Gun Oil Usage

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OneWound

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I have a question, how many oz's (approx) does it take to lube a firearm? This is understanding that every firearm is different, but a very general approx would be nice..
 
My glock takes 4 drops but some say i oil heavy. Google says 600 drops oer ounce. All firearms and what people use for lube is all over the board. Look for where your firearm shows wear, slides or rotates and lube as you wish.
 
In most cases a little goes a long way. All will take different amounts but I can't think of any normal firearm needing an oz of oil.
 
Now for the true question, any interest in a survivalist-like bracelet that holds a very small amount of oil, enough for say 2 applications? Or similarly, small packets (say 1/10 of an oz) that are enough for one application? They would be in packets of idk, 10 or 100?
 
Oil?????

Less is more. I have never heard a master gunsmith say you should use more oil.


measure in drops-little drops.


spread tiny drops over a large area.
 
Cooldill, yes I am.

rc, There goes one of my ideas :D. The other idea though (which, honestly, sounds more interesting imho), is a bracelet that holds enough lube for 2~ish applications of lube (that being, you fill it yourself). I really haven't been able to find something similar to that. Opinions?
 
In 55 years of military, hunting, and sport shooting??

I can't think of a single time I needed to oil a weapon bad enough to wear a bracelet full of oil all the time.

Military weapons usually had a little oil bottle it the stock cleaning kit.
Or in a cleaning kit pouch you wore on your web gear.

Hunting and sport shooting?

My sporting guns are clean & oiled before I leave home, and I have never in my life needed to oil them again in the field.

If going on extended hunting trip far from home, I take a normal cleaning kit in the truck with me.

So I would have 0 interest in something like that.

rc
 
In 55 years of military, hunting, and sport shooting??

I can't think of a single time I needed to oil a weapon bad enough to wear a bracelet full of oil all the time.

Military weapons usually had a little oil bottle it the stock cleaning kit.
Or in a cleaning kit pouch you wore on your web gear.

Hunting and sport shooting?

My sporting guns are clean & oiled before I leave home, and I have never in my life needed to oil them again in the field.

If going on extended hunting trip far from home, I take a normal cleaning kit in the truck with me.

So I would have 0 interest in something like that.

rc
That's what I needed to hear, thanks!
 
Short of dunking your gun in a bucket of oil you cannot over oil it.

Let's use a pistol for example:
My personal experience is that after cleaning my pistol I put about 5-6 drops on a patch to lube the barrel. After that I spray the entire firearm down with my Rem-Oil aerosol can. I then lightly wipe the firearm parts down as I re-assemble them. I personally use 5W-30 oil, but use what oil you want, I put a drop on each rail, put the slide back on the pistol. When I am done I take a cloth and give a final wipe down of the pistol.

I have been doing this for all my years of gun owning and have never had a problem. Some will say "What if you're in the desert surviving?", yes, that's about 0.01% chance of happening to the average gun owner.
 
Short of dunking your gun in a bucket of oil you cannot over oil it.
Yes, you most certainly can!!

Especially if your gun has a wood stock on it, and you set it standing up in a gun safe, cabinet, or corner.

Excess will drain down and soak into the butt stock.

Ruining it beyond reasonable repair.

On guns such as the AR-15 with plastic stocks, have at all the excess oil you want.
As long as you don't mind oil splattered shooting glasses, and oil stained clothes.

rc
 
Very good topic that I am surprised not to see more often.

I am personally on the very conservative side with guns I shoot and rely on to protect my family, kill pests, and hunt our food. I am very liberal with guns I never or have no plans to shoot. I basically do not care about anything other than functionality in the shooters and dry guns shoot. The other guns condition is paramount and oil comes off. Most of my older uncles and cousins approach it this way so I do too.


Edit after seeing RCMOdels response. Too much, or more specifically the wrong kind, of oil on wood stocks can ruin them. You have to be careful what you use. When I have a gun, say an older nice wood stocked .270 that is a family heirloom, in long term storage I treat it with two different oils. One is specific for wood treatment and the other is for the metals. And I store those guns with the business end down.
 
Drops? I use Ballistol, non aerosol, and spray it into a rag. A little goes a very long way. Don't have to worry about it ruining any other parts on the gun as well. Ones that aren't used as much have a heavier coating applied. Ones used all the time are lightly oiled.
 
Synthetic motor like Mobil 1, in small drops on metal (steel) is good.
Petroleum based oils can leave a shellac or varnish residue where friction, high temperatures, and high pressures occur.

That's why synthetic oil is recommended for your auto engine.

Tree oil (tung oil, linseed, etc.) for wood. It's natural for wood, and won't expand or split in / on your wooden stock like motor oils, especially petroleum based ones.
 
My sig gets very little oil. A drop from a needle oiler on internal parts a few times a year. A BB size of grease on rail. A couple drops of CLP in barrel and wiped clean. Use a silicone cloth for exterior. Anything more just holds dirt and grime that can be abrasive.

I might be more liberal for a day at the range with high volume, but cleaned and lightly lubed afterward.
 
My little 2oz bottle of Tri-Flow has lasted for like 20 years! And I put it on pretty heavy (like a dozen drops), rack the slide a half dozen times and wipe the gun off. I just ordered a new bottle, but I would guess it will be at least another year before I use any of it.
 
I really don't see a reason for carrying oil on a bracelet.

That said I spend more Ballistol then most of the guys here, but I fire a lot of BP so it gets used as both a oil for protecting the metal, lubrication, and as a BP solvent. I also use Ballistol for maintaining the holster, leather belt and on occasion, other leatherwork.

In general little is needed to wipe down the gun.
 
I typically use an old mustard jar that holds like 4 oz of oil, and then just dip patches and q-tips in the jar. 4 oz lasts me like 2 years or more. I think I last bought gun oil 4 years ago. If I need oil for lubrication on the range, I just grab my can of spray lube.

Glad the OP is veering away from this. Money losing venture.
 
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