Lubrication

[MetalMandsh]

I am in search of suggestions on the "best" slide and general lube for handguns. I was told that Moly oil is a good slide lube....any thoughts? What about dry lube? I will use it mostly on 1911 and other auto pistol slides that get moderate to heavy use.
Your suggestions...?

 

[Chuck Dye]

My gunsmith recommended Rig +P and a syringe from Brownell’s. I have been satisfied with the results.

 

[model 649]

I like Brownell's Action Lube Plus On all the hard contact surfaces of my autos, and CLP for the pivots and springs. SHMOOTH running match after match! Temps matter so make sure your chosen lube is suitable for the environment.
Josh

 

[enfield]

I've been using Mobil 1 for slide lube for years. A quart bottle is enough for several lifetimes.

 

[JoeHatley]

I'm not sure about "best", but I've been using RIG Universal Grease for over 20 years.

Good stuff...

Joe

 

[sm]

For grease

RIG is great , especially for externals and protecting from environment.

RIG+P is great and was designed for the galling of stainless when they first came out, we did not have a problem with blue guns due to blue carbon steel metallurgy.
Eventually the Steel guns metallurgy was figured out ( different alloys for frame slide) and galling is not a problem if metallurgy is correct.

Being a high pressure grease, RIG +P works great on slides, hinge pins on O/U, SxS shotguns and the like.

STOS Dist by Ponsess Warren - is another time proven grease. It really is slicker than owl stuff. Again high pressure areas like the hinge area on shotguns and slides it works real well.

Lubriplate 130 ( I believe that is correct) another time proven

Plastilube as used in the little vial to fit inside Garands , another time proven grease.

Lithium Grease just the plain old time proven grease works as well.

Basically I have stayed with the OLDer stuff. I use RIG , RIG+P and STOS the most, and Lithium because it is cheap and easy to get when I/we get caught out and need something. Singer Sewing machine oil and Lithium has kept a lot of guns running for too many years.

Just like Hoppes gun oil in orange bottle, LSA, and Ballistol has.

Young lady carries a blue bone stock Colt Lt Wt Commander. Hot humid south, and has been raining and supposed to snow. Her gun is lubed with LSA, no grease on rails or internals. RIG on externals and never a problem with rust in the summer or nasty weather, and always runs. She goes/has gone 500+ rds without adding more lube or cleaning.
She goes 300-500 rds b/t cleaning, but she knows that bone stock will run. Loaded with Hydra shocks ( at the moment) - and this gun has fed any hollowpoints from the get -go - I mean bone stock.

 

[El Tejon]

In general, I am a SLIP 2000 man. I like the extreme stuff: http://www.slip2000.com/slip2000-EWL.html Water based, non-toxic, good for my liver. Heaven knows what damage I have done over the years.

Still use Kellube on 1911s, M1s or M14s. http://www.kustom-ballistics.com/products.php

 

[sm]

El Tejon brings up the Toxins. This is the reason after a buddy of mine here on THR reminded me of Ballistol.
Ballistol used to be on the shelves locally, and over time less so , or not at all.

Assisting with kids, concerns in regard to some adults with Cancer, or cancer families is what prompted us to go back. Slip is good stuff.

Just we didn't think of it, and it seems there are some memories attached to Ballistol and the kids think some of this nostalgia and all is neat.


Sperm Whale Oil is what I wish I still had. This stuff is incredible, it was use in "automatic transmissions" back when.

Dexron Auto Trans fluid was designed to duplicate this Sperm Whale Oil. So as long as I can remember - and the best kept secret to keeping a semi auto shotgun running - we used Dexron ATF.

It will have a odor of course, but it works great! Heck the kids took a padlock and left it outside for a long time, lubed with ATF and it always worked.

Grant Cunningham ( THR Member)
http://www.grantcunningham.com/index.html
http://www.grantcunningham.com/lubricants101.html

All You Ever Needed to Know About Lubricants, but were Too Bored to Ask
My simple, down to earth explanation about oils and greases, how they work, and how you should choose the one for your gun.
Don't be fooled by hype!

 

[45auto]

If you are going to use an oil, the FP-10 has worked well for me. Meaning, it stays on the gun anyway. Makes it easier to clean also. Breakfree has worked well too!

 

[MetalMandsh]

Thanks

Thanks for the input . Looks like I've got some shopping to do.
Does anyone have experience- good or bad with Moly?

 

[HSMITH]

FP10 smells good, and works good. I usually choose it when I want oil. Mobil 1 15-50 is just as good, but doesn't smell good.

For grease Rig +P is very good, IN WARM WEATHER. It will get thick and hard in cooler temps.

In cooler weather and on competition guns I use Slide Glide from Brian Enos, it stays put better than anything else I have ever found and is as slick as anything I have ever used. It is available in three 'weights' for gun fit and/or temperature concerns. You can get it at www.brianenos.com , I don't think you can do any better if you want a grease.

