Barrel Conditioner for Muzzleloaders

I have to agree, there is no such thing as seasoning a muzzleloader barrel in the sense you would season a cast frying pan. Nothing is going to season a barrel like that, but I like to think I keep my barrels in a consistent state so they shoot the same any time I take them out. I do not use Bore Butter as a patch lube, as I prefer something wetter to soften the fouling between shots. Petroleum products only add to fouling problems when mixed with black powder, and I never have a problem with rust when coating my bores with Bore Butter.
I don't really understand the reasoning of bores being "ruined" by using Bore Butter, and perhaps that could be explained a little better? Is someone finding something corrosive in the product?
 
bore butter is junk dude, get with the program!

For patch lube, trackofthewolf.com sells a product called Mink oil, superb stuff for patches if you are shooting patched round ball. For target shooting, Moose milk or Mr.Flintlocks patch lube & bore cleaner. Its wet slippery stuff that cleans the bore as it goes down and keeps fouling soft. No mess either.

It sounds like you are interested in mainly a lube as preservative to keep rust away and pretty much any qualiy gun oil will do. I love birchwood casey barricade for keep rust off. Before loading, I run a damp alcohol patch down the bore and then 2 dry patches. Remove ANY lube from bore before shooting.
 
I put G96 on a patch and wipe the inside of the barrel when it's stored. One dry patch cleans it out before loading. I've never had rust or any other problem with any of my ML guns....EVER.
 
Simple, most times moisture can be left over and bore butter being just a wax, goes right over it and allows it to rust under the lube.

I always run alcohol down my bore to wash out any water left from cleaning, swab with an alcohol patch, dry, then oil. Not now anymore because I applied dynatek bore coat to my 58's bore and never needs oil again to prevent rust. Now THAT stuff is pretty much as close to as a "seasoner" as you can get.
 
It won't ruin a barrel, it just doesn't do it any good. I've never seen one ruined with it and I know a lot of people who waste their money on it and use it. Their barrels are fine but not any better for using it. There just isn't any such thing as seasoning a barrel.
 
BoreButter is nothing but Olive Oil & Beeswax (to thicken it up) w/ a dash of spearmint oil to make
it smell good. Does anyone really think that "conditions" anything ? (much less preserve/protect it?)

Wash/scrub the bore out with hot water & dish soap. If that part takes longer than 10-12 minutes total
you're obsessing. Protect/preserve with BreakFree or any other standard weapon-grade CLP and you're done.
This is not some black (forgive the pun) art. :rolleyes:

Ready to shoot? Dry patch bore w/ two patches, snap caps, and load.
 
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I personally like the bore butter. As far as "seasoning" a barrel i think thats a myth. The bore butter is meant to lube the barrel and or patch and acts as a rust prohibitor. A light coating also keeps fouling down and makes cleaning easier. There are many things on the market that will do the same thing, but t/c claims their bore butter does not affect the powder. Ive left my ml loaded several months, took it out, put on a cap and bang no problems. As far as cost, ive been shooting my ml for 10 yrs now and im still working on the same $7.00 tube of t/c bore butter. I also use the t/c cleaner just for in between shots to make loading easier followed by a patch of bore butter. I think you need to find something that works for you that you like. Im not one of these guys that think because i use it it must be the best. Take everyones opinions with a grain of salt. I like it, it works well for me.
 
No Bore Butter here -

I use spit patch by holding patch in mouth and getting it wet then use it to patch the ball. Cleaning is hot water and after it is clean and dry. CLP the bore. Bore butter is not helpful to me. Just something to get your fingers fouled up.
 
I've used an olive oil/beeswax mix for conicals for years, and even on black powder cartridge. It seems pretty effective to me as a lube.
I just wonder how people keep coming up with their opinions of the ingredients of Bore Butter when they attempt to discredit it's effectiveness. Does TC publish this data, or is just someone's guess.
I also wonder at how some of the guys also stress how messy Bore Butter is. I keep a tin of it on my bench, and apply some to a patch with a tongue depressor after cleaning my rifles....doesn't seem my messier than putting oil on a patch?
I'm not trying to convince anyone to use the product....to each their own...just curious about some of the statements I've seen here.
 
"BoreButter" as a firing lube (patch or Minnie) is fine. That is not/never has been the issue.

The issue is "conditioning" and/or "seasoning" which is a term that's somehow gotten traction
w/ a segment of the BP crowd. But if one reads the TC instructions, the terms mean nothing
more that keeping the fouling soft between shots. Moreover, steel doesn't "condition" (unless
you're talking about smoothing out tight spots and/or sharp lands which can tear up patches...
and that's a mechanical process from just time or deliberate lapping. It has nothing to do with
any "lubricant" and certainly not "bore butter.")

