Smellydog
Well-Known Member
When I last used my .45 smoothrifle, a smoothbore with long rifle configuration, I didn't clean it!
You hear all these horror stories about using corrosive black powder blah blah blah but part of me has always wondered just how the old folks like mountain men in the New World went on.
We know they used bear grease and deer tallow so I've used homemade lube for decades now.
Usually a mix of beeswax, beef fat or even coconut fat all thinned with olive oil.
As long as it doesn't contain mineral oil I'm good and so far a couple of patches slathered in the stuff after shooting seems to protect the barrel.
Yesterday was no different. The rammer felt as smooth as silk as I loaded the fouled barrel for the first time in weeks. And I had a good time stalking a good rabbit.
You hear all these horror stories about using corrosive black powder blah blah blah but part of me has always wondered just how the old folks like mountain men in the New World went on.
We know they used bear grease and deer tallow so I've used homemade lube for decades now.
Usually a mix of beeswax, beef fat or even coconut fat all thinned with olive oil.
As long as it doesn't contain mineral oil I'm good and so far a couple of patches slathered in the stuff after shooting seems to protect the barrel.
Yesterday was no different. The rammer felt as smooth as silk as I loaded the fouled barrel for the first time in weeks. And I had a good time stalking a good rabbit.
