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Old December 27, 2011, 08:34 PM   #1
illus1on
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olive oil for lube? (revolver)

Hi im new here and i was wondering if it was okay to use a small ammount of evoo ontop of a loaded chamber around the edges of a ball to prevent chain fires and help lube it up? obviously not so much its spilling and dripping everywhere and if not, can anyone tell me if its okay to use the block style margarine instead?? the stuff that is in the same packaging as lard?

Thank you in advance! I really enjoy these forums
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Old December 27, 2011, 08:44 PM   #2
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I don't think that either one would be solid enough to stay in place and be effective,why not the old stand by Crisco?
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Old December 27, 2011, 08:54 PM   #3
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yeah i guess i could go an get some of that, was just hoping i could get away with somthing i had on hand lol

thanks for your reply!
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Old December 27, 2011, 09:12 PM   #4
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Popeye is going kick the spinach outta you if you have his girl friend lube you gun!

Seriously, I've always found over-ball lubrication a bother resulting in a mess. Years ago I went to an over powder wad and have never regretted it. Initially I used commercial wads; but, when their price skyrocketed, I started making my own pre-lubricated wads.
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Old December 27, 2011, 09:42 PM   #5
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I think olive oil would work, so long as you shot it immediately. For that matter, butter, margarine, bacon grease, lard, crisco or any solid would be better.

I've never encountered the "varnishing" that some talk about with any kind of grease or wax.
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Old December 27, 2011, 11:02 PM   #6
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I use the vegetable spray PAM on my Paterson and Remingtons, and it works great. In fact, it's about the only lube I tried on the Paterson that prevented cylinder binding.
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Old December 27, 2011, 11:11 PM   #7
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Olive oil would better than any margerine as they and bacon grease have salt, which would add to any corrosion problem.
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Old December 27, 2011, 11:39 PM   #8
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Illus1on

You are eventually going to get every lube recipe out there so here is mine.

I use Crisco or any other vegetable shortening and the wax rings from under toilets.

I mix it up about half and half by volume. Even in the hot summer it stays where I put it. It has zero odor (as long as you use new wax rings rather than used ones ). It is cheap to make and the ingredients are easy to get. It does what a lube is supposed to do.

I use it over the bullets and I use it on the arbor or cylinder pin. My Colts don't bind up after fifty shots and the pin comes out of my Remingtons easily after fifty shots.

I load with a press and so that probably also has a lot to do with the absense of binding in my revolvers.

I tried wads lubed with this concoction over the powder and that works pretty well too.

I have only had one chain fire in a lot of years and I think that came from the back of the cylinder instead of the front. (Loose cap).

Others have their favorite recipe most of which I have not tried. So I can't tell you mine is better. Only that it is good enough that I never felt the urge to look elsewhere. I do know that it is better than straight Crisco which is too runny during the summer and it is better than Thompson's Bore Butter which is the sadest excuse for bore lube I ever encountered.
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Old December 28, 2011, 01:00 AM   #9
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Wow guys thanks a bunch! i did not expect so many replies so quickly!! you have all bin VERY helpfull and i am planning on trying that recepie as soon as i get out to do the shopping i need!

Also i wanna say ive called by and far every local sporting goods/gun shop within about 100km and NONE of them seem to have pre-lubed wads or the lube for that matter! Yet i had no problem purchasing the balls, powder, and caps?? go figure?? lol! I'm guessing its probably my location tho. but still it is kind of frustrating as they seem to b the most hassle free way of getting the job done.

I dont mind getting my hands dirty tho so im gonna give some of these recepies a try!

Thanks again for the feedback guys it is very much appreciated!!

Absolutely LOVE this forum!!

LOL @ Zippy!
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Old December 28, 2011, 06:07 AM   #10
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Illus1on

If you decide to use wads you can make your own very easily.

Go online to Harbor Freight and get their 9 piece hollow punch set, item 3838, 7.99.

It works best in a drill press. But you can also punch them out with a mallet.

There are punches in that set that will make nearly perfect size wads for .36 and .44.

Go get yourself a 100% wool felt hat at a thrift shop. Use that for the wads.

Lube the wads with whatever recipe you decide upon. If you use a drill press with the drill press running, you might want to lube the wad material before you punch them out since the lube will help keep the punch cool.

