Parafin wax as part of a lube

[topbreak]

Been shooting my cap and ball revolvers a lot lately and been making paper cartridges to make it a little more convenient. Nothing fancy just cigarette papers with round balls. To save me a step in the field I have been coating the bullet end of the cartridge with melted lube. I tried my usual concoction of bees wax and Crisco but it was pretty messy. So I made some up using candle wax(paraffin) and Crisco. My question is will the paraffin not mix well with the black powder fowling? I am of the understanding that paraffin is a petroleum product and petroleum products are not a good mix with BP. It is firmer than my bees wax mix but is the small amount of paraffin going to cause issues with my gun?

Thanks.

Don

[Hanshi]

Long, long ago I used bees wax and Crisco to lube minies but never used it on patches,etc.  I tried paraffin instead of bees wax; and although my memory is a bit foggy as to how paraffin performed, I don't recall any problems using it.  Bees wax is to be prefered.  I even tried Vaseline instead of Crisco in experiments.

[beowulf]

 friend of mine uses a mixture of sheep tallow, bee`s wax , and olive oil !

[Dogshirt]

I have a jar of coconut oil I'm going to try. They call it "Oil", but it is solid at normal temps.

[doggoner]

Topbreak

Here is a link to some reading for you. The LASC web site has lots of GOOD reading and info for the blackpowder shooter. as well as the cast boolit shooter. You need to go and browse a while. You'll enjoy it I'm sure.

http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm

doggoner

[pilgrim]

    lots of interesting info, Thanks

[Red Badger]

If I am not mistaken parafin wax is a petrolium bi-product, not sure I want that residue in my firearm... It might increase fouling... now that I think about it, not sure I want it in my canning supplies either :)

[William]

After running out of beeswax I mixed in some paraffin to my lube and it didn't seem any better or worse.  The mixture already contained Olive oil and BW so the amount of paraffin was rather low but still no ill effects.

[flintboomer]

I used to use a mixture of candle wax, otherwise known as parafin, and vaseline as revolver lube. It worked fine in hot weather but the vaseline made it stick to the ball in cold weather. I never had any problem with cleaning, but again it was a revolver and I never tried it in a rifle.

[DandJofAZ]

None of them listed Murphy oil soap.  Makes cleaning after shoot real easy.  Plus your hands clean up with plain water.

[Patocazador]

I've had no problems using beeswax and unsalted lard down to 45^o. In colder weather I switch to mink oil.

[DandJofAZ]

Mink oil is good,  Also in bad weather it helps keep  your feet dry.

[Hanshi]

I've been recently reading recommendations of some other experienced c&b shooters and the general consensus is that paraffin works even better than bees wax in a mixture.  Just because a substance is some derivative of petroleum doesn't mean it is bad or problematic.  In checking my records I experienced excellent performance using paraffin in the lube mixture.  I didn't use it as a patch lube but it worked in my c&b revolver and as a lube for minies.

[beowulf]

found this interesting !   https://youtu.be/5vLzSw3XXi0

[Hanshi]

Very interesting video.