Do guns really have any special lube requirements?

[mark pruett]

After reading the thread on "Best Gun Oil?", I got to wondering if the vast majority of civilian guns really do have any special requirements for lubrication.

The conclusion I came to is that no, they really don't. They may get hot, but not *that* hot, they may get dirty, but generally not *that* dirty, and there just aren't that serious of forces working on most guns to require serious EP additives. I mean, we know exactly how much energy went out the barrel, and some fraction of that is used to cycle the action, but in the grand scheme of things, this is peanuts compared to an engine bearing, bike chain, etc...

I'm starting to think that if CLP works on machine guns, howitzers and aircraft gatling guns, it's crazy overkill on most civilian semi-auto weapons, and that something like 3-in-1 is probably more than adequate for lubricating them.

Corrosion protection is probably the main thing we have to worry about, and that's something entirely different than lubrication.

What do you think?

 

[stumpguy]

Rem oil all the way!!

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: stumpguy
Rem oil all the way!!


its all i do..

 

[dwcopple]

Hoppes baby, Hoppes...love that smell

 

[Tempest]

I would disagree. Semi auto firearms use momentum in their operation. Ensuring that enough momentum is conserved in the cycling of the firearm is key to it's operation. IMHO, that is the primary goal of any firearm lubricant, and those demands do not change if the gun is the hands of a civilian.

Keeping a gun clean is also a primary objective as dirt will kill momentum. A lube that keeps a gun cleaner, while in use, will make for a more reliable gun.

EP additives can flatten asperties and leave behind a slick, ablative surface that will again, help to conserve momentum.

I believe that firearms do in fact operate more reliably and with less maintenance with lubricants that are specifically designed for them.

 

[Astro14]

It's not often that I have to look up words...but, what, exactly, is the definition of "asperties"?

I take it to mean rough spots/high spots from context...but would like to know the technical meaning...

 

[Tempest]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
It's not often that I have to look up words...but, what, exactly, is the definition of "asperties"?

I take it to mean rough spots/high spots from context...but would like to know the technical meaning...


You got it:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asperity

It's the peaks on the surface of metal in this case.

I normally only see it used in really technical and nitty gritty lube articles. It's very common when discussing boundary regime lubrication which is what guns always operate under unless you happen to have a gatling gun....

 

[AVB]

It really depends on the user and weapon, blow back and di systems get dirtier than piston systoms. I can go out and fire 500 rounds of dirty import ammo with my AR15 come home, put it away with out cleaning and can still depend on it for another 500+ rounds with out cleaning. I have gotten it hot enough to cause oil I spilled under the handguards to smoke and have melted a nylon sandbag to the barrel, and that was aiming every shot. The main thing is not to let the lube dry out so that the contaminates don't cake up.

Someone who goes out and shoots a box of ammo, then goes back home and cleans thier weapon can use just about any thing they want.

Most people who use CLP do so, so that they only need one product. I like to use separate cleaners and lubes.

I think it is like conventional vs. synthetic motor oil, it is a combination of what you want to use and how often you want to change it. Some people will run boutique oil 3000 miles because it makes them feel good, others will run store brand dino oil for 5000 miles and some will run synthetics for 10000 miles, and they all get the same end results.

 

[Silver02ex]

I don't think there's "best gun oil" just like no "best car oil" I use M Pro 7 since it does a great job of cleaning, and lube with CLP. It's been working. I'm sure Rem oil, Hoppe's, and many other oil works too. Even motor oil is being use by some people.

 

[AVB]

Pat Rogers has some interesting articles, look up Pat Rogers Lubrication and cleaning, and also dirty 14.

 

[2cool]

The people selling the product feel that guns need THEIR product and no other. I personally use a variation of Ed's Red for a bore cleaner and L7 foaming penetrant with Cerflon as a lube/rust guard. Others have touted Mobil 1 0W40, and so on. In general, it's the same thing as engines; reduce friction, keep dirt from accumulating, prevent corrosion.