Put the grease under the ball

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Mr.drobs method works extremely well...i have done it that way when i used to mess with wool wads...i actually preferred a dry wad and a thinner lube..i.believe it was a lube made from olive oil, bees wax, and shea butter. Completely forgot about that recipe. The method was great but because i use .36 cals and wanted to use conicals i had to remove the felt wad out of the equation to make space for more powder and lead. I think the method mr.drobs listed should be tried out by those new (and old) to black powder...its simple and very effective.
 
If you won't be leaving the gun loaded for awhile, I've found that wool felt wads lubricated with 100% pure neatsfoot oil work well and are simple to make. Simply punch out the wads, put them in the neatsfoot oil, and squeeze out the excess. It's nice not having to mix or melt anything. You can get a quart of Fiebing's 100% pure neatsfoot oil from Amazon for around $15, and it's useful for other things like patch lube and of course, treating leather. Just don't get neatsfoot oil compound, which contains silicone.
 
I have been reading this thread with interest and have found it to be rather informative and even entertaining. It has made me curious though, what did great grandad's great grandad do when on the march? I'm pretty sure he didn't carry any premixed lube or felt wads. What does history tell us?
 
I have been reading this thread with interest and have found it to be rather informative and even entertaining. It has made me curious though, what did great grandad's great grandad do when on the march? I'm pretty sure he didn't carry any premixed lube or felt wads. What does history tell us?
They either loaded paper cartridges with conical bullets (EDITED: sometimes lubed; see video below) or loose powder and ball (no lube). The majority of people anyway. Lube cookies, lube over the ball, and lubed felt wads are a relatively recent phenomenon. Historically people didn't shoot 80-100 shot CAS matches or worry about keeping fouling soft for all-day shooting. I'm talking about cap and ball revolvers here. People have been using grease/oil on patches for rifles for hundreds of years, or saliva, or no lube.
 
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They either loaded paper cartridges with conical bullets (no lube) or loose powder and ball (no lube).
You're sort of making my point. I've been having fun with cap and ball pistols for over 50 years/(they're great fun at dusk) and never did anymore than put lard in the cylinder after powder and ball, to help prevent chain fire. I was never involved with CASS type competitions so there's that.
 
The original paper cartridges with conical bullets were dipped in lube. Some are still around in collections and still have a bit of lube on them. I dont use that method though...i prefer a lube disk.
 
You're sort of making my point. I've been having fun with cap and ball pistols for over 50 years/(they're great fun at dusk) and never did anymore than put lard in the cylinder after powder and ball, to help prevent chain fire. I was never involved with CASS type competitions so there's that.

There are multiple reasons to use lube in the chambers of a C&B revolver.
Here's 3 off the top of my head...

1. As you mentioned, the irrational or otherwise, fear of chain fires.
2. To keep fouling soft in the barrel. Hard fouling = reduced accuracy.
3. Soft fouling = a gun that is easier to clean.

I bet we could come up with some more.
 
Mr.Drobs...id also like to add: to help prevent gas cutting when lube/wad is used behind the bullet. Especially with chambers that are under bore diameter..although the bullet obturates it may not always obturate enough to seal the entire grooves of the barrel. In my opinion..lube disk with over powder card or a lubed felt wad help seal the grooves of the rifling.
 
Mr.rich1939, whats your current lube type and method? Im always curious to hear about what other folks use.
 
Mr.rich1939, whats your current lube type and method? Im always curious to hear about what other folks use.
As I posted before "and never did anymore than put lard in the cylinder after powder and ball>
It's been a long winter here and I haven't been out yet but when I do, I'll continue my usual practice. I don't shoot competitively, just for fun.
:) Anymore, at my age with vision problems, I no longer try to put all the shots in the same hole, I'm happy to put them all in the same target.
 
If you watch some of the duelist1954 videos on YT he uses an ink pen or a dowel to make sure the wads are in the chamber straight.

Kid I think for .44 everyone is using a 7/16ths hole punch wich is a little undersized for the .451 ball. A 7/16s works out to .437. But I guess it works for those who use it. I made some paper wads like you like to use and they are just a little bit small in size. But a wax disc should flatten out on firing and spread the lube. Great idea on the lube soaked paper towels by the way.
The 7/16" is what I use. but I used my Dremmel with a cone shaped stone to open it up slightly, for a snug fitting wad in my ROA's.
 
