jimmyraythomason
Member
If WD-40 gums everything SO badly why does the nozzle on the can NEVER clog in between uses? I have never seen it happen,not even once,since I first started using it in 1972
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Is 3 in oil any good for firearms?
- Thread starter hometheaterman
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3-IN-ONE oil is a petroleum distillate not mineral oil, and its no different than the stuff we used to get in gun cleaning kits from SEARS or where ever.
For pinpoint lubing of moving parts its fine, but like most oils it will run off or soak into foam or fabric gun cases and leave metal unprotected in high humidity. (My blued guns started rusting in 2 weeks during Hurricane Juan in Louisiana in 1985.)
Also, you don't want to use petroleum based oils on stainless steel guns because it tends to congeal. Vegetable based oils are better for SS hardware.
I can get through a month long duck season with carefully oiling all exposed shotgun metal and running a TICO TOOL through the bore after each hunt, no matter how much wing shooting I do. Shotgun propellants are loaded with graphite which protects the bore and unless there's a mess of melted plastic in the bore (from shot cups/wads-Plastic buildup is a dangerous no no) the barrels won't rust between hunts and there's no reason the break out brushes or solvents. I do carefully and lovingly oil all external metal and wipe off as much as I can get off every hunting day so fingerprints, duck blood or plant sap don't etch the metal.
If I don't fire a rifle during a deer hunt then it's an oil patch in the bore followed by a dry patch after every outing. (again the point is to remove as much oil as you can and the light coating left behind will protect the bore and not build up to eventually pose a dangerous condition or hinder accuracy) and I wipe down all accessible metal surfaces.
IF I SHOOT THE RIFLE once and hunt the next day or so that's fine because it will count as the "oil shot", meaning the next few rounds will be expected to shoot to point of aim once the oil has been "shot out". (assuming dry weather of course-rain changes everything and I take no chances)
But, if the hunts are broken up on separate weekends and I fire even one round the rifle will get cleaned. I can't stand to rack a gun for more than a few days knowing that the bore could be under attack or that copper fouling may reduce the accuracy next time out.
With shotguns the priority is wiping external surfaces (I like using silicone cloths for this) and making sure no moisture is in the bore (including in the threads of removable chokes) or inside the receiver. With rifles the priority is the bore and all other metal that could rust from moisture or fingerprints. It doesn't benefit me to work myself stoopid cleaning every night or to go in the field with a rifle stinking of solvent or oil products.
Generally speaking some of us probably over-cleaned our shootin' irons, especially when we were younger. It's been argued that we wore out more bores with raspy aluminum ramrods and bore brushes than we ever did with live fire, and with .22s it isn't hard to damage the crown that way.
Now days I use common sense and err on the side of caution and I still don't have to clean mah iron as much as I used to believe to keep them rust free and in good working order.
Like all things you must have your priorities straight, so, if you accidentally drive your pickup into the lake remember to hand the rifle up to a buddy then swim back to collect the little woman. (she won't rust)
And, if that's the worst that peeps can say about me, then it probably won't keep me out of heaven.
For pinpoint lubing of moving parts its fine, but like most oils it will run off or soak into foam or fabric gun cases and leave metal unprotected in high humidity. (My blued guns started rusting in 2 weeks during Hurricane Juan in Louisiana in 1985.)
Also, you don't want to use petroleum based oils on stainless steel guns because it tends to congeal. Vegetable based oils are better for SS hardware.
I can get through a month long duck season with carefully oiling all exposed shotgun metal and running a TICO TOOL through the bore after each hunt, no matter how much wing shooting I do. Shotgun propellants are loaded with graphite which protects the bore and unless there's a mess of melted plastic in the bore (from shot cups/wads-Plastic buildup is a dangerous no no) the barrels won't rust between hunts and there's no reason the break out brushes or solvents. I do carefully and lovingly oil all external metal and wipe off as much as I can get off every hunting day so fingerprints, duck blood or plant sap don't etch the metal.
If I don't fire a rifle during a deer hunt then it's an oil patch in the bore followed by a dry patch after every outing. (again the point is to remove as much oil as you can and the light coating left behind will protect the bore and not build up to eventually pose a dangerous condition or hinder accuracy) and I wipe down all accessible metal surfaces.
IF I SHOOT THE RIFLE once and hunt the next day or so that's fine because it will count as the "oil shot", meaning the next few rounds will be expected to shoot to point of aim once the oil has been "shot out". (assuming dry weather of course-rain changes everything and I take no chances)
But, if the hunts are broken up on separate weekends and I fire even one round the rifle will get cleaned. I can't stand to rack a gun for more than a few days knowing that the bore could be under attack or that copper fouling may reduce the accuracy next time out.
