Moose Milk

C

cloud8a

New member
Guy at the range today told me about Moose Milk. he said it was a good patch lube for in-between loading. Does anyone know the recipe? He did not know it cause his dad had made it for him.

I was also told by the owner of the range that the only thing he cleans his BP rifles with is vinegar based Windex and bore butter. He said all that new high tech stuff complicates things and does not work as well.

He also said the old timers used to mash up wasp nest with the larvea and use that as lube.

opinions?
 
Moose Milk is 10% Ballistol in water, useful as patch lube and for cleaning. When cleaning with Moose Milk, dry, then oil with straight Ballistol.

I clean my .38-55 BPCR with Windex + Vinegar, dry, and oil with Ballistol.

The main thing is to clean with something with water in it - soapy water is fine, clear water will do - then dry and oil. You need the water to dissolve the potassium carbonate that makes up most of bp fouling. Soap, detergent, or emulsifiable oil that will help the water penetrate the fouling is good, but secondary.
 
Moose Milk:
Been quite a spell since I ran up against this one. So long that I forgot where I put the recipe. Had to go out and hunt fer it and looke here. This was a choice back in my Buckskinner days and by you questions, sounds like you are talking to some old timers.
http://mamaflinter.tripod.com/id10.html

He said all that new high tech stuff complicates things and does not work as well.
Click to expand...
That's his measure and that's fine. Know quite a few fellers that have used Windex for years. You should make the final measure as there is some great solvents out there.

He also said the old timers used to mash up wasp nest with the larvea and use that as lube.
Have never heard of this in this manner but Paper Wasp nest have been used as a buffer between the powder and patched ball. I always have a sample when we teach M/L.

Generally you have to keep in mind that way back then, folks used whatever was handy to get the job done and old habbits are hard to let go of. I too have my favorite set and ways.







Be Safe !!!
 
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I have quit bothering with the soap and just use plain water. Acids, bases, and salts all have one thing in common, they are highly water soluble. I figure that what water doesn't dissolve, won't rust the barrel anyhow.

I have read that "moose milk" was water soluable machinist's oil mixed with water to form a milky emulsion. I'm sure it works well also.
 
Moose milk

There are, maybe, a gazillion recipes for Moose Milk. They all work. Seems like everyone adds something else to the basic water and Ballistol combo - be it alcohol, witch hazel, et cetera. I add a little liquid dish detergent to mine but I don't use it for patch lube. I swab the bore with it between shots.
Cleaning - MM, Windex, and other cleaners work just fine. Mostly they work just fine because they are mostly water. Water is really all you need. A little soap speeds things up, I suppose.
Pete
 
Traditional "Moose Milk" has been various ratios of water soluble oil and distilled water. A few drops dish soap helps break the surface tension of the water.Napa stores sell a quart of water soluble oil for $6.00, it will make many gallons.It is used for wiping in between shots as a bore conditioner while some may use it for patch lube as well.
 
Find a printer and bum some press wash from him. It is a water soluable oil. As some one suggested a drop or two of dish detergent helps keep it in solution.
 
The correct way is to use a 5% water souable oil mix for a good barrell,
and use a 10% mix for a new barrel. You can just mix the oil with plain water.
This comes from a master barrel maker who has since passed on. Almost all
the top bench rest shooters at Friendship used this before switching over
to the Teflon patch in the mid to early 1970's.
 
Originally Mooses' Milk was merely a water soluable machining oil mixed 1/8:7/8 or 1/4:3/4 water and nothing more. That was 28-30 years ago I first tried it. But I am sure there are many other additives that work in the mixture.
 
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