Oil/gease combo??

It somewhat depends on how long you are storing them, and in what type of environment .Your going to get a wide range of opinions. Today I use Rem-oil on my guns, but they are wiped down at least every 3 months. I wish I could remember the product I used to use. Its name changed during the time I was using it, but it was very good. If I recall it, I will do another post.

First I clean and wax my firearms. Then I wipe them down with a cloth covered with Mobile 1. This has worked well for me for many years. I think it is 20 W 50 ( for motorcycle engines) but any thicker synthetic oil will work. There probably are better products now but I still am using the original quart years later. I also use it as a lube where oils are needed in my guns.

I think the. Choice is dependent upon several factors.
When I was in boot camp we were issued rifles that were coated inside and out with Cosmoline, a mixture of oil and wax. What a nightmare it was getting that rifle clean and ready for your first rifle inspection. Everyone failed and had to re-clean the M1s. Today, I lube the internals of my pistols with CLP and when they will not be in use I coat the external surfaces with a light coat of Rem-Oil. I maintain a relatively constant temperature and humility in my house so I have no,issues with the effects from variation.

I believe the product I mentioned in my first post was called "Shield" I have not researched to see if it is still made. I know I can no longer find it around here.

Kroil to clean.

Marvel Mystery Oil to lube/store.

Done.

Bayou52

OP asked about long term storage. If you have guns that rust, other than kosmoline, which is messy, this stuff is excellent!

https://www.brownells.com/gun-clean...revention/rust-preventive-no-2--prod1124.aspx

For wood and leather, Ballistol is okay if that’s what you have. But it will darken leather.

Some of my poor, neglected guns dont get shot for years at a time. I use commercial/industrial/automotive silicone spray all over the external metallic surfaces and shove it in a case or gunsock. This will protect them from everything short of immersion in floodwaters and wipes off easily with a rag when youre ready to shoot again.
Its also an excellent conditioner and preservative for rubber, plastics, and polymers, but not a great lubricant for things like slide rails or bolt lugs. These should be greased or oiled as appropriate.

I tend to at least go thru the safe once a quarter, so all my stuff gets inspected. For years I’ve just used a silicone cloth or a rag soaked in oil (Ballistol, or 3-in-1 oil, or something similar). I’ve been known to use RIG1 grease, but no set pattern. Just inspect and gently wipe down. The Brownells rust preventive is good stuff too.

mnrivrat said:

I believe the product I mentioned in my first post was called "Shield" I have not researched to see if it is still made. I know I can no longer find it around here.

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Is this what you were thinking of?

How long? Militaries worldwide have been using cosmoline for over 100 years, and generally need not pay too much attention to storage conditions other than keeping out of the rain.

On the other hand, if you're keeping it in a dehumidified safe for a few years, almost anything oily will do.

Coconut oil cooking spray smells nice, and it's cheaper than FrogLube.

Ballistol for everything even the wood and leather. And the aroma is a bonus.

Reinz said:

Is this what you were thinking of?

View attachment 1007662

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No , the product had just the single name of Shield.

whughett said:

Ballistol for everything even the wood and leather. And the aroma is a bonus.

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Ballistol also tastes good.... Or so I'm told I mean..

Everybody has their favorite, yet the DOD doesn't get too carried away with it. For a normal arms room, most of which have better dehumidification than some parts of the Pentagon, CLP is about it. If airborne H2O molecules can't reach it, they can't react and oxidize. For extreme long term storage then cosmoline and possibly waxed paper wrapping to further seal it from humidity. Storage in wooden cases isn't preferred much, as they will soak up humidity and then raise it within the box making things worse. A wooden case is mostly used for shipping not storage. That's where steel racks with security bars are employed with serious key control over the locks used, open air in that arms room.

The oil used doesn't need to be all that special, getting moisture out of the air is where the money is spent. Don't leave weapons in cars, damp areas, basements, etc and they do ok. Anything much over 40% humidity long term and damage results. The best procedure? Get them out and shoot them regularly, clean, and wipe down to store. Its actually easier than having unused cars or trucks parked long term. The clock is always ticking on molded rubber and fuel storage is a major hassle, much less fluids, refrigerants etc. They have to have those systems run periodically - for hours down the road - or major damage eventually sets in.

You could say that hoarding overall isn't all that, and weapons caches are usually a disaster. You'd do as well throwing them in a pond.

FWIW: I was asssigned overseas to a NATO command for three years. So I disassembled all my rifles and removed the grips from all my handguns. Then I liberally applied RIG Universal Gun Grease to every metal part. Wapped them all in parchment paper and then plastic before storing in foot lockers. Ammo was just packed around the firearms.
I also stored my wine collection (could not drink it all before leaving) in a foot locker.
Drove to a friend in Oregon who stored them in his attached garage for the three years. When I got home and recovered them I found that the wine did not do well at all (should have applied RIG to the corks LOL)
However the firearms came through without any rusting. Took a while to remove the RIG but that's part of life. Ammo was not affected dispite not being packaged in air tight containers.
On another one year remote assigment, before I seriously collected firearms, I rented a large safety deposit box at my Credit Union and stored my handguns in that. Felt strange bringing guns into and out of a financial institution. Have a friend who does that now.

mnrvrat might be thinking of Weapon Shield. Amazon has it. I use it and like it.

