Lubricants for Semi-Autos

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oldfella

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I need some opinions on what you folks think is the best lubricant for the inners of semiautos - Slide, rails, etc. Couple of years ago I bought a lubricant designed for that purpose. I comes in a small clear needle-nose applicator bottle - seems to be about an ounce of two - can't find the paperwork and the bottles have no lable... this stuff is the best I have tried. Any ideas as to what it may be... what do you use?

Thanks in advance for helping this oldfella.
 
Oil

Howdy oldfella,

Hard to beat plain old LSA weapons oil...available at your friendly neighborhood Army-Navy store...cheap. The last I bought was 2 dollars for a big bottle...but that's been several years. Probably about 4 or 5 bucks now...but it lasts a long time....which is why I haven't bought any lately.
Still on the three bottles that I bought in the early 90s...

Shake well before use.

Luck!

Tuner
 
Jurry's still out, but so far I'm really liking the Dupont Teflon Mult-Use Lubricant About $4 or a 4 oz bottle at Lowe's. Goes on wet and leaves a slick dry film. Guns just wipe clean really nicely without the black gunk formed by powder residue and CLP or other oils or Tetra grease.

Prior to trying this, I've been happy with "Break Free" CLP for many years.

--wally.
 
As an ex-knife collector obsessed with lubes beyond any healthy degree, I've finally settled on FP-10 for pretty much everything. It's what Break-Free wants to be, and it smells good too.

No idea what your mystery lube might be. For those who want to experiment (presumably before deciding on FP-10 after a while), two guidelines: avoid lubes with crap suspended in them, and be sure not to expect your lubes to protect (or your protectants to lube, or your cleaners to protect...) unless they're supposed to.
 
Mobil 1 15w-50 motor oil. Stays put, stays wet, has extremely good EP properties, high detergency to suspend grit and fouling, and costs less than $5 per QUART!!! It also makes a nice powder solvent, removes caked up carbon very well. Try it, you won't go back.

You can pay several hundred dollars per quart for the small tubes and such, or you can use something that works better for $5 per quart. Up to you.
 
I will second the FP-10. I had used Breakfree CLP for years until I tried FP-10. It is very good stuff.

Rinspeed
 
Breakfree LP

I use Breakfree CLP for cleaning it has 10% solvent added. And Breakfree LP for just the Lub. it has no solvent.
 
As an ex-knife collector obsessed with lubes beyond any healthy degree
Click to expand...

What needs to be lubed on a knife? I can understand the need for corrosion protection or cutting oil if your "knife" is doing machine shop work :)

--wally.
 
Thanks for your input, fellas. I found the LSA lubricant on only one website, at $7.95 a quart - I live in a one-cow town. I've been using an array of lubricants, among them BreakFree, Tetra, CorrosionX, etc. The lubricant I mentioned on my opening post is specifically designed for the slide, rails and other parts that move after the bang; it is semi-liquid and stays put... after the guns has been cleaned with the other general purpose cleaners. Some one recommended Mobil 1 for this purpose, others say no... what say you?

The Oldfella
 
Stays Put

oldfella said:

The lubricant I mentioned on my opening post is specifically designed for the slide, rails and other parts that move after the bang; it is semi-liquid and stays put...

Now the bells just went off...Sounds like Slide Glide...Go over on Brian Enos' Maku Mozo forum and ask about it. The racegunners love that stuff and buy it by the bucketful.

Luck!

Tuner
 
These things will run on most anything. I have used the dipstick from my truck ,oil or trannie, to lube one. Any firearm platform for that matter.

I used Olive Oil once to tick someone off ...yeah it ran...pricey...but I had a tacky point to make. :p I ran 100 rds through a Gov't Model with Bertolli (100% Virgin Olive Oil )and his bling bling gun with the fancy smancy oil wouldn't :)

I would buy what is local and handy for you. Seriously.

I refuse to buy some new highly touted products because they did not work, cost to much , had to ordered and I didn't like the marketing. If Mobile 1 is handy, get it. I've used the 10w30 - it was handy.

