Wad lube for cold weather shooting?

prontow · October 17, 2014, 04:38 PM

Hey guys, been shooting cap and ball for several months now and have been bitten by the Black Powder bug!
I ordered the felt, beeswax, tallow and paraffin wax and followed the recipe found here to make my own lubed wads, works great in warm weather.
It was a little cooler the other day and I found it really difficult to get the wads started in the cylinder because they were quite a bit harder because they were cold.
I am wondering if I should make another batch for cold weather with more tallow in the mix to make them softer. Or something really novel like keeping them in my pocket to keep them warm.
What to you guys do during cold weather?

swathdiver · October 17, 2014, 04:57 PM

Mine load fine year round here in Florida. Might add a drop of olive oil to your existing ones. You could also reheat your existing mix and add some more tallow or olive oil.

What size are your wads? My .44 cal wads are .480.

prontow · October 17, 2014, 05:09 PM

Good ideas, I will probably do some experimentation with my mixture. I did not even think about olive oil!
My wads are 0.480

44 Dave · October 17, 2014, 10:26 PM

I use the same home made wads in the winter. I carry "concealed" in a shoulder holster made with a flap holster, inside my coat, so the gun is never ice cold.

Sure Shot Mc Gee · October 18, 2014, 05:17 AM

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search...rch=mink%20oil

DD4lifeusmc · October 18, 2014, 01:31 PM

Personally I leave out the paraffin. It is a petroleum by product in a round about way.
In separate pans (tin cans from mushrooms or olives work well) melt both beeswax and tallow (lard).
Mix equal parts. let set.
If too stiff remelt and add more lard------make a note of exact amount added.
If too soft do the same with beeswax.

Been using this concoction for 30 + years once I heard of it.
I keep seprate tins. One for hot weather one for cold.

But I primarily shoot conicals these days in everything so I pan dip my projectiles.

Hawg · October 18, 2014, 07:46 PM

I just use olive oil.

BerdanSS · October 18, 2014, 08:14 PM

Mcgee beat me to it

I've been using the trappers mink for several years now with both pistols and long guns. It works great in cold weather for me, real life saver for deer season in the smokepole

. But I've had it get a little splashy on me in hot weather. If Im feeling feeling particularly lazy though, I've been known to use the pre lubed ox yoke wonder wads

noelf2 · October 18, 2014, 09:39 PM

Beeswax 50%, Crisco 30%, Whale oil 10%, Possum tallow 7.5%, Muskrat tail fat oil 2.5%.

Ok, really, Beeswax / Crisco... 50/50. Works year 'round. IMHO, all the other stuff people use sounds great and old-timey and all, but brings no significant benefit over the stuff that's easy to get.

prontow · October 19, 2014, 02:56 AM

Finally, a use for all that possum tallow I have around here!

Really though I think the 50/50 of beeswax and mutton tallow will be on my list of things to do when I get some some off from work.
I will make a batch with Crisco/beeswax just to satisify my curiosity about the difference between the tallow and crisco.
So does LARD really smell like bacon when fired through a gun??

DD4lifeusmc · October 19, 2014, 09:00 AM

@noelf and Prontow
Along with what you said.
Go along with what is readily available your area.
Not being a chemist.
Don't know if there is a benefit or not of animal fat (lard / tallow) over a vegetable base (crisco , olive oil)
Many forums people claim Mutton (sheep) tallow is better than other tallows.
I can't prove or disprove that.

Tallow is Lard.. Why in beef, sheep, kangaroo, deer it is called tallow

and in Hogs Lard .... beats me, but both products are made the same basic way.
So going with the two guys above.
How readily available in your area is Mutton Tallow? And price?

Compared to Lard which is available most any grocery store.

One brand.. Snowcap ... is normally on the shelf, not the refrigerator in many areas of the country.
Years ago they listed ingredients, hog, beef, whatever. Now it just says Lard.
Inexpensive, easy to get, last a long time. Reasons I go with that.

And no it does not smell like bacon. No more than crisco smells like a rose.
It has been refined to pure fat no impurities.
Bacon smells when cooking because of the processing (salt, sugar, smoke, whatever)
Real bacon is called pork belly. And it has no odor when cooking, as it doesn't have the above added processing.

noelf2 · October 19, 2014, 03:06 PM

Being someone who grew up on a hog farm, I can tell you that rendering lard and tallow are different processes completely. Lard is fat released from cooking/frying animal fat down in it's own oil. Tallow is prepared by boiling fat in water until all the oil is released. It will then solidify on the top of the broth after cooling. The jelly and other muck stays below the hard tallow surface. Mutton tallow is more solid, will crack when bent. It won't go rancid easily. Other tallows (beef, pork, and possum for example) will bend, are more greasy, and will go rancid. Mutton tallow was the bomb for it's day because if was so available and would last. We have other stuff now.

swathdiver · October 19, 2014, 09:41 PM

US Army 1855 - 1 part beeswax, 3 parts tallow
US Army 1861 - 8 parts beeswax, 1 part tallow

g.willikers · October 21, 2014, 11:16 AM

Awhile back I started using home made wads made of auto gasket material.
And found they don't really need any lube.
Especially with Triple 7.
Haven't lubed wads since.
The trick, maybe, is to size them well.

October 17, 2014, 04:38 PM	#1
prontow Member Join Date: September 3, 2014 Posts: 18	Wad lube for cold weather shooting? Hey guys, been shooting cap and ball for several months now and have been bitten by the Black Powder bug! I ordered the felt, beeswax, tallow and paraffin wax and followed the recipe found here to make my own lubed wads, works great in warm weather. It was a little cooler the other day and I found it really difficult to get the wads started in the cylinder because they were quite a bit harder because they were cold. I am wondering if I should make another batch for cold weather with more tallow in the mix to make them softer. Or something really novel like keeping them in my pocket to keep them warm. What to you guys do during cold weather?

