DIY cylinder grease

[archeryrob]

Anyone make their own? I have rendered deer fat and it is hard and extremely shelf stable and looking thin it to work like bore butter. Wanted to see if anyone tried this before and was thinking of veggie oil to thin it in varying amounts by weight

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

I've used deer tallow cut with a dab of olive oil.
I wouldn't want to thin it like bore butter, that stuff is a sloppy mess when used to lube over balls in a C&B cylinder
Doesn't need to be much if any thinner than the tallow is in the first place

 

[Patocazador]

I've made my own from non-salted lard and beeswax. However, I have to adjust the % of beeswax according to seasons. What's good in the summer is too thick for the winter.

Mink oil seems to be the best for a PRB but a bit thin for a revolver.
I agree with Malachi concerning the Bore Butter ... sloppy mess.

 

[damoc]

If you thin it any just use lard. Do not use crisco or other veg oils as they can oxidise and harden in the mechanism.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Already made, comes in a can . . .

Mobil1 grease.

Mike

 

[dickydalton]

Already made, comes in a can . . .

Mobil1 grease.

Mike

I have some guns that are full of it!!!!

 

[45 Dragoon]

I have some guns that are full of it!!!!

Yes, yes you do . . .

Mike

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Indeed, I have a few myself! I also use it on the breechplug of my Ferguson rather than the traditional tallow mix.

 

[SlowFuse]

Already made, comes in a can . . .

Mobil1 grease.

Mike

This. Any bearing/axle or high pressure grease will do but confirm it is synthetic. This is what I use.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

mix deer tallow with beeswax is great bullet lube and a good stiff cylinder grease.

 

[archeryrob]

You deer must be different than my deer. My deer tallow is just a bit softer than beeswax and harder than chapstick. More like a bar of soap hardness.

I got some of that red axle grease in the garage. I was preferring to make it myself. Maybe I'll try that and make candles with the deer tallow. Then, there is always more deer to kill starting in September.

 

[Pete453]

Yep. But I usually use it as wad/bullet lube. Equal parts of deer tallow and beeswax melted together, with just a splash of olive oil to soften it. If you pour a little bit on wax paper, let it cool to room temp. It should bend just a little bit before cracking. You want it slightly pliable, any more oil and it seems awful greasy in hot weather.
In winter, I also use straight deer tallow as patch lube in long guns. Spread some on a strip of patch material like buttering bread, and roll it up with the tallow to the inside. In the pouch it goes.

 

[archeryrob]

I did about the same for wad lube. I was hoping to wads would keep cleaning the barrel of fowling and so on and avoid the grease. Without the grease the cylinder binds up and i found out I need it just for that prevention. I was hoping for a natural one to make instead of using the red axle grease.

 

[Pete453]

There's magic in deer tallow!
I cut a shallow thread in my 58 Remington base pin and used to use my beeswax/neatsfoot oil in it for lube. Every time I reloaded I would work the pin in and out a couple times, it would break up the fouling. Tallow and wax should do the same. I'm going to try it on my Remington or my 60 army next time I shoot

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Wonder Lube 1000 and bee's wax. Just roll it into little "pills" and press over the ball or bullet. No mess.


SPG lube is the right consistency to roll up into pills. Just melt some in a tuna-fish can, and scrape it up with a popsycle stick.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I did about the same for wad lube. I was hoping to wads would keep cleaning the barrel of fowling and so on and avoid the grease. Without the grease the cylinder binds up and i found out I need it just for that prevention. I was hoping for a natural one to make instead of using the red axle grease.

The trouble with the axle greases is that you can't roll it up into "pills". Which is much faster-easier-better than smearing it over the ball/bullet with a stick or your fingers. A wax/lube mix is better and faster in that respect.

 

[Pete453]

Ugly Sauce,
I like your Bucket-O-Lube!

 

[Don Van Winkle]

Already made, comes in a can . . .

Mobil1 grease.

Mike

Right on! I put my mobile 1 in a small syringe with a very small tip and it works great to get the grease just where it needs to be. No mess at all.