Synthetic motor oil in a gun

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by Yuk
It's now a well know fact that Google censors gun results, so who knows what you're getting when you do a web search?

https://www.google.com/search?q=usi...CNw4ChDy0wMIhwE&biw=1463&bih=497

Looks pretty wide open to me. I mean really, just how much information can you expect on such a topic?



Thanks for the link, but it doesn't negate anything I've said.
Cheers
 
Originally Posted by Yuk
Thanks for the link, but it doesn't negate anything I've said.

I'd like to hear just exactly what you think they're "censoring" in regards to information on using motor oil on guns???
 
Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by Yuk
Thanks for the link, but it doesn't negate anything I've said.

I'd like to hear just exactly what you think they're "censoring" in regards to information on using motor oil on guns???

I don't know about guns but google does sensor about files I'm told. I put a few drops of M1 to prevent rust on a new Nicholson file and it will no longer cut, ruined!
mad.gif
 
"Used Motor oil" is the carcinogenic item. Not so dangerous out of the bottle I bet.

Used Mobil 1 dripp'ns on my guns since the 1970s. No issues, no rust.
 
*Most often cited is using Mobil 1 V-Twin Motor Cycle Synthetic 20W50 oil . Some like to mix with Dexron VI synthetic ATF 50-50 with the V-Twin 20W50 ... Super slippery and a needle oiler would last a long time as a lube for slide rails , sears , etc. *The one thing an oil or oil + ATF mix of this type is they don't offer very good protection against corrosion for gun finishes - you will need a specific gun oil , another type of oil or even something like Corrosion X to safe guard your gun finish against corrosion.. Grant Cunningham is often cited as a fan of synthetic oils and ATF for weapons lubrication :http://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/05/lubrication-101/ ... Hope this helps !
Originally Posted by Yuk
I've done a ton of searching, and much to my surprise, there is very little on BITOG about using synthetic motor oil as gun lube. Can anyone point me to a definitive thread on the topic?
 
I thought i recall Molakule saying something about the sulfer in motor oil being bad for guns, as it reacts negatively with gunpowder and causes acids to rise.
 
I've been using Klotz Techniplate synthetic 2 stroke oil for a while now and won't use anything else. If it'll protect a 30,000+ RPM 2 stroke engine, it'll sure work good on any gun. Best thing about it is that it doesn't STINK like motor oil does.

Klotz RC Oil
 
Originally Posted by 901Memphis
I thought i recall Molakule saying something about the sulfer in motor oil being bad for guns, as it reacts negatively with gunpowder and causes acids to rise.


This is one I've never heard of before, but if it's true it's perfect example of something you can learn at BITOG and never read anywhere else on the web!
I hope Mola chimes in.
 
If there was anything adverse happening to firearms from the use of motor oil on them, you would have heard about it by now. Especially today with social media a tap or a swipe away from everyone's hands 24 / 7. It would be all over gun forums and blogs everywhere. There isn't, with the exception of a few negative opinions here and there. Which you can find with most any lubricant in existence.

People have been using motor oil, (both conventional and synthetic), successfully for decades on weapons without any ill effects. Either to the guns themselves, or the people who own them. Companies like Lucas Oil have produced, "Gun Oil" in every color of the rainbow at one time or another. Who knows what's in it? Their primary products are all automotive driven. So how does anyone know for certain if their "gun oil" is not simply a rebranded automotive product? It certainly sounds logical.

Mineral oil, Crisco Oil, (Fireclean), Ballistol, (scented Mineral Oil), "Frog Lube", (rebranded roller coaster track lubricant), and literally hundreds of other products have been successfully pedaled as "gun oil" over the years.

Most all of them being endorsed by some ex "operator", or Navy Seal who swears by the stuff. They hold the public interest long enough to sell for a profit for a while. Then the swagger wears off, and they generally fade into oblivion.

I think all of these products work to some extent. And none of them are technically "bad" for your guns. With the possible exception of Frog Lube, that has shown to gum up guns that have been stored for long periods of time after having it applied. Some will no doubt work better than others. But I don't think any of them, least of all motor oil, will damage them. Or cause their owners to book an appointment with Cancer Treatment Centers Of America.

All of this "gun oil" business is much like Baskin Robbins. They keep their business fresh with a new, "flavor of the month", that everyone likes to try..... At least once.
 
Pretty sure Ballistol has a pedigree, whether you like it or not.

It's true, there are but so many concoctions that people can make that are truly unique. Motor oil surely has some good ones for its intended use, and minimum compromises.

So what characteristics of a gun lube do you find best, and how do motor oils meet them?
 
My feeling on gun oil is basically: so what?

So what if it costs a fortune?

How much do you use?

