WD40 - OK or not?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by johnwill:
I have personally cleaned up a gun "preserved" with WD-40, I bought it for a song from a guy that hadn't fired it for at least 10 years. It was so gummy that I had to detail strip it and soak everything in solvent and scrub it to get the coating off. There was also quite a bit of surface rust on the interior fire control parts, even though they seemed to have been liberally soaked in WD-40. FWIW, this was a Colt 1903 Pocket Pistol. I'll have to agree with the folks that say that WD-40 isn't a product suitable for guns, there are many better choices.[/quote]


John,

My experience has also been that it is very difficult to remove the varnish that is left when WD-40 decays. The stuff is absolutely tenacious.


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Smith & Wesson is dead to me.

If you want a Smith & Wesson, buy USED!
 
Below is part of the MSDS for WD40. It's about 70% Stoddard Solvent, a mineral oil used in the dry cleaning industry, it's the carrier that quickly evaporates. The other 30% is essentially kerosene, aerosol, and wax.

It has a place on my bench. Because it's cheap I use WD40 for cleaning firearms and gear. I use other products for lubrication and longterm storage. -- Kernel

========================================

WD-40 -- WD-40 BULK LIQUID - CORROSION PREVENTIVE COMPOUND
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
NSN: 8030008354348
Part Number/Trade Name: WD-40 BULK LIQUID
==============================
General Information
=============================================
Item Name: CORROSION PREVENTIVE COMPOUND
Company's Name: WD-40 COMPANY
Date MSDS Prepared: 01AUG92
=============================================
Ingredients/Identity Information
=============================================
Proprietary: NO
Ingredient: STODDARD SOLVENT
Ingredient Sequence Number: 01
Percent: 70
-------------------------------------
Proprietary: NO
Ingredient: MINERAL OIL, PETROLEUM DISTILLATES, SOLVENT-DEWAXED HEAVY PARAFFINIC
Ingredient Sequence Number: 02
Percent: >20
-------------------------------------
Proprietary: NO
Ingredient: NON HAZARDOUS INGREDIENT
Ingredient Sequence Number: 03
Percent: <10
=============================================
Physical/Chemical Characteristics
=============================================
Appearance And Odor: CLOUDY, LIGHT AMBER LIQUID, CHARACTERISTIC ODOR.
Solubility In Water: INSOLUBLE.
Percent Volatiles By Volume: 74.0
=============================================


[This message has been edited by Kernel (edited October 20, 2000).]
 
Kernel - me too. I use WD-40 liberally to CLEAN parts, then blow them dry with compressed air. Lubrication is accomplished using Militech synthetic gun oil and 20 wt. motor oil in a half and half concentration (learned from a gunsmith friend and IPSC rated shooter). Works great, especially if you shoot lotsa rounds at a time (250 to 500 or more at one sitting).

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Safe shooting - PKAY
 
It works great getting asphalt off of your new car without harming the paint. Also great for cleaning REALLY old hardened grease. Other than that not much good for anything else. :)
 
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