Ok, I’ll admit I haven’t read every thread, but I’ve read several. I see folks using everything from Crisco to bacon grease to lube their black powder guns. While I don’t dispute the effectiveness of any of these substances I would prefer something I can buy specifically designed for this purpose. So, what are some good choices to lube a cap and ball revolver?
Cap & Ball: Preferred Commercial Lube
- Thread starter BarryLee
- Start date
Fingers McGee
New member
Balistol for general lubrication; Bore Butter to lube arbors on Colt clones.
g.willikers
New member
I gave up on messy lubes after discovering about under the ball wads.
Especially when articles on the subject of crossfires explained how loose primers can be at fault.
Mostly now I use a dry wad made of automotive gasket paper cut to a suitable diameter.
Or commercial lubed wads when available.
I've read that some folks just use cardboard even.
The real trick, though is abandoning black powder for the clean burning Hodgdon 777.
So much better with rarely a complaint from the smokeless crowd.
Making sure the primers are a good fit, too, hasn't led to any crossfires.
For general lubrication, the usual suspects do nicely.
For arbors and cylinder pins, a occasional wipe down with a lubed rag seems to do well enough for a range day.
Of course, if you're a die hard black powder fan and don't actually mind the smell of rotten eggs and getting dirty looks, there is one advantage.
Clearing out a crowded range quickly.
Especially when articles on the subject of crossfires explained how loose primers can be at fault.
Mostly now I use a dry wad made of automotive gasket paper cut to a suitable diameter.
Or commercial lubed wads when available.
I've read that some folks just use cardboard even.
The real trick, though is abandoning black powder for the clean burning Hodgdon 777.
So much better with rarely a complaint from the smokeless crowd.
Making sure the primers are a good fit, too, hasn't led to any crossfires.
For general lubrication, the usual suspects do nicely.
For arbors and cylinder pins, a occasional wipe down with a lubed rag seems to do well enough for a range day.
Of course, if you're a die hard black powder fan and don't actually mind the smell of rotten eggs and getting dirty looks, there is one advantage.
Clearing out a crowded range quickly.
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FrontierGander
New member
http://www.frontiermuzzleloading.com/t8567-frontier-s-anti-rust-patch-lube#75060
All you need is a light coating around the balls with a q tip. I've seen guys FILL the entire cylinder and those are usually the ones that complain about such and such lube being messy.
All you need is a light coating around the balls with a q tip. I've seen guys FILL the entire cylinder and those are usually the ones that complain about such and such lube being messy.
deerslayer303
New member
^^ Yes it does. Full Strength Balistol takes my breath away. I use it outside, but it is great stuff. As far as lube, I use 1:8 mix of mutton tallow and beezwax. It's not commercially available but with one order I made enough to last a very long time. I make my home made wads with it and lube the 58 cylinder pin and the Arbor on the open tops with it. It has worked great so far so I'll stay with it.
bedbugbilly
New member
I make my own but if I was going to purchase, it'd be SPG. Widely used by many BP cartridge shooters as well.
rodwhaincamo
New member
It appears as though the OP is asking about what to actually lube the revolver with, in which case I, too, love Ballistol (I like the smell).
I've also tested it to see if I can keep a dirty gun from rusting if ever I find myself without the time to clean it as I had read of people doing. Ballistol soaks into the fouling keeping moisture from getting in. It worked quite well in my hot and humid Texas garage.
For lubing felt wads and bullets I make Gatofeo's #1 lube, which is a very old commercial lube for outside lubricated bullets. I also use it on my rifle conicals.
The recipe (by weight) is 1 part mutton tallow, 1 part paraffin wax, and 1/2 part beeswax melted and combined in a double boiler (canning jar heated in a pot of water). Works great and according to Gatofeo it worked better than anything else he tried, and he claimed to have tried most everything. Your climate may well dictate what works best.
I've also tested it to see if I can keep a dirty gun from rusting if ever I find myself without the time to clean it as I had read of people doing. Ballistol soaks into the fouling keeping moisture from getting in. It worked quite well in my hot and humid Texas garage.
For lubing felt wads and bullets I make Gatofeo's #1 lube, which is a very old commercial lube for outside lubricated bullets. I also use it on my rifle conicals.
