Synthetic Motor Oil for lubing a gun?

Wow didn't realize the can of worms I was opening up! :eek:
Thanks for all the replies I may try some Mobil 1 on a gun or two to see how it works. Is it really more toxic than other "Gun Oil" lubricants? I think someone said that on page 2 talking about Motor Oil and Hydraulic Oil.
 
On a loosely related note, I saw a documentary that covered the merits and history of the AK-47. One of the commentators spent some time in Afghanistan with the Mujahadeen, and their weapons cleaning procedure is...

1) Remove laces from boots.
2) Tie several knots into laces.
3) Dip laces in motor oil.
4) Pull lace through rifle barrel.

Bing, bang, done.
 
Wow didn't realize the can of worms I was opening up!
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No can of worms, just a topic good for discussion. Around here, we all get bored if we don't see the following topics discussed at least once a week:

  • best lube
  • .40 sw versus 9mm
  • .45 acp versus .40 SW
  • MIM parts
  • Swith and Wesson internal lock on revolvers
  • Are 1911s God's gift to humanity or a piece of crap?
  • Are Glocks God's gift to humanity or a piece of crap?
 
ATF smells like bacon

"just because ATF smells like crap when it's burned"

If it smells like old fried bacon when checking (and sniffing) your car's transmission fluid dipstick, it is time to change the filter and ATF. Maybe even the transmission. I should try it in a rifle bore and see if the odor is similar after firing.
 
If it smells like old fried bacon when checking (and sniffing) your car's transmission fluid dipstick, it is time to change the filter and ATF. Maybe even the transmission. I should try it in a rifle bore and see if the odor is similar after firing.
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...You know what... all my time spent rebuilding and servicing transmissions at GM I never once realized that is what old and burned ATF smelled like... But thinking about it...yeah it kinda does....:eek: When asked I just said it smelled like crap...not as bad as oil gear oil...but still bad.

But I used it in my shotgun's slug barrel and the first time I shot it I smelled it.
 
ATF and bacon

Years ago an experienced mechanic told me that noting mileage and sniffing an automatic transmission dipstick can tell you a lot about the transmission's mechanical condition. I wonder if the smell of a fired rifle bore coated with ATF can tell a story about a rifle's condition. But I guess not - no dipstick.
 
i use Comp-Cams camshaft break in lube. unlike oil, it sticks to the parts, and will stay there. if the stuff can protect the camshaft and lifters during the initial break in period, protecting gun parts would be a cakewalk.
 
ATF hygroscopicity test results

I want you guys to know I donated about 37¢ of premium Castrol Dexron VI to the cause.

After putting 4 drops of water in 1oz of ATF - nothing happened. The water didn't disperse, it just sank to the bottom and stayed in droplets, although the water did join together to form 2 larger droplets.

So I shook it up and it turned into dozens and dozens of tiny droplets. I let the container sit at a slight angle and after 24 hours, the water droplets coelesced into two large droplets equal in size to the 4 droplets I originally put in the ATF.

There is no cloudiness or change in color of the ATF fluid.

Definately not hygroscopic.

It's like oil and vinegar, but not as tasty.
 
I used Shooter's Choice Syntheic Grease for years only to find out there is little to no difference between it and Mobil 1 synthetic grease. Except that I was paying as much for a syringe as I would for a tube of Mobil 1.

Ultimately, I switched entirely to Super Lube Synthetic Grease. A full tube is about $10. It's clear, odorless and sticks well to my frame rails. It has PTFE (teflon) in it. It has excellent compatibility with any matierial found on a firearm.

I found the real value of Shooter's Choice Grease were the actual syringes it came in. After cleaning out the red stuff, I've been using them for years to fill with Super Lube.

I still use CLP for an oil.

As far as wiping down guns, not much beats Lemon Pledge. My main passion is fishing and fishermen have known for eons that Lemon Pledge is a great product for wiping down the exterior of rods, reels, guides, hooks, you name it. It smells good, goes on light, wipes off nicely. I neutralizes salt. I've used it on tools, table saw tables, band saw tables. It just plain works. I also will use it on loaded ammo.
 
After all the discussions and debates, I quit worrying which oils, greases, and such is worth using or best for lubrication. I found two simple products that after researching works best for me and my guns. And one of them isn't an "oil".
But this doesn't answer your question.

To answer your question generally speaking and if it's understood the rifle is being used, not abused, then I'd say it's the same. My belief is a person should clean their firearms regularly anyway. So, that takes care of the breakdown issue. Whether or not it's safe on certain plastics, wood, finishes, and what not, I don't know. There's far too many different variables to definitively answer your question.
 
The use of oil can be helpful my dad and I used to Rem Gun oil for short term use it works great long term not so much. CLP is the one of choice here for long and short term storage. But keep in mind about oil to much inside will do as much to the reliability of its function as to much dirt or carbon inside. But for long term storage I would agree with the use of oil since at that point and time you want a barrier to be formed from the O2 and the metal.
While I was in Iraq the Iraqi's used diesel to clean and lubricate their AK47's the armory smelled like a truck stop but the weapons had no adverse effects.
 
Lemon Pledge that is a new one to me. I may have to try that. Do you put it on the wood or the wood and metal?
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Wood and metal. I have a can and a well-seasoned rag that I used to wipe down guns that get handled frequently.
 
I started using Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba Plus Paste Wax today and I like it better than Turtle Wax.

Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba Plus Paste Wax is more oily than Turtle Wax.

I waxed the slide on my G34 and I like it. It is easier to cycle the slide than if it had a light coat of oil on it. And it's more protected than if the slide were wiped completely dry.

The way I do this though is that I put a light coat of fairly think oil on it first. I use Halvoline SAE 50 on the outside of the slide - just basically wiping down the slide with it. Then I wrap the pistol in cloth and let it sit over night. The next day I give it a wipe down with a dry cloth so I can't see the oil. The oil is still there... you can smell it and you can feel it with your fingers... it is in the pores of the finish. But anyway, then I apply the wax. The wax is going to takes longer to dry because it's not being applied to a painted surface with a clear coat finish - it's being applied to a surface that's been oiled. So anyway the wax probably takes three times as long to dry as it would on a car, but it does dry. Then I polish it out with a cotton cloth and my slide has a fairly hydrophobic coating on top of the gun's finish.

Boo Ya ! Take that Lemon Pledge !
 
My suggestion is to:

A) don't wax over top of oil. It simply won't last. Oil and carnuba aren't exactly compatible.

B) don't wax a gun with a parkerized finish. The wax gets down into the pores and looks like hell and it's very hard to get it out without soaking in repeatedly in ammonia.
 
hmmmm? Mobil One-- I prefer Shell Rotella-- nicely darkens the
blue on a mid 30's FN pump gallery that needs just a little something
to the metal. Otherwise Ballistol is the ticket.

.02 David :)
 
I have no qualms about using Synthetic 5W-30/10W-30 on an AR, Glock, GI 1911, S&W 686, or any other weapon with a tough resistant/protective finish.

What I've yet to see answered (I've previously posted the question on this forum and searched the internet):

Will the additives in modern synthetics HARM bluing or nickel plating?

In other words, is it safe to apply over the finish of say...my blued Colt Python?
 
I think you'll have to go to a lube forum like Noria or Bob is the Oil Guy to get that answered.

For one thing, there are different add packages.
 
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