cayugad

A while back Roundball posted about a new lube he was trying out made by Hoppies. It is both a solvent and a lube. If you all remember he showed a patch of the results after 50 shots. I purchased a bottle of the lube and decided to test for myself.

The Hoppies lube was used on pillow tick patch cut at the muzzle. The roundball was a Buffalo Bullet Company 177 gr. I was shooting 90 gr of Goex 2f. The hits made by the Hoppies are numbered in blue.

I personally did not like the lube although the smell brought back some nice memories of my younger days cleaning the rifles with Hoppies. I also noticed a little resistance when loading the roundball. I only fired five shots before I decided to swab the barrel as they were getting harder and harder to load.

After I swabbed the barrel clean, I then loaded with the same ball and powder except I used my homemade moosemilk as the patch lube. These are lettered hits A-J. I was much happier with the loading and the way the rifle shot the roundball. After shooting 10 shots with the moosemilk, I swabbed the bore.

I then switched powders to Pyrodex RS in 90 grains and the same moosemilk patch and ball. I fired five more shots with the Pyrodex RS and was happy with where they hit.

Perhaps I did something wrong with the Hoppies lube. I found it necessary to get the patch pretty damp to get a smooth loading with it. Also when I swabbed the barrel after five shots with the Hoppies and after ten shots with the Goex and moosemilk patches, I could not tell any difference in the amount of fowling that came out of the barrel. All of the patches were filthy. While my results did not match those of Roundball, this does not mean you might have an entire different experience with the Hoppies solvent and patch lube.

I figure I will just clean guns with it for the time being and stick with the moosemilk that I know works out of my rifles.

cayugad

This shows the three patches after five shots. I re-read Roundball's post and I believe the difference might be in that he shot 50 grains of Goex 3f while I shoot 90 grains of Goex 2f. Just the extra powder burning, and the difference in the grade of powder could make this kind of difference.

yeoman

Cayugad - good shooting.

I think that's the first post I've seen from you where your 1st bullet went low rather than high. Do you find that with PRB or did you foul the barrel? Also, isn't the Tradions Hawken a 1:48 twist and if it is, what made you choose it over one of your slower twist guns for the test? Could that also make a difference in the patch clean out?

cayugad

The low hits I blame on the lube. Actually if you examine hits 1-5 they are all technically low. All in about a three inch group mind you, but still low. I think the lube had a lot to do with that.

As for the twist in my Traditional Woodsman Hawkins ... it is a 1-66 twist. Many years when they first came out with the Woodsman, it was a 1-66 twist. I really did not need another Hawkins but Sportsman's Guide was selling the rifles for (if memory serves me) $139.95 and so I could not pass that up. This little Hawkins is a roundball shooting rascal. With a strong powder charge it really does put them down range well.

Traditions later changed the Hawkin Woodsman to a 1:48 which has no interest to me at all. While I am sure they are good shooters, I have too many of that twist rifles around the house already.

Actually my White is another one that throws a low one when you shoot on a clean barrel.

yeoman

Uh, looks like 2 inches from back East.

Of the few guns you have (heeheehee) , how many shoot high vs. low vs. flat on a clean barrel?

cayugad

It all depends on the load, and the rifle. I have notebooks that I take with me and they tell me sight picture, hold patterns, powder charges, projectiles, etc for all the rifles.