With shotguns the priority is wiping external surfaces (I like using silicone cloths for this) and making sure no moisture is in the bore (including in the threads of removable chokes) or inside the receiver. With rifles the priority is the bore and all other metal that could rust from moisture or fingerprints. It doesn't benefit me to work myself stoopid cleaning every night or to go in the field with a rifle stinking of solvent or oil products.
Generally speaking some of us probably over-cleaned our shootin' irons, especially when we were younger. It's been argued that we wore out more bores with raspy aluminum ramrods and bore brushes than we ever did with live fire, and with .22s it isn't hard to damage the crown that way.
Now days I use common sense and err on the side of caution and I still don't have to clean mah iron as much as I used to believe to keep them rust free and in good working order.
Like all things you must have your priorities straight, so, if you accidentally drive your pickup into the lake remember to hand the rifle up to a buddy then swim back to collect the little woman. (she won't rust)
And, if that's the worst that peeps can say about me, then it probably won't keep me out of heaven.
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wally
Member
The answer is that it does, its just that gum doesn't stick so well to the plastic used for the nozzle and the pressure blows it out next time you use it.
I've had a can that sat for a several years between uses not spray until until I unclogged it with a sewing needle, but it is a lot harder to clog a WD-40 nozzle than it is an Epson printer
--wally.
Kimber45acp
member
People need to stop speaking about wd40 and 3 in 1 as if they are either the same or similar. WD40 is mostly a solvent. As far as this conversation is concerned, it is entirely a solvent. WD40 on a bike is a good way to dissolve grease around bearings (I learned this firsthand) and cause your chain parts to be dry metal on metal.billybobjoe said:
3 in 1 sucks on bicycles because it stays "wet" and attracts dirt (until it drips/flies off). 3 in 1 isn't bad on a gun (except maybe an AR or other gas impingement type gun). 3 in 1 disappears after a week or so though.
Houndawg,
I admire your dedication to cleanliness but on the rifles it is missplaced. You need to read John Barsness's latest article on bore cleaning and rifle accuracy. He kept track of every group and cleaining for a decade or so. He (like my dad) can prove that a rifle shoots it's best groups when the bore is fouled to some extent, and that group size doesn't open up for at least 50 rounds. Your cleaning after every time out is not only unnecessary it is making you a worse shot. Modern residue will not effect your bore if cleaned in a reasonable length of time.
One time I saw my dad whip out a Ruger M77V that was dirty and hadn't been cleaned in at least 3 years but I think longer. He wanted to prove a point: He knew where he would hit and how big the group would be because he never dicks with the rifle before its time to shoot. He shot a 1.5 inch group at 200 yards with reloads and a Weaver K6 scope. Sight the rifle in with a good load and put the sumbich away if you plan to shoot it sometime in the next year. The less dicking with things you do the better, simpler is always better. Thats why you should also never dry fire the rifle in the house to store it with a relaxed firing pin. Biggest bunch of crap I have ever heard of. Your wearing out your rifle and risking shooting a relative.
I admire your dedication to cleanliness but on the rifles it is missplaced. You need to read John Barsness's latest article on bore cleaning and rifle accuracy. He kept track of every group and cleaining for a decade or so. He (like my dad) can prove that a rifle shoots it's best groups when the bore is fouled to some extent, and that group size doesn't open up for at least 50 rounds. Your cleaning after every time out is not only unnecessary it is making you a worse shot. Modern residue will not effect your bore if cleaned in a reasonable length of time.
One time I saw my dad whip out a Ruger M77V that was dirty and hadn't been cleaned in at least 3 years but I think longer. He wanted to prove a point: He knew where he would hit and how big the group would be because he never dicks with the rifle before its time to shoot. He shot a 1.5 inch group at 200 yards with reloads and a Weaver K6 scope. Sight the rifle in with a good load and put the sumbich away if you plan to shoot it sometime in the next year. The less dicking with things you do the better, simpler is always better. Thats why you should also never dry fire the rifle in the house to store it with a relaxed firing pin. Biggest bunch of crap I have ever heard of. Your wearing out your rifle and risking shooting a relative.
22-rimfire
Member
I have never had a problem with 3 in 1 oil on firearms. It was all we used for years in my family. Never any rust. Never any issues. It is basically a very light machine oil such as you might use on sewing machines. I probably have two or three cans lying around.
I think RemOil is a much better product. I use Breakfree sometimes and other lubricants as well. Since RemOil sits on my desk, it tends to get used to wipe down firearms. I don't care much for the aerosol cans of RemOil however. Makes a mess and you tend to use way too much oil.
