Grease as Opposed to Oil

[TenDriver]

After buying and greasing my Garand, I decided to lube my Mosin in the same manner with good results. I haven't done this to anything else. Yet.

Does anyone else use grease on modern bolt, SA or pump guns as opposed to gun oil? I don't want to screw something up.

 

[gfpd707]

I like grease because it stays where you put it. I find that a thin layer of grease is more effective. That being said I am in central Illinois where sand and wind blown debris is not much of an issue. i save the oil for exterior protection.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Grease will work fine in a bolt gun but generally the interfacing parts are not moving with the same speed or pressure as they are in a gas operated weapon. The biggest drawback to grease as well as overoiling, is that in dusty environments they become lapping compound.

 

[highbrow]

I use grease on my AR bcg with excellent results. Only use Mobile 1 for the gas rings.

 

[Still Shooting]

Grease and Climate Sometimes Don't Mix

Grease might be fine when the temperature is 70 degrees, but it can completely "shut you down" when you're out there all day at 20 in a wind. Often in the northernmost parts of the US, cold grease will solidify enough to turn a rifle into a club. -Especially if it's anywhere around a firing pin, or in a semiauto. I have had this happen to me, and now use grease very sparingly, and only on sliding surfaces, where grease does the most good. I recently stripped and re-lubed an old Winchester '07, and put a VERY THIN layer of grease on the inside walls of the receiver where the inertial counterweight slides back and forth. All the rest was done with oil.

 

[adelbridge]

that mosin has been thru a world war or two and was probably lubed with animal fat. Only the bolt moves and has variable pressure settings a la your hand. I use grease on my overunder because oil can run down and soak into wood.

 

[Robert101]

I'm of the other school and don't use any grease on my weapons. I use oil typically 30 weight synthetic motor oil for lubrication.

 

[TenDriver]

I hadn't thought of the temperature issue, but the only thing I shoot in cold weather is my XL-7. The action is smooth enough on it as is. Everything else stays in the closet until things get a little more comfortable.

I haven't put an adjustable gas plug in the Garand so I haven't hunted with it yet. That and open sights as opposed to a scope.

 

[aka108]

I use grease on the sliding parts of my M1 Garands. The internals of the the rest of my firearms get an occassional shot of Remoil. Semi auto handguns get a good oiling before going out for a little exercise.

 

[SilentScream]

With grease a little goes a long way, a fairly thin film will do the trick for most of the guns out there.

 

[gfpd707]

With grease a little goes a long way, a fairly thin film will do the trick for most of the guns out there.

I think this is where most people mess up. When I use grease it is used very sparingly.

 

[Cesiumsponge]

+1 for use sparingly. I use it on the cam and lug areas of a Sako TRG bolt. Smooth as butter. Was shooting it all day in freezing temperatures without issue. Shell Aeroshell 33MS is an airframe 5% moly grease with an operational range of –100°F to +250°F though.

 

[Lupinus]

I like a grease film/oil "floater" combo.

I lay down a thin layer of grease, wipe away any excess, and then apply a thin coat of oil on top of that. Again, wiping away the excess. I find this combo gives the best results to sliding parts, more so that just one or the other.

Just enough to get the job done is the trick to a good lube application IMO.

 

[Jenrick]

Living in Texas, it is very rare for it to get cold enough for most kinds of grease to setup thick. Usually it's melting to the point it's oil. I've used grease on my SMLE and my AK. Both run just fine without any problems.

-Jenrick

 

[natman]

Grease might be fine when the temperature is 70 degrees, but it can completely "shut you down" when you're out there all day at 20 in a wind. Often in the northernmost parts of the US, cold grease will solidify enough to turn a rifle into a club. -Especially if it's anywhere around a firing pin, or in a semiauto. I have had this happen to me, and now use grease very sparingly, and only on sliding surfaces, where grease does the most good. I recently stripped and re-lubed an old Winchester '07, and put a VERY THIN layer of grease on the inside walls of the receiver where the inertial counterweight slides back and forth. All the rest was done with oil.

This was true - in 1937. Nowadays there are plenty of oils and greases that are good to -40F and below. If it gets colder than that, I'm going inside.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Nope. Low temperatures not only cause grease to become more solidified, lack of higher temperatures will cause it to build up where it's useless and strip away from where it's needed most. Without temperatures high enough to make it run a bit, it will not go back to where it needs to be.

I use CLP or ATF on everything.

 

[natman]

Nope. Low temperatures not only cause grease to become more solidified, lack of higher temperatures will cause it to build up where it's useless and strip away from where it's needed most. Without temperatures high enough to make it run a bit, it will not go back to where it needs to be.

I use CLP or ATF on everything.

I don't know what to say about this, except that it's hopelessly out-of-date. There may have been some truth to it once upon a time when lubrication choices were limited to axle grease and 3-in-1 oil, but it's the 21st century, they've made some amazing advances in lubrication technology since the 1930s.

There's a grease for just about any temperature range and application:

http://www.skf.com/group/products/lubrication-solutions/lubricants/index.html

http://www.super-lube.com/multipurpose-grease-ezp-82.html

http://www.tribology.com/products.asp?id=2376&c=Greases&s=Low Temp. Greases

 

[MachIVshooter]

I don't know what to say about this, except that it's hopelessly out-of-date. There may have been some truth to it once upon a time when lubrication choices were limited to axle grease and 3-in-1 oil, but it's the 21st century, they've made some amazing advances in lubrication technology since the 1930s.

There's a grease for just about any temperature range and application:

I wrench for a living, and I'm well aware of all the "super lubes". I've tried most, and the "21st century technology" of greases is little more than the addition of teflon, moly or graphite and some chemicals that improve adhesion.

Grease is still grease. It gets displaced, and without an increase in temperature, it stays displaced. If it's thin enough to run back where it needs to be at room temperature, then it's not really grease, but heavy oil. And regardless of advancements, the rules of physics still apply. Lubricants become thicker and thicker as tempertures drop.

 

[stonecutter2]

I use grease across the board in all of my firearms.

For semi auto pistols, I lightly grease (not visible to the naked eye) the rails of my slide and frame. I use Tetra gun grease, but I've heard Walmart white lithium grease is great too. Makes the action very smooth, reduces friction on the internals. My 1911 especially loves a light coat of grease on the slide rails.

For my bolt action rifles, I lightly grease the bolt lugs and where it rides in the chamber.

Also, I do oil before I grease (or at least wipe down with an oily rag). I don't often just grease, except in the case of my Garand innards where appropriate.

Apply grease sparingly, as others have said. Over applying can cause issues and negate what you're trying to achieve.

 

[brnmw]

I use grease for my AK's and Mosins, otherwise Lucas Gun Oil and Pennzoil "Ultra" work really well to.

 

[natman]

I wrench for a living, and I'm well aware of all the "super lubes". I've tried most, and the "21st century technology" of greases is little more than the addition of teflon, moly or graphite and some chemicals that improve adhesion.

Grease is still grease. It gets displaced, and without an increase in temperature, it stays displaced. If it's thin enough to run back where it needs to be at room temperature, then it's not really grease, but heavy oil. And regardless of advancements, the rules of physics still apply. Lubricants become thicker and thicker as tempertures drop.

I've shown you three spec sheets that show otherwise. I've tried SuperLube down to -5F (as cold as I could get my freezer to go) and it still had the same consistency it had at room temp.

Your "it get's pushed out of the way" theory is completely wrong; if you need lube that has to be there no matter what, use grease, not oil. At least the grease won't run down into the stock.

 

[ball3006]

I use...

Militec grease on everything with great results. Oil is used where you can't put grease, such at pins and things......chris3