Waxing barrel opinion

[Daniel Coats]

I believe it was called Cosmoline.

[Pukka Bundook]

No Daniel, it had a specific code, and not cosmoline.
I have it written down somewhere  but my filing system isn't any system at all!

Edited to add;
The British grease is XG279.

Features of XG-279:
Extreme pressure properties
Wear preventative characteristics
Rust preventative properties
Apparent viscosity at minus
Operated at the temperature range of -54°C to + 105°C

Says for automotive and artillery.....  Sounds about right.

[snapper]

Taking the barrel out of the stock of a long rifle does scare me.  I have done it, and Daryl makes me wonder if I should be doing it more often?   I do wax the barrels before I put them back in.

Fleener

[WadePatton]

I believe it was called Cosmoline.

Have a military grade pint of that around here somewhere.  Unforgettable smell and great longevity. Haven't used it myself but only cleaned it up from surplus military gear back when it was plentiful.   I can't imagine anything would be better, but also--I'm funny about smells and don't want my long guns smelling thatta way.  Rather use lanolin as was used on ships' hardware hundreds of years ago, that smell fades quickly and I do use it most days in the Winter on my skin.

Gotta get some of those antique waxes though.

[Daniel Coats]

Yep I haven't smelled cosmoline in at least 40 years but still remember it clearly. Unforgettable

[Daryl]

Taking the barrel out of the stock of a long rifle does scare me.  I have done it, and Daryl makes me wonder if I should be doing it more often?   I do wax the barrels before I put them back in.

Fleener

Wax will certainly help, Fleener.

smylee grouch
When I shoot in Arizona and plan on shooting the next day, I will clean with the barrel inn the stock but any place else I remove the barrels to clean and never hurt the stock.

I do the same when I'm at Hefley Creek rendezvous, smylee grouch & I'm going to be shooting the rifle the next day.  Oft times, I won't even clean it the day it's shot & I'm going to be
shooting the next day. This is when the humidity is in the single digits or teens. When it's that low, there is no moisture for the fouling to pull from the air, thus no danger of rust.

[AZshot]

My experience with wood and blued guns is that CLP breakfree is a LOT better at rust prevention than any wax.  Extreme tests done with salt water spray and such confirm that.  Me standing in the rain deer or elk hunting with antique Sharps and Krag rifles also proved it, they are totally corrosion free inside and out, under the wood too.  The military used oils and greases for 400 years or more on arms, so that's what I still use.  No wax on steel. 

[Scattershot]

Pretty dry here in Colorado, but if I get caught in the rain I’ll remove the barrel and oil it. Wax couldn’t hirt the stock, either.

[Idaho Wolf tracker]

I agree Muskrat . Bob's Black powder TV instructional video is really good.

I purchased a set of roll pin punch today so I might take another shot at getting the barrel out .

[Bob McBride]

I know there’s a few new guys hanging around so I thought I’d post the video mentioned above. Nothing new for you salty guys...

[Daryl]

Good video. I leave the rod in the pipes as it does nothing to hold the barrel into the stock although not so on a 1/2 stock, must come out then.
I've always figured that leaving the rod in, helps strengthen the stock.

[Bob McBride]

Good video. I leave the rod in the pipes as it does nothing to hold the barrel into the stock although not so on a 1/2 stock, must come out then.
I've always figured that leaving the rod in, helps strengthen the stock.

Right you are and I do to but in wanting to show how fragile they were are how it still wasn't very risky I forgot to mention it in the video. Thanks for finding something in the video I can improve. I'll add some subtitles. It'll hugely improve the usefulness of the video to the new guys. Thanks D.

[elkhart]

Brown the barrel, warm it a bit, then give it a coat of linseed oil. No need to remove the barrel.