Another stupid lube question

[semtav]

I've been stumbling around the internet reading up on bullet lubes.
when I come across two ingredients, and the reason for ones use and the others exclusion, I have to wonder.

they are anhydrous lanolin and glycerin. I keep coming up with one wanting to exclude any water absorbing capabilities.

strictly thinking of black powder lubes and cartridges loaded for a very short duration, why would you want to exclude a composition that absorbs water?

Seems to go against the objective of getting moisture into the barrel by blowtubing and wiping if the lube you are using won't absorb water, especially on hot dry conditions.

I do understand if one loads some shells and leaves them for some time, problems would develop.

[felix]

Smokeless powder lube is better without the water attraction. Black powder RESIDUE is better removed when water is present. ... felix

[geargnasher]

Black powder lubes and smokeless lubes have different properties, if you've been reading different recipes, keep the intended use in mind. You are right about BP lubes and water absorption, but with smokeless lubes you want as little water as possible, hence the dried lanolin. Glycerine has no place in smokeless lubes, but your classic Murphy's soap-based BP lubes, for example, have a large percentage of vegetable glycerine which is aqueous.

Gear

[geargnasher]

Ya beat me to it by a minute, Felix! While I was typing......

Gear

[semtav]

Ok, that will maybe get me on the right path. I was trying to seperate the two, but sometimes its hard to tell which someone is talking about. I did think I kept seeing anhydrous lanolin mentioned in a lot of the BP recipes. Hadn't been able to find much on glycerin other than a couple not recommended places.

So now I'm looking for something super slick and water absorbing??

thanks
Brian

[geargnasher]

You want to make good BP lube, make some of Buck Emmert's lube, it's hard to beat. The recipe is available here and lots of other places.

You want to make your own smokeless powder lube? Make Felix's lube, you will probably not find anything better that you can make yourself.

Interestingly, Felix's lube requires lanolin for good adhesion, and lanolin is often found in bp recipes, too. I don't think it's exclusive to one or the other like glycerin is.

Gear

[semtav]

I'm probably going to try a few lubes like that, but after reading this dissertation by DanT. claiming a lube with beeswax as its major component isn't as desireable for blow tubing as others I'd like to use one with less Beeswax.

http://www.bpcr.net/site_docs-results_schedules/documents/Clean_Rifle_and_6th_Shot_Effects.htm

I'll have lots of time to experiment this summer when its hot and the wind is blowing.
thanks
Brian