Who uses WD-40?

Do you use WD-40 when cleaning/lubricating your weapons?

  • Yes

    Votes: 76 21.8%

  • No

    Votes: 272 78.2%
  • Total voters
    348
I voted no.

There's plenty of other water displacement items out there that won't gum up/varnish.

It isn't a very good corrosion preventative, terrible at lubricating, and doesn't clean well. I know this product isn't designed for such duties, but there's plenty of people out there that thinks it's the original CLP or something.

There's one place in my household where WD40 is useful....in my garbage can.
 
It's not the best thing to use but I've never had a gun rust with WD on it. It sure beats putting your deer rifle back in the safe with fingerprints all over it. WD does evaporate pretty quick so it's just a short term fix.
 
Use it occassionally, but it's not my primary. Clean w/ CLP or Sweets 7.62, finish w/ Tetra Lube, usually. WD-40 took a bad rap years ago because of its penetrating properties, it killed primers. As the local sheriff said:" You're supposed to wipe it on & off, not soak it!"

Bob
 
Up until a couple of years ago, I used WD40 on my guns since the 60's. If it werent for finding Eezox, I'd probably still be using it, and in a pinch, I wouldnt hesitate to use it again.

I keep seeing all these post about WD40 somehow turning to varnish and gumming up actions, and I'm at a loss to figure out what was being done to cause it. Anyone who has had this happen care to explain how you applied it that it did. In the 40+ years I've been using it, and I used it a lot, I've never had or seen it do either.

I'm starting to think this is another one of those "I heard" passed on internet myths thats running wild, again. This is like the third or fourth one I've seen going around recently, and so far, I havent heard yet any actual first hand experiences or explanations as to why.
 
I'll just cut & paste from another post I did.

Being an ex Miltary Armorer, we used Break Free for cleaning, lubricating & preserving or CLP. We got it in gallon jugs. pints, 4oz bottles and .5oz bottles. I made sure every man had a .5oz bottle in his cleaning kit and told them to come back anytime for a refill. I strongly bieleve in it and so does the army. On WD-40 its good but not on firearms there was a police bulletin out on it, it appears officers used it on their firearms in rainy weather to keep them from rusting. Downside it penetrated the primer pocket past the sealant and inerted the primers. They found this out when an officer got into a shootout and his weapon went click click instead of bang bang. they disassembled the ammo and found the cause
 
W-D means water displacement, 40 was the last formula that acheived what they were looking for. I have no problem with it if your weapon is caught in a rainstorm or dropped in a creek just remember to oil everything after using it.

Many years ago one of my brothers convinced me that it was a one-stop cureall. That cost me a few thousand $$ as all of my rifles and shotguns suffered some surface rusting.

I've never heard of any gumming problems, the stuff just evaporates IMHO. Here's an idea on the gumming for older weapons that may have seen cosmoline. WD dissolves the cosmoline from an improperly cleaned piece and it flows into the action and then the WD evaporates.
 
My experience with WD-40 is that it will gum in a short period of time and can actually bind up a gun that is stored. It is not, mor was it ever intended asa a lubricant. I won't even use it for any other application.
 
A simple test would be to spray some on a plate of glass or Formica, let it dry and see what's left. I wouldn't expect much residue.
 
You can use WD 40 if you want your ammo to go inert!!
WD 40 is not a lubricating oil it's job is to PENETRATE!!
It was originally developed to displace water on the old printed circuit boards.
The name stands for Water Displacement compound number 40!!
 
After I wash my BP guns and dry them in my oven, I spray the cylinder and barrel down with WD. I usually end up giving it another cleaning the day after, so I can get anything I might have missed. Then I put anti seizing compound on the nipples.
For some reason, I don't remember buying WD40, but I've got a lot of it around.
 
I have used WD 40 for close to 40 years. It does not gum, but it will dissolve other gummed oils. It is a great water displacer, fair rust preventative, mediocre lubricant.
The gumming thing is an Internet myth. If someone can show me, I'll believe differently-but "I done seen it happen!" won't get it.
I have used it as:
a gunsmith, knife maker/cutler, engraver, jeweler. One of the most-used items in my shop.
 
Have used WD40 for many years without a sign of gumming.Used to use it exclusively but Slick 50 seems to lubricate better , does not evaporate as much and is what I use for safe queens. Still use WD40 for my shooters.
 
Nope. Just don't see the need with Kroil, mineral oil, RCB, Breakfree, etc available- just too many other things available that will pull double duty. I don't don't need much water displaced anyways.
 
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