Crisco?

Clean-up done today

Well I let the revolvers sit for 6 days without cleaning after shooting with Crisco.
The guns were relativelly clean when I tore them down for the belated clean-up. Residue was minimal as was Powder Flaking. Cap residue was nearly non-exhistant.
I would say that in light of the results of this test, that the use of Crisco DOES help reduce fouling! for extended times between clean-up! As I'd stated, this was done on purpose to see if Crisco would help reduce fouling and it did.
ZVP
 
Bore Butter gets just as runny as Crisco when the temps get up.I got several tubes of it on a clearance sale but when it's gone I wont buy any more.
 
I started using Crisco and Crapper donuts....

.....about three years ago.

My mix is about half and half. I have not noticed any problems with corrosion, nor do I have any trouble with Colts binding up.

BUT

I load with a press which means that the revolver comes apart every sixth shot. And along with that process I wipe down the front of the cylinder and make sure the lube does not need to be renewed on the arbor/pin.

My shooting does not require a lot from the revolvers since I never shoot competition and I always take a lot of time to shoot. If I get off 150 shots in a day of shooting I am doing pretty good.

Like Z, I take about for revolvers with me.

It is no surprise that I don't appreciate the more exotic recipes. I am just not an exotic shooter.
 
Thanks Doc,
Since you and several others on this board have not had the infamous "petroleum tar-pit of doom" build up in their revolvers, I'll go that route for my next big batch. Certainly is cheaper and easier to come by.

What I like about the "formula" is that how it doesn't run everywhere,
while some actually like the fact it "runs around, into, and through" everything. I like the lube I made because it DOESN'T do that.
It just makes this hobby even more fun to be able to make your own "stuff" and find your own way. Just cool.

This is another reason I love this hobby over buying bullets and punchin' paper. Thanks again guys, great fun.
OJW
 
OJW

I, just ten minutes ago, got back from shooting today. I used a mix that is about half and half. It has the consistency of cold butter. The temperature was 60 to 65 degrees. And this mix performed pretty well. I have not got to cleaning my revolvers yet but I will soon.
 
Hmmm...

All this talk about shooting in hot weather and keeping the stuff from melting made me think of the other end of the spectrum...

What happens when those that are the heartiest of us want to do some shooting below freezing? Wouldn't most any lube containing wax get far too stiff to use effectively? Straight crisco might be the best in very cold weather- I would say it may even have to be cut with some other oil if used below 0F- such as grape seed, but upon entry into a warm home, it would likely run.

Lastly, one point no one has brought up yet is a strange property of crisco- if melted and then allowed to cool- such as done to pour it into a tube or other container, it becomes much more sticky than it was before being melted. After being melted and becoming stiff again- the properties of it are completely different, and it will turn rancid too. I guess this releases some of the hydrogen trapped in it. It does make me wonder if once melted crisco is one of the secret ingredients in some of the lubes.

One more thing- don't throw out that turkey frying oil after the holidays- it too can be made into bullet lube...or... something.
 
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ZVP wrote:
"Wicking" is the perfect description for the migration of the hot Crisco. It does get all over in the little nooks and crannies and gets pushed into the spots that actually need lubing anyhow!
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Which is exactly why years ago I quit using grease of any kind as a fire break over my lead balls. The grease just gets all over the revolver and makes a sticky mess and gets all over you hands. Not only that, but in my experience (and opinion) the burnt powder fouling mixed with grease creates a gummy mess that freezes up the cylinder on the arbor pin faster than dry powder fouling would without using grease.

For years now I just lube my arbor pin and internals where they need it and use a layer of cornmeal over the powder charge as my fire break.
No greasy mess all over the revolver nor my hands and never had a chain fire using it nor any other problem. By eliminating the grease my arbor pin the cylinder turns on doesn't gum up and make turning the cylinder harder nearly as fast as it did back when I used to use the grease that would mix with burnt powder instantly and gum up turning my cylinder pretty quickly after only say three cylinder's full of shots. (I do take care that my cornmeal layer is horizontally level over the powder charge so no powder peeks through the cornmeal layer.)

I'm satisfied with my technique and it works great for me and never any greasy mess of any kind. No felt wads either to have to buy nor make.

Trust me on this, give the cornmeal a try just one time and I predict you will never go back to using messy grease or a wax/grease mixture or felt wads again.

The only downside is that the cornmeal layer takes up chamber space. That doesn't bother me because I shoot light 22-25 grain loads in my .44's anyway so I never come close to using most of my chamber volume for the powder. But if you wanted to shoot maximum loads over 30 grains in a steel frame, the cornmeal layer would be taking up space that more powder could. But if you are shooting a medium 30 grain load in your .44, you'd still have space for a cornmeal layer over your powder charge.

