Controversial opinion: RemOil is actually pretty good

This may be just a little off subject here, But.
Has anyone here used NON- chlorinated brake cleaner on polymer frame hand guns? Any I'll affects? Just a question that popped up from who knows where.

Obturation said:

The guy I was responding to had oil spots on the floor of his safe. Long term storage sometimes causes people to way over oil. If you read my previous post, I'm the minimal lube guy. Over the years oil running down will soak into stocks, even light oil.
Stores don't keep long guns muzzle down because they tip over easily and it just looks wrong. I'm in no way a gunsmith but I've heard from folks in the know that they store theirs muzzle down- primarily mark Novak has mentioned this a few times if you watch any of his videos.

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I'm a long time gun cleaning fanatic. Even guns stored or rarely used I "Rag" clean at least every 6 months. Disassemble, "at least to a point" and clean with a rag. After oiling I prop the gun so if it does drip it does not run on the stock or just lay it on a rag for awhile.
In my many years (more than I like to think about) of gun cleaning I've never had a problem with congealing oil, build up, gummy up or oil soaked wood work. I've even used tons of WD40 on all my guns with never a problem. When someone says they have problems with WD40 waxy, gummy, sludge build up. I say you need to learn to clean your gun. Even the most high $ oil will build up or gummy up if you don't clean the dang thing instead of pouring more on top of the old. Actually that safe in the photo is over 40 years old. Not that bad. Just me.

I have some but oddly I only ever use it on my 870. It's okay but nothing special that's for sure.

I'm sure some lubricants have some additives that enhance their effectiveness.....however........
I have seen this used and used it myself many times on slides, cylinders, bolts and magazines......
Even seen weapons stored with it for many years without a hint of rust....3 in 1 oil.....oil is oil

When I was kid...born 1946...we always used 3-in-1 oil and never had a problem with any gun. I have an empty 3-in-1 can on my work bench for nostalgia sake. Clean guns and wipe-downs with an oily rag will cure a lot of ills, regardless of the oil brand. It's cold today.....I think I'll clean some guns

Sniper66 said:

When I was kid...born 1946...we always used 3-in-1 oil and never had a problem with any gun. I have an empty 3-in-1 can on my work bench for nostalgia sake. Clean guns and wipe-downs with an oily rag will cure a lot of ills, regardless of the oil brand. It's cold today.....I think I'll clean some guns

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Good idea. I like and use both of them.

I used some aerosol RemOil today to lubricate my garage door rollers and tracks. It's good for more stuff than just guns.

Hi...
I am 67 years old and have been using Rem Oil for longer than I can remember on a large number of firearms.
I have never had rust appear on any of my firearms. I think Rem Oil works just fine.

John Joseph said:

LOL! I've used Singer Sewing Machine Oil and Wahl Electric Clipper oil with good enough results.
Results are what matters and I haven't seen any evidence of any of the expensive high tech gun oils successfully preserving firearms for 120 years like good ol' 3 in 1 oil

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You mean I’m not the only one that uses singer SMO!

I feel what's more important than the name on the bottle is that the oil is kept clean and not allowed to collect dirt.
I don't understand the economics of wiping expensive dirty oil off a handgun only to replace it with more expensive oil

I think Rem oil is one of the best for a gun (or rod and reel) you will use soon. It's thin and very tacky and doesn't attract or hold gunk either. Pretty good balance. I use others for storage. I have 50 or more specialty lubes and oils at work, I can use or pass over any I like. Plus companies give us new ones just to try. I keep a can of rem oil. I do not keep original WD-40 although I do keep a couple of their specialty products. Employees also pass over the WD-40 for some of the other's usually. (And we stock the super duper awesome flip up/ stow away straw cans too. Lol. I actually do like that can design). We also keep kroil on the shelf but it's rarely touched either. 3 in one is used on air tools usually (even though I buy actual air tool oil by Lucas. Lol. Nobody grabs that) crc makes several great spray lubes.

For my guns I keep several but I normally just use the radco clp. I'm lazy and it's cheap. One product that is sufficient at everything.

I must be the only one who uses G-96. I did have some Rem-wipes once and they were great for wiping fingyprints off the trap guns as Obturation previously mentioned. The G-96 is pretty gooey and best for longer term protection.

I use singer oil myself. Not exclusively. I got some in the little white round bottle about 4" tall. It does pretty good for keeping revolvers and 1911s running, and a winchester 94. Maybe that's why my normal lubes work, in using them on guns designed for normal lubes.

Course I did keep a couple ARs running on normal oils including remoil, until I swapped them off.

Spats McGee said:

available at Wal-Mart. (WM is an Arkansas corporation, so they're everywhere.)

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I have grainger and mcmaster-carr coming daily, but being available at walmart is a huge advantage i didn't think to mention.

