Quick smokeless vs. BP lube ingredient question

[Road_Clam]

Hey gents,
Getting ready to cook some lubes. Been researching recipies, and i'm looking to cook both a smokeless and BP specific lube for rifle. If I have my facts correct, Alox and Lanolin is best for smokeless applications, and STP , Crisco and Vasaline are for BP ? I just want to make sure I segregate the proper ingredients for the correct application. Is there an "universal" lube that suits both or is it best to construct separate lubes ? Thanks in advance!

[Dan Cash]

Don't over think the question. Petroleum lubricants do not work with black powder. Animal and vegitable based lubricants work with black and smokeless though may be a bit tacky. I have used a bee wax/neats foot oil (substitute any vegitable oil) 50/50 by weight with a little lanolin added to the batch to make it stick to the bullet. It is good for all loadings to 1800 fps or faster, regardless the propellant.

[jdfoxinc]

My BP lube is bees wax canola and olive oil to firmness desired. My hard lube 60% hard paraffin 40% bees wax.

[country gent]

My go to Homemade BP bullet lube is Emmerts Improved. There are several that work well that are easy to make.

Emmerts Improved
50% beeswax
40% unsalted Crisco shortening
5% canola oil or olive oil
5% anahydrous Lanolin.
This is the basic recipe for emmerts improved. For standard emmerts drop the lanolin and add 10% oil.

In a double boiler melt beeswax Crisco and oil to liquid stirring occasionally. Once melted add lanolin and stir for 5-8 mins blending everything. I sometimes add 2 drops of murphies oil soap to the mix to help combine the ingrediants and keep them blended while cooling. This is a good lube for BP keeps fouling soft with little added fuss ( a blow tube to add moisture between shots) I usually melt the first 3 ingrediants add the 2 drops of soap and then the lanolin. when lanolin is dissolved into mix I stir and "cook" for 5 -8 minutes. Shut off heat and let cool. for faster cooling set double boiler in sink and run cold water into outer pan around the inner.

[Road_Clam]

My go to Homemade BP bullet lube is Emmerts Improved. There are several that work well that are easy to make.

Emmerts Improved
50% beeswax
40% unsalted Crisco shortening
5% canola oil or olive oil
5% anahydrous Lanolin.
This is the basic recipe for emmerts improved. For standard emmerts drop the lanolin and add 10% oil.

In a double boiler melt beeswax Crisco and oil to liquid stirring occasionally. Once melted add lanolin and stir for 5-8 mins blending everything. I sometimes add 2 drops of murphies oil soap to the mix to help combine the ingrediants and keep them blended while cooling. This is a good lube for BP keeps fouling soft with little added fuss ( a blow tube to add moisture between shots) I usually melt the first 3 ingrediants add the 2 drops of soap and then the lanolin. when lanolin is dissolved into mix I stir and "cook" for 5 -8 minutes. Shut off heat and let cool. for faster cooling set double boiler in sink and run cold water into outer pan around the inner.

Awesome, I was leaning towards the basic Emmerts recipie. Is it ok to use this formula for smokeless ?

[Boogedy_Man]

Never heard of STP or vaseline in a BP lube. Alox is sometimes used, however.

[Toymaker]

The two lubes serve different purposes so there's no "universal" lube for black powder and smokeless. As for the old wives' tale about petroleum products not working in black powder lubes; 1 pound candle or canning wax, 1 pound Vaseline, 1 tablespoon STP has served me for years as a bullet lube for my .451 Creedmoor Rigby.
Don't know what it's made of but for patch lube I use 1 part Machinist Oil to 7 parts water. Soak the patch strip in the solution, strip the excess and dry on a steel plate. The Machinist Oil is brown, not blue. It looks like oil, smells like oil, feels like oil, and tastes like oil.
Now back to the old arguments: flintlocks are more accurate than caplocks, or visa versa - mule ears are better than side slappers, or flip flop, and underhammers are better than side slappers, or reverse it. In-lines don't belong ..... ah, side slappers and underhammers are inlines. - - - Have a good day and enjoy the sunshine.

[WRideout]

I am relatively new to black powder, but my last batch of BP lube I made was a modified Emmert's, using Bag Balm that was about to be discarded, for the lanolin content. The finished lube is pretty sticky, but seems to work. I kind of tumble lube my conicals with it.

Wayne

[BRUCE MOULDS]

paraffin wax and vaseline was used in some british black powder express cartridges.
and those guns had to fire repeat shots without blowing of wiping.
they expected to get 10 shots before cleaning.
modern sportsman's gun and rifle,vol 2, by stonehenge.
keep safe,
bruce.

[greenjoytj]

I use Emmerts Improved as shown above in post #4. I use it in my 45 Colt with both BP and smokeless it’s a great bullet lube. I homemade a batch and got 23 solid sticks. I have only one lubri-sizer so I’ll be using this batch for a few years, I see no reason to change lubes this lube work great in both shooting and in post shooting clean up.