Gun oil?

[j_mac]

I'm gonna open a can of worms here, but I have to, to protect the innocent.

DON'T use Rem-Oil! Rem oil is only good as a solvent for cleaning. I don't care what Remington says. I used to use Rem-Oil. I lubed the SIG 9mm (I keep loaded and at the ready for home defense) with Rem-Oil. I stored it at controlled room temperature in my TV stand for a year-and-a half. My buddies went shooting one day and I grabbed it and said to myself "It must have been over a year since I lubed this gun. I'll shoot it as-is to test the integrity of that Rem-Oil I've been using..."
And would you know the pistol JAMMED several times when I started shooting it! I stopped right there, unloaded it, and put it away until I could carefully inspect it at home. I took it apart and the gun was as a dry as a popcorn [censored]. ALL of the Rem-Oil had EVAPORATED! Now I don't leave my guns dripping with oil when I clean them, but this was unacceptable. It had a thin, but adequate film when I put it in the TV stand. I've never had ANY of the other oils I've used do this. Rem-Oil could get you killed if you lube a personal defense pistol with it.
Interestingly, We use a lubricant where I work that smells EXACTLY like Rem-Oil. I work in a steel mill and our fabricating department uses this oil on a production line to lubricate punches that punch holes in metal. Now, knowing how cheap my company is, this generic oil is used because it is CHEAP! I think Rem-Oil is the same thing as this generic industrial oil. Its all about making a big profit.
I've told this story here in the past. I'm telling it again because if I relied on that pistol with that oil to defend myself from a crack-head burglar or home-invasion practitioner, my beloved SIG, that had never jammed in 5000 rounds, would have fired once and stopped working.
One of the members here guided me to the lubricant "Slip 2000 EWL" a few years ago and I have never looked back. It is a mil-spec lubricant for helicopter chain guns. That's good proof for me.
Use up your Rem-oil to wash down gun parts. But please, If you want to make sure your gun oil will not fail you, try "EWL."
If you want to simply protect the finish from rust and lubrication is not your goal, WD-40 will outperform virtually ALL challengers. "EWL" is about the only gun oil that can compare to WD-40 when it comes to rust prevention.
I wish the BITOGer wouldn't have mentioned Aeroshell Fluid 18. Now I'm gonna have to have some of that!

 

[Astro14]

I've fired a Sig (M-11, or P-226, I think) when it was dry...no issues. Dry and clean should work...

But my Glocks, when new, my Beretta, and my S&W 9mm all jam on PMC range ammo, even when carefully clean and lightly oiled....the PMC just doesn't have the power to properly cycle the action.

With a dirty, unlubricated H&K (over 1,000 rounds without cleaning, in a desert environment), Speer Gold Dot ran perfectly. Good ammo has never jammed in any of my guns.

So, I have to ask, with what ammo did your Sig jam?

 

[outdoorsman310]

nobody likes ballistol?

 

[JetStar]

I guess I'm odd, for the last 33 years I've just been using old mil surplus LSA oil. Never had any rust or malfunction issues I could attribute to the oil.

 

[AMC]

Originally Posted By: outdoorsman310
nobody likes ballistol?


Corrosion X, Ballistol and Breakfree are what I recommend for gun oil. They all have their pros and cons but work well overall. Corrosion X is the best I have found when it comes to lubrication and rust protection. Ballistol is the most versatile and environmentally friendly. Breakfree is easy to find, very inexpensive and works well enough.

As an alternative to the above, 3 in 1 oil works really well, smells nice, is dirt cheap and available everywhere too.

 

[j_mac]

Astro,
I'm quite familiar with SIGs. The old 100% German SIGs are all I deal with. All the good ones, the P220 P225 P226 and P228s, have VERY long slide rails that engage for the ENTIRE length of the frame and slide. These SIGs HAVE to be run with some sort of oil film on these rails or they will jam every time. It is a 4-5" long continuous bearing surface that generates a great deal of friction if run dry. All they require is the smallest film of oil and these pistols will never jam though.
I'm sure the ammo I was using was Winchester white box 115gr. That particular gun probably ate 4000 rounds of that ammo and never jammed until the "Rem-Oil incident." These SIGs will run with ANY ammo you put through them as long as the ammo is loaded to minimum SAAMI pressures. I don't care what ammo it is, they will run on it.
That is if there is oil on those rails.
Rinse those rails with a solvent, and these SIGs will jam EVERY time.

 

[j_mac]

And for the Ballistol fan...
I am one of the world's greatest proponents of Ballistol. I use it for EVERTHING! I primarily use it for household lubrication because it is supposed to be non-carcinogenic. Its great for garden hose threads (wont attack rubber gaskets,) Door hinges. Lock cylinders. Pocket knives. Lightbulb sockets. ANYTHING! Especially if its something you, or someone you love will be touching or handling. I recently was having problems pushing my headphone plug into the jack on the front of my computer tower. When I'd push it in, there was so much resistance that the tower would be pushed backwards. A VERY thin film of Ballistol on the plug and it inserts like a knife through hot butter still today. I oiled it 2 months ago. Ballistol will not upset electrical connections. Someone said the Germans used it as an emergency cooking spray and for shaving and disinfecting wounds during the wars! It is partly made up of Butyl Alcohol.
My favorite use for Ballistol is to clean the corrosive ammo from my AK-74 easily, thoroughly and inexpensively. But that story is for another time.
I use Ballistol for everything! Just not lubricating my guns. But it is still a SUPERB gun oil.

 

[steve40th]

I have used many oils/greases on my SIGs and ammo. Never a jam, fte, ftf. But sigs do malfunction, and if new sig will fix it fast. I have found sigs fail due to the person reassembling them misses something minor, MOst of the time,and egos get in the way. Sigs just work, and work well. The whole German vs US thing has been beat to death..That is another topic in itself.

 

[ChrisD46]

outdoorsman310 : +1 on the Ballistol ! ...Not the easist to find - but a nice all around performer ...Go check out Hickock45 You Tube video on cleaning a Glock - he uses and discusses Ballistol in the video . For Rust prevention : Try Eezox - the top performer bar none ! For actions / weapons lube : SLIP2000EWL and for a newer alternative to Ballistol try Frog Lube . For best available / fairly easy to find category actions / weapons lube : Try M-Pro 7 LPX which is a solid performer .

 

[Astro14]

j_mac - thanks for the reply. Shot a few SiGs...don't own any. Further, I've never had a problem with the Winchester White box in any gun, so, with that bit of information on your case, I understand your point on the Rem-Oil.

I've got a Pint of Ballistol - didn't really notice that it worked better (or worse) for cleaning or lubrication, but the guns on which I've used it aren't picky. I've seen it for sale for household use, but hadn't yet tried using it that way, so I appreciate the suggestions for Ballistol as well.

Cheers,
Astro

 

[outdoorsman310]

ballistol is my favorite gun oil. I have some hoppes but it is running out and also have breakfree CLP. hickok45 has a great youtube channel. I use ballistol on random things. i like how you can get it in a large non-aerosol can. the only downside is the smell but that goes away.

 

[AMC]

Here are some good links with info about ballistol:

http://www.firehawktech.com/ballistol.html

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/ballistol/