When did we start using lube?

[d_striker]

At what point in history did we start using lube fir cast boolits?

I'm not a history expert but it seems like the first muskets didn't use lube on thei cast boolits (just going off of movies.)

what about all the single action revolvers in the old west?

[sheepdog]

I remember watching a thing on Napoleons death march back from Russia. They mentioned the lard used lube the felt patch surrounding the ball would freeze hard like a rock, too big to stuff down the barrels.

[Leftoverdj]

Had to be about the time of the development of rifling. Someone would quickly have figgered out to grease the balls just to get them down the bore. Probably took them another ten minutes to come up with the idea of prelubing by dipping them in wax.

By the Civil War, minie balls had lube grooves.

[rhbrink]

Don't know but I'll bet it started shortly after gunpowder boolits and gun barrels were invented. Probably some smart Chinaman?

[Lonestar22]

I seem to remember somewhere around the early 1700's was the time frame mentioned in T. Whelen's book on rifles.

[jdgabbard]

the brits definitly used it in their muskets during the late 1700s. Earlier then that I don't know.

[Shiloh]

There was lube on the patches for musket balls. Does that count as boolit lube??

Shiloh

[mpmarty]

Big rukus in India in the 18th century some doofus told the muslims that the grease on the paper cartridges was pig fat. Killed a lot of Englishmen over that.

[jonk]

Dunno, but for black powder, most anything natural will work. Some things better than others.

For patched round balls i'm a fan of mineral oil. For mini balls, either crisco or bore butter. If it's really hot out, 50/50 beeswax/crisco or beeswax/olive oil.

[Ricochet]

Mineral oil on patches makes a really funky, skunky smell with real BP.

[Bullshop]

The first lube I ever used came from my mouth. I suspect that has been true for lots of folks. While hunting I would have a patch for a back up shot in my mouth.
Then I started casting boolits and the endless search began.
BIC/BS

[montana_charlie]

I'm not a history expert but it seems like the first muskets didn't use lube on thei cast boolits (just going off of movies.)
I can't think of a poorer source for historical detail than 'the movies'.

"Last Of The Mohicans" with Daniel Day Lewis is (to my mind) one of the best done movies of the 'flintlock era' in North America.
While there are several very good scenes that depict some of the intricacies of loading those old rifles, in all cases you see the pan being primed with powder from the powder horn...the same powder used for the main charge.
You never see a small flask or horn for holding the priming powder.

So, even when they try hard, Hollywood can't seem to get it right.

CM

[76 WARLOCK]

Check out recent issues of muzzleloader mag. they explain where the small horns came from. I think most flint lock shooters in the early days used the same powder for shooting and priming. I have tried and 3f works just fine in my flintlock.