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Oil vs grease for lube?


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I’ve used WD40 and Break Free for years to keep the guns running smoothly. 
 

But then I got to looking at the white lithium grease I use on tools. It applies as an aerosol, and when the solvent evaporated leaves a thin layer of grease.  Works great on gears and sprockets, and was wondering how it might work on trigger mechanisms and other metal on metal contact points.  Of course, it would not go anywhere in contact with hot powder gases. I’ve seen what wrong lube will do to a Garand operating rod or an M-16 bolt carrier.   
 

As always, the Saloon’s wisdom is much appreciated. 
 

 

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Sir 

 

  IMO grease , is fine for rails , bolts , ect . as to triggers and firing pins , I use lighter fluid , provides , just a touch of lube and will NOT gel or gum up in cold 

WD40 , is good for breaking up carbon , but leaves a film that will build up over time 

most all oils turn to varnish over time 

 

 Chickasaw Bill 

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 I've found that the white spray lithium will dry out over an extended period of time. So I've gone to Lucas #2 red grease. It is compatible with BP or smokiless. As for firing pins in extreme cold hunting situations we used to use rubbing alcohol as it has a small amount of oil in it but will not interfere with the operation of the gun.

kR

PS I've never used Mobil red grease but I understand it is the same as Lucas.

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Most gunsmiths I know cringe at the sound of WD-40...unless it is being used as a solvent. Lots of better products. I am using Mobil 1 red grease for things that need grease and for oil I use a 50/50 mix of motorkoat and 0/20 Mobil 1 oil.

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I have used the Lucas grease in a lot of different guns in cold weather and never had a problem. My C&B pistols came from the gunsmith that tunes them and the innards are packed with Mobil 1 red grease to keep the fouling out of the internals. They work fine in cold weather.

kR

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Cold weather and grease or heavier oils are not your friend.

I lost a shot at a nice moose when the firing pin would not fall in my M695 Tikka when we were hunting up around Geraldton, Ontario.

Had to use gasoline to flush the bolt and run it w/o any lube for the duration of the hunt.

I now clean out the bolts before any cold weather trips and replace any lubes with a cold weather oil.

FYI: Any build-up of WD-40 is not your friend.

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Also, WD40 is a penetrant, if it comes in contact with ammo it can kill primers.

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When I was first getting interested in guns, a friend at work was nice enough to loan me a Sig 380. He was showing me how to operate it in the parking lot and discovered it was all gummed up from the WD-40 he used to regularly spray in it without actually using the pistol. It looked like hardened vegetable oil.

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Hi Charlie :)

 

WD-40 is NOT a lubricant.  WD-40 is a penetrant and Water Displacing solvent, hence the "WD"   Actually it's Water Displacement formula # 40.  I use very little Grease.  Lots of Oil.  rule of thumb, If it slides, a little Grease.  If it turns, Oil.  Since I shoot BP and Subs, I need lubricants that are non-petroleum based, to play well with BP and Subs.  I use Mobil 1 Grease on the Arbor when I assemble after cleaning.  When shooting, I use Mobil 1 Motor Oil, 5-40.  I also use Mobil 1 Grease on the Bolt tracks of toggle Link rifles and the sides of the Links when I reassemble.  After assembly, just Oil.

 

When I was shooting that Heathen Fad Smokeless Stuff and in the Military, the GO-TO was Break-Free.  Most excellent for cleaning and maintenance and to cut the Blow-By crud on the carrier and bolt.  Break Free leaves a thin film of lubricant after it evaporates, but still add Oil.

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Touring the Beretta Factory in Val Trompia, Italy.

While you were on the tour, you could drop off your shotgun and they would take it apart, check for wear, clean and re-assemble it.

A very old gentleman, carrying my friends shotgun, came shuffling out of the back.

He thrust it into Bob's hands and in a very loud voice said "Grease your car. OIL your shotgun!"

We all about died laughing.

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I only use WD-40 on my black powder firearms after washing them with hot soapy water. Afterwards I wipe them off and apply Break-Free.

 

Never lubricate your firing pin, striker or channel. Leave it dry.

 

Also as a general rule, grease is okay on whatever slides (rails, bolts, etc) but oil is used on anything that pivots or anywhere else.

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My understanding is oils are for parts that rotate, grease is for parts that slide.

WD40 has its place as a solvent... but...
My neighbor was a submarine tech at Mare Island, told me that WD40 invites rust.
I learned this the hard way when I wiped down my chrome Harley parts and found them all rusted after a few months of winter (indoors).
My neighbor cut open an empty can of WD40.. it was rusted like crazy on the inside of the can.

