Lube testing results from the bitter COLD.
While I have more below zero work to do I thought I'd bring you up to my current results.
Going into this 'cold side', I chose lubes that performed the best for me in summer. (one was from Gear's results) All did well at least to 80F, and most were shot at higher temps. While they could faulter in Texas summer heat due to vicosity and/or melt points I believe they could take 100F. My criteria leans more to a range of -15F to 85-90F...Three are my formulation and one was sent to me by Gear and is referred to as "Joe's Lube".
The four lubes are:
1. My BAC formula which is 48% Beeswax, 48% Alox 350, and 4% Carnauba wax flakes.
2. Polybutene Felix - 23% Stihl chain bar oil Iso 220, 13% Castor oil, 4.3% grated Ivory (very dry) and 59.7% Beeswax.
3. Polybutene Felix 1.5% hBN - 20% Stihl oil, 12.5% Castor Oil, 4.3% grated Ivory, 61.7% Beeswax, and 1.5% hexagonal boron nitride.
4. "Joe's lube" Still testing and researching exact formulations of both waxs and oils (Vasoline) Could be we need to know this......
All percentages are weight.
My results listed are not in chronological order but instead are in temperature order.
14F degrees - Lubes #1, 2, and 3 performed minute of angle accuracy in three 'test mules'. Lube #1 cold started the least in all three guns. No cold start movement with no powder charge reduction in the Rem 600 .35 Rem with lube #1. Slightly left 3/4" at 70 yards in the .35 Rem with both lube #2 and #3. The Savage .32-20 had no cold start movement with lubes #1, #2, or #3.... BUT the first shot had a 4.5% powder reduction. Groups 3/4" or better at 70 yards. Lube number 4 not tried.
9F degrees - Lubes #1 and #3 were virtually identical to the 14F results. Lube #2 FAILED with groups opening about 2 1/2 times the size of 14F groups. Lube #4 not tried.
-4F below degrees - Lubes #1 and #3 continued virtually identical with above results! Cold starts held constant. Lube number 4 was tried in the .32-20. It had a slight high left first cold start shot. Then proceeded to put them in one hole!
-10F below degrees - Only lube #3 was tried in two mules, the .35 Rem and the .32-20. I thought this lube was going to win.... It did shoot minute of angle too, after the first shot. But cold starts were 'squirrely'.... The .35 went 1 1/4" left and the .32-20 shot the cold start 1 3/8" right. Elevation was good? No powder reduction in the .35, 4.5% reduction in the .32-20. Even with the .32-20 reduction the case showed slightly higher pressure on the micrometer. It seems in this bitter cold the first shot really works to 'plow out the 'C.O.R.E.' Probably the Castor Oil content if I was to guess. ALSO, both Hercules and now Alliant caution about double base powders in extreme cold as creating higher pressures in certain applications. I don't think I saw this but I think I saw the time pressure curve messed with with C.O.R.E. so thick, resistent, or whatever it was? The powder was more sensitive IMO.
The next couple mornings promise -8 to -10. I'm going to try both lubes #1 and #4 while I think on a Castor Oil replacement. I am almost sure I'm going to bring back 'EsterBee350' with 2% Carnauba which did awful well in the warm weather. Like my BAC it liked cleaned every 30 to 50 rounds though.
Sorry these results are slow and seem so light in volume. But this is tough testing! In my younger days I called coyotes down to -20 below at times. I was good setting for maybe a half hour at a location even in arctic clothes before I went to the truck and changed spots. I warmed up and the gun and ammo warmed up! Saturating both guns and ammo for 2 -3 hours in these minus temps has me shooting a gun I have never experienced before! I have never shot a gun or shells as cold as I did this morning!
I end with a picture of my Remington Model 600.... The ice on the stock is from my breath. The bare spot in the middle of the ice was where I pulled the frozen gun away from my cheek! Look at the ice on the bolt!
My thoughts are that a minus -15F fully saturated gun and ammo test is all we'll ever need even for Antarctica. (unless your guns and ammo stay outside) Why? Because we can't stay out longer with gun and ammo in anything colder to probably equal a 2 to 3 hour fully saturated gun and ammo at -15F without finding a warm spot or dying one!
Eutectic
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