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To lube or not to lube


Tennessee williams

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How many of you lube your side by side chambers and how many run it dry during a match? Do you feel one way or the other helps you shuck your shells easier? If you lube, do you do it between every stage?

Just doing some research and running some numbers... 

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Just keep the chambers clean.  I do use Armor All on the shells, that really does help them come out.  But chambers are dry and clean.

 

Lubes are a place for grit to stick to.  In my experience, that causes problems in the chambers.

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23 minutes ago, Doc Shapiro said:

Just keep the chambers clean.  I do use Armor All on the shells, that really does help them come out.  But chambers are dry and clean.

 

Lubes are a place for grit to stick to.  In my experience, that causes problems in the chambers.

I will wipe my shells as well...

I don't normally do anything to the chamber during match...

Just run a CLP patch through after cleaning.

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Just now, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

I will wipe my shells as well...

I don't normally do anything to the chamber during match...

Just run a CLP patch through after cleaning.

 

You clean it?  I only do that when I shoot BP. 

 

I'll note that I also use a sizing tool on the shells when I put them in my SG belt.  One of these: https://www.badmanbullets.com/OnlineStore/proddetail.php?prod=SliX-Shotshell-Checker-Sizer-Combo

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7 minutes ago, Doc Shapiro said:

 

You clean it?  I only do that when I shoot BP. 

 

I'll note that I also use a sizing tool on the shells when I put them in my SG belt.  One of these: https://www.badmanbullets.com/OnlineStore/proddetail.php?prod=SliX-Shotshell-Checker-Sizer-Combo

Yup...APP and smoke, all day long!:rolleyes:

And use the checker/resizer too!

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I spray a bore mop with Hornady One Shot cleaner and lube or Ballistol when I get to the range. I mop the chambers before I start and after every stage, It’s worked well for me for several years.

 

Randy

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"To lube or not to lube"

Now that just depends upon where you might need the lube. I say, if you are chaffing, then go ahead and lube up. :D

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Run my chambers and shells dry. Using my Johnny Meadows SKB’s the hulls just fall out with minimal effort.  In my experience lubing the shells makes your grab/load inconsistent as your grip has to account for a slippery surface. If the shells are hanging up either the chambers are (really) dirty, the shells improperly reloaded/resized or the chambers were improperly smoothed to begin with. Also could be shucking technique needs work. I use STS hulls exclusively and no ribbed ones so no idea if that makes a difference. 
I tried an experiment to see how long I could go without cleaning. Checked every shell as it came off the press and again before going into the belt. Wiped each one down with a clean dry towel, afterwards for the lubed ones a couple spritzes of armor all onto a clean towel then a quick wipe. 
No lube, 248 before the first fail to extract. Lube shells (armor all) 198 to first fail to extract. Chambers started clean using hoppes and my usual technique. Shot in groups of four to simulate match. No lube average time of 4.17, lubed average time of 4.51. I threw out any strings where I obviously botched the load or shuck but I could definitely tell my technique was different using the lubed hulls. To those who say “what difference does .34 make?” Over a 12 stage match that amounts to 4.08 seconds which is a lifetime. And a single fail to extract adds at least 2.08 seconds since I always load two. Possibly more depending where in the string it occurs and how long it takes to clear the offending hull and reload. After the session the lube shells left the chambers noticeably dirtier with quite a bit more grit than the dry. 
YMMV

Regards

:FlagAm:  :FlagAm:  :FlagAm:

Gateway Kid

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After about every third stage or dozen rounds, I scour the chambers with a Tornado brush, then just use the brush as a jag to push a 3" Sq patch down each barrel, followed by a very light spray of Hornady's One Shot.  I use a cleaning rod with a small enough handle to simply follow the patch through the barrel.   That way, no crud gets pulled back in.  I also rerun the hulls through the crimp stage on the reloader and spray them the night before with One Shot.  I don't recall ever having a hull stick in the gun when doing those steps.  

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Using real BP and brass shells.  During a match I don’t do anything to the SG, no brush, no lube.  After I load the shells I give them a quick shot of Hornady’s One Shot before I box them up.  After the match when I clean the gun I run a bore snake through it then bore butter both barrels.  Not sure if it’s the shells but they shuck easily all day long. 

