Can you wax a revolver?

Lots of people recommend Renaissance Wax for protecting blued guns.

For all the new methods I see offered, my old stand-by has never failed me in over fifty years.

My gun oil is a 50/50 mix of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. I coat my gun heavily then wipe it down with an oily rag. I store my guns in zippered gun rugs and never have a worry about rust.

Bob Wright

BobWright said:

For all the new methods I see offered, my old stand-by has never failed me in over fifty years.

My gun oil is a 50/50 mix of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One machine oil. I coat my gun heavily then wipe it down with an oily rag. I store my guns in zippered gnu rugbs and neve have a worry about rust.

Bob Wright

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Bob:

How often do you apply that mix on a gun that just sits in the safe?

thanks, dvnv

OP, if you try car wax, be sure it does not contain any abrasive polishing compound. That could over time remove the bluing from the gun surfaces.

Johnsons paste wax in a can does a fine job on a guns wood and metal.

I second ColtPythonElite's recommendation. I've used Johnsons paste wax for years on blued guns and magazines with no issues other than it needs reapplication every 3-6 months on a carry piece.

ColtPythonElite said:

Johnsons paste wax in a can does a fine job on a guns wood and metal.

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That's what I've always used.

ColtPythonElite said:

Johnsons paste wax in a can does a fine job on a guns wood and metal.

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MutinousDoug said:

I second ColtPythonElite's recommendation. I've used Johnsons paste wax for years on blued guns and magazines with no issues other than it needs reapplication every 3-6 months on a carry piece.

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.308 Norma said:

That's what I've always used.

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Another vote for Johnsons Paste Wax.

Stinks to high heaven, but works well.

dvnv said:

Bob:

How often do you apply that mix on a gun that just sits in the safe?

thanks, dvnv

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I have a few guns that have been laid up over five years or more.

Bob Wright

Paste wax or Boeshield T-9 then Zerust --poly bag or plastab in you gun sock

Renaissance Wax is my go to polish , a little amount goes a long way and it works great, best stuff on the market IMO.

I use pure wax like Johnson’s or Renaissance wax on most all my guns. These products will provide protection as well as produce a nice shine. Avoid car waxes as most all contain mild compounds (abrasives) which will damage gun finishes.

The only thing I use now is Renaissance wax. I haven't wiped a gun down with oil in years. In the past I've used Pledge furniture polish. It doesn't last as long as a good past wax, but it's quick and leaves a lemony fresh smell.

It's also great for a quick touch up on a bass boat before a boat show.

WD-40 Specialist Long Term Corrosion Inhibitor was first or second in a few tests.

I have been using this product which has done very well in salt water and exposure tests.

https://www.eezox.com/

Unlike grease or motor oil you can use the gun without cleaning it off first.
It would be difficult to use a gun you are keeping for self defense when its covered with grease or motor oil and wrapped up.

EEZOX works.

I'v been using paste wax for years.

Just to be sure, a wax is different than a polish. A polish is intended to shine not to protect. Polishes can either have microabrasives or be non-abrasive. Automotive products sometimes use the term "polish" for a synthetic polymer paint protectant that isn't carnauba wax-based, but waxes should not be confused with polishes. Waxes are protectants.

Waxes can either be petroleum-based, vegetable or animal sourced.

Renaissance wax is an excellent protective wax. It is a microcrystalline wax, a de-oiled petrolatum. It differs from paraffin wax in that it has smaller crystals.

Boesheild is paraffin wax dissolved in a carrier. The carrier evaporates and leaves a film of paraffin wax. The big advantage is convenience as it just sprays on to parts of complex shape. A concern would be the effect of the solvent on finishes and non-metal parts.

Beeswax can work fine for short term protection and is probably better than tallow. It's good for leatherwork (the holster), and it's good for knives used on food. But otherwise, I think microcrystalline wax will be more stable over a very long term.

Carnauba wax is probably the most popular of the plant-based waxes. Candelilla wax would be the other one. Both are similar to beeswax in their suitability for shorter term protection, and as they age they're less likely to cause problems with acidity. Again, I would use them for knives used on food, and for frequently used tools but for potentially longer-term storage the Renaissance wax is preferred.

So basically, if it's metal, unless I'm going to eat with it, Renaissance wax. If it's a part underneath my 4x4, then Boesheild because I don't feel like getting under there and rubbing it with paste wax.

I just use Olive oil on the guns I want to preserve a long time. Haven't had much a problem, but the others are probably right in that a wax would be better.

Any good carnuba wax is good, for long term storage I use a cotton ball soaked in camphor oil, in a salt shaker in the gun box or rug. I have a bottle with a wick in my gun safe and have never had a problem with rust, camphor wood used to be used for fine instrument storage in the 1700-1900's. The vapors leave a light coating that prevents rust, but isn't oily or interfere with the operation of guns or bullets. There's been much discussion about WD40 while a great water displacer, it has been detrimental to primers. Some experts say that's not true, all I know is I had a problem with FTF's with one pistol that I used WD40 on and when I stopped the problem resolved, with the same ammo!!

Perhaps you should read this:

http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

This is a test of many different oils and rust prevention chemicals for firearms.

Maybe this will help.

That's an interesting test, but I suppose the results are open to a wide variety of interpretation. While the results suggest that a product like Frog Lube has outstanding performance, it comes at an exorbitant price. In one iteration of the lubrication test, regular WD-40 outperformed it. I suppose as a low-pressure friction reducer, WD-40 might be one of the better bargains out there, but I wonder how water would have performed in the author's test. In the corrosion protection tests, it looks like three products stood out: WD-40 Specialist, Frog Lube, and Hornady One-Shot. The products were tested under extreme exposure conditions but only for a short term measured in days. This doesn't necessarily extrapolate into long-term storage in conditions where chemicals other than salt water are working over a period measured in years. On the other hand, taking into consideration a reasonable amount of use, the protectant will wear off, be cleaned off, and need to be reapplied frequently. In those conditions, the less expensive products are more practical. One-Shot probably has the best results in this test for lubrication and corrosion protection for the money, but outside an environment with salt mist, it looks like regular WD-40 and Rem Oil are practically just as good or better.

FWIW, I'm not attached to any product. I'm currently using Ballistol, Break Free CLP, Hoppes #9 and Rem Oil. I use Renaissance wax for storage but I live in a very arid climate and it's not challenging. I like Ballistol for cleaning but I get impatient with it as a copper solvent and turn to #9. I have a small can of Break Free and the aerosol spray just sort of spits and dribbles. As a C, L, and P, it doesn't seem to do any of them remarkably, but it hasn't really failed either. I love the fine mist aerosol on my can of Rem Oil and the can seems to last forever. I lubricate my reloading press with it and occasionally wipe a gun with it and otherwise use it all around the house and garage like someone would use regular WD-40.

After reading those test results, I'll probably get some WD-40 Specialist for my rotary push mower. Sorry Frog Lube, I just don't love the mower that much.

I'm interested in a lubricant for revolvers. According to the test, regular WD-40 is one of the best. I can see how WD-40 might produce less friction in a fidget spinner bearing, but I'm going to keep the thick axle grease I have in my 4x4's wheel bearings. Revolver actions? Lithium gun grease has a higher film strength but tends to collect contamination. A light, dried coat of Rem Oil probably has less film strength but won't collect as much grit. Since I clean and lube them often, I probably can't make a difference either way.