You will hear and read a lot of crap about wd40. But, I have been using it for 45 years """, On The Same Guns"""" that I shoot and guns I no longer shoot. Pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns. It works. It protects. And, Without Any """None""" of the crap you hear. 99.99% of the crap you hear is from people that have never used it much less for any length of time. Below made in 1975 Remington 700 I hunted with in the rain, snow, ice for 40 years. Bluing I would say at least 95%. Wood finish still there, no problems. Never any repairs needed. All parts original and works perfect. Made in 1978 H&R 650 Nickel finish still perfect. Wood grips still perfect. No repairs ever needed. All original works perfect. Both bought new. Both wiped down with WD40 after every cleaning and or twice a year used or not. And I could go on and on.

I wipe my guns gown with an oily rag that has residuals of CLP, Lucas gun oil, Tetra Oil, Ed’s Red , Slip 2000, WD-40 and various and sundry other oils that it has been used with. A few of my guns are North of 100 years old now and despite honest bluing and stock wear from decades of hunting, these veteran guns still work and shoot as well as the day they left the factory.

If a gun is drenched from rain or melted snow I’ll break the action down, take it out of the stock and WD-40 it like I do with my wrenches, vise grips and other tools that may get wet from sprinklers or plumbing. (WD-40 = Water Displacing, 40th formula) I’ll then wipe it off after some time has elapsed and reoil with something else. https://www.wd40.com/how-to/faqs/

Other than to displace water (and then a relube), I personally do not use WD-40 on internals... especially those that are going to sit for years or be left in gun racks in hot trunks with months between uses. I don’t care what anyone else does, says or thinks; I have had to clean yellowy, gummed up internals from WD40 that did sit far too long without a recleaning/relubing. Others may not have had such an experience, and that’s perfectly fine. I can only go by what I have experienced and act accordingly. YMMV

In all honesty, don’t overthink it; Displace the water if wet, coat the metals inside and out with a thin layer of decent lightweight oil or similar mixture (maybe grease if on rails), control the heat and humidity where the guns are stored in and keep fingerprints or other things that touch the metal wiped away (or covered with a silicone gunsock) and your guns will stay pristine and last for generations.

Stay safe.

Riomouse911 said:

I have had to clean yellowy, gummed up internals from WD40 that did sit far too long without a recleaning/relubing.

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I worked at the LGS. It was usually pretty easy to tell who had used WD 40. It left residue as described above particularly on internals that didn’t get wiped down.

I worked selling industrial lubricants for over thirty years. There is no magical difference between oil and grease. Grease is simply oil with thickeners (lithium, bentone, aluminum complex) added. Either oil or grease can be or not be an effective anti corrosive. It is dependent on the additive package. Grease obviously holds in place better due to the thickener.

There was a thread here years ago that referenced a very extensive test of the anti corrosion properties of perhaps thirty products. Some if the results were surprising. IIRC, I believe at that time Hornady One Shot came out on top.

https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

tws3b2 said:

BS

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I say BS Because, who in their right mind thinks they can let any metal be it guns, tools or what ever sit for years without any attention what so Ever and expect it to last. You put the Best oils money can buy on anything and let it set for years and see what happens. It builds dust, dirt and every day crud. Ever noticed a old car engine around the oil cap? The best oil used for years but never cleaned around the cap. Dust , dirt whatever builds up. No sense to blame it on whatever was used. Lack of attention to blame. There are several studies out there that compaire several products and oils come pretty low on the list compaired to Wd40 to prevent rust.
Like I said. I have 45 years hands on experience with WD40

It's a free country (sort of) so use what you want.
For me WD40 comes nowhere near my guns.

I've been using Hoppes solvent and oil for many, many years. Have tried others from time to time but always come back to Hoppes... partially because the smell evokes memories of past hunting camps with long departed family and because it works really well. I have guns that I purchased new over 50 years ago that show no rust or oxidation. I've always wiped any firearm that I've handled with the same cloth that wiped excess oil off other ones before I put it away. I use that rag when I shuffle guns around the safe so it's the last thing that touches it.

I use oil sparingly being sure to wipe any excess off leaving a transparent film. Spending a few moments taking care of my firearms assures that they'll always be there for me when called on.

WheelGunMan said:

I've been using Hoppes solvent and oil for many, many years. Have tried others from time to time but always come back to Hoppes... partially because the smell evokes memories of past hunting camps with long departed family and because it works really well. I have guns that I purchased new over 50 years ago that show no rust or oxidation. I've always wiped any firearm that I've handled with the same cloth that wiped excess oil off other ones before I put it away. I use that rag when I shuffle guns around the safe so it's the last thing that touches it.

I use oil sparingly being sure to wipe any excess off leaving a transparent film. Spending a few moments taking care of my firearms assures that they'll always be there for me when called on.

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Yup. Just a bit of care like that and they’ll last for ages.

Dudedog said:

It's a free country (sort of) so use what you want.
For me WD40 comes nowhere near my guns.

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I’ll use it in certain situations, then I’ll wipe it off. Ol’ Norm Larsen himself with a fistful of cash couldn’t convince me to leave it on the insides.

Stay safe.