doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Barrel Grease - What Kind?

I'm thinking about using fiber wad loads and I heard that if you use a fair amount of grease in the bores it will seal the wads better, deform the shot less and make the shot go faster.

So, would axle grease work, or maybe heavy motor oil? Just don't know, any ideas?

Thanks!

That is not what is meant by grease in this application. You need something like the "lubes" used for cast lead bullets. These are more wax and fat based. Haven't looked at the formulea in a long long time but you should be able to find it on the web along with cast bullet shooting. It is melted into the fiber wad which is above the nitro powder card and under the shot. It is not applied to the bore directly. However it is really not needed for nitro loads. It was used with blackpowder to help soften the residue left by the burning powder so the following loads would be able to push out the excess debris. The properly sized nitro card is all the seal you will need. Of course my question is why would you want to go backward in technology when the modern plastic wad technology out performs the best of anything you might do with the fiber wad system? Keeps it simple too.

Aw, Jerry, same reason I shoot damascus barrel guns. And my "go to" rifle is a .54 flintlock. And, to me, any music produced after 1975 is pure rubbish. It's my way of slowing the world down so I can get my bearings. Fiber wads? No junking up the country with a lot of plastic laying around. Go for it!

P.S. Dipping fiber wads in melted Crisco works as well as any other lube you'll find. Just do not grease the nitro over powder card. I wouldn't use petroleum based lubes, excepting paraffin. I believe Circle Fly Wads offers pregreased wads and they'd be a bargain compared to the mess of doing it yourself.

My vague recollection is that in the era before plastic wads, I used to reload with fiber or card wads that were impregnated with paraffin wax.

I'm waiting for the rapid biodegradable shot cup wad.

Chuck, Downrange Wads is offering their line in biodegradable material. Tad bit more expensive but not significant.

So, should I apply the grease with a grease gun like you find at a garage?

Also, how much faster will the shot go when you use grease?

gjw. I think you have been misinformed, or you have your panties in a crinkle.
We don't use grease to lubricate the bores or the wads, what we do is lubricate the wads in a mixture of beeswax and cooking oil by immersing the wads into hot wax/oil via a deepfat fryer. Just use the wire basket to hold the wads immerse in the hot wax remove to drain off excess and then your good to go.

gjw-Someone is "pulling your leg". No grease in the barrels please. Put down the grease gun and listen to Jerry, Joe and salopian. Go online and order pre-lubed fiber wads and load your shells. Most people I know use them for black powder loads in paper hulls.

I think gjw is pulling your legs. (Unless he wants to end up with an "overbored" barrel).

JC