I bought my first bottle of gun oil in 1990. Just finished it off (all 2.8 oz) a couple years ago. If you use 6 drops to lube a pistol (which is about what it takes for most) then a few ounces lasts hundreds of actual clean/lube cycles.

Along the way, I picked up a few more bottles of gun oil. All different kinds. I've got 5 or 6 different ones on my workbench right now. A lifetime supply. Just bought a 4oz bottle of Corrosion-X after reading through this thread. That's going to last a while, too.

I've found that a couple of lubes don't work that well in my one picky rifle (even though I love that rifle, it's picky), so, I'm not going to throw them away, just use them on Glocks, or for wiping things down, or whatever...

But even at $10 for 4 oz, which is a crazy price, a bottle that lasts years isn't really that expensive in the context of the rest of my annual shooting expenses: thousands of rounds. A range membership. An optic or two. A new gun or two. I hardly notice the cost of gun oil when compared with all the other costs.

I'm left with so what?

The price of gun oil really isn't something I worry about...
 
Only place I use oil on a pistol is moving trigger-area parts and inside of barrel.
Everywhere else gets light Superlube grease.

But I'm like Astro..... have enough bottles to last until Sept 23rd, 2182 AD. I think I bought a couple, way-back in BC. Used it to wipe down my Caveman Club.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Astro14
My feeling on gun oil is basically: so what?

So what if it costs a fortune?

How much do you use?

.


So true. Unless used in a situation where lots were actually used. Not seeing that from even a very regular shooter who goes through thousands of rounds per year.

Key is what actually performs better, in anti-wear, anti-rust, cleaning action, etc.
 
An old National Guard armorer told me he used a mix of 50% ATF, 25% Mobil1 30W, and 25% STP. I mixed up a quart of it and am still using it many years later. The ATF penetrates well, the Mobil1 lubricates and withstands high temps well and the STP clings to surfaces forever. I have yet to find a specialty product that performs better.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Elkins45
An old National Guard armorer told me he used a mix of 50% ATF, 25% Mobil1 30W, and 25% STP. I mixed up a quart of it and am still using it many years later. The ATF penetrates well, the Mobil1 lubricates and withstands high temps well and the STP clings to surfaces forever. I have yet to find a specialty product that performs better.



I have been told that you do not want any type of penetrating oil on a firearm as it may penetrate ammunition and render them duds.
 
Originally Posted by Brigadier
Originally Posted by Elkins45
An old National Guard armorer told me he used a mix of 50% ATF, 25% Mobil1 30W, and 25% STP. I mixed up a quart of it and am still using it many years later. The ATF penetrates well, the Mobil1 lubricates and withstands high temps well and the STP clings to surfaces forever. I have yet to find a specialty product that performs better.



I have been told that you do not want any type of penetrating oil on a firearm as it may penetrate ammunition and render them duds.


You don't want any oil on the breech or in the magazines. Unless you have it practically dripping with lube it shouldn't be an issue assuming you use a normal amount of lube and put it in the correct locations.
 
Originally Posted by Al
Originally Posted by Yuk
Here's another one,

Motor oil has poor anti-rust qualities, because it is designed to suspend water within the oil, which is only remove by sustained heating, which guns do not experience. Is this true? Google doesn't seem to have an answer.

Correct. Much better would be gear oil or ATF. Neither have emulsifiers.


+1
 
Originally Posted by Brigadier
Originally Posted by Elkins45
An old National Guard armorer told me he used a mix of 50% ATF, 25% Mobil1 30W, and 25% STP. I mixed up a quart of it and am still using it many years later. The ATF penetrates well, the Mobil1 lubricates and withstands high temps well and the STP clings to surfaces forever. I have yet to find a specialty product that performs better.



I have been told that you do not want any type of penetrating oil on a firearm as it may penetrate ammunition and render them duds.


As an old National Guard armorer I can tell you that we've been using mixes like this for a long long time, and I've never heard of a primer getting deactivated due to 'exposure' to a penetrating oil. Military ammo is sealed against moisture. Even if you sprayed your ammo with something like Kroil or WD40 it wouldn't do anything in the short term. Bullseye shooters frequently oil the top round in a magazine to aid in feeding, and some run their pistols almost dripping wet.

I can tell you that the military has been using motor oil as a weapon lube since before WWII, and it's mentioned in field manuals. There is nothing that goes on in any small arm that is any more severe than what happens to the internal parts of a gasoline or diesel engine. Also, if you have the money to actually wear out a firearm you also can afford to replace it. There is no measurable advantage in firearm longevity between gun oils.
 
Synth motor oil is a great gun oil but in particular cases.
If you carry - use grease.
If you store them for long time, use as a home defense gun etc, then oil may not be best to use.

If you compete and run and clean/oil gun often then synth motor oil works great. I use M1 10w-30 that I bought long time ago in a quart bottle, it's SL or SM spec'd.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top