Lubing Minnies

[mb3]

When shooting minnie balls do you lube each one (every shot), or do you lube at a particular interval?

I run every one through a lubrisizer (which fills the grooves with SPG lube), then I also put Crisco In the base cavity. I never have a problem with fouling or leading. Some guys just do one or the other (only base lube or only groove lube), but everyone I know does lube every single bullet.

[Scott Kurki, 12475]

I have had success with serval methods and lubes. My current favorite lube is MCM and method is the Northeast Trade Co. In/Out luber. The in/out luber fills exposed lube rings and the base at the same time.

[le piaf]

I lube my bullets manually with a mix of crisco+beewax and soap just before to use them , I don't put grease into the base.
My bullets are sized in a lubrisizer , but without use grease function , Iprefer grese with my finger to help my concentration before the competition :wink:

[Southron Sr.]

Never, Never fire an unlubed Minie Ball in your gun. What it will do is deposit lead in your bore-something you don't want.

Never, Never use any form of Parafin as part of your lube mixture as parafin combines with black powder fouling to produce a "low grade" ashphalt fouling in your barrel.

I quit using Crisco as part of my lube formula in the mid-1980's and since that time I have not had one "Cook Off." When I was still using Crisco I was averaging two or three "Cook Offs" a year. So, I now avoid using Crisco.

The original Confederate "arsenal formula" for lube was a mixture of 60% Beeswax and 40% Tallow. The two ingredients were melted together and the Minie Balls were dipped in it.

Beeswax can be obtained from craft stores. Just look for it in the "Candlemaking" section. Of course, purchase REAL beeswax and not some substitute.

I would highly recommend that you obtain a good sizer to "size" your Minies. Minies come out of the mould at a variety of sizes because of variations in casting temperature. A good sizer will assure you that ALL of your Minies load easily and shoot accurately.

Anyway, everyone has their favorite lube formula and I am sure you will receive much advice on this BB regarding that particular subject.

GOOD LUCK!

[Scott Kurki, 12475]

Senior Southron, are you using tallow?

To add to that previous post:
In order to size your bullets correctly, you have to know what size your bore is! The best way to do this is with a set of plug gauges. These are precision-ground cylindrical steel plugs, usually sized by the thousandth. You find the largest one that will slide into your bore (don't loose grip of it!) and that is your bore diameter. You want to size your bullets one or two thousandths less than your bore diameter, so that they load easily but will easily expand to fill the rifling when fired.

The principle is different when you are firing a breechloader. You want to measure your groove diameter (which is the bore diameter plus the depth of the rifling), and size your bullets one or two thousandths more than groove diameter. This way the bullet will completely obturate the bore and prevent gas from cutting past the bullet (a common cause of leading).

[mb3]

I have been lubing each Minnie using TC Nature Lube. It seems to work well. I was not sure if I was over lubing, but it sounds like the more the better.

[Southron Sr.]

I "Hot Dip" my Minie Balls in a melted mixture of 60% beeswax and 40% Bore Butter. Bore Butter is a commercial product available from a variety of sources, including Wal-Mart during the Fall and Dixie Gun Works year round.

After dipping my Minies in the mixture, I set them aside on a piece of aluminum foil, nose upwards, for the lube to finish solidifying.

BE very, very careful because if the lube mixture is heated too hot OR spills, it can create one heck of a fire. Check out the "Double Boiler" method of melting lube. Most cast bullet loading manuals contain instructions on how to do this.