I need a good lube recipe for use with blackpowder in my 50/70. Any ideas?
The mould is a Lee .515-450-F
I've been using Wolf's basic recipe for quite a few years. I use it with BP and smokeless 45/70 loads up through 1400 and with smokeless handgun loads up through 1100 fps. I also use it in my TC Blk Mtn Magnum .50 cal to lube REALs and Maxi-Balls (350 gr cast 1-16 at 1525 fps). I've had no leading with any of them.
BP Lube
In a small sauce pan filled about 1/3 with water place a small (pint size) Pyrex measuring cup with the handle over the edge of the pan. Pour in 4 oz of virgin olive oil and place on an electric stove to heat up. I bring the water to just short of boiling (this set up is referred to as a double boiler). Add pure beeswax until there is 9 oz of melted mixture in the Pyrex cup. I stir it with a wood tongue depressor. This makes a 4 5 part mix (olive oil to beeswax). Of course larger amounts may be made but adjust the amounts to maintain the 4-5 part mix.
The melted lube may be poured into the reservoir of a lube/sizer. It will cool and harden in short order and is immediately useable. I leave the remainder of the mix in the Pyrex cup (wife made me buy her a new one after the first use) and store it in a quart Ziploc bag (keeps it clean). When more lube is needed just put the Pyrex cup with lube into the sauce pan of water and melt it on the electric stove again. It is useable this way until the mix is depleted or you add more beeswax and olive oil (in the proper 4-5 proportion) to make more.
With some bullets I hand lube them while watching a good movie on TV. I cut the wood tongue depressor at a 45 degree angle on one end making a sort of knife edge. I scrape a small amount off the cold lube mix and roll it between my thumb and fore finger. The lube becomes soft and malleable very quickly. It is then rubbed into the lube grooves on the bullets. I can usually do a couple hundred REALs or Maxi-Balls during a John Wayne flick. A couple paper towels control any messy fingers to keep the wife happy. I prefer this method over the pan lube method as I find that pretty messy. However, this lube works well with the pan lube method.
I have found this simple and easy to make lube to be every bit as effective as any of the witchcraft brews often recommended. Ive also found it as good as SPG. Ive not found any difference in the bore fouling using this lube with BP as with any other lube. The fouling remains as soft for as long as the others. Accuracy with this lube is also the equal of any others. I recommend it because it is easy to make out of inexpensive components and it works.
Larry Gibson
