Barrel lube instead of boolit lube

[shooting on a shoestring]

I cast some Lee 30 cal 150 rf for my 30/30. Wanted to work up some 4895 loads at about 2000 fps. Had my boolits cast in WQ'd WW, gas checked and no lube that would even come close to holding up at that velocity/barrel length. All my lube was geared for revolvers under 1200 fps, with short barrels. So I used my revolver lube. At the range I was bench restiing, feeding the M94 one shot at a time directly into the chamber. Each time before I fired, I ran a patch through the bore with a little Marvel Mystery Oil sprayed on it. It worked great. No leading. At 29.0 grs 4895, 100 yds, 4 shot group in just under 3" with 1973 fps. This evening I loaded 20 rounds with that charge. I'll shoot 4 groups tomorrow, 5 shots each and see if I can repeat the feat. I think lubing the bore would work well for deer as a second shot is seldom needed, and if it was, how bad could it be firing a second or even third shot without the additional lube? Maybe I should see.

[felix]

You should always slick down the barrel before a shoot. Even after it has been stored spankin' clean and oiled. I know, it is hard to motivate one to do that, and everytime I don't remember, or too lazy, the number of rounds shot with accuracy is cut in at least half. The other day I shot the BR gun to get ready for shootout with several boolit designs. The day was sorta' cold, and when I got home I then stroked the barrel and found some tight spots about half way down the barrel, just exactly where the maximum heat was. Needless to say, the test had to be repeated the next day. This time the bore was slicked in advance of going out. Shot 50 rounds, and then found the barrel spotless afterwards. ... felix

[buck1]

Yes sir it sure does help!

[shooting on a shoestring]

and spent the hole session with my SP101. Unloaded about 850 rounds. Chronographed and bench rested. Then I was to worn out to do justice to the 30/30 loads. So I'll have to wait for another weekend.

I've got some beeswax coming. I have hopes of getting it worked up into a good lube for the old 30/30.

[gunoholic]

what about moly bore cream? anyone tried it for cast boolits

[Jim]

I've got some anti-sieze compound that's used on bolt threads to keep them from galling and binding. It's basically super fine graphite powder suspended in high density grease. I put a "Brylcream" dab on a bore mop and swab the barrel several times AFTER I clean my rifles and it's there when I'm ready next time. This stuff is so thick, it just won't go away. And it is slicker'n snot on a door knob! It does not wear thin or shoot out, but it can be removed with Hoppe's #9 or a similar solvent.

Jim

[Freightman]

How do you think "SLICK 50" rear end greese would work? got a new bottle at a garage sale.

[wiljen]

Be very careful, graphite compounds require careful handling in industrial use because of the possibility of silicosis. I wouldn't be over concerned about that in this case but would the root cause. Unless you purchase silica free graphite it contains up to 10% silica. The silica free graphite is available and would be a good choice but it is far less common and comes with a premium price. Graphite containing silicates will be abrasive in your bore and over time will work like sandpaper. With repeated use could cause notable damage.

Wiljen

[sundog]

Seems to me that you ought to use the same stuff that's in there when you're shooting. If your lube is soft enough, impregnate a patch and use that. After all, by the time you get to the second round down a clean bore, what's in there? Lube from the first round. Or, just plain ole Hoppes.

I don't normally clean [the bore] if I'm shooting cast only in most of my rifles. The onliest problem I've run into was a hard lube ring in the throat of an 03 after several thousand rounds. It took a tornado brush and Ed's Red to get it out.

The only lube I use is FWFL except for a little experimenting with 50/50 bees wax and sta-lube in a few handguns. The latter is very foul smelling. I still have orange magic loaded in a heatered 450, but haven't used it in a long time.

[lovedogs]

There is probably something to this pre-lubing business. For a while now I've been running a patch with either Kroil or Break-Free before going to a shoot. I then dry the chamber as dry as possible with a patch and just push one patch one-way through the bbl. so as to leave a light film of lube in there. It isn't needed to prevent leading ever since I started using Larsen's lubes but it does seem to keep the bbl. cleaner and shooting good. I have friends who do likewise. One uses, believe it or not, carb cleaner... I never could quite wrap my head around that one. Another coats with Lee Liquid. Whatever works!

[tomf52]

Funny this tread just popped up. After years of the normal bullet lube techniques I tried something just for fun. After cleaning my four inch .38 I warmed the barrel with a heat gun. WARMED it, not hot. I then applied Johnson's Paste Wax with a patch and let it sit a half hour. I then buffed it out with a dry patch. The next range session the bore was almost as shiny after 100 rounds as when I had finished buffing the wax out of it. NO leading. Going to continue with my other handguns and see if the trend continues. Sometimes these wacky ideas pay off.