Gun specific lubricant vs repurposed oils/greases

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Just trying to get a take here on how many people use products that were designed for firearms vs those that use car oil, reel oil, baby oil, or whatever.

BSW
 
I typically use products designed for firearms for cleaning, lubrication and protection.

However, oil is oil and grease is grease, right?
wink.gif
JK.

Seriously, though, I'm sure that there are plenty of oils and greases designed for other applications that meet the needs of firearms.
 
I'm waiting for someone to suggest either Pennzoil Platinum or German Castrol.... :p

Seriously, my opinion is that any application where oil is applied EXTERNALLY generally has different requirements from internal lubrication like a car engine. Internal lubrication generally wants detergent/dispersant additives and emulsifiers to keep all the contaminants in suspension. External oil (like oiling a gun, electric motor, or steam engine) pretty much wants just the opposite. No additives to attract contaminants into the oil. You remove the contaminants when you wipe the gun down, and you want the oil left behind to REPEL more contaminants.

If there are lubricants that can be re-purposed, the most likely ones wuld would be things like air tool oils, cutting oils, electric motor oils, water displacers, etc.
 
I just use CLP but admit to blasting the bore out with Kroil. The problem with kroil is it's to good a penetrating oil and compromises my blue loctite scope mounts when I am not careful and then I have to remove clean and reseat the mounts. then rezero the scope(usually ends up 3" off in any direction after removing the mounts)

I am trying to stick with CLP for that reason.
 
I use Red Line 5w-30, or when grease is called for, Super Lube synthetic grease, Amsoil Heavy Duty, or sometimes a combination of the two.

Red Line oil cleans my bores really quite well, and doesn't attract much dust.
 
As the poster asked about "lubricants"..I have to admit I use bottle dripp'ns from my last oil change. Mostly Mobil 1 20W-50.

I shoot every weekend and have used that oil for 20years. No "lube failures" yet. Gun lubrication is not a difficult task for any oil in my experience.
 
I have used regular cheap wheel bearing grease for long term storage. It worked OK, but I think a real gun grease would have been better. It looked like it dried out. It was a pain in the rear to clean out of my AR.
 
I agree with "ammolab" ... I've used motor oil ever since my gunsmith uncle told me that the Browning gunsmiths he talked with used 30 weight oil to lubricate firearms back in the early 80's. I have used everything from 20w50 Castrol to ATF mixed with some STP and/or Marvel Mystery Oil to Amsoil...it all works well and you can adjust viscosity for climate and use. I also use WD-40 to clean with too! I have used some carb cleaner or non chlorinated brake cleaner for parts that can't be disassembled followed by WD-40 with an air hose as well.
 
I just used ST 15w40. Normally M115w50. Wouldn't consider any of the boutique gun lubes because of cost and probably not as good.
 
I have tried all kinds of gun oils, gun greases, cleaners, etc. I pretty much have gone back to using Breakfree to lube guns and Hoppes No. 9 and Hoppes Elite to clean. The Hoppes cleaners seem to normally do well enough and according to everything I have been able to find out many gunsmiths still consider Breakfree the best lube.

Having said that there are guns and rifles and shotguns that require special lubes. For example, the M1 rifle required grease. And grease might work a lot better for long term storage as well for weapons.

I did once own a gun that would not function properly with Breakfree. Everytime I lubed the gun with Breakfree it would develop malfunctions. Pretty strange I admit but I did go away from Breakfree for a long time because of that gun. But I have since returned to Breakfree with that gun out of my life.
 
I have stayed away from the hideously expensive special gun stuff. Honestly, all we are trying to remove is combustion by-products from a solid-fueled engine with a one-use piston; and protect/lubricate metal! Why would the task require exotic solvents and lubes? Guns and vehicles are operated in the same climate extremes and the vehicles function just fine; same for the guns. I feel it's totally reasonable to expect automotive chemicals to work wonderfully on guns.
I use a modification of the Ed's Red formula for a bore clean. I very lightly grease my slides with ceramic reinforced disc-brake grease. The label says it works from -65F to 2,185F. Disc brakes are FAR dirtier than a gun. For light lube I use Gunk L7, ceramic reinforced oil that has a salt-water spray rating of 600+ hours according to their website. What boutique gun lube can do that and carry the load that Boron Nitride can?
 
Well the same company that makes the Gunk spray you are using makes S&W brand spray lubes as well. I wonder how close they are.
 
try permatex ultra slick engine assembly lube item# 8195. its thick. i get mine at advance auto. its only 4 oz. cost about $8.00. works great for r/c nitro engines on a rebuild. if i have posted this before please forgive.
 
The Radiator Specialties website makes it seem that there isn't any difference in the formula; but the L4 (not L7 as in my previous post) foams and I wouldn't think that would be perceived as useful in a gun lube. Here's an interesting question: How much does a can of S&W lube cost vs. Gunk L4?
 
I have always used 3in1 oil. Thats what my dad and grandpa both use with good results. It may be outdated but seems to do the job.
 
Originally Posted By: 2cool
The Radiator Specialties website makes it seem that there isn't any difference in the formula; but the L4 (not L7 as in my previous post) foams and I wouldn't think that would be perceived as useful in a gun lube. Here's an interesting question: How much does a can of S&W lube cost vs. Gunk L4?


About as much as the gunk stuff....but you get about half as much.
 
S&W gun lubes and cleaners are some of the most hideously smelling of any gun product I've ever tried. However, it did a great job. But so did many other gun lubes, and I imagine, products designed for automotive use.

I wonder if anybody has Seafoamed their bore? :p
 
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