Makeshift cleaners and lubes

[Gato Montés]

So filming has rapped up on Cormac McCarthy's The Road and it got the old meat machine workin.

Given a survivalist scenario in which acquiring gun cleaners is impossible, what are some substitutes that could be used for preserving and lubing firearms? I think I've herd of rebel groups using motor oil or something like that, but it would be interesting to find something easy to make, like a plant extract or something, that would fulfill the same purpose. Something easily renewable, easy to find, etc.

Has anyone looked into this or tried to experiment with anything?

 

[Library Guy]

Once upun a time...

Cleaner- water
Lube- animal fat or lamp oil

Or mix equal parts gasoline and diesel fuel.

 

[Old Grump]

I use kerosene and a little motor oil in an ammo box for my handguns. I just remove the grips tear them down and put them in the box and come back to them when I have time. Brush work is minimized, air hose gets rid of the loose gunk and its already lubed. I have no rust problems. In my competition days I added a bottle of Hoppes to the mix but each gun was getting from 200 to 400 rounds a day and I was cleaning them every night. When I went to a match my can went with me and the whole team used my gun stew. Straining it to remove the solids was the worst part about it.

 

[CRITGIT]

For lead removal try 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar.
Bore Paste... try Bon Ami & Johnson's Paste Wax
General cleaning and storage..... try Ed's Red
Gun oil try any synthetic oil

CRITGIT

 

[Ramone]

it's long been a family legend that whale oil was the best lubricant for firearms...

My younger brother (the sort of gun nut that other gun nuts think is a little crazy) has been experimenting with Jojoba Oil. So far, it seems to be a pretty good lube.

Ramone

 

[Gato Montés]

Anyone got anything for a preservative? I'm thinking of creating my own using pine cones as the base. Or maybe mangoes, lots of mangoes...

 

[akodo]

olive oil is a great lube

 

[Cannonball888]

Given a survivalist scenario in which acquiring gun cleaners is impossible, what are some substitutes that could be used for preserving and lubing firearms?

it's long been a family legend that whale oil was the best lubricant for firearms...

I'll keep that in mind if I'm on a deserted island and school of whales comes by.