Anyone use gear oil for pistol lube?

Gear oils have a lot of sulfur in them. When it heats up, it stinks. A lot.

I'd just go with something like regular 20w50. It is a lot less smelly and will do just as well.

I have a set of these bottles from Brownell's

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=44434/Product/NEEDLE-OILER-BOTTLES

One is filled with Break Free CLP, one has SLIP 2000, and the third has Mobil 1, 5W30. The Mobil 1, even at 5W30, is a whole lot thicker than the other two.

It seems fine except that I apply it with a Q-tip and don't seem to be able to get an even application applied to the rails.

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When you rack the slide, the grease should spread evenly.

Light viscosity mobile one is excellent. Dextron ATF is also supposed to be an excellent lubricant.

I've had very good experience with Eezox. the stuff doesn't seem to migrate, or ever go anywhere. I sprayed it on a Mosin bolt and left that gun in the safe for about 2 years. When I took it out, the lube was still nice and evenly distributed.

M7 I was going to say the same thing. Even not hot gear oil stinks.

For what it's worth gear oil is an old school motorcycle chain lube. It flings but if used sparingly (one dab per roller) it's not bad. I've tried expensive stuff in cans but none work any better. Plus it's easy to clean with only kerosene, a brush and a rag. It definitely has a strong odor.

If I knew anything about chemistry I'd try the same stuff on my guns. I'm guessing kerosene may be a little aggressive on polymer. As with guns, WD-40 is controversial. I can't say I've had a problem with it, but it's still more expensive and doesn't do as good of a job so I only use it when I'm away from my garage.

I use gear oil to coat my rifle bores that have shot corrosive ammo.

bluethunder1962 said:

M7 I was going to say the same thing. Even not hot gear oil stinks.

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Yes, it is stinky stuff.

Another concern that I have is that all that sulfur, if subjected to high humidity and heat, could form sulfuric and/or sulfurous acid in small amounts. Over time, that could really mean disaster. I can't prove the chemistry behind my suspicions because I don't know all of the compounds that are used in gear oil and I am not willing to take the gamble that I am wrong.

If I use motor oil, it is usually a synthetic 5w30- Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Castrol- it's all good.

Of course, it is best to play it safe and just go with Break Free CLP or LP. It's more than enough.

The grease you're putting on the rails will be better distributed after you rack the slide a few times upon reassembly. I use Super-Lube grease on rails too; various oils (CLP, Rem Oil, etc) for triggers and mag release buttons and safeties. I save the EEzox for long-term storage (smell makes the Mrs. mad and it's one of the few chemicals that I'm really afraid of long-term contact).

Generally too smelly for me and damn ear impossible to get outa clothes.

Dextron ATF is also supposed to be an excellent lubricant.

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That's pretty much what I use for cleaning and lubing every gun I own.

Sam
You mean the transmission fluid?

I do use motor oil in guns and was thinking to use transmission oil instead. Perhaps, I should.

Yes, I use store-brand Automatic Transmission Fluid (Dextron) for cleaning and lubrication. I don't believe it is any better than the various CLPs and special gun products on the market, but it works very well and costs almost nothing, comparatively speaking.

If I was using my guns under very harsh conditions, perhaps I'd want a more premium product, but I do shoot a lot of competitions and have run many of my guns over 1,000 rounds between cleanings and I've never had one fail due to poor lubrication.

(Well, I did once run a 1911 without doing anything to it at all, until it stopped returning to battery. The slide rails were so gummed up that the slide was very slow. But a few squirts of ATF oil got it back running again without taking it apart and cleaning.)

For grease I use bicycle bearing grease. It is teflon based and "will not thicken when cold". This or sometimes white lithium grease. Though I like the former better. Both come in large tubes and are therefore economical.

Sam,
The tolerance on my Dan Vbob is very tight. It needs to be well lubericated to work flawlessly. Do you think ATF will work on it?

I use two parts ATF to one part 5-20 synthetic oil (with 2oz of lanolin per quart) for lube, and mix that same mixture (without the lanolin) 50/50 with kerosene for cleaning.

For carry, I use stuff designed for guns.

Gear lube? Too stinky. No way.

Isnt kerosene too rough?

How do we lessen the density of ATF so its not too sticky?

Interesting how many ways there is to skin a cat.

For year I used straight Dextron ATF to clean and lube, but recently I have been trying a mix of Mobil 1 and Marvel Mystery Oil, seems to work just as good.

shoot safe, shoot straight, and have fun

Isnt kerosene too rough?

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No, and I believe it's CZ who's manual says use straight kerosene for cleaning. The very high detergent content of ATF works well with it. Kerosene really isn't harsh at all. I mean I wouldn't drink it or anything...

For years, I was one of those who would only use gun products too. But when you're cleaning 3-5 guns a week, sometimes twice a week, that stuff adds up fast.


I now mix my stuff using 2 qts of ATF and a qt of synthetic oil (I used to use 30wt but now use lighter 5-20), splitting that mixture in half, and then mixing the lanolin with the lube half and kerosene with the other half. That's about a year to a year and a half worth. I also buy the hardware store kerosene, not the stuff at the gas pump with the odor additive. Much lower odor, and when mixed, not at all offensive.

It's basically a version of Eds Red without the mineral and white spirits and acetone, which I do think might be getting towards the harsh end of the spectrum.


I've heard others using STP in the mix too, to thicken it up. I haven't gotten around to trying it yet, but I will be experimenting with a 50/50 ATF/STP mix soon.


I also mix a smaller amount of ATF and kerosene 50/50 to cut thru heavy carbon, like on AR bolts. Its very thin, but it brushes off the gunk in no time. None of the buildup thats usually on the tails of AR bolts on any of mine.

I've had an 8oz bottle of 50/50 ATF/oil in my range bag 2 years or more for lube on AR's when shooting hundreds and hundreds of rounds in a day, bet it's still half full.

If you're looking for a good grease but find wheel bearing grease too heavy, there is a Teflon-silicone lube made by Ford that is simply amazing. It was used a few years ago on my Ranger to pack the splines on the driveshaft yoke where it slides onto the transmission tailshaft to eliminate a clunking. It's sold by the pound which is about a pint, maybe a little less, and it was like $25, but it's got to be like a 10 year supply. I use it in a small syringe. If anyones interested, I can dig out the can and get a part number.

Wheel bearing grease is too thick for many peoples taste, but just to see how it would work, I mixed ATF into red hi temp bearing grease until it got to a thinner, more workable consistency, and that stuff actually worked really well too.

Gear oil is for....gears. It is designed for metal to metal wear with very high shear force loadings. Guns don't work like that. Gear oil is also a lousy rust preventative, as is motor oil. Kerosene is a very good solvent (yes it smells like kerosene) and Dexron ATF is a VERY good lube. I've used it in my shop for many years on all kinds of mechanisms. It will stay on an exterior door lock cylinder for a long time without turning into varnish. All of my 1911s run 100% on nothing but Dexron.

I use ATF on all my junk too. I thicken it up a bit with some STP OIL treatment.