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8 hours ago, Doc Shapiro said:

... I do use Armor All on the shells, that really does help them come out.  But chambers are dry and clean...

 

I've never had success with putting lube on the shells.  It may help the shells dump out of the shotgun, but it leaves one of my hands with a greasy feeling, a problem for me when handguns are used next.  Might not be an issue if using both hands on one revolver, but I don't want a slippery hand with full-case black powder loads gunfighter-style.  Maybe it's just me.

 

Like Randy, I'll mop the shotgun chambers between stages.  Just a little squirt of Ballistol on a patch works for me.

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3 minutes ago, Jackalope said:

I've never had success with putting lube on the shells.  It may help the shells dump out of the shotgun, but it leaves one of my hands with a greasy feeling, a problem for me when handguns are used next.  Might not be an issue if using both hands on one revolver, but I don't want a slippery hand with full-case black powder loads gunfighter-style.  Maybe it's just me.

 

Not just you.

 

I will armorAll the shells, however, I do that well before I ever head to the range

 

 

 

 

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I shoot a lot of APP. Quickly discovered that I need enough powder and shot to make the shells seal the chamber. If you don't then fouling migrates into the chambers causing the empties to stick.

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11 hours ago, Tennessee williams said:

How many of you lube your side by side chambers and how many run it dry during a match? Do you feel one way or the other helps you shuck your shells easier? If you lube, do you do it between every stage?

Just doing some research and running some numbers... 

Ya know ole Widder has some speshul lube he provides to his competition, even will lube their shotguns for them during the match with it.  Widder is just "that" kind of pard, always giving. :lol:

 

Kajun

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45 minutes ago, Krazy Kajun said:

Ya know ole Widder has some speshul lube he provides to his competition, even will lube their shotguns for them during the match with it.  Widder is just "that" kind of pard, always giving. :lol:

 

Kajun

He's always giving alright. Me a headache!

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3 hours ago, Branchwater Jack SASS #88854 said:

I run black powder. Even still, I like to run mine dry. Unless.. I find that the chambers have started to foul. If the chamber start to get dirty, I will clean them.

 

 

I appreciate all these videos you've been working on. Some good stuff in there! Hope to see you Saturday. Gonna pick your brain about frontier cartridge.

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9 hours ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Run my chambers and shells dry. Using my Johnny Meadows SKB’s the hulls just fall out with minimal effort.  In my experience lubing the shells makes your grab/load inconsistent as your grip has to account for a slippery surface. If the shells are hanging up either the chambers are (really) dirty, the shells improperly reloaded/resized or the chambers were improperly smoothed to begin with. Also could be shucking technique needs work. I use STS hulls exclusively and no ribbed ones so no idea if that makes a difference. 
I tried an experiment to see how long I could go without cleaning. Checked every shell as it came off the press and again before going into the belt. Wiped each one down with a clean dry towel, afterwards for the lubed ones a couple spritzes of armor all onto a clean towel then a quick wipe. 
No lube, 248 before the first fail to extract. Lube shells (armor all) 198 to first fail to extract. Chambers started clean using hoppes and my usual technique. Shot in groups of four to simulate match. No lube average time of 4.17, lubed average time of 4.51. I threw out any strings where I obviously botched the load or shuck but I could definitely tell my technique was different using the lubed hulls. To those who say “what difference does .34 make?” Over a 12 stage match that amounts to 4.08 seconds which is a lifetime. And a single fail to extract adds at least 2.08 seconds since I always load two. Possibly more depending where in the string it occurs and how long it takes to clear the offending hull and reload. After the session the lube shells left the chambers noticeably dirtier with quite a bit more grit than the dry. 
YMMV

Regards

:FlagAm:  :FlagAm:  :FlagAm:

Gateway Kid

I need to clarify...my 'wipe down' of shells include a second wipe with a clean, dry cloth after using whatever wipe I use...

And shell checker is a must (thank you Boggus Deal) and the checker/roll tool from Lazer Graphics is a bigger plus!!!

Technique is a MUST. I have issues when I don't concentrate on how I am shucking.

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Yes I lube somewhat.  Many years ago when AA shells were so notched, scared, dirty, etc, I got in the habit of just wiping the shell off with a little Ballistol.  Whether it did any good or not, it certainly made them appear cosmetically nicer.  I continue the habit but careful that it is only a slight wipe and only on plastic portion of hull.   It it much a "piece of mind" thing that works for me.

