Switching lubes

[tazman]

I don't clean after every time I shoot. I figure the bullet lube is as good a protectant as any gun oil, possibly better.

When you consider that NRA 50/50 is half Alox and that millions of military rifles were well preserved using Alox, I have to think a thin coating of Alox deposited in the barrel by a cast boolit would serve quite well.

I have noticed that the first boolit fired from a freshly cleaned barrel usually does not go into the group with the rest. Normally, this only happens on the first shot. When not having cleaned the barrel between range trips, that first round is in the same group with the rest.

I have never found any rust in the barrel between range trips when using cast and lubed boolits.

[PBSmith]

Thanks all for your posts on this thread. Their contrary nature, and the broad realm of favorite commercial lubes of all kinds, simply invites further experimentation.

Taz,
I have been using an alox (xlox) based tumble lube and was thinking about switching to an old GAR 50/50 stick, which I believe was basically the old NRA formula of 50 beeswax/50 alox. I don't know how the chemistry of my TL compares to that of the GAR stick, mainly because I don't know the chemistry of the paste wax that I used along with xlox and naptha in brewing my TL goop.

So sooner or later I will probably try the deep-clean operation described by Tom. Not a bad idea, Tom, especially if a previous owner of this revolver ever used a moly lube. Black crud would certainly be a clue.

[PBSmith]

Oops, double post.