Wiping liquid for cold weather

[beltfed]

Asking what are people adding to their wiping water for cold weather?

Have heard of use of RV antifreeze?
Regular car antifreeze?
Regular Heet?
how about isopropyl alcohol as in rubbing alcohol or IsoHeet ?

Tx
beltfed/arnie

[BFD]

I have used windshield wiper fluid with some success, but it too will freeze eventually. Adding more denatured Ethanol might help with that, but I have tried it.

[40-65rl]

I have used 50/50 VW antifreeze and water with very good results, however, it did take some of the finish off my CPA stock. Couple of coats of Tru oil, I believe that is what CPA uses to finish their stocks, and it was back to original. On the plus, plus side, it cut down the leading in my barrel significantly. Give and take I guess. I have also used 50/50 RV antifreeze and alcohol in the past. Works ok. no problems with finish on rifle but didn't cut the lead like the VW antifreeze does.

[Gussy]

Has anyone used polyethylene glycol? I have a barrel of it in the back shed but I've never checked in the winter to see if it's still liquid. Related to antifreeze but non toxic. I use it to stabilize wood. Slick stuff.

[beltfed]

I should have mentioned I am looking at Temperatures
from say 20 F to 32F. Colder than that, I will not be going out
for test work or for the 200 group postal. So, I am hoping that a low percent
of one of the alcohols or antifreeze should work for my purposes.

I do have on hand regular windshield washer fluid,
and also a jug of the "35 below zero" stuff.----
as well as 99% iso alcohol(rubbing) and denatured pure Ethyl alcohol.
Thanks for comments so far
beltfed/arnie

[beltfed]

40-65rl
I am not worried about removing lead.
My shooting will be with Paper Patched bullets
"of course"
beltfed/arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie.
I switched from RV antifreeze to windshield fluid. I used to save the RV stuff when I de-winterized the Gypsy Wagon and it turned to crystals when it turned cold. But both worked just fine and the RV stuff does not evaporate on the patches as fast when the wind or hot weather comes around.

[mark1buff0]

After shooting both muzzle loaders and cartridges for 45 plus yrs. here in Wisconsin, notice that its spelled with an I not e , in all kinds of weather sometimes as cold as 10 or 15 below ,I have found that auto type coolants work very good , reg. though is toxic if ingested. All of the glycol type coolants will remove fouling. There is one on the market that is non-toxic I think its called sierra. But all good auto type coolants contain a water pump lube,i,e, water soluble oil, also a type of animal fat, could be the reason for less fouling and leading . If you do-not believe this try to get a tight patched round ball down the barrel at 10 deg. it will also keep that brown stuff from forming until you get home and can clean in the warm. All though now retired was auto mech for pushing 50 yrs. Mark

[bpcr shooter]

went out today, it was 26deg. I shot for 2hrs and had no problems with my 10-1 water/ oil. guess if you had a mix and you know it works, don't change!! just put your patches in a small container and put it in your inside coat pocket.

[beltfed]

Thanks to all for the input
Friday, I did go out shooting. Trying my 38-50 with "jury rigged" PP bullets:
I did use the "-35 degree" windshield washer fluid for wetting the patches for wiping.
Worked just fine at 26 degrees F
beltfed/arnie

[desert deuce]

Take I 25 South to I 10, I 10 West to Arizona and generally forget about freezing temperatures.
What's not to like about 340 days of sunshine?
Yeah, we do go overboard with summer but you can always take I 25 back North.

[Distant Thunder]

Now, DD, there you go stirring the pot again!

I actually lived in southern Cal for a time and when they let me out of the army I had a choice of going back to that life or returning my boyhood stomping grounds, the Northwoods! Obviously the snow and cold had just too strong of a pull for me to resist, it's in my blood. Anything over about 75.1 degrees and I'm junk, however I do very well outside down to about 10 degrees it just takes special considerations. To the untrained ear it may sound like we're complaining, but we actually love it up here.

Maybe if I sent you a box of snow for Christmas you'd understand! I have enough that I would not miss a small amount.

Merry Christmas!

[Distant Thunder]

Now to the subject at hand.

Elsewhere I had mentioned that I have used a heater (ice shanty type) to keep my patches and solution (fingers too) from freezing and that it works very well and does not cause changes in the performance to the load or anything else. That suggestion was pounced on by a troll who never misses an opportunity to find fault in the way I do things, but it still works troll or no.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Jim,

It sounds like a sound, and actually workable solution to a real problem. I keep thinking of building or buying a small shed with exactly the type of heating unit you mentioned. To many months go by here without pulling a trigger on my long range rifles.

Being oilfield most of my life I am thinking a old insulated meter building maybe a solution to that problem as they are skid mounted.

KW

[mdeland]

Great idea guys, sort of like the ole Shuetzen shooters used to use in the winter. Wood stove glowing red and flip up shooting port door, take the shot and close her up until your ready for another.
I'm told they also had their "SUDS" in there with them while shooting, (aiming oil)!