Hallock suggested CRC and machine oil, okay I use Super Oil by Gunk [tm] for machine oil ...$1.09 at NAPA...it worked fine. I had a can of LSA and left it at the range for all to use. Got tired of raising my hood and pulling dipsticks. :p

See what is local, Wander into the local auto parts store, hardware store...Tri -Flow works. Pick up some Simple Green to clean and rinse with hot water. If you need soak something sometime use mineral spirits. Snag a can of CRC Brakleen, cheaper than Gunscrubber...if you don't use it on the gun...knock the bees out of the air...that is probably why I am of the stuff right now...
 
Breakfree CLP is good stuff. It does everything you need it to do and it does it all very well. It’s also pretty cheap and you can buy it at most gunshops. That’s a bonus. The other products also claim to do everything, but tend to have strengths in one area more than others. For example, FP-10 has it’s strength in the Lube arena. If you are looking for a straight lube, look no further. However if you want to Clean and Protect too… I have found that CorrosionX is very good. It lubes about the same as Breakfree CLP, but does a better job of protecting and about the same on the cleaning… and you don’t get that smell that BF has. CorrosionX does have a smell, but it’s not nearly as bad. Then there is some other stuff I’ve been trying out called “Armorer’s Ultimateâ€. But the guy marketing the stuff hasn’t done his website yet. It’s working pretty good and I’ll do a more detailed review of it when he does his website so I have something to link to where people can get it if they want. It’s like a thin BF CLP that stinks less. The cat making this stuff is up in Alaska and he is making this stuff for those tough conditions up there. If this is the case, then it should be a really good option in the winter time.

I've gpt some Microlon on the way that I'll be testing, I am told it is excellent stuff.

I have a little medicine dropper bottle that I’ve filled with Mobile One synthetic oil. It lubes very well indeed, costs me nothing (on my gun accounts because I just scavanged the remainders from the bottles when I am topping off the oil in my Bronco) and it’s also handy for other things too… hinges around the house… anywhere that I might have used WD-40 or 3-in-1. It’s a handy thing to have around and saves money because I’m not using the more expensive gun oils.

I’ve been thinking about mixing up some “Ed’s Red†and I probably will. Last time I did that, I used it for years… never even used it all either because someone grabbed the bottle out of my garage and used it in their car… with out asking… It was the guy next door when I was living in Orem. Not the cool guy north of me, but the freak dude just south of me… Dumped the stuff into his engine. Without asking me. I don’t think I’d have done that considering I knew what it was. They guy was an arse so I didn’t tell him what it was either. I'm working on a new Ed's Red formula that gives better lubrication and protective quality... I'll post the new formula later...

My Jeep has had some serious corrosion issues under the hood thanks to some ugly battery terminals and neglect. I treated the terminals, with that acid crust all over it, with CorrosionX. I just squirted it on, and then a few seconds later wiped the terminals off with a rag. They looked new again. Seriously. And they still look new weeks later. I also treated the rest of the metal fittings in the Jeep and in the Bronco and I’ve not had any corrosion problems since. That’s pretty good. The Mak I got in, which used to rust whenever it could… I’ve not had any rusting problems since I hit it with CorrosionX. So that, Paul, is what I’m using in my guns, save the Cougar which is my test bed for the Armorer’s Ultimate.

If you want to try the CorrosionX, it’s not bad price wise. Less than 7 bucks for a 4 ounce bottle and a little bit goes a long way. When I run out of this stuff, I’m going to place an order for some more… and I’m going to order a couple of cans of the spray stuff to treat the Bronco completely. I’ll make sure that gets done before winter, even before I run out of the gun stuff, because salty Utah roads are murder on old trucks out here.
 
Not necessarily...
For your field knives you should wipe them down with a lube every so often to protect them from corrosion. I even wipe down my Recon Tanto even though the uncoated blade edge area is so small. That and it makes it look all shiney and evil.
:D
 
George-
Are you using the Red can or Teal can for corrosion? Yes that is good stuff, I have used the Red can on guns and the Teal is a bit heavier duty. Introduced to it in FL many many years ago. Later folks in Houston were using to protect vehicles as well as boats ( like FL) . Here we are fresh water...still a lot of folks use for other things besides marine applications. Academy Sports, Home Depot, Any Marine supply naturally, and many hardware stores.