 

[mrmeval]

I'm testing a mystery lub for Epson printers, it's some PTFE based grease, code number G-26. It improved the function of my Baretta Neos, it felt 'gritty' when operating the slide and now it is very slick and it's improved the trigger some. I will be able to test it with ammo when the weather clears a bit.

 

[Spartacus451]

They all work, some will work a little better. Proper application and frequency is more important then what lube you choose. Some might let you get away with lubing less frequently.

 

[ronto]

This is really unscientific...but when I first got my semi-auto I had nothing to grease the slide with and I didn't want to drive 30 miles to the gun shop so I looked around the garage and mixed grafite powder and 3-in-1 oil...still works fine for me so I have no reason to try anything else...(I guess you can call it "Redneck" slide grease).

 

[kansas45]

I don't like to use grease on my firearms. I use Mobile 1 5W/30 to lube my guns. It is also a good lubrecant for my fishing reels. I use it for just about anything that needs oil.

 

[51Cards]

I always thought 3-in-1 oil could leave a nasty residue? Something about a vegetable base? Or has that changed?

 

[mrmeval]

3-in-1

It's an 1894 formula for bicycle chains. It does have vegetable based citronella oil as an additive. It's just enough to effect the smell of it really though it would have to be tested to see if it left any residue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3-In-One_Oil

http://www.dek.com/data/3-in-1.pdf

 

[Mac's]

When re-assembling newly re-finished firearms, I use a mixture of Dri-Slide Molly lube and a quality general purpose gun lube. (9 parts Dri-Slide to 1 part oil) I lube them pretty heavily for the first time. On my personal firearms, after the initial break-in period with the above described mixture, I use Militec-1 grease for the slide rails and Militec-1 oil for everything else. For the Militec product, I heat the parts (Hairdryer, etc), apply it, heat it some more and then wipe off the excess. That stuff works really well and lasts a long time, even after cleanings. I have heard reports that Militec is the most desired weapons lube for our troops in Iraq because it ends up dry and does not attract crud. (No, I do not own stock in Militec-1..!) Keep yer powder dry, Mac.
Tuff-Gun Finishes. The Name Says It All
http://www.shootiniron.com

 

[51Cards]

Any thoughts on TW-25B? I've used it a bit, but my internal jury is still out ...

Also, my old mountain bike circle disliked 3-in-1. Said when it dried/evaporated, it left a resin.

Now, I'm thinking that maybe some of my chain dry-lube might work. Gotta dig it out. Pedro's Extra Dry, I think.

 

[romulus]

A former lubaholic here will gladly recommend Ballistol

Break Free and FP-10 are shiznit stuff...nonetheless, Ballistol does it all. For the folks that have had an indigestion of gun oil "upper room" chemistry

 

[mrmeval]

Can someone do the equal of the boxOtruth

for lubricants?

I would but someone retired, with lots of time and who has a background in such testing would be perfect.

 

[51Cards]

Old lube advice

Just started reading Dunlap's "Gunsmithing." While the original text was written some time ago, two things struck me: 1) he specifically detests the use of motor oil; and 2) he is very leary of 3-in-1.

Of course, Mobil-One wasn't around then, and the gum content of 3-in-1 is probably a tad lower now.

Another thing that strikes me --- I've had a M1 carbine for some time. I figure there was a reason why there was an oiler built into that sling toggle. Maybe oil doesn't "stick" like we'd like, but you can keep puttin' it on.

Kinda like those old-timey engine-room guys, with the 16"-long oiler cans ...

 

[jon_in_wv]

I have used CLP since I was in the Marine Corps in the early 90's. Today I used Mobile 1 to clean and lube my Keltec P-11 and I'll have to say it was really, really slick. The action seemed much smoother and the trigger pull felt better. Not to mention a quart of Mobile one is a LOT cheaper than just about any other lube your gonna find. I'll have to seem how it holds up to some shooting and the follow up cleaning.

 

[thales]

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For general use I like BreakFree CLP; applies and penetrates well and is very slick for parts that are not under a great deal of pressure. Its film strength is limited, I think.

For rougher surfaces and higher pressure applications, I like CRC Engine Assembly Lube, available at your friendly neighborhood auto parts store. It is used, obviously enough, when assembling engines to prevent galling on early start-up before the engine oiling system takes effect. It contains graphite and molybedenum disulfide in a light grease. It is cheap and slippery, has a very high film strength. Try it.

I got some Slide Glide and use it on pistol slides (what it's designed for). It is very slick and sticky. If you have parts that like to sling oil and grease off, this may be the one.

Cleaning and rust prevention (preservation) are different jobs that require different properties. It is hard to find a single compound that does both of those well at the same time as providing good lubrication. CLP is about the best that i have found so far, but I'm still looking. Ed's Red is not quite as good but it is waaaay cheaper.


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[oldCop]

My department has used breakfree CLP for a number of years on it's several thousands of firearms with excellent results. Les Baer and I use it on our 1911's, also..