You can make wads this way very quickly and for just a tiny bit of money.
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Old December 28, 2011, 08:45 AM   #11
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Olive oil will work. You don't need a lot. Just a drop or two from an eyedropper will be plenty. Just make sure it runs all the way around the edge of the balls.
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Old December 28, 2011, 09:27 AM   #12
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I would not use Olive Oil for anything but lubrication/protection and Popeye. It used to be referred to as Sweet Oil back during the Revolution, etc., and was used for arms. Too liquid though for a bullet seal. Maybe a whole, pitted, olive instead!?
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Old December 28, 2011, 12:15 PM   #13
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Too liquid though for a bullet seal.
All you need is dampness around the edge of the balls.
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Old December 28, 2011, 12:42 PM   #14
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I avoid that myself.
In any case, something viscous, that won't move away under recoil, will protect from chain-fires and lube.
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Old December 28, 2011, 01:07 PM   #15
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I always wondered about using straight bee's wax to seal the chambers. I figured it would stay in place better in the heat of a South Texas Summer.
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Old December 28, 2011, 01:33 PM   #16
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Shotgun

There is a balancing act on lubes.

On the one hand the lube has to be soft enough to be applied easily to the chambers.

On the other hand it has to be firm enough to stay where you put it even on the hot days as you say.

I think straight bees wax might be a littly too stiff.
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Old December 28, 2011, 04:35 PM   #17
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Yeah thats what ive bin hoping for is to make somthing that will stay relatively solid after the first shot or in hot weather.

I was thinking on using a syringe or somthing that could dispence a very small amount of evoo around the edge of the round for the time being tho. it seems a small amount just to seal the edge would be perfect and shouldnt run and with that small of an amount i cant see it affecting the powder below the round either.

So im going to give that a try, as well as maybe some margarine or some spray on pam untill i can get the supplies needed to make wads or a proper lube. Obviously i would perfer the wads considering the ease of use factor.

And i like the idea of the wad punches i think i might order one of those up and possibly some of the material they have on the same website as they sell the punches, then once i make the lube and get all my materials i should be able to make all the wads i need while keeping the cost per shot relatively low

All your posts have definantly got me on the right track guys! thanks again!

Any further posts are greatly looked forward to and appreciated!

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Old December 28, 2011, 05:44 PM   #18
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What is the price for the stuff you are thinking of buying?

Reason I ask is that a set of punches that will work is eight bucks plus shipping from Harbor Freight. You can get a 100% wool hat from a thrift shop for about three or four bucks.

A can of vegetable shortening is about 2.50 and the wax rings are about two bucks at Home Depot. (You will need two rings for one small can of shortening.)

This will make enough wads for the entire season. Under 20 dollars.
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Old December 28, 2011, 08:15 PM   #19
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I mixed up a batch of beeswax and paraffin and while it was hot, I poured it down the removed barrel of a revolver (one end was blocked off with an ear plug) and when it hardened, I pushed it out with a stick. The result - lube sticks of the correct diameter that you can bring to the range and cut as needed to whatever thickness you want.

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Old December 28, 2011, 08:19 PM   #20
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I was planning on ordering the punches forsure, and was also going to buy some of the stuff for the receipies ive discoverd. i have a local thrift shop too that i can check out too for materials.

I do like the idea of that all staying around 20 bux tho, the cheaper the better!
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Old December 28, 2011, 08:22 PM   #21
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pohill : wow thats super creative!! looks like you have pretty much exact revolver i do too!

and what kinda ratio did you use for your mix? that stuff looks like itd stay nice and solid in warm temps and after fireing the first round.

also, would you use those as like a wadding? id assume so judging from the ones that are already cut.

Last edited by illus1on; December 28, 2011 at 08:39 PM.
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Old December 28, 2011, 08:40 PM   #22
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To be truthful, I do not remember the beeswax/paraffin mixture/ratio. It was a convenient way to lube over the balls but I just lost interest. I have since come back to good old Crisco or PAM (or Bore Butter, but that gets pricey). Even though it seems that the Crisco disappears after the first shot, it still leaves a film ring that would prevent a spark from entering the chamber mouth.
I like the ease of the spray PAM.
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Old December 28, 2011, 08:54 PM   #23
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Ah gotcha. yeah i have a can of the no name brand "pam" do you think that would b sufficient? and how much is enough?

I must say tho i really like the idea of the wax ring/crisco mixture. it sounds like its exactly what i want for bore butter, and id also like to make my own wads with one of those punches.

It never hurts to have more methods tho! can try all of them and figure out what works best for me
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Old December 28, 2011, 09:43 PM   #24
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I use a no-name brand of PAM. Just a little dab (spray) will do ya.
I also use it on the cylinder pins.
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Old December 29, 2011, 12:10 AM   #25
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For years I have used rot gut cheap generic automotive bearing grease you buy by the pound and apply it with a curved tip irrigation syringe as my over ball lube. It does not run in the hottest temperatures and it does not harden at way below freezing. No chain fires and no buildup of bore fouling. I also use an under ball home made lube wad. Vaseline is another option that is more temperature stable.
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