Mr.rich1939, whats your current lube type and method? Im always curious to hear about what other folks use.
Hello Outlaw Kid. Since you asked about lube mixtures, right now I am melting a batch of 60/40 beeswax/castor oil. I got this recipe from Paul Mathews book "What You Should Know About Bullet Lubricant for the Blackpowder Cartridge Rifle". He mentions the fact that castor oil absorbs moisture from the air which aided his fouling control, especially in a 34 inch barrel. More to it than that, of course, but I want to try it because I just purchased two new Uberti 1858 Remingtons. With their reputation for fouling issues, I figured the moisture would possibly be an aid in this regard. I have never tried this mixture so will have to see how firm the 60/40 is when it cools. I am in the process of stripping the guns and doing the usual "massaging" so I haven't shot them yet. These are my first Remingtons as I have previously scratched that "Non-Colt" itch with several Rogers & Spencers which run all day long with no fouling issues. I probably won't be able to shoot them for a couple of weeks(home repair issues) but am anxious to start experimenting.
 
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Mr.rich1939, whats your current lube type and method? Im always curious to hear about what other folks use.
Hello Outlaw Kid. Since you asked about lube mixtures, right now I am melting a batch of 60/40 beeswax/castor oil. I got this recipe from Paul Mathews book "What You Should Know About Bullet Lubricant for the Blackpowder Cartridge Rifle". He mentions the fact that castor oil absorbs moisture from the air which aided his fouling control, especially in a 34 inch barrel. More to it than that, of course, but I want to try it because I just purchased two new Uberti 1858 Remingtons. With their reputation for fouling issues, I figured the moisture would possibly be an aid in this regard. I have never tried this mixture so will have to see how firm the 60/40 is when it cools. I am in the process of stripping the guns and doing the usual "massaging" so I haven't shot them yet. These are my first Remingtons as I have previously scratched that "Non-Colt" itch with several Rogers & Spencers which run all day long with no fouling issues. I probably won't be able to shoot them for a couple of weeks(home repair issues) but am anxious to start experimenting.


Mr.navy six 2, that sounds like its gonna be a great lube mix! Let us know how it turns out! What method will you be using...lubed felt wad? Disk? Cookie? Over ball?
 
Mr.navy six 2, that sounds like its gonna be a great lube mix! Let us know how it turns out! What method will you be using...lubed felt wad? Disk? Cookie? Over ball?

Outlaw Kid, I have been making a disc of lube only by using a baking pan containing water. After experimenting a bit I determined that 2.3 grs of lube placed in my pan and slowly heated gave me a thin, evenly flat sheet. After cooling I punch out discs with an appropriate size cartridge case. I have gone to these thin discs because like you I shoot a lot of 36 Navies and the thin disc doesn't take up much space in the cylinder. Also, I like to load paper cartridges which contain a lube disc(wax paper wad underneath) and this thin disc works for both .36 and .44. Up to know I have been using Gatofeo's mix or sometimes a little harder. Either way I have paper cartridges that have been loaded for more than a year with no sign of lube migration/contamination.
The 60/40 beeswax/castor oil mix cooled and it is pretty soft so in that condition would not be suitable for a lube disc. I plan to use it when loading (under the ball) and firing immediately in the Remingtons so we'll soon find out. I have used another of Paul Mathews mixes, this time 60/40 beeswax /pure neatsfoot oil, when applied to the lube groove for blackpowder cartridge reloading. It runs through a lubrisizer real well and doesn't seem to "weep". I bet the castor oil mix will do the same.
 
It is quicker and easier (maybe neater) to put a well lubed felt wad between the powder and ball. I make my own to ensure they are sufficiently lubed.

Jeff
Yep, this is the thing to do. I take those felt wads and dip them in a mixture of crisco and bees wax. Way less mess. It’s the way to do it.
 
Seems to me seating a round ball against a flat felt wad under pressure, wad would curl up and seal NOTHING , hdbiker
 
I don’t put corn meal in my revolvers.

I’m pretty sure out ancestors would laugh their ass of at that stunt. Never had a need for dumping any cereal in there, my guns shoot just fine.
 
I don’t put corn meal in my revolvers.

I’m pretty sure out ancestors would laugh their ass of at that stunt. Never had a need for dumping any cereal in there, my guns shoot just fine.

I’m still in the process of testing out what effect cornmeal has on reliability and power, especially when loaded for time. I hate the look of a chamber half loaded. With powder being so scarce, cornmeal is a good filler to help the gun look loaded with reduced charges.
 
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