First time 9 shots with the Lyman GPR

[bagdadjoe]

Took the new-to-me Lyman out today for a test spin.  I'm happy as a pig in, ummm, .....mud.  It works great, just need to put some more range time in and learn the trigger and tweak the loads.  I love it!  Hmmm, just saw a Cabela's Hawken .54 at a shop Thursday for $319...like new... oops, better not.
These targets are 50yds with Pyrodex, starting with 60 on group one, 70 on two and then 80 grains on number three at the top. I think it likes it hotter.

[Semisane]

Looks like you're off to a good start bagdojoe.  I love my Great Plains.  What were you using for patch lube?

[bagdadjoe]

I made up some beeswax/olive oil lube, but didn't use it to start with because I don't have any ticking...I'll solve that problem today, hopefully. I used some TC store-bought.  Either I'll find a circle punch or make one and start cutting my own.  I used to have a Greyhawk TC years ago, but only shot Buffalo bullets in it, so I'm new to patch shooting.  If I knew it was this much fun, I wouldn't have waited so long! I did use a patch with a little of my lube to  swab the barrel out after I cleaned it to keep the rust at bay.

[Semisane]

You don't need a circle punch bagdajoe.  Square cut patches are just as accurate.  Believe me, I have conducted extensive side-by-side bench rest experiments with round and square patches and the target does not know the difference.

Now I know you're going to think I'm crazy, but try this anyway.  Get yourself a little 4 oz. bottle of Liquid Wrench and use that for a patch lube.  Shoot five shots with any other lube you want.  Then clean the bore completely and try five shots with Liquid wrench.  I'll bet you stick with the Liquid Wrench after that.

[coyotejoe]

So much for the warning about petroleum products with blackpowder.

[Semisane]

So much for the warning about petroleum products with blackpowder.

I know coyotejoe.     

It goes against all conventional wisdom.  But check out this thread. 

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/black-powder/344679-trip-bizarro-world.html

[bagdadjoe]

Well, if it works for you, it could work for me.  I'm all for streamlining, but I do love the way my "hippie-lube" smells....put a little patchouly oil in it .  But hey, I like the way Liquid Wrench smells too. Been using it on a lot of stuff over the past half+ century, might as well stick some on a patch.   Thanks!
(just checked that thread..wow...what a difference!  I will definitely try a few rounds of that!!)

[bagdadjoe]

By the way...I just picked up some red stripe ticking today.  That ought to give me more velocity, better accuracy and act as a tracer all in one whack!  Kinda like patched ball racing stripes

[Semisane]

Shoot that red stripe stuff proudly bagdadjoe.   As we know from observing what goes on in red States and blue States that red is better.   

[flintlock]

Another good lube that I used for years is SnoSeal...I usually rip the ticking in strips, put it on a few newspapers and take a putty knife and add lube to both sides...I then roll it up and put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds to help the lube run into the ticking...

As far as petroleum and black powder...I never heard of this until the 80s, when T/C came out with a marketing plan to sell their lube...I used to shoot with a guy that used wheel bearing grease to lube on his patches, worked fine...

[lakota]

I recently started cutting my ticking into long strips and cutting the patch at the muzzle. It gave me justification to buy a cool looking antler handle patch knife because everyone knows you cant cut patches without a proper patch knife! (at least thats the line of bull I fed my wife)

[coyotejoe]

Another good lube that I used for years is SnoSeal...I usually rip the ticking in strips, put it on a few newspapers and take a putty knife and add lube to both sides...I then roll it up and put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds to help the lube run into the ticking...

As far as petroleum and black powder...I never heard of this until the 80s, when T/C came out with a marketing plan to sell their lube...I used to shoot with a guy that used wheel bearing grease to lube on his patches, worked fine...

I never heard about any problems with petroleum and BP until I got online about ten years ago and I've still never experienced any problems I could relate to the use of gun oil.  I have experienced rust in rifle bores with the use of T/C bore butter instead of gun oil. So guess which I now use.