One of the oldest products that still works best and is available locally is G96. Cleans better than the newer Hoppe's No. 9 and does not freeze, in cold freezing temps, no wear or galling on steel ( like some high price stuff out out now) folks use it on marine applications if the Corrosion X is not handy. The synthetic oil is great as well. G96 is not expensive like a lot of stuff.

RIG+P is still one of the best. Designed to prevent galling , works in temp extremes...a very thin film is all one needs.

STOS is another one, distributed by Ponsess/Warren

I grab what is handy. I do listen to folks like Pat Rodgers, and such, the synthetics do seem to work better. I don't really care for the loudmouthy blowhard marketers. I figure folks that teach folks to stay alive are pretty smart.

TW25B is good...IIRC Guncite recommends it...provides sample to students.

For range...it is one thing. Serious stuff I have my druthers...

I had some chemists educate me on this, then the metallugists and get the two together...sure are some pretty labels that folks pay for. :D

When a PhD in Chemistry and Metallurgy uses something to take classes from folks that teach...educational. $5 to $12 a quart is all he pays for his lube.
 
This thread turned out to be a good source of information on gun lubricants, lots of good suggestion and recommendations. With so many gunners here, surely more will chime in with their experiences on various products. Thanks for taking the time to talk about what I consider a very important part of gun maintenance.

The Oldfella
 
oldfella

From your original post, that sounds like STOS. Distributed by Ponsess / Warren, the folks that make fine reloading eqiupment.

Being in TN, I'd grab what is handy , with the applicator you like. Save some shipping and hassle with CC on the 'Net.

Bottom line...to many marketing claims by folks with "titles". A LOT is the same stuff re-packaged. It is no big deal to research a compeitors product, make similar, just tweak to stay legal. One oil company admits they get more $ for the fancy name and label marked as gun oil than the synthetic oil that goes in an engine. Image, people pay a lot for image and "belonging " to Cliche'.

Like I have said before , it is inspect an maintain. The gun will tell you what it needs and when. One of the fancy smancy lubes changed formulas to get a Mil- Spec rating, smelled nice, didnt' clean, didn't protect and darn sure let the gun start wearing...Funny - the other less expensive never did. Heck RIG+P never did...and it is real inexpensive' not even machine oil or Hoppe's lubricating oil did.

I'm so tacky , I'd like to watch the cult followers fall off the cliff hanging so close to each other...I'd laugh my butt off when the truth came out or the company bellys up.
 
SM, you are talking about CorrosionX? They sent me a big white bottle.
I'm going to order a big red can or two later this year for treating the Bronco...
Then again Microlon is sending me out a big can too.
I'm going to do a head to head test and see which is best - and use that on my trucks.

Then again I just might have something better. I'll let you cats know when I've got it finalized.
 
George

Yes Corrosion X

I don't know , don't mean to sound dumb...be gentle okay? :p "Salt flats" ... do you folks actually have a problem with salts in the air causing corrosion? [ always wanted to ask and felt too stupid to do so until now] The reason I ask...the Teal can is the heavy duty version, some folks use this for undercarrige and such. Here in AR folks use it when ice/snow hits and use to protect vehicles from the salt and sand mix they "sometimes" get around to putting down.

What I going to suggest is to Use the Bronco as a test vechicle. I mean besides the other testing you are doing with the poor thing. Compare G96 , the two Cx products ...

Oh btw...nice bumper sticker :p
 
No the salt stays on the ground unless your racing across it, and then it can get into everything in your rig.
But in the winter time, they salt the roads heavily. HEAVILY.
The salt eats at the cars so bad... it's crazy.
Most of the used cars sold up here come from Southern Utah or California... where there is no such thing as "Winter".
 
I haven't tried a large number of different products, but of the half-dozen I have tried, I like FP-10 CLP the best. TW25B when I'm feeling frisky...
 
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