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I have used a lot of different gun lubes. I wouldn’t use WD-40. @Colorado Coffinmakeris correct. 
I would also not use white lithium grease. @Kid Richis correct. 
 

I use Mobil 1 5w20 for lube oil and Mobil 1 grease. 

@Sedalia Dave recommended the use of the Mobil 1 products to me 3 or 4 years ago and they have served me very well. 

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9 hours ago, Capt. James H. Callahan said:

For big moving parts on autos, I like LSA but it's gotten VERY hard to find. For most other purposes Break Free.

JHC

 

Available from Amazon

 

https://www.amazon.com/LSA-Weapons-Oil-Squeeze-Production/dp/B08L5MQHL8

 

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3 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

'Preciate it, but last time I found some I bought a quart. Should last me a  while!

JHC

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In place of traditional grease I mostly use Lucas Extreme Duty oil now. For lubrication Mobil 1, for protection sometimes Barricade, for penetrating oil Kroil.

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Water displacement:   WD40

 

Cleaning and penetrant:   50/50 mixture of Marvels Mystery Oil  and WD40.  

 

Lube options:   Strike Hold,  Lucas Gun Oils (I like the red),  Mobil 1  0-20 synthetic.

 

Grease:   Lucas Gun Grease,   Mobil 1 synthetic (red)

 

As other have stated, please don't use WD40 as a lube.   It IS NOT a rust preventative nor lubricant.   Its a slick penetrant.

 

..........Widder

 

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I like Mil-tec grease, Remoil and Gunslick.

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I use Break Free on most everything. But Mobil 1 and Lubriplate work well on my Garand. Also on my lever actions.

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WD 40 works great for cleaning the excess grease off of my tractor and excavator. But I’d never use it on a gun .

allot of the gun oils today are a excellent balance of lubrication and corrosion resistance. Unless you’re a professional shooter you’ll use so little of it in your lifetime I’d rather just use something intended for firearms . Even when I was a gunsmith a can of break free clp went a long way. 
im kind of a gun oil ,  bore cleaner junkie . So I’m always trying something new as long as they don’t have some crazy price on it or make impossible claims . I hate cleaning guns so anything that makes it easier 

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if you use black powder, do NOT use a petroleum based lubricant. It does not react well with black powder. We did not know this, back in the early 1960's, when I started shooting black powder revolvers. But when you think about it, a lot of the lubricants, back in early 19th century, and before, were non petroleum based lubricants...such as...whale oil, for example. Also, folks would grease up their patches with whale oil, or bear grease, or lambs tallow, or bee's wax, etc. They boiled water and cleaned the bores of their rifles with boiling water, and tow...when they had the opportunity and the time.

 

Back in the day, when I first started, cleaning a black powder firearm was long, and not any fun (I had rather take a beating, or spend the day at Wal-Mart, or sit through a liberal political meeting, than to have to clean my rifle/revolver)...and it was recommended that after a few days, you re-clean it, just to make sure. I can now clean one in a fraction of the time it took me back then...and I don't feel like I need to take a hammer and chisel to do the job.  

If you buy a black powder firearm, you need to de-grease it right out of the box, and then add some non petroleum based lubricant to the item in question.  

 

Also, down through the years, I have read to never use WD-40 on a nickel-plated firearm, for, given some time, it will not do the nickel any good at all.

WD-40 is good for a lot of things, but it does leave a residue behind, and over time it will gum up the internals of a firearm. I had this happen to me, not all that long ago, to a Smith & Wesson model 27. I could barely pull the hammer back. I fixed that problem, and I know what to avoid now.

Remember...just because it is slick, and oily, and is termed a "lubricant", does not mean it is good for a firearm. 

What works in your truck, or on your salad, or on your pancakes, or on your leather, doesn't mean it will be good for your firearm. 

 

Everyone has their own experiences in what to use, based on what they have heard, and tried. 

So...my two bits.

 

There ya go.

W.K. 

 

 

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I have accumulated a box full of partially used products, some of which I actually like. I shoot smokeless and seem to be always looking for the next thing that promises to clean and/or protect without much effort. I do use red grease for things that slide and often use G96 for cleaning and lubing. 

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A Pard turned me on to "Eezox CLP" for cleaning BP guns. I got a can and have been using it with good success. Seemed my muzzleloader almost always developed a slight rust film in the bore even when coated with Bore Butter. With Eezox, I haven't been having that problem. It worked real well on C&B pistols at the range.

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1 hour ago, Hells Comin said:

Would transmission fluid be a good lubricant?

For guns? Works okay, know people who like it. For personal intimacy not so much.

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