Original ref lubricating/greasing

[Krylandalian]

I like to research/study historical use, sales, etc of the grand old Colts.  I don t  break my back doing it, but I have yet to discover   a n y   historical references to lube/greasing the chamber mouths for the purpose of preventing multiple discharges. 
There s  alot of ref to preventing chain-fires via proper fitting balls.  Colt states his pistols to be safe against it because of the hermetical seal, .  He stresses how his arms don t  need ball patching and so on.  In the field, where soldiers report on the firing efficiency etc of the arms, there s  some ref to ensuring no loose powder is around the chamber fronts because of chain firing risk/occurrences. but no ref to preventing it with any means of lube/grease etc.  Colt did a lot of testing which included deliberately placing loose powder in and around the chamber mouths, to prove it had no neg effect.

He was working on a   'Mode of lubricating'  for his arms, but this was expressly for anti-fouling from lead and powder residue.  It was an attachment that dispensed lubricant over the chamber loaded ball.

Still looking.

[Hewy]

I always wondered about the lube, that we use today. It will be interesting to see what
you find on type of grease Colt recommended back in the day.
During combat , I don't see how the soldier would mess around and apply anything other than
powder, ball, cap and shoot.

[Bishop Creek]

I think the reason that Colt specified that "patches" were not to be used in his revolvers was because at that time, most folks were used to putting a patch under a ball in a pistol (percussion, flintlock) and Colt's had little use for lube as most would have loaded a revolver, fired six shots, and they were done with it until it was cleaned and loaded for later use. Likely very little reloading of revolvers going on in the field during the Civil War which is why many, like the James brothers, carried multiple revolvers for follow up shots and why during the Old West, some like Hickok, carried two revolvers.

[Hawg]

You can't find anything because it wasn't done. Some people did put wax over the balls but I imagine it was for waterproofing. General Lee's 51 navy is a good case in point. I don't remember Colt saying not to use patches tho he may have. I do know the cased guns said wads weren't needed so they were around and apparently fairly commonly used.

[Krylandalian]

Hawg,  It wasn t   speculation,  a guess on my part. I was transcribing what Colt commonly stated.

Excerpted from a Colt.-  Directions for loading and managing Colt s  new model pistol,-

'The balls   w i t h o u t     w a d d i n g    o r   p a t c h    are put one at a time upon the mouths of the chamber, turned under the Rammer (R) and forced down with the  lever (L) below the mouth of the chamber, which hermetically seals it and prevents all possibility of damping the powder, even by exposure in water, . .'

This went for all of his arms of that type,- Carbines, pistols, .

[Hawg]

Hawg,  It wasn t   speculation,  a guess on my part. I was transcribing what Colt commonly stated.

Excerpted from a Colt.-  Directions for loading and managing Colt s  new model pistol,-

'The balls   w i t h o u t     w a d d i n g    o r   p a t c h    are put one at a time upon the mouths of the chamber, turned under the Rammer (R) and forced down with the  lever (L) below the mouth of the chamber, which hermetically seals it and prevents all possibility of damping the powder, even by exposure in water, . .'

This went for all of his arms of that type,- Carbines, pistols, .

Cool

[Hawg]

Now if I remember correctly, the wads found in Lee's revolver were under the ball and consisted of wax.

It was over the balls. The gun was fired 7 years after his death so no way of knowing what was under the balls. It was described as a black waxy substance.

[99whip]

I wonder what difference round ball vs. conical might have on this topic?  Most of the dual cavity roundball and conical bullet molds that came directly with the guns (especially the Navy models) the conical bullet did not have a lube groove.  However, if what I've read is accurate, the conical bullets being made by Colt's Cartridge Works did have a lube groove in them.   I guess that could just be an improvement in design, but I think it might suggest that at some point in the development of all this stuff some form of lube was felt necessary in the chamber mouth, even if it was just for lubing the bullet and not specifically for preventing chain fires? 

I know the topic was questioning the use of lube regarding chain fires but if you were using bullets with lube in a groove wouldn't the incidence of chain fires likely decline on account of that.  Conicals should provide a much greater seal than roundball anyway. 

Don't know enough about it, just a random thought...     

[Hawg]

I know the topic was questioning the use of lube regarding chain fires but if you were using bullets with lube in a groove wouldn't the incidence of chain fires likely decline on account of that.  Conicals should provide a much greater seal than roundball anyway. 

Don't know enough about it, just a random thought...   

Yes they would. Military paper cartridges used conical bullets but I do not think any were lubed.

[99whip]

I think you're probably right Hawg.  It does seem interesting though - that groove in the conicals got added for some reason.  Maybe it was for something other than lube.  No real answers, just observations I guess..

[Hawg]

I think you're probably right Hawg.  It does seem interesting though - that groove in the conicals got added for some reason.  Maybe it was for something other than lube.  No real answers, just observations I guess..

Tying them to the cartridge.

[Calibre58]

My 2 cents on the subject.
I have tried to post pictures for months without success, I get attachment to large, so.........
I have original packets of .31, .36 and .44 cartridges, no where do they say lubricated.
I have several Colt .36 cal Molds, some cast a solid conical bullet, ( I believe they are early ones) some cast a head with a groove, grease or ?...........Jim