breech face as you push the patch down the bore. I even store everything muzzle down when it's put away.

Darkhorse · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2019, 10:16:29 AM »

I want my bore clean when I clean it. That nasty yellow brown mess that covers a clean patch "After" the barrel is clean is your wonder lube seasoning. Hot soapy water won't wash it out. But a couple of patches soaked in brake cleaner will get the barrel actually clean again. This seasoning thing ain't what it's cracked up to be.
I've done a lot of shooting with Wonder Lube in the past. There's better lubes out there.
I do still use it though. I lube my deer hunting patches with Wonder Lube because you can leave a rifle loaded all season and WL will never rust your barrel. Works fine for less than 10 shots. But just as soon as a "should be clean" patch comes out with that brown mess on it I immediately clean the barrel with some brake cleaner.

stikshooter · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2019, 01:54:55 PM »

Quote from: rich pierce on June 25, 2019, 05:06:47 AM

If you’re heating the barrel to 375 to 450 degrees every time, it is probably seasoning the bore like lard seasons a skillet. That of course would make it load tighter.

Tepid water/cold is all you need ,hot promotes flash rust every time in my guns !

thelongrifle · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2019, 02:22:42 PM »

I have been using Wonder Lube since it came out with wonderful results. Same as the first poster on this thread. I never have loading or rust problems. I can shoot all day without cleaning too.

thelongrifle · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2019, 02:24:59 PM »

Noone is heating their barrel past to 375 to 425 with water as it turns to steam at 212 , the boiling piont.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2019, 02:53:12 PM »

Quote from: thelongrifle on June 25, 2019, 02:24:59 PM

Noone is heating their barrel past to 375 to 425 with water as it turns to steam at 212 , the boiling piont.

You can do it if you put your barrel in a pressure cooker...….a BIG pressure cooker....

I have used WL a lot in the past with good results. My fav is Murphy oil soap cut 10% with isopropyl alcohol. The Murphy's, when applied wet, you can load all day and not clean.

OldMtnMan · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2019, 03:43:08 PM »

It's easy to load all day with wet patches. Even spit. The test of a good patch lube is being able to use it in a hunting load and stay in the bore for a week. Also, will it run in hot weather and not get still in cold weather.

I know for a fact that WL/Bore butter/ chapstick get hard in cold weather.

J Henry · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2019, 03:45:53 PM »

If you season the barrel like a frying pan,,you just have to half clean it,,just wipe it out with sand and a splash of water, heat it hot to dry and rub olive oil all over it,,done,

OldMtnMan · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2019, 04:16:14 PM »

The problem with that old line of seasoning a bore is barrels are now hard steel. Not porous like the old barrels and frying pans.

Maven · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2019, 04:58:39 PM »

Here's a link to an article on bore seasoning: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/why-we-dont-season-barrels.61745/

Frank · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2019, 05:16:40 PM »

Seasoning works on those old wrought iron barrels and does not apply to modern steel barrels. It is impossible to season a modern steel barrel.

Mike Lyons · « **Reply #15 on:** June 25, 2019, 05:59:11 PM »

Quote from: Mike Brooks on June 25, 2019, 02:53:12 PM

Quote from: thelongrifle on June 25, 2019, 02:24:59 PM
Noone is heating their barrel past to 375 to 425 with water as it turns to steam at 212 , the boiling piont.
You can do it if you put your barrel in a pressure cooker...….a BIG pressure cooker....

I have used WL a lot in the past with good results. My fav is Murphy oil soap cut 10% with isopropyl alcohol. The Murphy's, when applied wet, you can load all day and not clean.

I don't see how it can get much better than the Murphy Oil Soap concoction. Cleaning is a breeze afterwards.

Daryl · « **Reply #16 on:** June 25, 2019, 06:49:25 PM »

Cleaning is always a breeze - never have trouble with cleaning using cool to cold water, whether I used Track's Mink Oil, Neetsfoot Oil or a water based lube for shooting.
Cleaning is always easy and a 5 minute job using one cleaning patch and 4 to 6 drying patches. I always remove the barrel for cleaning & flush in a container of water.

Curly Bean · « **Reply #17 on:** June 25, 2019, 07:50:43 PM »

Murphy’s oil soap with 10 / cent alcohol is the ticket. Thanks Mike.

