Grease or oil?

[emilianoksa]

What´s the best lubricant to use on your semi-autos?

I´ve just watched two videos on youtube. One comes down heavily on the use of grease, and the other prefers oil.

What do you blokes think?

My own gun is a Glock.

Is that relevant, or are all autoloaders the same?

And, while on the subject, what do you use on bolt action rifles?

I love the smell of oil and the easy way you apply it, but I don´t like the way it migrates all over the place, attracting dirt, and then evaporates, leaving the dirt behind.

It seems to me that the trick with grease is to use it sparingly, and clean it off and replace it regularly.

 

[s4s4u]

It's always been oil, sparingly, for me. I am playing around with a product called dri-lube. It doesn't attract dust. I've used it on power tools forever and thought WTH, if good for my table saw why not my 1911. Jury is out for now but so far so good.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

A Glock really does not need grease, IMO. I do prefer weapons grease on designs that have full contact between the frame and slide rails. The grease has an additional benefit of not running down and off, particularly if the gun has to be left in a hot car or something. You don't have to gob it on as if you were lubing your car's chassis, but take a small dab and rub it in with your finger.

 

[johnle]

if you have a glock, all you need is 5 drops of high quality oil.

i like FP-10, a lot of people swear by Militec-1 though.

 

[CWL]

No such thing as "Best"

Depends on the gun and where you live.

 

[brhodes]

I bought 5 gallons of LSA a bunch of years back and tend to use it on everything. Stuff is like ketchup...

Anyway, get a shaving brush wet with the stuff, brush it all over the gun. Wipe/scrape everything off, then reapply lightly. Put the gun together and then wipe the outside. Takes about 2 minutes to get a 1911 nice and cleanly lubed.

 

[loop]

If I shoot and clean it a lot I use grease. It gets on my hands, my cleaning cloths and all over my guns. Those guns need no more cleaning or lubrication.

On guns that go a long time between cleaning I use oils. It spreads more easily. It protects against airborne dust and particulates.

I live in a hot climate. It rarely hits freezing and tops 110 degrees frequently.

Humidity of 30 percent is very high and unusual.

Other climates require different rust prevention and lubrication.

 

[onebigelf]

My choice depends on the gun. My pistols and the AR get oil only. The Fn-FAL and the CETME both run better with grease in certain locations, ie bolt, inner receiver, CETME rollers, and oil in the rest. The SKS and AK don't seem to care one way or the other. The bolt guns get oil as does the shotgun.

John

 

[usp9]

Grease or oil?

Both!
Grease on the rails.
Oil on all other lube points.

 

[powermad]

Moly lube on the sliding parts.
Wipe clean with alcohol. Lay down the moly and work back and forth a few dozen times. Wipe off excess lube and yer done.

A few drops of oil on other parts.

 

[moooose102]

both. i use grapite grease where the slide pushes the hammer back (lots of medium pressure sliding there), and where the slide rubs on the barrel. and oil (sparingly) everywhere else.

 

[moooose102]

hint, use a q-tip to apply lubricant (where you can). that way, you will end up with a nice light coating. that will help eliminate oil migrating, and overapplication of grease that can fly off when fireing.

 

[gwnorth]

On working parts, high friction areas, I use militec oil. On the exterior slide and frame, I spray and wipe down with ballistol.

 

[45auto]

A 1911 doesn't need grease either.

Oil is all you need.

 

[NonConformist]

I dont use grease on guns, it turns to sludge and just gums things up.

I use CLP

 

[TDR911]

Oil is best in my opinion. Mill tec

 

[graygun]

I recently got a 9mm auto (Ruger SR9) and am usng Hoppes solvent and oil on it. I sparingly apply oil to whatever I think needs it. Oil and grease both have there plusses and minuses and there are many lube products to choose from.

The weapon,climate,usage of the firearm are a few of the factors to consider in choosing what to use or how to use it.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Hgh quality oil on the moving parts and a low viscus grease that will not melt on the sliderails...

I have started using Mobil 1 for oil and I have a can of Military Artilary grease that I use on the slide rails

 

[Black Majik]

I use grease on anything that slides. All other small moving parts gets oil.

 

[weisse52]

Both!
Grease on the rails.
Oil on all other lube poits.

+1 on that

 

[possum]

i use grease, i like the wilson combat grease as it is in an applicator and easy to use. but regular ole high temp lithium wheel bearing grease will do the trick. it is $2.50 at napa for a lb, and it will last a long, long, long time.

 

[John Wayne]

Synthetic 5W30 motor oil as a lubricant. Hoppes no. 9 and generic automotive brake cleaner for cleaning.

Think about it: A semiautomatic pistol has parts moving under high pressure and close tolerances, with heat involved just like a piston in an engine. Most gun oils are thin and runny and don't work as well at reducing wear on contact points. I would venture a guess that more research goes into automotive lubricants than firearm lubricants as well.

Brake cleaner is designed to clean out oil, grease, carbon deposits, dirt, etc. and evaporate without leaving residue.

A giant can of brake cleaner cost me $3, and a quart of oil $7. Both of those are more than sufficient to last me over a year with frequent use on all of my guns. That's compared to a relatively small $10 can of action-cleaning solvent and a little $5 bottle of oil.

 

[j1979]

TW25B on the rails. Weaponshield on everything else

 

[possum]

I dont use grease on guns, it turns to sludge and just gums things up.

I use CLP

you must be using to much grease then , oil migrates, and goes every where you don't want it to go, grease stays where it is put.

i run my guns pretty hard and all i use is grease i have never had an issue with the gun getting "gummed up" 4 days at tactical response that is the way i lubed my gun, many 800+ rds in a range session on different platforms, glocks, sa xd's, 1911's with grease and no issues. if you run guns hard enough long enough you will see what i mean about oil and grease. i also run grease on my ar's and m4 at work, it runs and runs.

 

[surfinguru]

I created a poll over on MP-Pistols asking the same thing. Here's how it's broken down so far:

57 - votes

13 - grease
44 - oil