Grease cookies in muzzleloaders

[Nobade]

I had been wondering for some time if using a grease cookie would be beneficial in a muzzleloader. They work so well in my 45-70 that it seemed like they should in my Gonic 45 caliber, since it is basically a caseless 45-70 anyhow. So today I got to give it a try. Boolits were Accurate Molds .442" slicks, patched to .448", 400 grains. Powder was Diamondback FFg, and between the two I used a .030" card, 3/8" grease wad, and another card. I quickly learned not to seat those too hard, as the lube squeezes up around the top card. Boolits lightly seated on top, and they showed very good performance. On paper at 100 yards groups were around 1 1/2 inches. This is with open barrel sights, no scope. At 200 yards we were hitting the hanging steel near center every time, and then tried some shots at 385 yards, didn't have any good targets but we picked out a dubious looking bush on the hillside and gave it what for. All shots were predictable according to wind calls and didn't have any fliers at all. So all in all a great day with the Gonic, and yes, grease cookies in muzzleloaders work just fine!

[Omnivore]

Someone on another forum started a thread on what he called "lube pills" in percussion revolvers, years ago. Same thing. People came up with several ways to make, store and load them. I've used them in the revolvers, but haven't gone beyond using a lubed felt wad in the ML rifle. The grease cookie seems to be a perfectly sound concept if you need more lube than what's carried by the bullet in a muzzleloader. Now that you brought it up I'll have to try it.

In the revolvers, without a card between lube and powder, or lube and ball, the lube creates a "tracer" effect as some of the powder is burning in some of the grease that's stuck to the ball. I've seen it continue to fizzle after hitting a paper target-- in the paper. Something to think about during fire season.

[Good Cheer]

I've been using cards punched out of pressed paper egg cartons and soaked in melted lube. The pressed paper is kinda spongy and soaks it up. Generally end up using two of them. Have had to use three for a mold with a gas check base.

[Boz330]

I had been wondering for some time if using a grease cookie would be beneficial in a muzzleloader. They work so well in my 45-70 that it seemed like they should in my Gonic 45 caliber, since it is basically a caseless 45-70 anyhow. So today I got to give it a try. Boolits were Accurate Molds .442" slicks, patched to .448", 400 grains. Powder was Diamondback FFg, and between the two I used a .030" card, 3/8" grease wad, and another card. I quickly learned not to seat those too hard, as the lube squeezes up around the top card. Boolits lightly seated on top, and they showed very good performance. On paper at 100 yards groups were around 1 1/2 inches. This is with open barrel sights, no scope. At 200 yards we were hitting the hanging steel near center every time, and then tried some shots at 385 yards, didn't have any good targets but we picked out a dubious looking bush on the hillside and gave it what for. All shots were predictable according to wind calls and didn't have any fliers at all. So all in all a great day with the Gonic, and yes, grease cookies in muzzleloaders work just fine!

Those Gonics sure shoot well. When I worked for Ross Johnson Outfitters down in Magdalena, he pushed those for the ML hunters. I zeroed one at 200yd and was getting 4 inch groups from it. When the old man died his son took it over and ran it into the ground. The old man had booked a hunt with us but died before he took it. The son came instead and refused to check his zero and had a miss fire on his first shot at an elk. Turned out the nipple hadn't been drilled all the way through. Then he missed one or two elk after that.
After the hunt he did pick up the drink tab at the Golden Spur in Magdalena for all of the guides though. Guess he didn't want us putting out the word on his prowess and/or QC with a Muzzle loader.

Bob

[Maven]

Some recommend a greased felt wad under a patched RB for smoothbores and smooth rifles. It may also work in a conventional ML rifle if patch thickness, blown patches, and/or accuracy are problematic. I should think it's worth a careful trial.