Over powder wad lubes

[lonewolf172]

I just ordered some .54 cal 1/8" thick dry wads to use in my .50 cal Bobcat. I bought dry so I could either use dry OR one of my own homemade lubes. My lubes are a moose milk mixture of 50% Ballistol 45% water and 5% alcohol. My other lube is a mixture 50% beeswax and 50% olive oil. Which lube would you suggest to lube the wads with. I can use either and once soaked let dry.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Will the beeswax/olive oil dry? Of those 2 choices its what i would use. But use it very sparingly.

 

[Bad Karma]

I don’t use any lube on overpowder wads. The bullet (grease groove) or patch carries any necessary lube. I don’t lube paper patched bullets.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I just buy the prelubed version. They have very little lube in them. Like Bad Karma said the bullet will be carrying plenty of lube

 

[rfd]

For my trad muzzleloaders - smoothbore and rifle - Ed's Rendered Bear Oil is a wonderful patch lube for balls

 

[Renegadehunter]

You want very little lube.
I would dip them in your Ballistol mixture, but then leave them set out on a screen or wax paper and let the alcohol and water evaporate off. Then you'll just be left with a light lube of Ballistol on them.

 

[GM54-120]

If using plant/animal based oils...even mineral oils you are probably best off including a compatible solvent to speed up drying and even application. Ballistol already contains the solvent which i think is a type of alcohol. If that is the case you may be able to just add a bit more alcohol with the least amount of water in it. Fuel line deicers are alcohol based and no water added.

Hexane is the commonly used solvent with most plant oils such as peanut, corn, canola ect but im not sure if you can buy hexane.

 

[lonewolf172]

I ended up melting my beeswax and olive oil lube mixture and put the wads in that. The wads soaked up the lube and although feel dry I'm sure under the pressure and heat of the powder it will melt and seal the bore and lubed it. I already have the patches for the round balls that were soaked in my Ballistol/alcoholwater mixture.

 

[GM54-120]

I think Lewis mentioned once about a peanut oil and synthetic 2 stroke oil mix he used on wads. Its sounded interesting.

 

[eekjellander]

I think Lewis mentioned once about a peanut oil and synthetic 2 stroke oil mix he used on wads. Its sounded interesting.

He adds those 2 to the NASA Lube cause he likes a softer lube /Ed

 

[edmehlig]

Ed, you are right. However I found that mix is a little too soft and messy for me when I pan lube my bullets. I talked to Lou and he said I was right it is messy and gets on your hands, but it works great. Lew generally lubes his bullets by hand as he only shoots a handful of bullets at a time.
What I did and Lew agreed being I pan lube was add another lb of the NASA lube to the 2 lb batch that I made with Lew’s recipe and found it to be the ticket for me. Still very soft, and not too bad on the fingers. I like it a lot.

 

[eekjellander]

Yup its soft but right now that"s ok bullets lubed for the cold out doors and the wife cut back on my hand cream so a win/win/Ed

 

[edmehlig]

Yup its soft but right now that"s ok bullets lubed for the cold out doors and the wife cut back on my hand cream so a win/win/Ed