October 17, 2014, 04:57 PM	#2
swathdiver Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2012 Location: Treasure Coast, Florida Posts: 335	Mine load fine year round here in Florida. Might add a drop of olive oil to your existing ones. You could also reheat your existing mix and add some more tallow or olive oil. What size are your wads? My .44 cal wads are .480. __________________ “Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.” - Job 38:3

October 18, 2014, 01:31 PM	#6
DD4lifeusmc Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Wyoming Posts: 351	wads /lube Personally I leave out the paraffin. It is a petroleum by product in a round about way. In separate pans (tin cans from mushrooms or olives work well) melt both beeswax and tallow (lard). Mix equal parts. let set. If too stiff remelt and add more lard------make a note of exact amount added. If too soft do the same with beeswax. Been using this concoction for 30 + years once I heard of it. I keep seprate tins. One for hot weather one for cold. But I primarily shoot conicals these days in everything so I pan dip my projectiles.

October 18, 2014, 08:14 PM	#8
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Mcgee beat me to it I've been using the trappers mink for several years now with both pistols and long guns. It works great in cold weather for me, real life saver for deer season in the smokepole . But I've had it get a little splashy on me in hot weather. If Im feeling feeling particularly lazy though, I've been known to use the pre lubed ox yoke wonder wads __________________ One day, Men in tall hats will thump their chests and proclaim..."oh, what a great sea of mud we lived in"--The unalterable fate of billy creek .... "Smoke.....it's what's for dinner"

October 18, 2014, 09:39 PM	#9
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Beeswax 50%, Crisco 30%, Whale oil 10%, Possum tallow 7.5%, Muskrat tail fat oil 2.5%. Ok, really, Beeswax / Crisco... 50/50. Works year 'round. IMHO, all the other stuff people use sounds great and old-timey and all, but brings no significant benefit over the stuff that's easy to get. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

October 17, 2014, 05:09 PM	#3
prontow Member Join Date: September 3, 2014 Posts: 18	Good ideas, I will probably do some experimentation with my mixture. I did not even think about olive oil! My wads are 0.480

October 17, 2014, 10:26 PM	#4
44 Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 584	I use the same home made wads in the winter. I carry "concealed" in a shoulder holster made with a flap holster, inside my coat, so the gun is never ice cold.

October 18, 2014, 05:17 AM	#5
Sure Shot Mc Gee Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,876	http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search...rch=mink%20oil

October 18, 2014, 07:46 PM	#7
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	I just use olive oil.

October 19, 2014, 02:56 AM	#10
prontow Member Join Date: September 3, 2014 Posts: 18	Finally, a use for all that possum tallow I have around here! Really though I think the 50/50 of beeswax and mutton tallow will be on my list of things to do when I get some some off from work. I will make a batch with Crisco/beeswax just to satisify my curiosity about the difference between the tallow and crisco. So does LARD really smell like bacon when fired through a gun??

October 19, 2014, 09:00 AM	#11
DD4lifeusmc Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2012 Location: Wyoming Posts: 351	lube mix @noelf and Prontow Along with what you said. Go along with what is readily available your area. Not being a chemist. Don't know if there is a benefit or not of animal fat (lard / tallow) over a vegetable base (crisco , olive oil) Many forums people claim Mutton (sheep) tallow is better than other tallows. I can't prove or disprove that. Tallow is Lard.. Why in beef, sheep, kangaroo, deer it is called tallow and in Hogs Lard .... beats me, but both products are made the same basic way. So going with the two guys above. How readily available in your area is Mutton Tallow? And price? Compared to Lard which is available most any grocery store. One brand.. Snowcap ... is normally on the shelf, not the refrigerator in many areas of the country. Years ago they listed ingredients, hog, beef, whatever. Now it just says Lard. Inexpensive, easy to get, last a long time. Reasons I go with that. And no it does not smell like bacon. No more than crisco smells like a rose. It has been refined to pure fat no impurities. Bacon smells when cooking because of the processing (salt, sugar, smoke, whatever) Real bacon is called pork belly. And it has no odor when cooking, as it doesn't have the above added processing. Last edited by DD4lifeusmc; October 19, 2014 at 09:06 AM.

October 19, 2014, 03:06 PM	#12
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	Being someone who grew up on a hog farm, I can tell you that rendering lard and tallow are different processes completely. Lard is fat released from cooking/frying animal fat down in it's own oil. Tallow is prepared by boiling fat in water until all the oil is released. It will then solidify on the top of the broth after cooling. The jelly and other muck stays below the hard tallow surface. Mutton tallow is more solid, will crack when bent. It won't go rancid easily. Other tallows (beef, pork, and possum for example) will bend, are more greasy, and will go rancid. Mutton tallow was the bomb for it's day because if was so available and would last. We have other stuff now. __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

October 19, 2014, 09:41 PM	#13
swathdiver Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2012 Location: Treasure Coast, Florida Posts: 335	US Army 1855 - 1 part beeswax, 3 parts tallow US Army 1861 - 8 parts beeswax, 1 part tallow __________________ “Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.” - Job 38:3

October 21, 2014, 11:16 AM	#14
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Awhile back I started using home made wads made of auto gasket material. And found they don't really need any lube. Especially with Triple 7. Haven't lubed wads since. The trick, maybe, is to size them well. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”