Sig P238 Lubrication Recommendations

Status
Not open for further replies.

98bluewave

Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2016
Messages
118
Location
Texas
I got very interested in pistol shooting after getting my LTC last year. Since that time I've started shooting regularly and have purchased several Glock's. I clean the Glock's often and apply minimal grease and oil. The Glock's seem to run fine with very minimal lubrication and show little wear.

Recently I purchased a new Sig P238. Prior to my first trip to the range, I cleaned and lubricated it per Sig's recommendations with the provided grease. After firing the first 50-100 rds. it seemed extremely dry. I felt that it really needed more lubrication so I stopped firing it. I had a few failures and several failures of the slide locking back on the last rd. the first time I fired it.

Prior to firing it again I cleaned and lubricated according to Sig's recommendations. Sig stresses numerous times in the Owner's Manual to avoid over lubrication. On the next trip to the range it again seemed very dry after 100 rds. or so. And I had one failure of the slide to lock back on the last rd.

So after about 200-250 rds. I've noticed slight wear marks on the front and rear of the frame rails, which may be very normal. I've seen examples of what looked like extreme amounts of grease on the slide in some cases. So I would appreciate comments about lubrication from experienced 1911 type pistol owners.

Thanks, and by the way, the P238 shoots great and is fun to shoot.
 
I have a Colt Mustang Pocketlite that is very similar to the Sig 238 in design if not in craftsmanship. It has several thousand rounds through it resulting is very slight wear on the front and rear frame rails. Most of the frame wear is battering on the top of the rails behind the slide stop where the barrel hits the frame after unlocking. The gun isn't particularly accurate but remarkably reliable. The only maintenance required in over 20 years of ownership has been a replaced extractor resulting from my bad habit (since corrected) of dropping a round into the chamber by hand rather than feeding from the magazine

I use Lubriplate machine grease sparingly on the frame rails. Also on the barrel at the slide stop, barrel locking lugs and around the muzzle where the barrel protrudes through the slide. Finally the cocking surface of the slide. Every year or so I strip the grip frame and put a drop of oil on the trigger, hammer and safety pins and the magazine release. Clean the firing pin and extractor channels and lightly oil the firing pin, spring and extractor.
 
You probably need a little more lube than what you've used on your Glocks, but with the P238, you also have a very little gun that will no doubt perform differently than a duty sized gun.

Here are a couple of lube videos that have been helpful over the years. Note how Dave Anderson adds lube without field stripping the gun at the end of the "How to Lube An Auto Pistol" video.

How to Lube An Auto Pistol




Wilson Combat's video



It's not really what you use to lube, but that you do lube. Feel free to add lube at the range if it feels like the gun is slowing down. There isn't a need to field strip it or clean it, just add more lube.
 
Thanks for everyone's input! I really felt like I was not applying enough lubrication, even tough Sig discouraged too much. After watching the videos I'm going to add more lubrication than I have been. I definitely want to reduce any unnecessary wear.
 
It's always a good idea to bring lube with ya. No harm in running it a bit wet.
I totally agree with JTQ that what you lube it with isn't critical, as long as you do lube it.

I'm a fan of breakfree CLP, but I've been tinkering more with a 50/50 mix of mobile1 and STP.
A little goes a long way and it's really tenacious and slickery.
 
The only lube I use on my auto's is a synthetic gun oil. I put it anywhere something rubs. I have never used grease on a pistol. I carry a Colt Pocketlite or a Defender.
 
Last edited:
I have the P938, and it gets synthetic motor oil, just like everything else I shoot. I carry a pocket pen-type applicator at the range for touch-ups. I have yet to try the little tube of stuff that Sig provides.
 
I use CLP or Break Free for most everything now, I used to use Tufoil gun stuff on my revolvers back when I was shooting a couple of hundred rounds a week through them. I must be doing enough, as I've never seen any real wear on any of them.
 
I too use Mobil One synthetic in all my semi auto rifles and pistols, I have three P 238's and a P938 that although are not dripping with oil for extended range firing have a sufficient amount of lube to fire quite a few rounds without problems. Carrying one of the pistols I leave a light coating of lube and wipe them down daily and strip once a week and lightly lube.
For AR's in our cold snow conditions a very light amount of lube seems to work just fine, but I am only out in the weather for short times.
 
I have a Sig P-938 which is basically the same except in 9mm. As it is what I carry, I run 50 rounds or so through it every time I go to the range. When I clean it, I lightly spray a little RemOil over the moving parts and have had no problems to date.
 
Mobil1 ATF fluid is a great choice for lube, better than almost all gun oils.
 
WOW! What a great differences in opinions I found as I researched the subject of lubrication of a high quality 1911 type pistol. Opinions varied from just clean the pistol without applying any lubrication to applying heavy coats of grease to the slide and rails. Expert 1 recommended no lubrication and argued that the high quality of the steel used on the slide and rails was designed to operate without any lubrication. Expert 2 argued that you can't over lube the slide and rails and you should lube heavily with grease and just wipe off any excess.

As I mentioned earlier, I only started shooting pistols regularly last year. I purchased several Glocks and found them to run fine with minimal lubrication and that's what Glock recommends.

Then I purchased a Sig P238 and cleaned and lubricated per Sig's recommendations. The first couple of times I shot it, after about 50-100 rds. it was so dry it started having failures. So I stopped shooting it until I could add Sig's recommended lubrication. I've shot about 250 rds. through the Sig now and it of course has loosened up some and there are no failures. I've also notice some bright places on the end of the rails that I thought might indicate wear. So that's why I started my research on 1911 lubrication.

Everyone has their opinion but I can't agree with Expert 1 or 2. And I think I've found my answer. I going to observe what's going on with my pistols as I fire them, clean them, etc. and apply whatever lubrication does the job for me.
 
Thanks. I have seen his face on the YouTube pages, but never clicked on his videos. He has some interesting opinions.
 
The take down lever (related) on my P-238 is stubborn and hard to remove. Reviewers say that over time it will loosen up but that hasn't been the case. I use Rem oil, or a dab or break free, or a new oil, don't remember the name that I found at my LGS. Just a very little.... Dry ? - NO. Sloppy wet ? - NO.
 
Assume an all steel or polymer gun.

Lubing a pistol is not rocket science. After I am done cleaning I spray the entire gun down with Rem Oil(until it is dripping). I then take a cloth I specifically have for oiling and wipe the excess off. I lube the inside of the barrel with 5W-30 and use it also on the rails of the gun. I then re-assemble the pistol and give the exterior a final wipe down, put in safe, and it is ready to go. Been doing this for years and have had no problem.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top