Shoot it with BoreButter if it works for you. (Personally, 7-1 water/cutting oil, or plain spit works for
my patched-ball; and 3-1 Crisco/Beeswax for muskets and Minnie balls)

But clean the fouling out with soap & water; then protect it with CLP or another weapons-grade gun oil.
It's a firearm.
 
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The reason for scents (wintergreen, acorn, pine tree, black dirt) being added to most store bought patch lubes is not for their pleasant smell. It’s to cover up the product rancidness smell. When someone makes their own less smelly patch lube. My suggestion is to use a non metal container for its storage. Being it is homemade. Anyone's patch lube likely over time will turn rancid also. But all one needs to do is microwave till liquefied, stir a little after its microwaving, then let their patch lube re-stiffen again. That stops any further putrid smell and put the process of your patch lube turning rancid and stinky again back to square one. The only store bought unscented patch lube I use in cold weather is Track of The Wolf’s Mink Oil Patch Lube. But I don’t have any experience with its use during the hot summer months. During those warmer months I use Ox-Yoke’s Wonder Lube. Stiffer and far less oil of Wintergreen used in its blend. Well at least my nose thinks so.
 
About ten years ago I began seeing a series of "what is bore butter" threads that consistently noted olive oil as the "active ingredient." ;) Watching even longer and continually shooting in the BPCR crowd reinforced that base as most probable main component.

So 8 years ago I began mixing it up myself a pint at a time... which later got picked up along these lines:

• 1 part bees wax (any hobby store)
• 4 parts Olive oil (Extra Virgin for extra performance -- NOT) :D
• Dash of food color (various colors depending on my mood)
• Dash of Spearmint/Wintergreen/Peppermint oil (whatever the wife won't miss)

I also have about 4 tubes of real Bore butter which I occasionally take to the range, otherwise it's a tupperware container of the the "mix" above. Over the years I have found Zero (0) difference in using the real-versus-mix in my patched ball game: not in feel, not in patch ease going down the barrel, not in aimpoint zero, and not in group size (...which isn't the best. That distinction still goes to plain ol' spit and/or 7:1 diluted cutting Oil. But it is a reasonable pre-lubed/hunting patch combo.)

I reiterate, however, that "bore butter" is not a barrel 'conditioner' or preservative.

Google < "Bore Butter" rust > sometime. (The internet does have its uses :cool: ;))
 
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Good one !!!

Some time ago, one of the senior members in this forum, listed the actual ingredients of bore butter. I do recall the listing of Wintergreen to reduce the smell of rancid of the mix. I do not recall the use of Olive oil but that might have gotten past my "Vintage" memory. ..... ;)

mehavey
Thank you for your recipe and this one, I will write it down. I have more old Olive oil and Beeswax than I will ever use and that leaves the color and scent. Pine oil and chartreuse sounds good to me as it will make it easier for me to locate and read, after firing. ... ;)

Thanks and;
Be Safe !!!
 
I think barrel conditioning probably goes back to the really early days of muzzle-loading, when the barrels were made from Iron, rather than the high grade of steel we have now.

It was done mainly for clean out purposes( the same reason you season a cast iron skillet.) It makes it easier to clean, because it keeps residue from sticking as easily, and keeps it from rusting until the next fried chicken.:D

In todays muzzle-loaders, I don't think it is necessary, simply because, we tend to clean our barrels after every use at the range or from hunting and after cleaning, a little rust inhibitor of any kind, should be more than enough to keep your barrel in good shape.

As far as anything being better or worse than anything else, that would be a personal preference, and as you can see, there are many choices.

As far as a waste of money, your going to buy something, one way or the other.
 
Sometimes when I get the urge to create my own patch lube just for something to do. I use Altoids tins. Doesn't take but a one or two balls down the barrel to figure out which scent is appealing and those that aren't. The small tins help to conserve my lose for those smells that are less appealing and needing to be discarded. Its kind of fun the mixtures one can dream up. From Vanilla Extract to Peppermint Schnapps and anything you can think of in-between. BTW the only way I know of to condition a B/P barrel is by its shooting. Simply smoothing out its rifling burrs is all that's required. Once done the barrel is a bit more accurate and much much easier to reload. I have a 54 Hawken here that took me many years off and on of its shooting to season it so to speak. Now its a B/P shooters dream to shoot. Easy to reload between shots for one benefit and its accuracy was enhanced no doubt with the use of Gorex only over time.
One thing I notice. Those fellows who shoot inline. Never have I seen one of those rifles reload easily with Triple 777 or White Hot's or some other substitute powders. Seems like their shooters have too use excessive force upon each and every reloading. I wonder at times if the steel in those barrels is that much different than what is used in traditional barrels. As I know of no one ever commenting how easy their inline rifle was to reload between shots.
 
I'm not an inline shooter (spit...gag )..but I can only imagine that dropping dry pellets down a fouled bore followed by an unlubed plastic sabot wouldn't be conducive to easy loading.
 
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