And regardless of being an Arkansas company, walmart is around every corner all up and down the east coast as well. Lol. Only thing more common is Hardee's, McDonald's, and Dollar General.

That wasn't controversial. Suggesting that Bore Butter or some such would condition the bore would be controversial. Or, cleaning your 22 is wrong.

Walkalong said:

That old Singer oil will harden given enough time, found out the hard way

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Any oil will harden up as it loose moisture.
But I do hate Barricsde. The wax in it hardens real fast. Blocked a nipple in one musket and my inline. Had to pick it out.

I like the smell of 3in1 oil. Remoil and wd40 too.

A general idea of How soon (several months?) will a product’s layer evaporate, is my main question. Big picture here- we know that various factors can gave influence.

Quite a number of comments years ago about Rem Oil gave me the impression that it evaporates quicker than “my” Ballistol and other common compounds which - as a category - are known as CLPs.

My first objective is A) preservation.
The B) cleaning and C) lube functions are very secondary.

Been working on firearms on a daily basis a long time. I went to non toxic stuff as much as possible years ago. I have settled into ...

General Cleaning.... Rubbing Alcohol 91%
Oil.... Ballistol
Grease on Aluminum... tw25
Grease on steel... White lithium automotive tube
Stainless Steel firearms...FP-10 CLP
General Stoning or Honing oil.... Plain Mineral Oil
Airguns...Non Detergent SAE 30 motor oil
Preservation.... Renaissance wax
Carry Guns... Eezox ....best I have found
Compensators...100% pure liquid Lanolin... Helps with the lead and carbon buildup

I used to buy the Remoil spray by the case but it was just to toxic for me and I dumped it when we started a family.It liked to tear up my hands as well where as Ballistol seems to have some magic mudicinal properties. 99% of the time the Ballistol and rubbing Alcohol works. Once in a while I get a neglected and disrespected firearm that I use a foaming bore cleaner or Hopps on. I dont ever use break cleaner, carb cleaner, gun scrubber etc. Its too harsh and I have seen a lot of damage to polymers with it. Alcohol works fine. Cosmoline removal I just boil in Simple green. Something like a rifled action soaked in cosmo.... Put the action in a long vacume saver bag... pour in some mineral spirits and seal it... two times.... lay it in the sun or stick in a hot car (basically a giant oven in the summer) and let the environment do the work.

Beretta sent me some really good CLP a long time ago that was like Magic for cleaning but it smelled kind of bad and I stopped useing it. Not sure what type of voodoo they had in that stuff. Probably toxic. It was great for really stubborn bores though.

Still have a big gallon jug of Break Free CLP around here somewhere. Its probably 30 years old and seems to never run out. I think its in the shed with the yard tools. I use it on the chainsaws every year.

There is some other random stuff here and there but thats what comes to mind right now. Never really found a one oil fits all solution for firearms. Ballistol and Rubbing Alchohol are the closest for me. Different materials and applications respond better to specialized lubricants. Mobile 1 is pretty darn great for a cheap oil on class 3 actions.

Ignition Override said:

A general idea of How soon (several months?) will a product’s layer evaporate, is my main question. Big picture here- we know that various factors can gave influence.

Quite a number of comments years ago about Rem Oil gave me the impression that it evaporates quicker than “my” Ballistol and other common compounds which - as a category - are known as CLPs.

My first objective is A) preservation.
The B) cleaning and C) lube functions are very secondary.

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If you dont want to mess with waxes (even clear shoe polish) look into Eezox if you havent yet. Good stuff. Museums use Renaissance micro crystalline wax polish on firearms and leather gear last time I checked.

My grandfather use to use boiled linseed oil on his barn guns and tools with impressive rust free result. Couple times a year and it would kind of form a hard coating protecting it from the elements. Almost tar like but not sticky. You had to give it a long soak to get it off without damaging the finish. I helped a guy who used it for lube on his glock 17 once for his "truck" gun and it locked that pistol up solid so its external use only. Pretty good old school and cheap preservative for something that is out in the elements.

starling said:

I used to buy the Remoil spray by the case but it was just to toxic for me and I dumped it when we started a family.It liked to tear up my hands as well where as Ballistol seems to have some magic mudicinal properties.

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I still buy it by the case. When I clean any of my guns, everything gets a light spray of it. Has worked well for decades, never an issue. Some parts will still get grease and oil.

rust collector said:

Boiled linseed oil is essentially varnish. Waxes will be far easier to apply and remove, and there are many good protectants available. Eezox works well, but there are many options and tests on you tube.

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Yeah... thats about what it was like removing that 20 year build up of linseed oil off a sears shotgun and a glenfield 22. Not rust though so I guess it worked. Gramps probably could have just sprayed some clearcoat on it and got the same results. He was a farmer though and had his way of doing things.