So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

Back when I first got into BP guns (I picked up a second hand CVA Kentucky pistol and a TC 250 gn Maxi mold back in the '80sand the rest is carbon-smeared history) the only books I had, showed data using Crisco as a patch/conical lube.

It seemed to work just fine on those maxi's, (couldn't seem to miss a can out to 50 ydswith that old .45hoss pistol)but smearing it into the grooves with my fingers got a might messy, so I tried cutting it with just enough gulf-wax to stiffen it up, pouring the molten lube around the slugs and using an old 45-70 case as a cookie-cutter once it cooled off.

To this day I still use crisco/wax as a bullet lube for shooting maxi's out of my sidelocks, one pound of crisco to one brick of wax....

Anyone else still using good-old-crisco? Seems like if lard and tallow was good enough for the old timers, ought to be good enough for today's shooters...

Skillet

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I use plain crisco and beeswax quite a bit. I can tailor the stiffness for what I'm shooting. If it is intended for my revolver as a flashover preventer I make a stiff batch. For my various rifles I leave it pretty squishy. You probably wont find too many folks on this forum who are interested in traditional Black powder firearms. There are some exceptions and some very nice folks who have loads of advice, but for some reason this seems to be sabot land. I have no problem with scope hunters especially the guys on here.Most of them seem like responsible, thoughtful guys who put a lot of work into their powder, bullets and sabots. I guess I just dont see the appeal of a fiberglass stock and a stainless barrel. Keep up the good work with the old .45 smokepoles.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

Three cheers for slowPoke!!!!

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

Beeswax & neetsfoot oil - 50/50 mix for an all purpose lube.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I once made a batch of patch lube that I didnt quite have enough wax in it.In desperation I grabbed one of my wifes scented candles and melted it into the batch. I ended up with a really nice consistency and a large batch of rose scented patch lube. It must of been a hell of a candle causethe patch box on my fifty still smells like rose oil ten years later. Got me some funny looks on the firing line that year at the rendevous.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I don't shoot maxis, I mold my own, .390s for my .40 caliber flintlock and
.530s for my .54...I used SnoSeal for lubing patches for 30 years or so, recently I went to a homemade brew of bees wax, castor oil and Murphy's Oil Soap...

There are still a few guys that like the traditional rifles...

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

Here's my .40...Made by the late Bob Watts of Stone Mountain, GA...
It started out as a .45, I rebarreled back in 1990, when I made the .54..
The .40 is styled for the 1820 time period, the .54 is my interpretation of what could have been made in Piedmont NC about 1770...So it is the style that could have gone to Kentucky with D. Boone and could have been used at Kings Mountain, Cowpens or Guilford Courthouse....

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I cast my own .58 round ball and sometimes minnies. My zouave really doesnt like minnies though and the reason I went to a .58 was for round ball knock down power. I bet that .54 of yours points like a magic wand.
A nicely balanced .54 is a real thing of beauty. I have been working up round ball loads out of my bp 12 gauge. It is suprisingly accurate out to about 35 or 40 yards. I havent worked up the nerve to order a .690 mold yet though.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I love to hear those forties crack. They really sound wicked. Wouldn't of wanted to be a red coat marching in line with one of those pointed at my head 70 yards away.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

You know, speaking of that 12 gauge, Cayugad gave me a link for a .690 minie once. If you happen to read this Cayugad, where was that from?
I've got my own pouring rig now and my wife might of got over the cost of the .570 mold so......

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I use Crisco shortening still when shooting my black powder revolver as a cylinder sealer. Other then that I no longer use it for conicals. The trouble I found with Crisco was in hot weather it would start to melt and actally work back into the powder charge. Also if you were on the range shooting a lot and the barrel got hot, you could tell the Crisco was breaking down. When you cleaned the rifle you would notice small chunks of black soot in the barrel. That was the accumulation of Crisco and black powder. Most of it got shot out the end of the barrel, but if some made it back there, I wanted nothing more to do with it,

Now in a case where the Crisco is mixed with canning wax I am sure that would help solve the melting problem. I personally use a mix of bees wax, castor oil, and murphy's oil soap.

Slowpoke - As for the .69 caliber mold.. I think it was a Lyman. They make a lot of molds for the older muskets and military rifles. The .69 caliber was a common older musket. You have a .570 mold? Which company made that mold, and how is the ball quality. I have been buying ball for my .58 caliber because I am too lazy to just do it.

I recently bought a custom mold for my White rifle that makes a 445 grain conical, and I ordered a .504 sizer, and I have the press, plus I want to get a .501 mold and reduce some of them and see how they shoot in my CVA, Traditions, Knights, etc...

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

nchawkeye,
those are fine looking flinters!
Read about Bob Watts years ago in Foxfire 5.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

Cayugad, that .570 is just a plain old Lyman. I gave my neighbor 65 bucks for it and the handles. I have been getting pretty good results out of it if I do my part and have it warmed up and clean.Still, they arent as nice as swagedballs, but noone around here has anything but pre packaged .50 sabot loads and powerbelts laying around. I had to start pouring my own.I never got good results with straight crisco for the same reason you gave, plus myOld Army Rugerwould blast out the lube in the two cylinders next to the fired one. The heat and blast were too much for straight criscoe.I am pretty lazy and went with bore butter for quite a while, but it has gotten too high and it really isnt as stiff as I like. I find that actual lard and beeswax work about the best, you just vary the mix for personal preference. I have never tried Murpheys or neetsfoot oil in the mix.
We had discussed the .69 minnies once. I had good luck with paper patched foster type slugs out of my 12 ga. and you suggested the minnies.Sure wish someone would find me a dozen of em to try.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I just wanted to do this cuz apparently Underclocked cant post here.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

I will keep my eyes open for some .69 caliber minnies and if I can get some for you, I will let you know.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

That would be very kind of you Cayugad, but, I really wouldnt want to put you to the trouble and expense of shipping lead. Let me know if you find some and Illfoot the bill. I found some round ball.69 at old western scrounger awhile back, they were old Navy arms castings and were cheap. It cost almost as much to ship em as to buy them. Really poor castings though, they have to be trimmed and the sprue markdefinitely has to go up when loading.With and lubed ox bow wad and a pillow tick wad though, they shoot pretty well. I am getting softball sized groups at about 30 yards. Not exactly MOA shooting but well within minute of deer.

RE: So, does anybody use plain ole' Crisco as a lube anymore?
 

pillow tick patch,not wad.... duhhh