Another habit before each stage is a chamber cleaning with my tool of choice.  Tool of choice once was a 12 Gauge mop but a few years ago I got a idea from observing Slick's technique to clean chamber with a wire brush wrapped with a large patch or piece of cloth.  I use a typical bronze brush with the cloth stuck on it like you would a jag.  The cloth might carry a hint of Ballistol spray.  ProShot Chamber brush every few stages is much a habit also, then the cloth/brush step.  

I am  avid fan of using a chamber gauges for each shell.  I especially like the SliX Shotshell Checker Sizer (https://www.slixprings.com/proddetail.php?prod=SliX-Shotshell-Checker-Sizer-Combo ).  

Joe and Martha at Cowboy Shooter Supply, along with several others, often have these and other SliX tools in stock.

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1 hour ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

I need to clarify...my 'wipe down' of shells include a second wipe with a clean, dry cloth after using whatever wipe I use...

And shell checker is a must (thank you Boggus Deal) and the checker/roll tool from Lazer Graphics is a bigger plus!!!

Technique is a MUST. I have issues when I don't concentrate on how I am shucking.

O, I have taught him so much.  :D

Get "your tool" (:rolleyes:) engraved by Lazer so less likely to "disappear".  Same for screw knifes.

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1 minute ago, Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator said:

O, I have taught him so much.  :D

Get "your tool" (:rolleyes:) engraved by Lazer so less likely to "disappear".  Same for screw knifes.

Yup...put Shanley's name on it!!!( after all, he paid for it!:rolleyes:)

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15 hours ago, Doc Shapiro said:

Just keep the chambers clean.  I do use Armor All on the shells, that really does help them come out.  But chambers are dry and clean.

 

Lubes are a place for grit to stick to.  In my experience, that causes problems in the chambers.

Try silicone spray on the shells.

Grud won't stick.

OLG 

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Black powder.
 

Dry.

 

No cleaning or swabbing between stages.  Still shucking after 6 stages.

 

BSS double and Remington STS hulls.

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I'm with OLG. About 3 days before the match I'll spray silicone on a rag. Then, I quickly wipe the bottom half of all shotgun shells with the rag, and toss 'em back in the box.

 

I use a bore brush on the chambers every 2nd stage.

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I run both chambers and shells dry.  I clean them out with a brush between stages.  

 

I used to run STS exclusively with Sharyn running LNLR.  We were both reasonably satisfied with how they shucked, without any resizing.  Due to the recent difficulties finding shotgun shells we've done some experimenting.   I've found AA light target to be reasonable in terms of recoil (1145 fps like STS) but not easy to shuck.  OTH, Remington Gun Club Target Loads, also 1145 fps are great, easier to shuck than any shell I've used.  They're the first shell with a ribbed hull I've used and I think that may make them easier to shuck. 

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28 minutes ago, Doc Shapiro said:

 

That's what Armor All is.  A silicon spray.  Spray it on, wipe it off.

AA has a bunch of crap in it.

I'm talking about silicone spray lube you can buy at any auto parts store.

Give it a try.

OLG 

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Not that it matters, but I drape a RemOil wipe over a 12ga brush. Swab out the chambers before and after each stage. Also wipe down each hull with a RemOil wipe, then wipe them down with a towel. Main reason for this is to clean crap off the hulls.

 

I shoot BP...

 

Phantom

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6 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

I run both chambers and shells dry.  I clean them out with a brush between stages.  

 

I used to run STS exclusively with Sharyn running LNLR.  We were both reasonably satisfied with how they shucked, without any resizing.  Due to the recent difficulties finding shotgun shells we've done some experimenting.   I've found AA light target to be reasonable in terms of recoil (1145 fps like STS) but not easy to shuck.  OTH, Remington Gun Club Target Loads, also 1145 fps are great, easier to shuck than any shell I've used.  They're the first shell with a ribbed hull I've used and I think that may make them easier to shuck. 

CBB I've used the Gun Club hulls to load BP (I use APP) and they shuck well.

 

I run my shells and chambers dry for smokeless occasionally running a bore brush in the chambers.  For BP same, run both chambers and shells dry.

 

Kajun

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