Using Mink Oil as patch lubricant

[bones92]

I stumbled upon a few tins of mink oil that I had ordered from Track of the Wolf, and I'm thinking about trying it as a patch lube.

So do I just rub each patch on the solid mink oil, then put the patch (lubed side down) on the muzzle and load?  Or should I melt it and add a bit of olive oil to make it more liquid?

I guess the question is about proper usage solid (congealed) patch lubricants, in general.    I could see where after a few shots a warm barrel would soften the mink oil nicely.

[EC121]

I mix it with non-hardening coconut oil. It softens it some in cooler weather. Also seems to make cleaning easier.  The mixing ratio is variable.

[smylee grouch]

A lot of shooters like the patch saturated clear through as I do. So I mix 50\50 mink oil lube with Bear oil , melt it and saturate the patch.

[HSmithTX]

All the patch will hold is the right amount. 

[MuskratMike]

Been using it for years. I however like it mixed 50/50 with pure 100% Neatsfoot oil (not the compound stuff for boots). I put the mink oil (really a grease) in a small saucepan I got from the Goodwill and add to the empty tin an equal amount of Neatsfoot oil. I then take it to the gas stove and melt it together under a very low flame. Once it has melted and combined I take the sauce pan to my shop which is in my garage and let it cool completely and solidify. I keep it in the unheated shop right in the sauce pan. When I am ready to grese some patches I precut my patches and liberally rub in the combined mixture. The 50/50 mixture seems for some reason to work better in the summer and doesn't harden up as much in the cold fall/winter months. If I was using strips and cutting at the muzzle i would consider remelting the mixture then dipping the strips in the liquid then using a pair of needle nose pliers remove the excess liquid back into the pan. i used to do this doing several long strips then rolling them up and storing them in tins until needed. I cone most of my barrels making cutting at the barrel problematic. 

[Scota4570]

I use moose milk with patch ball guns. I have no need for grease or oil as hunting with BP guns is not practical in California.   I have never produced best accuracy with grease or oil patches in my testing. 

Recently I shot my 1858 revolver in a club match.  I have used lots of greasy and soapy concoctions with it.  I tried SPG cut with Jojoba oil at that shoot.  I had hopes for it.  IT was too tacky and accuracy was poor.  If left tacky paste in the bore.  On a whim I had brought some cooking lard to try.  I used the lard over the chambers.  It shot tons better, easily holding the ten ring.  What really impressed me was that I did not need to clean and lube the cylinder pin for the whole shoot.  The lard seems to play well with BP fouling.  The bore was coated with a an oily film.  No cleaning was needed all day. 

I may try lard on patches in the future. 

[Daryl]

Shot the trail one fall or spring with my .32 SMR. Prior to that day, I melted my tin of Track's Mink Oil and dipped all my precut patches in it.
Then squeezed them in a stack, to remove the excess.
The first load was the most difficult. After that, then went down with 2 fingers - .311" ball. .0235" patch. A .320 ball would just barely sit on the muzzle, so it was likely about .319" bore.
I also used a 10 ounce denim at .021" with a .320" ball. Loading did not need a short starter, but I use one, it's faster than pressing the patched ball into the muzzle.
The lands were wider than the grooves in this barrel.
I should note (forgot to) that the 56th shot that day, loaded easier than the first. No wiping at any time from the first yo the last shot  that day or any day I shoot for that matter..

[Bob Gerard]

Yes, Mink Oil paste is what I use if I am not  using spit patch and shooting right away. Just smear it on the patch. Works fine for me.

[Leatherbark]

I lay a patch on the mink oil and rub it with my thumb 3 or 4 times and lay it down with the thumb (dry) side up.  I place the next one with the greasy side on top of the last one's dry side.   After I have a stack of 25 or so I squeeze them by laying a dumbbell on the stack.  After a few hours or overnight they are all greased through but not too much like dipping them.  I have become to like pure clear bear oil better in the last year.

Bob

[Daryl]

Interesting comment on the bear oil. I have some and tried it in my .69. It loaded OK, but I found the Track's mink oil was slicker & easier loading.
Neither needed any wiping while shooting.

[bones92]

Great info, folks.  I'm taking notes and will likely try it.   I've been using a bare-bones moose milk (Ballistol and water) for a while, and it seems to work really well.  But since I bought like 3 or 4 tins of the Mink Oil from TOTW, I figure I should at least try it out.

Plus, the Mink Oil should be good for our leather shoes and boots.