Barrel Conditioner for Muzzleloaders

[DennisCA]

I've seen a couple of youtube video's where the person has mention to use a barrel conditioner/seasoner after cleaning th muzzleloader. I hear it been referred to "bore-butter".
My question is it some I need to get or a waste of my $$?

[NoSecondBest]

Waste of money. I can't believe the amount of useless junk being sold to shooters and hunters claiming to do anything and everything. There's a group of marketing people out there laying awake at night thinking up more gadgets and tricks to sell to the shooters and hunters in this country. Here's what's going to happen next on this post. Someone(s) will agree with me, some will disagree with me, and some will tell you something else works even better. Know what? When it's all said and done you still won't know the answer. You'll just have a lot of different opinions. I shoot a lot of muzzle loaders and I have for forty-five years now. My opinion of bore butter is that it's a waste of money and does nothing. However, that's my opinion. Hey, it doesn't cost a lot to try it so get some and see for yourself if you have a few extra bucks to spend. At least you'll have your own answer and the makers of Bore Butter will have some of your money. Good luck.

[Hawg]

Its pretty decent stuff but overpriced for what you get. I know they advertise it for seasoning barrels but you can't season steel. I got a bunch of tubes of it at a clearance sale years ago and am down to my last two now. When those are gone I'll not buy any more.

[Pahoo]

My question is it some I need to get or a waste of my $$?

No, it's not something you need to have and no, it would not be a waste of your money and as NoSecondBest has qualified;

However, that's my opinion.

If I didn't use it, I'd be using it's equal ......

Let the games begin and;
Be Safe !!!

[thallub]

NoSecondBest is correct.

Bore butter is responsible for more ruined muzzleloader barrels than any other cause except failure to clean the gun after firing.

[Doyle]

Bore Butter has a place as a patch lubricant but that's about it.

[Hawg]

I've been using it to lube my bores and chambers for several years and have had no problems with it.

[DennisCA]

So if bore butter is no good, then what is recommended?

[NoSecondBest]

So if bore butter is no good, then what is recommended?

Recommended to do what? I've never seen a muzzle loader barrel that needed anything but cleaned after being shot. What are you trying to accomplish or what do you think needs to be done? I clean my muzzle loaders and then I run a patch down the barrel with some gun oil on it if it's going to be stored for a long period of time. I've never had a barrel rust or anything and my guns all shoot great. I'm not even sure what people are doing when they use bore butter. A bunch of my friends were using it and when I asked them what they were using it for they said to condition the barrel. I asked them what that meant and they didn't really know. Someone told them they needed to use it if they wanted to shoot muzzle loaders. I just don't get what they're trying to accomplish and they aren't sure themselves. Do you use bore butter in your handguns or centerfire rifles? The only steel I've ever seen that needed seasoning was a new cast iron frying pan. Sounds like some cooking oil company is looking for a new market and found it. I think Chef Boyardee invented this stuff.

[DennisCA]

"Recommended to do what? I've never seen a muzzle loader barrel that needed anything but cleaned after being shot. What are you trying to accomplish or what do you think needs to be done? I clean my muzzle loaders and then I run a patch down the barrel with some gun oil on it if it's going to be stored for a long period of time. I've never had a barrel rust or anything and my guns all shoot great. I'm not even sure what people are doing when they use bore butter. A bunch of my friends were using it and when I asked them what they were using it for they said to condition the barrel. I asked them what that meant and they didn't really know. Someone told them they needed to use it if they wanted to shoot muzzle loaders. I just don't get what they're trying to accomplish and they aren't sure themselves. Do you use bore butter in your handguns or centerfire rifles? The only steel I've ever seen that needed seasoning was a new cast iron frying pan. Sounds like some cooking oil company is looking for a new market and found it. I think Chef Boyardee invented this stuff. "

After I've shot my center fires, I normally just put some lubrication down the barrel (on a patch) and call it good. Never had a issue with rust on any of my guns. So I'm assuming I can do the same with muzzle-loading guns?

[Hawg]

Like I said I lube my bores with it after cleaning. Sure regular gun oil will work just fine but its a little harder to get out before you load it up the next time.

[PetahW]

.


Not my opinion, just my experience.

I seasoned the bore of my T/C .45 Cherokee with Bore Butter as directed - clean the bore thoroughly, then dry & warm the bbl until it was almost too hot to handle, then swap the bore with the BB - which I did when BB was introduced in the 1970's (?).

Since then, every time after I was finished shooting & hunting with the treated Cherokee, I swab out the fouling with a few patches wetted with Moose Milk (T/C #13 bore cleaner) until the patches come out fairly (not perfectly) clean.
After running a few dry pathes through the bore, I make a pass with a patch loaded with BB.

I still own/use the rifle today - the bbl is rust & buildup free, and shoots just as accurately as the day I bought it, long ago.

