oils for cap and ball revolvers...........
- Thread starter jmaubin
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Bad Flynch
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Well, the common myth is that oils should be "natural" for use on BP arms. That means using something like Sperm Whale Oil (unavailable) or other refined plant or animal oil. This is simply not going to work because good oils of this type are difficult to find and expensive.
Naturally occurring mineral oils are fine for lubrication and rust prevention, but excesses should be avoided where they would mix with powder fouling.
I very much prefer a good synthetic such as Birchwood-Casey Synthetic. The are especially formulated to meet the needs of shooters and seem to live with powder fouling quite well.
You can lube the basepin of your revolvers with one of the incarnations of 1000+ Wonder Lube for shooting.
Naturally occurring mineral oils are fine for lubrication and rust prevention, but excesses should be avoided where they would mix with powder fouling.
I very much prefer a good synthetic such as Birchwood-Casey Synthetic. The are especially formulated to meet the needs of shooters and seem to live with powder fouling quite well.
You can lube the basepin of your revolvers with one of the incarnations of 1000+ Wonder Lube for shooting.
Everybody's "best" oil is also everybody's "worst" oil. We each have our favorites, which the next guy will tell you are terrible, cause fouling, won't clean up well, cause global warming, will make you support the Brady group, etc., etc.
General pronouncement, which at least one person will say is not true because they've never had a problem: petroleum based oils are bad because they react with bp combustion byproducts to form tar. However, they do a good job of rust prevention. Bottom line: use them if you wish but be sure to clean them out thoroughly before shooting.
Mineral oil based compounds are generally well thought of, although some don't agree: Ballistol, Butch's Bore Shine both clean and provide rust protection.
"Natural" oils: olive oil, peanut oil, crisco - all work but will turn rancid over time.
Specifically formulated compounds such as Hoppe's No. 9 Plus and T/C's Bore Butter each have their fans.
Those are just off the top of my head - I know I've missed some but I'm confident someone will fill in the blanks. This is a subject that everyone is an expert on, and I don't mean that in a derisive way.
General pronouncement, which at least one person will say is not true because they've never had a problem: petroleum based oils are bad because they react with bp combustion byproducts to form tar. However, they do a good job of rust prevention. Bottom line: use them if you wish but be sure to clean them out thoroughly before shooting.
Mineral oil based compounds are generally well thought of, although some don't agree: Ballistol, Butch's Bore Shine both clean and provide rust protection.
"Natural" oils: olive oil, peanut oil, crisco - all work but will turn rancid over time.
Specifically formulated compounds such as Hoppe's No. 9 Plus and T/C's Bore Butter each have their fans.
Those are just off the top of my head - I know I've missed some but I'm confident someone will fill in the blanks. This is a subject that everyone is an expert on, and I don't mean that in a derisive way.
Voodoochile
Member
I agree 100% with mykeal.
For in the bore & cylinder pins "if I plan to shoot within a few weeks to maybe a month max" I use either Virgin Olive Oil.
For everything else & if I plan to store my pistol longer than a month I'll use Ballistol.
For over 25 years this has worked for me quite well but like mykeal one persons great oil is anothers worse.
For in the bore & cylinder pins "if I plan to shoot within a few weeks to maybe a month max" I use either Virgin Olive Oil.
For everything else & if I plan to store my pistol longer than a month I'll use Ballistol.
For over 25 years this has worked for me quite well but like mykeal one persons great oil is anothers worse.
Cap n Ball
Member
I also use virgin olive oil and ballistol. Jojoba oil does everything that sperm whale oil would do. I may try it sometime and see if it works.
TheWall
Member
Ballistol and Bore Butter
For what it's worth, for my 1851 Colt Navy I used Bore Butter on the cylinder pin and a light coating of Ballistol on every thing else. Very pleased so far.
For what it's worth, for my 1851 Colt Navy I used Bore Butter on the cylinder pin and a light coating of Ballistol on every thing else. Very pleased so far.
Im283
Member
For internals and such I used regular oil. Whatever I had around. 30 weight , 3 in 1 etc. Never had any trouble.
Then for whatever reason about 6 months ago I switched to olive oil. Well the olive oil started turning to glue if the gun sat for more than a week without being shot. I noticed one was all gummed up so I checked the other three and they were in the same state. So I scrubbed them up and got rid of the gummy olive oil.
Now I am trying Rem Oil. It is the lightest and easiest speading oil I have ever used. A very small amount seems to give good coverage for smooth operation. I use Crisco shortening on cylinder pins.
I beleive the key to long shooting sessions is keeping the cylinder pin clean. And on the Colts if I need to remove the cylinder every once in a while then so be it. On the Remington the cylinder comes out every time I load it.
Then for whatever reason about 6 months ago I switched to olive oil. Well the olive oil started turning to glue if the gun sat for more than a week without being shot. I noticed one was all gummed up so I checked the other three and they were in the same state. So I scrubbed them up and got rid of the gummy olive oil.
Now I am trying Rem Oil. It is the lightest and easiest speading oil I have ever used. A very small amount seems to give good coverage for smooth operation. I use Crisco shortening on cylinder pins.
I beleive the key to long shooting sessions is keeping the cylinder pin clean. And on the Colts if I need to remove the cylinder every once in a while then so be it. On the Remington the cylinder comes out every time I load it.
scrat
Member
graphite in the works. Molly lube on the arbor shaft
armedandsafe
Member
Ballistol in bore and chamber, and Bore Butter on cylinder pin. LubriPlate on internal pivot and bearing points.
Pops
Pops
oneshooter
Member
Jojoba ( hohoba) oil is a very good replacement for sperm whale oil.
Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
Pancho
Member
scrat, do you use the dry grapite like the type that comes in small tubes with it's intended use being lock lubrication?
DixieTexian
Member
I use borebutter, but I am by no meansan expert.
AirForceShooter
Member
Mobil One.
Works on all my guns even the BP.
AFS
Works on all my guns even the BP.
AFS
> http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments.html
It's interesting that Ballistol did so well, the MSDS shows it to be based on simple medicinal grade white mineral oil.
http://tinyurl.com/6c66ll
Wiki has some info, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistol
It's interesting that Ballistol did so well, the MSDS shows it to be based on simple medicinal grade white mineral oil.
http://tinyurl.com/6c66ll
Wiki has some info, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistol
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