Rotella T6 or ATF as a gun/rust protectant ?

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Cmarti

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Which one would offer better corrosion protection? Please no "Use only gun oil on guns", or favorite brand gun specific oil. I am bored and just playing around/experimenting in the workshop on homemade gun care products. I have plenty of expensive gun care products on the shelves. I am out of projects in the barn and winter hasn't even started......
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I have a rust experiment going on metal plates with Rem Oil, Breakfree, Marvel Mystery Oil, Liquid Wrench, Hoppes Oil, Dexron III, 3 in 1 and Rotella T6, and Johnson Paste Wax. I have been playing with Liquid Wrench and MMO on cleaning my pump duck guns after wet hunts this year, and they cut carbon suprisingly well. Not sure as to long term lube or rust. I use dry lube on the semi autos actions. Traditionally used Breakfree CLP, Hoppes oil and Remington drylube on my firearms, with a touch of moly grease on 1911 and AR slides. Just wondered if mixing MMO or LW with ATF or T6 would be the ticket to a homemade CLP product.
 
Only use Rem products on your gun.

WD-40 to flush out gunk.

Hoppes is used and trusted.

Using motor oil swells wood. If you get some down the back of a receiver to where the wood stock meets and it settles there it will permeate the wood, such as a shotgun.

Also, motor oil is toxic to the skin with it's metallic additives that are so fine they stay suspended in the oil.

I have used Hoppes gun oil for over 30 years with no issues whatsoever and it is dirt cheap.
 
I've been using motor oil as a protectant/inhibitor on many different parts for years so I can tell you..

The Good:
Motor oil doesn't dry out like a lube. Best way to prevent or slow rust is drown it, preventing oxygen supply.

The Bad:
Motor oil doesn't dry out. Attracts a lot of dust and airborne debris.

Not a gun owner, but would think you don't want a slippery wet gun that attracts dust and dirt into its firing mechanism. Received a free gift of Aerokroil with my Kreen order. That looks like the stuff to use on a gun. Its a step up from a wd40-like lube/penetrant, leaves more of a sheen behind. Removes rust like nothing I've used before.
 
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As said motor oil will swell wood. It will also start to weaken the wood fibers. So if you are going to use it on a wood stocked gun remove the barreled action and be sure to wipe off excess.

I've used Mobil 1 oil on a bolt for an AR that went under a torture test. I use a lot of "Wipe Out" for custom and semi-custom rifles. Foam and liquid. Works excellent. Keeps rust at bay and I've seen no pitting. Might want to try Wipe Out in your test.

Mt Grandfather (92) always used MMO with cotton cloth and a nail tied to a rope as a pull thru patch. Worked great. I've done it with a Browning 12GA since I owned it at 16 (40 now andd that bird barrel is [censored] shiny).

Hard to beat CLP though. Interested to see how your test comes out.
 
If you are going to use anything as a protectant on metal that is automotive, Id use a non detergent motor oil.

Or...a good wax would would well on exterior metal surfaces as long as its non abrasive.
 
It's time for fireaems owners to stary being a little coy about what we own, no reason to give the gun grabbers information.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
It's time for fireaems owners to stary being a little coy about what we own, no reason to give the gun grabbers information.


Duly noted...stand by for visitors please....

Dept of ATF
 
Originally Posted By: Falken


Also, motor oil is toxic to the skin with it's metallic additives that are so fine they stay suspended in the oil.



There is probably more toxins in your tap water than is in motor oil. And the food you buy, and the air you breath.
 
I meant Automatic Transmission Fluid.....not Federales. I am afraid you may be right about being cautious, I hope reason will prevail

Thanks for the replies. 2 sprays of water a day (They are indoors in a heated outbuilding/pole barn) 2 days and no rust at all. I may have to move outside to speed up the process. The T6, Hoppes, ATF and wax bead the water. It runs off the other treatments.
 
FWIW, Just like with car oil, we probably are over thinking gun oil. I was having a hard time getting any of the metal plate to rust with a mist of tapwater twice a day and storing indoors. I have added a teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of water and misted the last 3 days. No rust yet, but some pitting is started. Here is a DUH observation...the T-6, Hoppes and ATF left a thicker film than the penetrating oils. The Rem Oil and WD 40 look as bare as the control. However the pitting is in the control, 3 in 1 and maybe the Liquid Wrench.

I am starting to think if you clean your gun, oil with anything, and maintain the storage environment....it may not matter as much as I thought. I will check back
when I get some significant corrosion.
 
It's just good sense not to blab about what kind of and what amount of guns are in your house. You never know when somebody else will blab to somebody that has no business knowing anything about your house and contents.

I've been using M1 Truck & SUV 5w-40 on those things I have that don't contain wood. I have had no lube issues with them even after a large amount of rounds through them without cleaning. Well, some might consider 500 rounds a lot. Some might not. I'll run a bore snake through a couple of times and clean the chamber, but not clean out the bolt group or the receiver(s). I just add a few more drops on the important bits and close it up.

I haven't been using the wood-containing items for a while, but I somehow always wind up cleaning/reoiling them with either CLP or gun oil.

There was a period where all items in inventory were neglected for several years. They were put away with normal gun oil and were rust free when retrieved.
 
I believe the worry over toxins would be from used oil. Clean oil is clean oil. You'll probably die sooner from anything else than from cleaning weapons and washing your hands afterwards. Worried? Use latex gloves.
 
FWIW: Corrosion protection 2 weeks in and the switch to heavy dose of salt water

Very Good
*Paste Wax - Does not lube
*Breakfree
*Marvels Mystery Oil
*Liquid Wrench


Good (Little rust specs)
*Rem Oil
*ATF
*WD40
*ATF

Bad (Surface rust)
*Hoppes Gun Oil
*3 in 1 Oil
*Rotella T6 HDEO

I don't know what I proved, but I am somewhat surprised. The oils had a heavier sheen
and beaded the spray. I thought they would be the best, but they had the heaviest corrosion. The ATF did the best of the higher viscosity stuff. I will stick with Breakfree, but the MMO or LW will be a back up. MMO cleans and lubes better than LW, but I was worried about protection. It is funny, I had poor results with MMO in the gas, and have no way to know if it worked in the crankcase. I may mix withthe heavier ATF for long term storage, or just use the paste wax. For kicks, I sprayed a shop towel with MMO and wiped the corroded plates clean with little effort. A longer experiment may have changed the results????
 
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