Blackpowder patch lube

C

campingnights

New member
Two, maybe three decades ago I used to shoot muzzeloaders. I used a comercial solvent as a patch lube. This stuff came in a squeeze bottle and was like milk. Great stuff as I could easily shoot 20 rounds without swabbing the bore and without a lot of trouble seating the ball home. My son's now interested in blackpowder, but I can't for the life of me remember what that stuff was? Anyone know?
 
Why of course, it was called "Moose Milk" which was a white water souable
machine shop cutting oil. It's what I use today in all of my single shot pistols.
I mix 2oz of oil to a quart of water. I bought a gallon of it several years ago.
It also comes in a blue color and may come in other colors, I don't know.
Great stuff!
 
My SWAG, is Spit-Patch

I used a comercial solvent as a patch lube.
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Going back that far with you, I'd say that it was probably "Spit-Patch" or TC-13 and perhaps Hopes #9 but it's more of a brownish color. Now, back then there were a bunch of home-brews, like Moose-Milk and other who basically were all the same. ..... :rolleyes:

Be Safe !!!
 
ya, the stuff was like milk, but it wasn't a home brew. Seems like I can't remember sh*t anymore. Shame as it was good stuff. Well, alternatively, any suggestions for something that's still available? Won't be setting there like in hunting, but for multiple shot range use only? Thanks guys.
 
I use either a 50/50 mix of Ballistol and water and set the patches out to dry after a good soaking or I soak some patch material in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cut the patches while loading at the range.

With the olive oil I cut strips 1 1/2" wide and about 36" long. Soak the material and squeeze it out. Then I roll the material up and put it in a 35mm film canister with a slit cut in the side and dispense as needed.
 
works for me !!

I use either a 50/50 mix of Ballistol
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If it's Ballistol you are looking for, Midway has it. I use it in the field as well but not as a patch lube. If folks say it's good to use, that's good enough for me. Ballistol/Water mix, is white, stinks and if you don't remember mixing it, it was something your bought that was already mixed, like Spit-patch.. .. ;)

http://www.midwayusa.com/brand/ballistol

Be Safe !!!
 
I've used olive oil in the past. Old books refer to "sweet oil" which is olive oil.
Balistol is wonderful stuff, not a petro lube either.
Don't use petrol (oil) products in a black powder bore unless you
clean the petro out before firing with real black powder.
I'm sure you already know that.
 
I am about as far from an expert as it is possible to get, but Bore Butter has been my patch lube, as well as the bore coating for storing my rifle, and lubing the nipple threads.
 
Has anyone used Birchwood Casey Muzzel Magic? If its white it might be what I was thinking about. Couldn't have been Ballistol as it didn't stink to my recollection. Thanks guys. Took my son and 2 grandsons to the range today. It doesn't get better than that. I think my son has become addicted to black powder.
 
I think that Pahoo is right. I used to use Spitpatch in rifles and Spitball in revolvers.
When I didn’t have spitpatch I would take pillow ticking and cut it into strips and put them in a sealed sandwich bag and dump Windex in them for lube. Worked well.
Spitball came in a squeeze bottle and resembled baby poop. You just squeeze some on the top of each cylinder then spin the cylinder to even it out. Great stuff.
I have been trying to find a replacement for many years that was as easy to use.
Any one know a good combination of stuf to mix that would be thick enough to put into a squeeze bottle like a lotion bottle you could make work. Something thick enough to stay during firing of the other cylinders?
 
Many ways to skin, this cat !!!

Whatever you used back then, had to be a variant of Spit-Patch and have not seen this stuff for many years. Now then, sure sounds like your really liked the stuff and about the closest you will come to this today, is Moose-Milk. Back then, many of us "vintage" Patriots, were experimenting with our own mix and one of these products was Moose-Milk. You can still find recipes on the internet and have seen more than one, listed in this forum. "Many" start out, using Murphy's-Oil as the main ingredient. ... :rolleyes:
http://mamaflinter.tripod.com/id10.html

Today, there are many very good products for cleaning M/L's and you can use them as patch lube. As in most things, we usually stop when we find something that works well, by our measure. .... :)

I have never used olive oil as a patch lube but have a gallon, that has gone bad and could not bring myself to throw out. Going to have to give this a try.... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
Won't be setting there like in hunting,
but for multiple shot range use only?
Click to expand...

Spit, real spit -- pure and simple -- and always available.
Dampen the patch material (not sopping) in your mouth,
load, and go.
 
I have been using Ballistol mixed with water lately. Seems to work well, even when I leave out the alligator tears, snake sweat, dragon drool, and lizard milk.
 
A lot of good ideas here. I did break down and order Muzzle Magic and a bottle of Hoppes blackpowder solvent. I'll let you know how it compares to the old stuff I used to love. Couldn't find my old powder horn, so I picked one up from eBay for $20. Sure was pretty with a nice carved pattern, so I figured it was a bargain. Until I tried to fill it. Blasted vender never completely drilled the hole through to the hollow part of the horn. Too curvey for me to punch through it. Guess I just got a pretty twenty dollar wall hanger. You would think that by now I should know that ya get what yapay for?
 
Yarddog, your probably right. Wouldn't surpriseme that T/C picked it up and renamed it. If the Hoppes and muzzle magic don't please me, I'll try thr T/C. Thanks
 
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