New member with a question

[mechdriver]

Has anyone every tried Lee Liquid Alox for a lube on BP mini balls?
Is this a good idea or a bad idea? Why?

Thanks
Mechdriver

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

Mechdriver- The lube used for BP muzzleloader is intended to reduce hard BP fouling. Alox is not a good canidate for keeping BP fouling soft. Any of the off the shelve BP lubes will do a better job. Thats just my opinion though.

Everett

[Maven]

mechdriver, Springfield.... is exactly right. If you want an effective, but inexpensive minie ball lube, try white Crisco or look up the recipe for Emmert's and brew your own. With Emmert's, you can substitute toilet seals 1:1 for beeswax if that's easier.

[freedom475]

In my opinion there is only one way to lube,clean,store, and shoot any Blackpowder gun >BORE-BUTTER.< aslo sold under a few other names like WonderLube but most of it is yellow.

I have made a lot of lube from mixes of Crisco, Bee's wax, and mineral/veg oil, all with verying degrees of success.

After discovering BButter and seasoning my guns according to instructions on package I have never applied petrolium oils or lubes or had rust on any of my BP's again.

I have a Walker cap&ball revolver that lives under the seat of my truck in a leather holster. It has been there for years. I keep it loaded with hammer resting between nipples. Except for the rare occation it is not cleaned, There is not any rust on the gun inside or out, It had not been fired in about 9 months and just the other day a fox ran out in front of me, I got out the old gun (half expecting it not to fire) and BOOM just over his back.:Fire:

[Buckshot]

..............You don't want to use any lube with petroleum as part of it's makeup. Makes for crusty residue and is not water soluable for cleanup. As mentioned, besides lubing the lube mixes with the BP residue to help keep it soft(er) for subsequent shots.

In the old days when BP was the only propellant, they also only had natural/organic stuff to use for lube. They weren't idiots just because they didn't pack cell phones, and they ginned up some very good lubes. Of course they also had some superb BP to work with also. Better then we have now.

You'll be a lot better off if you stick with the water soluable concoctions and use beeswax as a base. Crisco is good if your rifle likes it. Oddly enough just like modern guns, what one likes the other may turn it's nose up at it. I've used plain Crisco, Crisco & beeswax, beeswax and lard, Bore Butter and Bore Butter & beeswax.

.................Buckshot