I think RemOil is a much better product. I use Breakfree sometimes and other lubricants as well. Since RemOil sits on my desk, it tends to get used to wipe down firearms. I don't care much for the aerosol cans of RemOil however. Makes a mess and you tend to use way too much oil.
justashooter in pa
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dunlaps Gunsmithing has no good words for 3 in one or automotive oils. neither is stable enough for use on guns. both of them solidify and leave behind crud that needs to be cleaned periodically.
i'll gladly concede that it isn't the ideal gun preservative, but "makes guns not work"
???
c'mon.
maybe if you marinate your weapon in 3n1 for a couple days, then leave it in the lint trap of your clothes dryer for a few cycles.
???
c'mon.
maybe if you marinate your weapon in 3n1 for a couple days, then leave it in the lint trap of your clothes dryer for a few cycles.
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bkjeffrey
Member
I say again, Ive put 3n1 through the paces in my AK (and AR) with no problems. Ive tortured those guns. And tortured the 3n1 in them, and I can say first hand that 3n1 will not gum up, will not bake off and will not cause weapons malfunctions. Ive literally poured 3n1 down be bbl of my smoking hot AK and fired hundreds of rounds afterwards with no probs. (Shame on me)
To answer the original posters question........ Use 3n1 freely and have no quarms about it. Your firearms will be just fine.
To answer the original posters question........ Use 3n1 freely and have no quarms about it. Your firearms will be just fine.
-eaux, yes REALLY !! I'm talking about 25 years ago Perhaps it's changed now. I remember one gun I couldn't even take apart because of the 3in1. It got to be if I found a gun with lots of varnish I would ask 'have you been using 3in1 ? ' Usually they had.
Petroleum oils are refined to get the proper viscocity .Turbine oils are refined more than others and this removes waxes [paraffin] which gum things up in the cold. A 'package' of additives is added depending on the use .Anti-oxidants, viscocity improvers, rust preventers, emulsifiers [always used in engine oils to emusify water that may leak into the engine] ' etc.
Most gun owners use too much lube ! "Cleaning" means to remove old lube, dirt and powder residue ! Spraying lube into the gun without cleaning leaves a goop of dirt,powder,oil which may cause malfunction [worked on a 1911 that went full auto because of that !]
Clean , lightly lube is the proper way. If you think gun oil is too expensive then use Mobil 1.
Petroleum oils are refined to get the proper viscocity .Turbine oils are refined more than others and this removes waxes [paraffin] which gum things up in the cold. A 'package' of additives is added depending on the use .Anti-oxidants, viscocity improvers, rust preventers, emulsifiers [always used in engine oils to emusify water that may leak into the engine] ' etc.
Most gun owners use too much lube ! "Cleaning" means to remove old lube, dirt and powder residue ! Spraying lube into the gun without cleaning leaves a goop of dirt,powder,oil which may cause malfunction [worked on a 1911 that went full auto because of that !]
Clean , lightly lube is the proper way. If you think gun oil is too expensive then use Mobil 1.
++++1 mete. I have "repaired" many .22 semiauto rifles and pistols that were totally gummed up with whatever they found in their garage and squirted the action full of it. WD 40 was the most common culprit. I used to work at an aviation service facility and experimented with various oils for aircraft as gun lube and turbine oil is a very good lube but that stuff stinks so bad I couldn't stand to have it around. For some reason the cans always leaked after they sat around for a while. Very messy stuff. Ashless dispersement mineral oil for breaking in new aircraft engines is also a very good lube.
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Mt Shooter
Member
I have one coffee splatter keyboard for sale!
Will 3 in 1 work?? Sure, it'll work. However, there's WAY better options available these days.
For $3.49, I can go and get 4 oz. of Break-Free CLP from the local Academy store. For $5.99, I can get 4 oz. of Corrosion-X from the local gun shop. Either one of these provides VERY good corrosion protection and both are pretty decent lubricants.
Yeah, you could use motor oil or some other concoction, but we're only talking about saving $3-$4 on stuff we're putting on $500-$1000 guns. That's what I call "penny-wise and pound-foolish". We know that those two(CLP and Corrosion-X) are relatively safe around synthetics. How safe is that "mystery" oil???
If you plan on firing hundreds of rounds at one sitting, there really is no substitute for grease or a "heavy" lube.
I'm sure someone will come on here talking about the greatness of Eezox. It may work fine, but it's MUCH more toxic than the other oils I mentioned. Also, I've yet to see any of this stuff at any of the gun stores I've been to here in DFW (I'm talking more than 10-15 gun shops).
For $3.49, I can go and get 4 oz. of Break-Free CLP from the local Academy store. For $5.99, I can get 4 oz. of Corrosion-X from the local gun shop. Either one of these provides VERY good corrosion protection and both are pretty decent lubricants.
Yeah, you could use motor oil or some other concoction, but we're only talking about saving $3-$4 on stuff we're putting on $500-$1000 guns. That's what I call "penny-wise and pound-foolish". We know that those two(CLP and Corrosion-X) are relatively safe around synthetics. How safe is that "mystery" oil???
