Which gun oil?

I've used G96 Complete Gun Care spray for the last 30 or so years. Before I had an asst of stuff. Lubes, protects and smells good. We have 4 seasons from sub zero cold to 100 degrees w/rain high humidity. Haven't had a rust issue even on guns I haven't shot in a decade. You know, the lost ones way in the back corners. Nice finding them though. It's like a new gun for free.

Whichever oil I use, the last step is always to wipe the exterior surfaces with a silicone cloth.

.38 Special said:

I am glad to see the fad for hating on WD-40 appears to be fading. It certainly is no miracle oil, but it's not the evil fluid of death it has been made out to be. I use it to clean and wipe the outside of guns to remove powder fouling, fingerprints, and moisture.

I use Ballistol an awful lot these days, and agree with that recommendation here.

For a gun that is to be put away for the foreseeable future, I clean it thoroughly and then give it a good coating with RIG. I am sure there are many other preservatives that work well, but RIG has never let me down.

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It is common for us to forget lessons learned in the past.

Take WD-40 for example. Hard lessons were learned on the streets by LEO’s 40 years ago. Guns failing to fire was documented by use of WD-40.

Yet not everything old is bad. Ballistol is a great product that is particularly effective with removing corrosive salts left from blackpowder and primers.

RIG is great for storage. I also coat the metal under the grips on the guns I shoot. Oil runs off but RIG grease stays put and prevents moisture such as sweat for getting under the grips and causing rust.

-Mobil 1
-Slip 2000 EWL
-CLP Breakfree

Just depends

If I knew I was storing a gun for a year I would give it a coat of Johnson’s Paste Wax. In fact, all the blue guns I hunt with get a coat before hunting season.

If I knew I was storing a gun for 10 years I would buy some Cosmolene, or maybe a big bucket of automotive lithium grease.

Hoppe's gun oil If they were not in a cabinet with some dessicants as humidity control, I'd probably grease the stored ones inside and out lightly with any gun grease.

Good to see that a certain brand of overprice coconut oil is not recommended by anyone.

Browning said:

-Mobil 1
-Slip 2000 EWL
-CLP Breakfree

Just depends

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I like to mix the Syn Motor oil with Breakfree, 50/50! If I had to chose between the two the Syn Motor oil wins hands down.

always had good luck using FP10, Shooters Choice.

"I am glad to see the fad for hating on WD-40 appears to be fading. It certainly is no miracle oil, but it's not the evil fluid of death it has been made out to be."
As mentioned above WD-40 really caused problems by it's misuse. It works fine as a topical but keep it out of places it can gum up. Problem was it was sold as a fix all and guys started to just squirt a bunch in the innards instead of proper cleaning. I remember being told "Nah you don't have to pull it apart and clean in there. Just soak the insides down and it will be fine." Well after a couple seasons of the once or twice a year hunter things stopped working. Clicks and misfires. Feed mechanisms started jamming. Gas systems just seized up. Central NY used to be loyal Remington Country so there were a lot of their guns in use.. I live 60 miles from the factory and I was at a site for work yesterday right next to the factory. Guys would spray down the gas systems on the 1100s and 740 family of rifles with WD40 and it would turn to varnish gumming them up. This went on for decades from the 60s on up. Most gunshops did a brisk business early season cleaning out varnished guns. With all the other good products out there WD isn't the first used anymore. But you still find varnished up guns that haven't been used in years.

Cosmoline. Dip, cry later.

This is a really good video that goes over a BUNCH of different products, all have their strengths. They really go over some great products for rust protection

WD-40 is not a lubricant. It is a drying agent. It displaces water.
Use as a cleaner? Yes. Use as a lubricant? NO

I like Breakfree CLP, but I don't think you can go horribly wrong with any of them (outside of the WD-40 thing). I used WD-40 at times for years with my first carry gun, and fortunately nothing bad happened.

When I wasn't using WD-40, I used 3-in-1 oil. This is before I found any gun boards to know any different.


I know a gun shop that prefers Ballistol. They said they like that it works on most any material and therefore they didn't have to worry about not using it on this or that.

FWIW, you can always split the difference.
When I used to buy tools that shipped from overseas or could get my hands on surplus stuff, they often arrived covered in cosmoline.
And one of the best ways to clean that before using it again was... WD40.

You're not going find any more (truly) exhaustive evaluation than here:
http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Bottom Line Across the Board: Hornady 1-Shot

Walkalong said:

been meaning to try for years and just haven't picked any up

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You & me both. . . . .
(Then I keep looking at the remaining quart of BreakFree I bought 40 years ago)


.

What I've had luck with, on light surface rust, is SPECIALIST, made by WD40. It comes in a Black and Yellow label,
Not the standard Blue and Yellow label.

I teach that in a pinch, survival mode, simply remove a dip stick from any internal combustion engine with 'oil' in it and use the oil on the dip stick as a gun lube. It may not be nice and clean, but it will work VERY WELL for this task!

Scooter22 said:

I've used G96 Complete Gun Care spray for the last 30 or so years. Before I had an asst of stuff. Lubes, protects and smells good. We have 4 seasons from sub zero cold to 100 degrees w/rain high humidity. Haven't had a rust issue even on guns I haven't shot in a decade. You know, the lost ones way in the back corners. Nice finding them though. It's like a new gun for free.

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Been using G96 for at least 20 years, and I've had the same result.
It's my CLP product of choice.

Keeping your gun lubricated with fine, clean oil is far more important than the name on the oil can, IMHO

How much oil do y'all use when you clean a gun? It sounds like some of you are using it by the gallon each year, but maybe that is just perception. I don't bathe guns in oil. I just try to wet the metal parts, assemble, then wipe clean with a cotton cloth. My safe is indoors with the A/C so maybe that helps.

It doesn't take that much IMO. I have 4 and 6 ounce bottles of Slick 2000 EWL and M-Pro7 that I have been using for a while. Compared to what I spend on ammo, what I have spent on gun oils and cleaners is insignificant.