Lube and bore rusting question

[stubbicatt]

Guys, this may not be the best place to ask. I am using a typical home made lube of about 55% beeswax, 40% crisco, and a splash of olive oil and a wee bit of Murphy's Oil Soap as a lube. I am very happy with it. Mostly I like that clean up is so easy, couple wet patches, few dry patches, and I'm done.

I wonder if the coating of bullet lube in the bore will serve as a preservative of sorts to keep rust from forming in there? I would think that the beeswax would form a protective coating, but I wonder if the crisco would introduce any issues?

[Dan Cash]

I use a bee wax/neats foot oil/lanolin mix and except for black powder loads, I rarely clean the bore after firing. A couple of my rifles and three different revolvers see a lot of out door exposure and over the years, I have had zero rust in the bore. If a gun is cleaned for storage, it is oiled or if cleaned with water after black powder firing, it is oiled.

As for problems with Crisco, I can't answer but since Crisco is a vegetable product and if unsalted, I doubt that there is a problem.

[country gent]

I can remeber seeing old muzzle loaders and other rifles coated with diffrent bullet lubes for storage one plus was it also seasoned the barrel. My emmerts improved mix of 40% beeswax, 40% unsalted unflavored crisco 5% canola oil and 5% anhydrous Lanolin does work well as a perservative also. Beeswx is a good carrier sealant, as is vegtable lard, canola oil was used for steam cylinder oil years ago. and lanolins qualities have been known for years. A very light coating inside oan out does the trick nicely I wipe down with an impregnated patch completely the polish with a clean dry patch on outside. In the bores 203 passes then a dry patch and again a very thin coat is left behind. One plus to this thin coat of very thick wax base preservative is it dosnt run or flow like oils. The light coat Im talking about dosnt seem to really affect 1st shot accuracy much either ( if its the same as bullets are using to start with.) I have seen oldtimers rfifles done in this manner and stored for years with no rust or issues. Bought one muzzleloader for an clubmember ( He was older than dirt as he put it) said the Ohio Pattern muzzle loader had been stored for 30 years. Bore showed no rifling left but I bought it on his word. Took it to a friend and gunsmith. I ask if he thought it would still shoot. He laughed said couldnt tell yet and got out a hair drier heat gun. he clamped it muzzle down in a padded vise. set an old soup can under it and started heating pretty soon the bullet lube was dripping from the barrel then running when it stoped we patch cleaned it good and it had a near perfect bore still. Not sure but bet it would do pretty good in submersion type tests even. cosmoline was a plastic and grease oil mix to perserve long term. Waxes used to be popular for rough weather perservatives also.

[Toymaker]

Some Crisco is salted which would be a problem. Murphy's Oil Soap has water in it. That wouldn't be a problem if the bore is dried quickly. I'm wondering if the "couple of wet patches, few dry patches" is leaving your bore naked and unprotected.
You using this as a black powder lube?

[country gent]

When cooked (melted and blended) emmerts with a little murphys oil soap added most of the water should evaporate with the heat and time of melting blending. I do mine on a double boiler so there will be some water transfered to the mix from that. I only add a small amount of murphys ( around 1-2 tablespoons to a batch of 3-6 pounds total. I use it more as an emulsivier to help blend all the ingrediants together easier. Once blended I let gook for 5-7 mins maybe even 10 on the double boiler then stir and blend again then either set of to side to cool or [pour into wax paper tues for use. After the cook time and last stirring most of the water may be gone. But clean pure water mau not be as big an issue with the Steam" oils as these were meant to give lubrication and protection in hot damp enviroments.

[Geezer in NH]

I use Rig and get no rust. Small jar last a Looooooong time.

[JWFilips]

Your Problem is Murphy's oil soap It is water base / water immersible ... pretty good for BP but you got to dry it out if using Smokeless
Why not leave that mix for BP and join the smokless lube generation?
If using Black powder you only need mutton tallow /beeswax hands down! ( yes you can clean with Murphy's)

[bhn22]

In the bores 203 passes then a dry patch and again a very thin coat is left behind.

You seriously swap your bores 203 passes? Formidable!

[country gent]

nope just cant type real good 2-3 sorry

[303Guy]

I used a lube that preserved the bore through our cool/cold and damp winters (winter rain - lots of it). I was a mix of STP, candle wax and Alox or RCBS bullet lube (two separate batches and both worked). I use the same mix to preserve the insides of a suppressor/muzzle brake and the bore on a Lee Enfield. I wouldn't claim miracles or anything but both bore remained rust free for long periods. Years ago I had a 44 magnum and I never cleaned that gun's bore (well, maybe once a year) and it never corroded (I miss that gun). I think that was with RCBS bullet lube.

I would like to know fore sure whether the bore can be protected by the lube used. Who knows what corrosive or hygroscopic properties burnt powder has.

I should mention that with the one rifle (22 hornet) I was 'gluing' the bullet in the neck with the lube and with the other I was dipping the bullet base (boat tail) in this molten lube then seating the bullet once set. I idea with the latter was to preserve the suppressor/brake innards. It also prevented copper fouling of the 'rust textured' bore which was a great. Very accurate too.

[stubbicatt]

Thanks for the input fellas. I also shoot BPCR so the one lube sizer does double duty. I am not inclined to change the lube as it works well in both applications. I was just thinking about beeswax as a preservative of sorts, and then I got to thinking (bad habit, I know!) about the effects of crisco (actually generic vegetable shortening).

When I clean my cast bullet smokeless rifle I use Breakfree CLP so I feel confident that there is at least a little of that left behind to keep things more or less protected from rust.

[Yodogsandman]

Stubbicatt, See post #687 of this thread...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?259285-NEW-!-!-T-L-Liquid-Lube/page35

[WALLNUTT]

Butter flavored Crisco does have a small amount of salt in it. I don't clean my bores if I'm shooting that gun freqently and have never had any issues. Cast of course.

[country gent]

Back in the day some of the finest lubes were diffrent rendered animal fats whale oil ( was very poular for insterments and firearms fine mechanisims), Bear oil was also popular with alot, ( again fire arms and where a fine light lube was required) and several others. I can remeber lards being used in the shop for working aluminums and coppers. Beeswax keeps moisture awau from metal and also an barrier to help keep air away also. The fats or oils provide additional protection with the beeswax.

[JSnover]

I've used emmerts for about ten years with black and smokeless and have never had any rust. Normal cleaning methods,no problems yet.