Spit Patch Testing, Part II

[Maven]

"Several people on the American Long Rifle forum have been extolling the virtues of using a patch lubricated only with saliva, the well-known spit patch. Since saliva is free and my "go to" patch lube is running low, I decided to try it, with very good results. I even posted those results with pics here. However, I tried this again over the last 2 days with my normally quite accurate rifles and was sorely disappointed with the results. Indeed, if I got 2 shots touching with either gun, it was an accident. In short, my shots were scattered all over the target. In the midst of yesterday's "patterning" of my Lyman Great Plains .50cal., it dawned on me that the only things I'd changed were the lube and not wiping the bore after firing and again after seating a spit soaked patch & RB. As I had my usual lube with me ("Old Slickum" from Dixie), I tried it, wiping before & after as was my habit: Voila! Accuracy returned. Just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, I reloaded using a spit patch and leaving the bore wet, or rather not wiping before & after. That shot was way out of group...again. Btw, the conditions weren't ideal (gusty winds) either day and got worse, I wasn't able to test the spit patch with the before & after wiping routine. That remains for another day." (Posted May 6, 2010)

I had a chance to get to the range today and retest the spit patch v. Old Slickum in my Lyman Great Plains. This time, however, I wiped the bore after seating a patched RB (.490" + .018" patch, same as before). and again after firing. Voila! accuracy returned and there was no discernable difference in accuracy using either saliva or the commercial lube. My rifles seem to thrive on the wiping-after-seating regimen, but your mileage may vary.

[JeffinNZ]

[QUOTE=Maven;894618My rifles seem to thrive on the wiping-after-seating regimen, but your mileage may vary.[/QUOTE]

Yeap. Can I say "told ya so"? :-P

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Good follow up report on the experiments. As you just showed yourself every barrel is an entity to itself. I am VERY happy for ya !
Me I will just keep licking and sticking down the bore as I mostly shoot smoothies and it works just fine. JHust never forget a bottle of drinking water.
I do know Ned Roberts extolled the the use of Sperm whale oil in his Favorite target caplocks ... I have used alot of Crisco and olive oil over the years but in the last few times I have had up there I have enjoyed the simplicity of my smoothiies and plain old spit. Now there is a .36 flinter that I rather enjoy that does like the olive oil patches and a swish between shoots for REAL fine shooting. But it does just fine for me woods-swamp walking looking for tree rats or pests with the old spitter already attached. I do know some rifles NEED more juice on the patch .. Long barrels and especially deep rifling collect alot of crud.
Ya know some computer wiz needs to figure out how we can get a camp fire to appear every time we talk about important stuff.

[northmn]

I have never had to wipe that thoroughly between shots. When working up a load (powder charge, patch lube patch and ball size) I look for more consistancy such that I do not need to. I used to shoot bulleye matches and found that I could shoot more relaxed if I could go 5 shots and then wipe. One of the reasons I recommend a 495 ball over a 490 or a 445 over a 440 in a 45, for instance, is that I have found them a little more consistant. I used fabric store patching like muslin and duck which is very tough patching (also much less spendy when bought by the yard). When I chronograped several loads I found that the first shot out of a clean barrel gives significantly lower velocities than the subsequent shots. Velocities then tend to stabilize after a shot or two. Many target shooters, myself included, used to fire off a "fouling shot" before matches. Again, I am not a big proponent of spit patching and do not use it much. I feel there are other lubes, even some homemade, that are as good or better and require less hassle. I just do not feel you should have to wipe that much. I have had all shots touching off of buffalo sticks at 50 yards without wiping between shots. You did not mention but are you shooting black powder or a substitute and what granualtion?

Northmn

[Maven]

Jeff in NZ, I'm suitably chastened and have seen the error of my ways: Back to the load-wipe-fire-wipe cycle since it works so well.

northmn, I use either Goex or Graff's FFFg or Grapf's FFg exclusively, but I adjust the charge to suit the distance. Yesterday I used 50 grs. FFg @ 25 yds. and then switched to 60 grs. FFFg at the same distance to see whether I could raise the impact some. It did, but not enough. (More to follow below). As for lubes, saliva or Old Slickum work equally well when target shooting, but for field use, I think I'd use something that won't freeze, such as 103 Lube (now discontinued). Btw, Old Slickum smells like Murphy's Oil Soap and appears to be a diluted version of it. I also agree with you about using a slightly larger RB even though they're a bit harder to start.

All, As I wrote yesterday, my .50cal. Lyman GPR was shooting ~1" low @ 25 yds. and sometimes to the left too. I traced the problem to the adjustable sight mounted on the rifle. When "adjusted" for the proper elevation, it moves side to side enough to skew target impact. I.e., the adjustments are quite crude and not really repeatable. For the present, and before I file the front sight to gain elevation, I'll Loctite it into position and then replace it with the primitive sight, which Lyman is sending me gratis (wasn't packed with the rifle).

[Maven]

Tested the spit patch in a 3rd rifle, a .50cal. Mowrey (.495" RB, 32" x 1" bbl.) today and had no problems with accuracy or loading whatsoever...as long as I wiped after firing and then again after seating the RB + wet patch. Shot well enough to take 3rd place at our club's BP shoot today. Missed 2nd place by 1 shot, doncha know!