question on oiling, how often and how much?

Rather then depend on oil or grease based preservatives on something you frequently carry, remove them with a solvent and then coat the exterior with one (good) or two (better) coats of wax. Two good examples would be Johnson's paste floor & furniture wax or Mother's automobile paste wax without abrasives. In any case look for a paste (not liquid) product with a Carnauba content, and no abrasive intended to remove degraded paint.

Unlike oils, wax is dry to the touch and the coating doesn't rub off. It is safe to use on most materials, including steal, aluminum, wood, and plastics - although on the latter it is probably unnecessary.

What about protection? Well if you live in Yankee country where they put rock salt on the roads in the winter, would you try to protect your car with a coat of grease or oil?

For years I used Pledge furniture polish on my shotguns that I used for hunting. These days I tend to use silicone spray available at most anyplace that sells automotive stuff. Spray it on, buff it off. Either that or wipe them down with a silicone rag. I've never seen rust on a gun.

How often? Whenever I thought it was needed.

Grease? Never. What a mess that would be.

Also Renaissance Wax.

Trade for a stainless steel gun?

Jim

Treat it like your other guns. Whatever you've been doing obviously works.

For over sixty years I have used my formula, and 50/50 mix of automotive motor oil and Three-In-One oil. I apply a rather generous coat, then wipe it dry with a paper shop towel.

Most folks tell me my guns look unfired.

As to the argument "Motor oil is car cars" note too, that it removes carbon buildup. Eases that nasty carbon ring in the chambers of revolvers.

Bob Wright

Several years ago Gun Test magazine did a test on rust preventative. The hands-down winner was Hoppes Gun Grease which essentially is Vaseline. If you'd rather not use something so heavy, a local gunsmith HATES Break Free CLP because it's so difficult to remove prior to bluing. In other words, it sticks to the metal very well thereby preventing rust.

35W

Have you tried froglube? I use them on my bolt guns with good results so far. Also cleaning post shooting is much quicker.

Old Fuff said:

What about protection? Well if you live in Yankee country where they put rock salt on the roads in the winter, would you try to protect your car with a coat of grease or oil?

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On the bottom? Yes...Cars don't rust out from the topside where you shine them up with wax.

As far as the OP's question goes, any lube/protectant is better than none. I wipe my blue guns down with an oil rag after every use and have never had a speck of rust.

I did a home rust test using steel washers this past spring where I sprayed them down with salt water and then left them on my uncovered deck where they still are today. I used several gun oils, motor oil, Johnson's paste wax, and a couple of other not gun specific lubes....The hands down best in my test was Eezox.

BobWright said:

...... it removes carbon buildup. Eases that nasty carbon ring in the chambers of revolvers.

Bob Wright

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Wow!! I'm gonna try that...best suggestion I have read in weeks!

Thanks Bob!

For general use I have used Breakfree CLP for years and never had a speck of rust. I made knives for decades and in 2007 was doing it full time in my basement shop when the economy died and, along with it, my knife business. I have about a dozen blades in various stages of grind and finish....some of them with 2000 grit finish like a mirror and these are 5160 and O1. Low alloy steel and it *will* rust fresh ground literally in fron tof your eyes in the humid Illinois Summers.

Anyway, in 2007 I wiped these blades with Breakfree on a chamois and hung 'em on the wall. In the basement...where they have now hung for 7 years untouched. I look at 'em every time I hit the reloading bench and not one of them has a speck of rust. It works. So well that I oiled all of my katana with the stuff mixed with choji (traditional sword oil - light/thin mineral oil with a trace of clove oil for fragrance) and students were always amazed they never rusted or discolored even when cutting water soaked tatami mats. Breakfree CLP lasts and sticks just as well on firearms.

On my Colts, if I carry them I wipe them with a chamois that is soaked with a small amount of Breakfree when I set 'em on the night stand. Never had any rust...just wipe 'em once a day.

VooDoo

In my experience Dexron ATF removes carbon better than motor oil. It also makes a really great lube but will not protect against corrosion as well as CLP. Whatever you use just keep some on the gun at all times. Check it once a week (or more if it is a daily carry)

On the bottom? Yes...Cars don't rust out from the topside where you shine them up with wax.

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Maybe you'se is a young guy....

Back in the day when they made car bodies out of steel rather then plastic and tin foil, they had chrome plated bumpers and trim. Actually that "chrome" consisted of layers of (in order) copper, nickel, & chrome. Along with painted surfaces the chrome was waxed too - and generally didn't rust.

Anyway, wax is dry too the touch, which some other corrosion prevention products aren't, and doesn't require daily attention. Won't stain clothing or holsters either.

That said, folks are always welcome to pick whatever they like. I am very generous on this point because I know they will anyway...

Nope, I am not that young....My truck has chrome bumpers, too....complete with holes from where they rusted out from the backside.

Ah... Did you'se forget to wax the back side...

The makers of EEZOX say that their product dries to a non sticky film and that it's supposed to be effective at rust resistance.

I've only just started using it on a couple of guns so my personal findings are still in the future. But there's sure lots of folks that swear by the stuff.

If you use a good quality automotive wax be sure to avoid the ones that have a white or ivory cream like consistency. Those types have a super fine abrasive in them which not only will wear at the blueing over the longer term but also cake up in the nooks and crannies where you can't reach. Instead go for one of the newer clear wax products.

Get a shoe shine brush to apply it and a softer sort of brush to buff it up afterwards. You want to use brushes instead of rags so you get into all the nooks and crannies.

http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667

Give this a read.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=751408&highlight=froglube

Or better yet this one. It's essentially the same but with more user input.

As long as you dont leave it in the holster wet you should be ok. Wipe it down after you take it out each night. Most any oil will work in a pinch.

old fart said:

also the rust remover will it take off bluing? thanks

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Bluing *is* rust so all rust removers I have seen will remove bluing. Be careful with that.

VooDoo

The rust remover is likely that fine abrasive I mentioned. That's the sort of thing that works really well on light rust blooms as found on chrome.

I would not recommend any product for "chrome". Most of them will have some manner of light abrasive in them. Instead I'd go for one of the new easy buff car PAINT wax formulations that says it doesn't go hazy before you need to buff it.

And you may as well get a car wax that is easy to use on your car since there is a very real likelihood that the wax won't work for you anyway. Why? Waxes, be they automotive or museum grade, aren't meant to be rubbed raw by a holster like a gun sees when carried around all the time. So you're going to expose the metal pretty soon after waxing it anyway. So likely the better option would be to keep a lightly oily rag in an old food container where it's handy and every day just slip the gun out of the holster and give it a simple and fast wipe down. Then put it away sitting BESIDE the holster. Leather will not only soak off the oil in contact but often leather has residues of salts or other chemicals from the curing and dying processes that will promote corrosion. So right off the bat it may be worth sort of sealing those things in by giving the holster a waxing with a good saddle soap followed by some neutral colour leather wax inside and out.