Oil em up.....

I use a lot of WD-40. I also use the small cans of clear methyl-ethyl-ketone plastic pipe cleaner, paint thinner, charcoal starter fluid. If using an animal based oil, I like to wash the salt out by extracting it with water. I have been known to throw a revolver in a pan and boil it in hot water with lots of dish detergent. Larely I have been useing the 91% isopropanol they sell at Walmart. I am a retired degreed chemical engineer with a history of chemical cleaning, corrosion inhibition, oils and most things that stink or burn. I don't use expensive stuff. There are very few gun cleaning jobs that a paraphenic solvent, such as charcoal lighter or kerosene, won't handle. As far as lube goes motor oil is motor oil. Oily stuff collects dirt and stuff and needs to be cleaned OCASSIONALLY. I love to use WD-40 to blast the gummy residues off and displace moisture; however, be carefull not to expose ammunition to WD-40. It is a super penetrant and will deactivate primers. After useing it wipe it off as best you can but a protective oil will remain behind. I make sure I give my guns a few days before I load them. With smokeless powders and noncrossive primers guns don't really need that much cleaning.
 
Way back when I had a friend trained as a gunsmith by the military. He never worked at it as a occupation, just a hobby. (he was a machinist)
He always used sewing machine oil from a one quart can and a big tub of white Lithium grease for everything else.
I don't think he use anything but those for all his fishing gear, guns, his car/motor cycle.......even his kids bike!:D
 
Like others, I use a light grease on the rails of the 1911 and the Garand. It's Penn Fishing Reel grease. Sort of a light grease.

Where oil is called for, I simply use 5W20 motor oil. It's a bit heavier than gun oil. When I'm at the range, I run hundreds of rounds through the 1911 for each session, so I typically run it "wet". That is, I apply it liberally.

Bayou
 
For the past couple of years, I've been using Weaponshield, both the oil and the grease, as appropriate. I've been happy with it, but I can't honestly say that my guns get hard use that would really put it to the test.

From what I've seen in this thread and others, though, I am seriously considering trying the Mobil 1 synthetic, &/or the Lubriplate food-safe grease.
 
I give my guns a splash and scrub with Hoppes #9, hit 'em with the air compressor, and a casual wipe down with an old T-shirt.

I've been doing it that way for the last 35 years or so, and I don't ever remember having any sort of problem with operation or corrosion.

If i were a betting man, I'd say more guys have problems with too much lube, rather than not enough.
 
Fishbed, the old tale about WD-40 gumming up the works has been going around for years. I can't see that it is worse than any thing else. It in fact is a great cleaner to blast off oily junk. If you encounter caked up WD-40 the best thing to clean it up with is WD-40.
 
I think the biggest thing against it... is that WD-40 isn't a lubricant... not a very good one anyway, too thin.

It dries out quickly, even if it doesn't turn into a varnish... dry is dry.

Its volatile, and does not handle getting hot, so as a gun warms in use, it dries faster.


If you don't use your firearms very much... Only fire a box of ammo or two a year, most lubes will work well enough.

"Old guns had guys using whatever was on hand"... Sure, but shooting sports were not as big of a thing, for as large a percentage of gun owners. Most just went out and shot a couple boxes a few times a year... If they shot at all. I know many who owned guns but shot rarely and usually only one or two guns out of the ones they had. Or they have one pistol stuck in a closet. (usually older owners)

You still have those types around... So you are going to find old firearms in good shape, so long as they were kept from rust.
 
Last edited:
Mpro7 is hands down the best gun oil I have ever used. I tend to use grease more than oil though, for that I used Brownells Action Lube Plus, it's a moly grease and works fantastic.
 
I've got two bottles of oil in my desk drawer right now. One is "Outers Gun Oil" the other is "Hoppes Gun Oil." I've never seen much need for anything else, but I have used sewing machine oil, three in one oil, WD-40, fishing reel oil, Break-Free, silicone spray, and a lot of other stuff at one time or another.

I never saw much difference.
 
Fishbed, the old tale about WD-40 gumming up the works has been going around for years. I can't see that it is worse than any thing else. It in fact is a great cleaner to blast off oily junk. If you encounter caked up WD-40 the best thing to clean it up with is WD-40.
Click to expand...

It's not an "old tale". I have seen the results myself on firearms inherited from my grandfather who used WD40 exclusively (including a Winchester Model 77 whose trigger group was all but welded together by the stuff). It does indeed harden into a yellowish-brown hard lacquer-like substance over time.

My advice is to stick to an actual lubricant for lubricating your firearm and not a water displacement product.
 
Marine6680, WD-40 is a lubricant, read the lable.

Fishbed, many oils dry with long term storage. Oxygenation is a big factor, so is catalasys by metal surfaces. Heat also helps. Like I said " motor oil is motor oil."
 
They call it a lubricant... but technically, so is water, soap... alcohol... It has some light lubrication properties.

That does not mean it was designed as a lubricant, or that its lubricating properties are worth a dang.
 
Depends on the day. I may use rem oil or CPL, Hoppes oil, yesterday it was frog lube. I did see an episode of Alaskan bush people. (I think that's the name) and they poured hot bacon grease on a bolt action rifle. I have never tried that, and pretty sure I won't. There is just a lot of stuff out there. Find one you like.
 
I did see an episode of Alaskan bush people. (I think that's the name) and they poured hot bacon grease on a bolt action rifle.
Click to expand...
Seems to me that going into bear country smelling like bacon might not be a great idea. Unless you're hunting bear. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top