The recipe (by weight) is 1 part mutton tallow, 1 part paraffin wax, and 1/2 part beeswax melted and combined in a double boiler (canning jar heated in a pot of water). Works great and according to Gatofeo it worked better than anything else he tried, and he claimed to have tried most everything. Your climate may well dictate what works best.
freedom475
New member
For lube...SPG...NOTHING else even comes close!!! Comercially available and NOT one single lube in history has been to the winners podium as many times as SPG. And by buying SPG you are directly supporting the black powder industry.
It is the standard by which all others are judged and they all fall just a little short of SPG.
Balistol is so overrated by the internet that it's not even funny. That crap stinks so bad!! and it is nothing but mineral oil, weak acid, and odor (lots of it)... I have even had it gum up over time.
For cleaning....Just use Napa cutting oil and water to get the EXACT same performance with NO stink or nausea. You can add a little shot of iso alcohol to enhance its power and drying time of the H2o/napa.
For gun oil of your internals....Break Free is the best...yeah I know its preto..but it works great and will NOT gum up or allow rust inside your action. It is the only oil suggested for use by Shiloh Sharps Rifle Co...for use on there fine rifles. No need to tear down the rifles or revolvers either. Just spray it in there and cycle the action a few times and you are done.
I hope this helps!
It is the standard by which all others are judged and they all fall just a little short of SPG. Balistol is so overrated by the internet that it's not even funny. That crap stinks so bad!! and it is nothing but mineral oil, weak acid, and odor (lots of it)... I have even had it gum up over time.
For cleaning....Just use Napa cutting oil and water to get the EXACT same performance with NO stink or nausea. You can add a little shot of iso alcohol to enhance its power and drying time of the H2o/napa.
For gun oil of your internals....Break Free is the best...yeah I know its preto..but it works great and will NOT gum up or allow rust inside your action. It is the only oil suggested for use by Shiloh Sharps Rifle Co...for use on there fine rifles. No need to tear down the rifles or revolvers either. Just spray it in there and cycle the action a few times and you are done.
I hope this helps!
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http://www.amazon.com/LUBRIPLATE-En...kcompar-20&ascsubtag=5745d65148308f29e85ef456
Luberplate is thin and available at all auto parts stores.
F. Guffey
Luberplate is thin and available at all auto parts stores.
F. Guffey
swathdiver
New member
Something specifically designed for the purpose is a homemade recipe packaged up pretty with a larger price tag than if you sourced the items yourself.
Animal fats mixed with olive oil and beeswax were commercial lubricants back in the day all the way up until WW2. Even the first automatic transmissions were lubricated in part with whale oil into the 1960s.
Bore Butter is simply 5 Parts Olive Oil and 1 Part Beeswax. Make it yourself or pay some guy to make it for you and put it in those fancy tubes...
Animal fats mixed with olive oil and beeswax were commercial lubricants back in the day all the way up until WW2. Even the first automatic transmissions were lubricated in part with whale oil into the 1960s.
Bore Butter is simply 5 Parts Olive Oil and 1 Part Beeswax. Make it yourself or pay some guy to make it for you and put it in those fancy tubes...
rodwhaincamo
New member
Initially I used WD-40. It worked. But many claimed ir wasn't proper. Many claimed Ballistol was great. I bought some and tried it. Indeed it works well. As I've not tried anything else I'm curious why it's considered to be way overrated.
"...prevent setting off all the cylinders at one once..." Yep. Except BarryLee was talking about lube. I think he's confusing what you're saying with lubing his revolver. Different thing.
Don't know anybody who uses shortening(Crisco. Shortening made entirely of vegetable oil) as firearm lube.
Don't know anybody who uses shortening(Crisco. Shortening made entirely of vegetable oil) as firearm lube.
There are many advantages to Mibil 1 Synthetic, and I know it has to be the number one oil recommended for everything. When it comes to the end of the cylinder 10W oil does not have stick-um. it runs out of the cylinder, down the fame and then off of the trigger guard. For me I prefer a lube that that does not flow at temperatures below 150°. When it comes to moving the bullet down the barrel and I have packed the front of the cylinder what ever I use for a seal the lube has no choice but to lube the bullet and the barrel.
A 10 W oil flows like a 10 Weight oil at -40° and it does not get much worst than that 300°; that is below freezing and above boiling. And then they go to 10W40. That does not mean the oil gets thicker when it gets hotter.
F. Guffey