Best product to wipe my guns down with?

B

bruno diaz

New member
I used to use the lightly-oiled rag. Then I picked up the silicon rags, but I just worry that they're really not protecting my guns. How long are the silicon rags good for? Then I had a friend who had his FFL and he recommended spraying and wiping them down with BP Blaster. I just worry about my guns being too slick or that they'll get gummed up. But, I'm also worried that they won't be protected well enough. I'm not a newbie gun-owner: I'm an ex-cop who has also been a gun-owner for 25 years. As I've been purchasing more guns lately, I'm getting more worried about the best protection for them. Probably because I pulled out an old shotgun of mine and it had some rust and pitting on it. Now, I'm paranoid. Thoughts?
 
Give them a light coat of Johnson's Paste Wax. Red and yellow can at the grocery store. I'm not kidding it works great on wood and metal. Your guns will not rust.
 
I’ve been using silicone, or whatever is in them, gun rags on mine for years without any signs of rust. Just wiped them down after each use and never stored them in gun cases. Duck hunting in the rain is tough on my shotguns, but the silicone, or whatever, has kept them rust free. Some were purchased new over 50 years ago and still look great. The only rusty gun I've ever had was my duty pistol after a few days of sloshing around in the flooding after hurricane Betsy 40 years ago. Solved its problem with a nickel job.

A lot of the spray stuff has wax in it, LPS comes to mind, after a while it will build up around screw heads and such along with deposits on stocks. A mild solvent will remove it, but I would rather not have that problem.
 
RIG=Rust Inhibiting Grease applied w/ foot or so square piece of cotton Tshirt. Wipe em down everytime after handling them to get fingerprints off so they dont rust.
 
speaking of which, i have a problem i have johnsons paste wax built up in the checkering of a few of my wood guns from coating the wood and metal with it. It is now dried, hard, and ugly looking stuck in the checkering. How do i remove this without damaging the wood?

BTW i used to wipe my guns down with breakfree until one hunting season i got rust even though i wiped them down all the time, removed it and use wax and haven't had a problem, however wax is annoying and dries up in corners/checkering and i need a way to remove it..
 
banditt007

Warm to hot soapy water on a rag allowed to lay on the spot for a few minutes will soften it in most cases. Then a light scrub with a soft tooth brush usually gets it out. Just don’t use a strong detergent, dish washing type is fine, or get too aggressive with the brush. Plus don’t use this method if the stock is oiled, only if it a varnish type finish. If it was oiled you shouldn’t have had wax any where near it.
 
CLPs, Eezox, LPX, Ballistol, Gunzilla...

For general protective wipes or rust, wear prevention, I highly suggest a simple synthetic type CLP(cleaner lube protect) like the popular Eezox, LPX or the little known but useful Gunzilla.
LPX & Gunzilla are in use with many US combat troops now in SW Asia(Iraq-Afganistan).
Small 2-4oz tubes can be obtained for travel or field use too.
The non toxic CFC free Ballistol is a top product for firearms/gear.
See these sites for prices, sizes, details; www.Brownells.com www.Gunzilla.us www.Eezox.com www.Mpro7.com .

ClydeFrog
 
I use eezox and royal purple gun oil, not sure if royal purple protects as well but both work well as a lube. I've not had a rust problem.
 
I am a retired gunsmith and I have tried a lot of stuff over the years. Either Eezox or Breakfree Collector. Breakfree claims its Collector will protect unfinished steel left in open air for five years. A thin film allowed to evaporate onto the metal will protect it for a LONG time. I've been using Breakfree Collector and it works very well on guns in the safe or in my garage (hot and humid here) and on carry guns I sweat on. No rust yet. Apply it with a small stenciling paint brush (looks like an old miniature shaving brush - get one at a crafts store) The brush will get the protection down into the screw slots and into all the crevices and checkering. I used birchwood Casey Sheath for years and it works pretty well but in time will turn into a sticky gummy varnish if left on too long. Breakfree Collector doesn't seem to get gummy over time. The trick is to inspect them frequently and don't allow a fingerprint to set on the metal for any time. Some people's sweat is corrosive enough to rust stainless steel. Silicone rags are only good for wiping off fingerprints from handling, they don't leave any lasting protection. Paste wax is good in a air conditioned environment like a museum but above 85 degress Fahrenheit will evaporate away. (that's why when you wax your car it doesn't seem to last very long) Also never store guns in any type of fabric, foam or pile lined case. Store in open air in a drawer or on a shelf or rack. Any kind of padded lined rug or case or holster will suck moisture from the air and put it into contact with the metal. I have seen way too many shotguns ruined by storing them in a plush case under a bed or in a closet.
 
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I always wax my rifles with Butchers wax before the hunting season starts . It's a great protectant and is odorless to boot !
 
Best product to wipe my guns down with?
Click to expand...
Unless someone provides a link to extensive scientific tests of the various products, there is no such thing as "Best".

There is only "Good", or "what I use...".

Such questions should ask: "Good product to wipe my guns down with?"
 
I still opt for wax. A thin coat well buffed when dry. If you get it into the checkering spread it out with a soft toothbrush before it dries and it won't build up and cause a problem. It does not evaporate at 85 degrees and niether does car wax.
 
I use Johnson's paste wax on bare metal surfaces of my woodshop tools and power tools (hand planes, jointer top surfaces, and table saw top surfaces). It works pretty good for that if it's just dust or fingerprints to remove. But, I have a buddy that will come over some afternoons to have a cold beer or three and he'll set the beer cans down on the bare (but waxed) metal of the jointer, and it'll have a faint rust ring in less than an hour. Man, I hate that. My shop is air conditioned, with a low humidity. With all that in mind, I really don't know how much protection you'll get from a paste wax on a gun surface if you're going to get it wet. To protect that metal surface from my friend's beer can moisture, I'm now trying out automobile wax on that metal. We'll see how that works out. As for wiping down rifles and pistols, I've tried the silicone rags, but went back to old fashioned 3 in 1 oil. That or something similar seems to work best, unless the auto wax (not the carnauba type) holds up under the attack of beer moisture. And, if you must ask why I can't use 3 in 1 oil on my tools, it's because I don't want oil on the wood that I'm working with. And silicones in the auto wax also concern me, but I'll take the risk.
 
Go to the local Bass-Pro and find the guncleaning section and purchase a can of G-96, take it home and lightly spray your guns down with it and gently wipe them down........;)
 
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