The method has worked so well for me, over the years, that I treat all my hammerguns with the same.

That Cherokee is pictured below, along with it's .45 Seneca brother.




I never did the treatment with the 1 or 2 inlines I played with for a short time.


.

[Old Stony]

The debate will never end over stuff like this. Lots of factory made stuff and home made stuff that will end up working adequately. I have used bore butter for many years and have been happy with it so no need to change. After cleaning my barrels I leave a good coating in them and have never had a problem. I like to keep my muzzleloading barrels oil free, since you are dealing with a water soluable powder and I don't think petroleum based products are compatible with black powder. Some guys use petroleum products and claim they work just fine....so each to their own.
Basing an opinion of Bore Butter on it's cost is not a big deal either as a tube lasts a long time and goes a long way.
You will find a lot of opinions about shooting what is fashionable at the moment, but I've shot a LOT of black powder over the years and have found nothing unfavorable with Bore Butter.

[North East Redneck]

I use bore butter, I like it. After cleaning I give the bore a light coating. Been using it for years. Do you need it? No. Will it ruin your gun? I think not. As a rust inhibitor I prefer it over oil. YMMV.

[noelf2]

Never used it, never plan to. Not that I don't trust it does something good, just that I've never needed to do anything better.

[Pahoo]

I have been "seasoning" my barrels for a number of years and have to admit that it has been hit and miss. Started out with my SideCockers and have even seasoned, blessed In-lines. Takes time a patience and the older I get the less of that I have. Bore Butter & Wonder Lube are not exclusive to seasoning. During our classes, I'm always running a Seasoning-Patch through the bores. ..

As in most things, there is a time and place for it's use and it's entirely your call. Unless there are safety issues, I never question one's equipment or technique. .....

Enjoy and;
Be Safe !!!

[Rifleman1776]

Sorry I am late to this thread. And kudos to the others who have well answered. The notion of 'seasoning' or 'conditioning' a muzzle loading barrel is a combination of marketing hype and myth. They are made of steel. Use them, clean, lube is all needed. Bore Butter is a clever name for a commercial product that is actually a pretty good patch lube but nothing more. You can make your own lubes for a lot less money if you wish.

[jimbob86]

I can't see that it works any better or worse than Crisco.

[maillemaker]

I took first place 25, 50, and agg with my Colt Walker last weekend using Crisco and Beeswax lube.

Steve

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Don't like TCs bore butter. Too messy. Ox yoke Wonder lube been my choice for many years. Light coat on a cleaning patch down a hot evaporated aired out barrel. Seems to hold during its winter storage time in this climate. But than again so does straight out of the can Balistol done the same way. At one time I thought my barrel was on its way to be seasoned. But many here said there is no such thing as barrel seasoning. Took a pretty good ribbing for commenting here in trying to prove my point that there was. But no matter. Whether of not there is such a thing as seasoning. Its comforting too think so. FWIW: If your really want to help your barrel be all that it can be. Shoot it more often.

[Old Stony]

I have to agree, there is no such thing as seasoning a muzzleloader barrel in the sense you would season a cast frying pan. Nothing is going to season a barrel like that, but I like to think I keep my barrels in a consistent state so they shoot the same any time I take them out. I do not use Bore Butter as a patch lube, as I prefer something wetter to soften the fouling between shots. Petroleum products only add to fouling problems when mixed with black powder, and I never have a problem with rust when coating my bores with Bore Butter.
I don't really understand the reasoning of bores being "ruined" by using Bore Butter, and perhaps that could be explained a little better? Is someone finding something corrosive in the product?

[FrontierGander]

bore butter is junk dude, get with the program!

For patch lube, trackofthewolf.com sells a product called Mink oil, superb stuff for patches if you are shooting patched round ball. For target shooting, Moose milk or Mr.Flintlocks patch lube & bore cleaner. Its wet slippery stuff that cleans the bore as it goes down and keeps fouling soft. No mess either.

It sounds like you are interested in mainly a lube as preservative to keep rust away and pretty much any qualiy gun oil will do. I love birchwood casey barricade for keep rust off. Before loading, I run a damp alcohol patch down the bore and then 2 dry patches. Remove ANY lube from bore before shooting.

[NoSecondBest]

I put G96 on a patch and wipe the inside of the barrel when it's stored. One dry patch cleans it out before loading. I've never had rust or any other problem with any of my ML guns....EVER.

[North East Redneck]

Wondering how it could ruin a barrel???

[FrontierGander]

Simple, most times moisture can be left over and bore butter being just a wax, goes right over it and allows it to rust under the lube.

I always run alcohol down my bore to wash out any water left from cleaning, swab with an alcohol patch, dry, then oil. Not now anymore because I applied dynatek bore coat to my 58's bore and never needs oil again to prevent rust. Now THAT stuff is pretty much as close to as a "seasoner" as you can get.