If you plan on firing hundreds of rounds at one sitting, there really is no substitute for grease or a "heavy" lube.
I'm sure someone will come on here talking about the greatness of Eezox. It may work fine, but it's MUCH more toxic than the other oils I mentioned. Also, I've yet to see any of this stuff at any of the gun stores I've been to here in DFW (I'm talking more than 10-15 gun shops).
Modern motor oils are fantastic lubricants. Millions are spent each year in automotive lubrication research. I suspect most gun oils are simply repackaged industrial, or automotive lubricants.
I used a quart of 10W-30 Mobil one with much satisfaction. When that was gone, I bought some synthetic Castroil because it cost less. That bottle may be a 20W-40 or a 10W-40. I wanted a thicker oil.
By the way, diesel engine oils have more additives than gasoline engine oils.
I still have a couple of cans of LSA, and have tubes of Lubriplate 105 grease.
LSA is an excellent cold weather lubricant for M1’s, M1a’s. I use motor oil on my AR’s regardless of outside temperature.
Just keep those firearms clean and lubricated.
This is the kind of post that brings out many unsubstantiated opinions. As they say, opinions are like a$$holes, everybody has one! I haven't the foggiest about the value of 3in1, but I've used whatever oil was available at the time for my guns, keep them wiped down regularly and have not had rusting problems. That is unless I stored a gun outside in the rain.
Mt Shooter
Member
I found it tends to "melt" when firing and tends to make a mess and attracts dirt while out on the range.
jimmyraythomason
Member
Since every lubricant is destructive to firearms in one way or another,I suggest removing all of it with hot soapy water or brake cleaner and using them dry until they are worn out. It appears that using something successfully for 4 decades is not enough to prove it is safe to use. My grandmother's old treddle Singer sewing machine was oiled with 3n1 oil(at least for the 50 years that my mom had it)and nothing else. The old oil was never cleaned off nor needed to be. It never got gummy and the machine never slowed down. In my court,my personal experience trumps all the internet experts. And +1 for Lubriplate 105,it is an excellent grease for guns.
paintballdude902
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- Jun 30, 2007
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ive used it doesnt work bad.
but it depends on the gun if its a gun like a bolt action i like a more solid oil since i feel like it stays there better (if im out of 3 in 1 ill use 20w-50 just like i run in my bronco) for semi autos i like remoil and for semi auto pistols i like remoil and grease for the rails
but it depends on the gun if its a gun like a bolt action i like a more solid oil since i feel like it stays there better (if im out of 3 in 1 ill use 20w-50 just like i run in my bronco) for semi autos i like remoil and for semi auto pistols i like remoil and grease for the rails
DAVIDSDIVAD
member
Enjoy ur toxicity
HoosierQ
Member
3 in 1 is a fine oil and a fine lubricant. It does not have particularly good rust inhibiting properties unless it is constantly applied. 3 in 1 is just fine for lubing up a dry gun.
WD-40 is a different matter altogether. I have never used it on guns...just didn't. I did use it to pre-lube a bunch of utility knife blades that you store in the handle of the sliding utility knife...you know the kind. After 9 months I went to get a fresh blade out and it was as if there was varnish all up inside the works of the knife and coating each blade...had to pry them apart. I had to use CLP and elbow grease to clean the mess up. Did the same thing at other times with 3 in 1 and no such problems.
3 in 1 is just fine. There are just better alternatives. Some of those are not gun oil. Synthetic 5W-30 motor oil is great gun-oil and is even cheaper than 3 in 1.
I am a Breakfree and Gunslick (a grease) man myself when it comes to firearms but 3 in 1 goes on from time to time.
WD-40 is a different matter altogether. I have never used it on guns...just didn't. I did use it to pre-lube a bunch of utility knife blades that you store in the handle of the sliding utility knife...you know the kind. After 9 months I went to get a fresh blade out and it was as if there was varnish all up inside the works of the knife and coating each blade...had to pry them apart. I had to use CLP and elbow grease to clean the mess up. Did the same thing at other times with 3 in 1 and no such problems.
3 in 1 is just fine. There are just better alternatives. Some of those are not gun oil. Synthetic 5W-30 motor oil is great gun-oil and is even cheaper than 3 in 1.
I am a Breakfree and Gunslick (a grease) man myself when it comes to firearms but 3 in 1 goes on from time to time.
MMCSRET
Member
In steam engine rooms on old navy ships we fried steaks in steam turbine lubricating oil(2190TEP), probably already toxified!!!!!!!!!!!!!
billybobjoe
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There are some who use Vaseline on their gun. This is my gun and this is my rifle....
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