As we know, a properly molded ball shaving the correct ring when rammed, along with tight fitting percussion caps....will prevent MOST chainfires anyway without using any kind of fire break over or under the balls at all. But just to be safe I still use the cornmeal layer over the powder charge and under the ball. Then when the ball is rammed home over the cornmeal, it holds the cornmeal level in place over the powder charge. Forming a very efficient fire break. I use the little plastic dipper that came with my Lee loader for my .45 ACP dies. That little powder charge dipper works perfect to dribble cornmeal into my chambers with. Just my dipper and a small container of cornmeal.

No greasy mess, no greasy mess, no greasy mess, no greasy mess......

Did I mention no greasy mess? :D


.
 
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Some revolvers don't react well to 1/2 cylinderfulls of Cornmeal. I My fullsize '58 won't shoot as accurate when I use anything except an over the powder wad. It throws wide groups with cornmeal or any filler. It seems to just like the ball atop the wad and powder.

I have trued using Cream of wheat because it's granuals are pretty much the same as fff Pyrodex Pistol Powder. With most of my revolvers the stuff seems to work OK.
Far as that long term claeaning test goes I'm gonna run it again with real BP soon as I can locate some...
ZVP
 
Bacon grease is fine if you know one thing...it contains salt. It won't harm the gun you're using if cleaned right after shooting.
It makes the most wonderful smell upon shooting...makes me want breakfast again. :) Well, so long as it isn't rancid...if it is, then you want to upchuck your breakfast. :eek:

Personally, I've only once had enough to try to shoot- we usually use it up frying eggs, etc.
 
Have you noticed Cabelas prices streaking upwards?

Yea, prices for Pistol wads JUMPED up TWO Dollars per 100 in this current catalog!
I guess that we are all going to "go primitive" to hold shooting costs down!
I'm a relative newbe and I got into BP because it was less expensive than Smokeless but the prices today are ruining that idea!
The saving grace is that I am still a slow and meticolous loader and I still save with BP and still have shootin fun!
ZVP
 
I will qualify this post by saying.....

.....That since I don't shoot a lot, I find that a visit to Bass Proshop for bullets or to the Gun Show for caps is about as efficient I can get.

So, instead of buying Harnady bullets for 15 bucks a box, casting bullets brings the price down to a copla cents wirth of electricity. Caps at the gun show are 4.50 if I buy five tins. Powder is typically 22.00.

Home made lube is about half the price of Thompsons (Okay I won't open that discussion again)

Wads from a felt hat using home brew lube can be made at a rate of about 500 per hour.

I find that making the stuff I use is a lot of fun in addition to saving a flock of dough. I might add that I can make bullets that are of a more consistent size than I get from a box of Hornadys.

I reckon I am spending about eight or nine cents per shot.
 
CRISCO

THERE IS SOMEBODY IN EVERY CROWD THAT HAS TO PUT KETCHUP MAYO CHILI SAUCE CHIPTOLE NOW ITS CRISCO ON EVERYTHING:confused:

USE A WAD OR OVERSIZED PROJECTILE

CUT THE GREASE SAVE A HOG LESS FILLING
 
No vegetable oils. They oxidize and gum up, and become impossible to remove. Unless you can be absolutely certain that it will get clean. Do you want crisco that migrated to your internal parts turning to varnish?

Petroleum based products only.

Beeswax is one of the only biological lubes I know of that maintains integrity.
 
I don't know where you came up with no vegetable oils only petroleum. The fact is it is just opposite what you are saying!
 
No vegetable oils. They oxidize and gum up, and become impossible to remove.
Click to expand...

I've found this to be true about olive oil. Not from shooting, but just from sitting a few days after lubing it. I'll never use olive oil again.

However, briandg, I've NEVER had crisco set up on me like that, whether from sitting or from firing.
 
No vegetable oils. They oxidize and gum up, and become impossible to remove. Unless you can be absolutely certain that it will get clean. Do you want crisco that migrated to your internal parts turning to varnish?

Petroleum based products only.

Beeswax is one of the only biological lubes I know of that maintains integrity.
Click to expand...

That's ridiculous.
 
No, it is not ridiculous. Vegetable oils go rancid, and as they do, they oxidize and gum up. Do you cook? have you never felt the crud on the outside of a bottle of oil, on the hood of your range, your pans, or elsewhere?

If crisco works for you, use it. If you get that stuff buried in your works, it WILL oxidize into gummy varnish, just like linseed oil will. It may or may not cause trouble.

Don't dispute the facts. If you haven't experienced problems with it, go ahead. Plenty of people have used it for years, but i kind of doubt that you will find vegetable oils in any current commercial gun lubes.
 
I Used Crisco for years as an over ball lube and never had a problem and will still use it in a pinch. One thing I have had a problem with was using petroleum based lubes as an over ball lube. Talk about a gummed up mess to have to clean out. Now I do use petroleum based lubes in the action but not anywhere bp fouling can interact with it.
 
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