Oil vs Crisco

[hanshi]

Do patches lubed with olive oil keep well for extended periods, say, a year or more?  How does it compare with other lubes for shooting without wiping between shots?  I use Crisco for my first load when hunting and Hoppes for reloads and at the range and was curious if olive oil would work.

[sniper68]

I know Crisco lubed patches will give you problems  over an extended period. I'm not sure what other lubes will do. After one bad experience, I now vacuum pack them and put them in the freezer. Had some over ten years with no deterioration. A good quality freezer bag will work also. Just remove as much air as possible.

[Daryl]

over extended periods of time, the cloth loses it's integrity. Olive oil isn't as good a lube for me, as neetsfoot oil or mink oil.  I know the neetsfoot oiled heavy patches for the 14 bore lasted many years and remained just fine.  It's the only one I left that long.

Best to lube only enough patches to use for the day or week.

[JBlk]

Several years ago I used a large chunk of denim that I had soaked in melted Crisco as patch material.The caliber of the rifle was a .32 and I used it as a squirrel rifle.I used that same patch material for several years without re soaking it .I never experience any reloading problems until I had fired eight or nine shots.

[Daryl]

James - was the patch material letting you down due to degredation? So far, with my .32, I've had 80 shot days with spit patch, Windshield Washer fluid + soap, as well as with only Mink oil, and never had difficulty loading - the 80'th or 90th, loading exactly the same as the first.

I think the very small bores will allow much thinner patches than the larger bores, as I'm using a ball that's almost .010" smaller than the bore and a thin, .018" patch.  That patch material is useless in any other rifle that I have, even with balls only .005" under. Since I have several yards of it, I'm glad it works in the .32.