Is 3 in oil any good for firearms?

[powerhouse]

"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"

Regardless of the price mobile1 synthetic works better than any gun oil I've used.

 

[Stophel]

3 in 1 has worked fine for me, though I would NOT want to use it for long term storage. I think it tends to gum up over time. I have "fixed" some old shotguns that were absolutely rigid only because the oil had gummed up (and I like to have never gotten the guns apart!!!). I do not know what kind of oil was used, however. Yes, actual "gun oil" is better, but 3in1 will work OK.

WD40 is death to steel. It is WAAAAAY too thin. It simply runs off the metal, leaving it bare, and it takes any good oil that was on before along with it. I used to work for a company that sold industrial sewing machines. We had several machines set up for display/experimentation in the other warehouse. They were fine as they were, but we were told to go over and spray them down with WD40 to "keep them from rusting". I knew what would happen, but I did it anyway. Within a few days, rust city.

Actually, I often use motor oil!!! Seems to work quite well.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I use WD40 as a cheap cleaner, not as a lube. And if you think 3-in-1 gums up over time, spray some WD40 in a cup and put some real gun oil in another cup, and let them sit, checking them maybe once a week. As the solvent in WD40 evaporates, the water displacement wax gets gummier and gummier. A decent gun oil stays fluid.

WD40 and 3-in-1 are good for certain applications, or they would not still be around, but they are just not substitutes for a dedicated gun oil.

ADDED: Gun oil is formulated NOT to oxidize and form a varnish over time. My first and I hope my last experience disassembling and reassembliing the lockwork of a S&W, was when I encountered a Chief's Special that had belonged to a retired relative: the gun would not fire and the oil inside the lockwork was a brown, hard varnish. The original owner was deceased and the gun had not been fired after retirement--may be ten years. It is worth it to spend a little extra for the good stuff, especially for long term storage.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Ah! The old "WD-40 causes rust" myth again. I guess people will believe whatever they want.

 

[Drail]

Dexron automatic transmission fluid. Don't laugh until you try it. Also one of the best lock lubes around.

 

[Stophel]

WD40 doesn't cause rust. It allows rust to happen.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

WD-40 is actually a very good rust preventative. <http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=10700/guntechdetail/Gun_Cleaning_Clinic__Knowing_the_Limits_of_Rust_Preventatives>

 

[Cranky CJ]

Don't laugh. I have used synthetic motor oil as a lube. M1 5w-30. Worked well I thought.

 

[Stophel]

I think so too. It lubes well, stays put, and prevents rust. I don't THINK that gumming over time is a problem. What more could you want?

 

[Horsesense]

If your talking rust prevention, you should try car wax. I have guns that I waxed years ago and done nothing else to, they are perfect. I'm talking strip the thing down and wax everything that is steel (except firing pins etc. where tolerances and buildup could be an issue) inside the mags, springs, external etc.

 

[PMJR]

I use remington oil, however, when my ppk/s came back from recall work done on it I could have sworn it had the ditinct smell of 3 in 1 oil. I'm sure it wasn't but it sure had the smell of it.

 

[Stophel]

My "beater rifle" has all the exposed metal parts varnished. THAT keeps it from rusting!