Best Lube For Patched Ball In T/C Hawken

[waksupi]

Anybody shooting moose milk patches see them smoldering on the ground in front of you?

Wet ones won't, no idea about dry ones.

[indian joe]

Wet ones won't, no idea about dry ones.

damp ones dont burn
seen a few smouldering patches on our club range but seems only when the gun tears em up in the barrel - if the patch comes out whole seems ok.

I used to heavy load a 54 CVA and couldnt get the calico patches to hold so I used a smaller calico patch as a backer patch on the powder first then loaded the patch ball - shot accurate if you loaded it carefully but that dry patch was a certain sure firelighter - not the smartest idea for hunting!

[Edward]

damp ones dont burn
seen a few smouldering patches on our club range but seems only when the gun tears em up in the barrel - if the patch comes out whole seems ok.

I used to heavy load a 54 CVA and couldnt get the calico patches to hold so I used a smaller calico patch as a backer patch on the powder first then loaded the patch ball - shot accurate if you loaded it carefully but that dry patch was a certain sure firelighter - not the smartest idea for hunting!

I"m pretty sure you know this but a card/felt wad under your patched RB works wonders without any negative impact , unless yer cookin hotdogs/Ed

[indian joe]

I"m pretty sure you know this but a card/felt wad under your patched RB works wonders without any negative impact , unless yer cookin hotdogs/Ed

yeah I got over the hero loads eventually - straight stock used to belt my cheek bones somethin awful - barrel wore in some - eased the load a bit - damp moose milk patch of pillow ticking (instead of the calico) and she's good --
I made a jig for hot oil bending stocks - a walnut one and one we made from that black Brazillian pseudo walnut bent like putty - the cheap beechwood (or whatever) CVA stock was really tough - in the end I got it to drop half an inch - but a heckuva hard job - almost a waste of effort !!!

[rodinal220]

DGW Zip-Patch or make your own from 50/50 Mutton tallow and beeswax. I soak my BP shotgun fiber wads in this.

[Woodnbow]

Spit is,what I use most often. Or just the barest amount of Eezox.

[Nit Wit]

Plain old spit!
Nit Wit

[IHuntDragons]

I recently rediscovered my 45 cal 1970's T/C Hawken. I inquired in a previous post about the percussion caps, and I have since ordered 1K of mag caps, and a couple of pounds of 3F powder, to offset the hazmat charge. I have the maxi ball mold, and the .440 RB mold. I kind of like the traditional RB better. I had some patches from decades ago left, and was trying them. A prelubed .010 patch loaded easily, but tears and burns through upon firing. I had a few dry .020 patches, which were much more difficult to seat, but doable. I used Hoppe's BP solvent/lube on them. How does this rate as a patch lube? Maybe swabs the bore every shot?

I ultimately purchased several hundred .018 unlubed pillow ticking patches, which I think will be about right. Now for the lube. I hear some use Ballistol and water, 1 to 7 ratio. Soak the patches, lay them out flat and let dry. How does this rate? I do have some Ballistol. Or just use the Hoppe's BP lube/solvent on the patches. Is one method superior to another? With all this stay at home stuff, I have plenty of time to experiment, and go on the computer and ask questions.

I have one of these new in the box never even put together that I got from a friends dad's estate. How do you like shooting it? I've toyed with actually taking it out, but just haven't brought myself to do it yet.

[GBertolet]

I really enjoy shooting the Hawken. A lot more time consuming than smokeless cartridge guns. Be prepared to spend several hours at the range, to fire a couple of dozen shots. Loading, and periodic swabbing the bore takes time. With all that extra effort, you are more inclined to make every shot count. I sort of find it a relaxing change of pace. The coal burners shoot better than many people outside this hobby realize. In shooting reactive targets, you often have to wait until the smoke clears, to see if you hit.

I had been using 55 gr of 3F powder with the RB. Some sources claim 2F should be used in the 45 caliber, but I found 3F shoots a lot cleaner. I don't load anywhere near maximum anyway.