Oil vs Dry Lube

[Len]

Based on a suggestion from a shooter I know, a few months ago I started using "One-Shot" cleaner/dry lube on my guns.

The benefit of dry lube that I've noticed is that the guns stay "cleaner" longer when not in use, there's nothing to attract dust and allow it to stick. It's also very nice to clean with it, wipe down, and be ready to go.

The cons in using oil are dust gathering, more specific care on making sure the barrel does not have oil residue in it prior to shooting, and discoloration if unfired/unused for a while. Just seems to require more frequent cleaning of unused guns.

But, even though dry lube is nice, and the autos cycle smoothly...it's just not as slick as with oil. What's your preference? And why?

 

[DarkKnight01]

My preference is somewhere in between... I like militec.. good stuff.

 

[sssteinkamp]

What I use depends on my environment.

In reality, guns aren't very sensitive to lube. 40 weight motor oil is just as good as anything else. Guns aren't high friction machines.

Down here in the high humidity of Louisiana, I use BreakFree CLP. My largest problem is moisture and rust, so that's the best thing.

If I were in Arizona, or some similarly hot, dry environment where moisture wasn't a concern, I'd use powdered graphite or a dry wax.

All MiliTech is, is just wax. Read the patent. It's fancy wax. Expensive, too. A little carnuba wax would work just as well, and I've used that on my bolt and lever guns before with great success.

Shane

 

[DarkKnight01]

Its not all that expensive, the sample tube they sent me has lasted about 3 months so far, and its still nearly full... you just need a little drop here and a little drop there once you do the initial application... 20$ for a 4 oz bottle will probably last me a year or more.... thats nothing compared to the cost of ammo...

 

[P95Carry]

Generally IMO lube for firearms is a case of ''less is more''. Over zealous lube can lead to extra crud sticking or collecting.

Main deal is to have enough ''persistance'' - in particular re slide rails. Thus often a grease viscosity is preferable to a thin oil, tho Militech is supposed to impart some residual surface protection even if dissipated.

''Dry lube'' is hard to evaluate but if let's say Teflon or Moly molecules are persistent on metal surfaces, then probably this is about all that is needed to maintain a low friction protection.

Much too will depend on thruput. Thus if a range session of 500 rounds expedited then a good pre-lube is wise, tho still being sparing. OTOH if the piece is carry and put into carry mode only - very minimal lube should suffice, reducing the crud adherance effect.

My own choice is Mobil1 for internals and RIG grease or Tetra Gun Grease for slides.

 

[DarkKnight01]

Yea I like the tetra gun grease, pretty good stuff.. Tho since ive had this militec sample I been using the grease that came with that on my stainless slides.. Good stuff too.

If you havent tried it contact them for a free sample. I got mine in like 3 days after emailing them.

 

[5Wire]

I use dry lube (Elmers Slide-All dry Teflon aerosol) with Breakfree CLP or MPro7 Gun Lubricant.

What got me started on the dry lube was cleaning my P7 M8 and M13. Any fluid lube in the piston, cylinder, or even in the chamber, became a crud magnet which would eventually prevent the slide from cycling after a few hundred rounds.

So I cleaned the bejeepers out of the guns using MPro7 or Hoppe's Elite (same stuff, I'm pretty sure) and blowing it out with compressed air. Any place that got really hot while shooting (piston, cylinder, chamber, barrel) then gets sprayed with the Slide-All. All other metal surfaces get a dose of either Breakfree CLP or MPro7 Gun Lubricant blown thin but thoroughly overall (less is better, as posted above). Metal to metal surfaces maybe a tad more unblown lube.

The result on the P7s were that, after a couple thousand rounds, I gave up waiting to discover when the slides would start to get sluggish. No crud from the gas piston and cylinder and very little from the chamber or barrel.

I now do the same thing with my semiautos with Browning type actions and revolvers. I start with a good, thorough cleaning with J&B Bore Cleaning Compound and periodic doses of CLP, then Slide-All in cylinder holes, chambers, bores; blown CLP or MPro7 Lube everywhere else.

A friend with experience in high temperature metalwork said they found that under high heat Teflon tends to bond with the metal surface it's on, so eventually you have Teflon to Teflon surfaces where formerly there were metal to metal surfaces.

Once the regimen is underway, cleaning is pretty quick, even on cylinder faces, around forcing cones, and ejection ports.

 

[MoeMentum]

CLP, its kinda in between.

 

[308win]

This http://www.clenzoil.com/ is as good (and better than most on the market).