Dphariss · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2019, 10:36:18 PM »

Barrels are not skillets. Good Grief....

Dan

Dphariss · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2019, 10:40:40 PM »

Quote from: Frank on June 25, 2019, 05:16:40 PM

Seasoning works on those old wrought iron barrels and does not apply to modern steel barrels. It is impossible to season a modern steel barrel.

How do you season an iron barrel and not a mild steel one?
Remembering that back in the day "iron" was anything that would not harden when heated and quenched. So it might easily have as much carbon as mild steel with 10 to 18 points of carbon, especially if its a welded iron barrel since its going to pick up dome carbon from the welding fire.

Dan

Scota4570 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2019, 10:58:05 PM »

I would not try it on a good barrel but, one might get a seasoning effect by treating the bore with moly paste. I have no idea the dynamics of reducing friction on powder burn and ultimate accuracy. I bet someone tried it back when moly coating bullets and barrels was popular 20 years ago. Anyone?

I see no reason to think that you can season a bore with scented Chapstick.

hanshi · « **Reply #21 on:** June 25, 2019, 11:00:25 PM »

If it works in your gun keep using it. Long ago I used WL/Bore Butter for the first load of the day when hunting. If I didn't fire it I could leave it loaded until I did. Later I discovered mink oil which works much better and without any problems whatsoever. I can shoot through an afternoon without wiping although I normally use Hoppes BP Lube for that. After the switch to mink oil I realized just how lousy WL actually was; Chapstick, basically. I clean with cold tap water and protect with Barricade. I also like WD40.

Bore seasoning is a Frankenmyth that just will not die. I can't see how anyone would want a crust buildup in their rifles bore. I clean down to the bare metal and protect it with Barricade. I normally dry patch the bore prior to shooting but not always. Barricade dries and leaves no buildup to wipe out. Unlike some do, I can't clean a gun in 5 minutes; it takes me longer than that to get the lock off! I was born slow and then got slower.

rich pierce · « **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2019, 11:06:02 PM »

I’ve got wrought iron barrels I shoot. They don’t season. They are not porous and I don’t think cast iron is either. The seasoning of a cast iron skillet sits on top of the iron which is often poorly finished. There is much mythology about wrought iron, cast iron, and “modern steels”, most of it old wives tales.

You can take mild steel, tool steel, or wrought iron, stick it in the coals, take it out and brush it with linseed oil, corn oil, lard, chicken fat, possum fat, or whatever type of oil that cooks to a polymer when overheated, and regardless of whether mild steel, high carbon steel, or wrought iron, will all develop a “seasoned” finish. Try it.

Wingshot · « **Reply #23 on:** June 25, 2019, 11:40:16 PM »

I’m glad I posed my question, I’m learning much. I have always been slightly bothered by that orangeish/rust color patch that I get back when I dry patch the bore before shooting after a period of time but a bore light has never given me any indication of rust. The Murphy’s oil soap concoction is something I’ve heard discussed but never in detail. I’d be willing to try it. It’s been my long held belief to never use any petroleum based products in a black powder gun, (I don’t recall the origin of that though) so I’ve always refrained from using “oils”. I’m a minimalist at heart and love the idea of using anything organic or traditional as it relates to care and feeding of my BP guns.

WadePatton · « **Reply #24 on:** June 25, 2019, 11:49:28 PM »

Quote from: rich pierce on June 25, 2019, 11:06:02 PM

I’ve got wrought iron barrels I shoot. They don’t season. They are not porous and I don’t think cast iron is either. The seasoning of a cast iron skillet sits on top of the iron which is often poorly finished. There is much mythology about wrought iron, cast iron, and “modern steels”, most of it old wives tales.

You can take mild steel, tool steel, or wrought iron, stick it in the coals, take it out and brush it with linseed oil, corn oil, lard, chicken fat, possum fat, or whatever type of oil that cooks to a polymer when overheated, and regardless of whether mild steel, high carbon steel, or wrought iron, will all develop a “seasoned” finish. Try it.

As to seasoning steel-

Actually prefer my heavy old "sheet iron" skillet (steel) over any of my cast (full collection) because it's slicker and lighter, but plenty heavy. Also it seasoned up quickly.

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Author Topic: Bore seasoning? (Read 4536 times)