Proper oiling

[jdm1986]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post. I'm needing some advice; I just recently got my CCW permit and purchased a Taurus model 605 (blued). I've read some posts recently (and prior to my purchase) and seen that in general opinion, a .357mag snubbie isn't the best starter-revolver, however I'm a large frame guy, and I seem to be able to handle it decently.

Anyway, to get to the point, I own a few long guns (12 ga, .22, SKS) and I have always kept them well-oiled, yet fairly dry on the outside. That's how I learned from my "Papaw" when I was young; although I have begun to form somewhat different opinions than him (he was the kind that would just saturate the inside of guns with WD-40 or Remoil), although he was for a few years a competition pistol shooter. I should probably ask him about this, but in his later years (and a lot of pain) I don't really want to bug him too much, and I just want some different opinions plain and simple.

I read in my 605's manual that I should run a lightly oiled cloth over the outside surface of the gun after I'm done cleaning. This can result in a large, obvious shine (which results in the "oil" rainbows after it's dry) or a barely oiled surface, depending on how I interpret "lightly oiled" cloth that particular day. I have heard mixed opinions on whether I should keep it fairly dry, or that the oil won't really do any harm.

I'm sure there will be somewhat varied opinions, but what's the general opinion on a blued gun? Like I said, I have ran oil over my long gun's barrels/etc., but kept them fairly dry. There's some rust on all of them, but only because they're a little older (bought used), and I can deal with it. This 605 is the only gun I have bought new, and I want to keep it shining for years.

Any opinions would be appreciated, and thanks in advance!

Josh

 

[DawgFvr]

Sometimes I just use a silocone impregnated cloth over the outside of my weapons. While in the military, I used a drop of oil and spread it/brushed the surface with an old time, horsehair shaving brush. It leaves a very fine film.

 

[ronto]

DO NOT put oil IN the bore or INSIDE the cylinders. A drop or two inside the trigger and hammer opening and wipe off any excess that seeps out. I just wipe the exterior with a lightly oiled rag. A revolver does not need much oil....Most people over do it.

 

[Milkmaster]

I use a cotton cloth sprayed lightly with RemOil. The same cloth stays in my gun cabinet and is used whenever I handle a shotgun for instance. I just wipe it down before placing it back in the rack. The rag has a kind of dry but soft feel from the oil. It is hard to explain, but I just use the aeresol can to put about a 1/2 second burst into the cloth once in a while. The result is that it is oily enough to wipe off finger prints and sweat from my hands etc and yet not be wet at all. I use it on my blued pistols the same way. Seems to keep the rust off for me.

I might change the rag out once per year or even use it during a full cleaning session on one of the guns and then replace it.

Do what feels the best for you and make sure you enjoy it!

 

[CMcDermott]

The lightly oiled surface is just to help protect against rust forming. Depending on your climate you can skip this entirely in desert regions to re-oiling every day if you're on a coast with salt air; or switch to a wax product that doesn't contain any abrasives (so you don't rub off the blued finish) like old fashioned Johnson's Floor Wax (what I use) or one of the car waxes.

 

[Slamfire]

Iron rusts. Steel is 99 % iron. So steel rusts. Basic science if you have not already figured out that plain steel rusts. All these treatments, bluing, parkerization, they are all trying to form a barrier between Oxygen and iron. Oil will help form a barrier, but it is not a good barrier. It wipes off, or evaporates off. When oil turns gummy, it is no good for a corrosion barrier.

You will find that keeping that pistol in a holster will cause bluing wear and where the holster touches the bluing, you will get rust.

I have a couple of blued pistols stored in holsters, in the safes. I have wiped them down with oil, put them in a quart zip lock bag, and stuck them in the holster. Works for short term storage, about 3 months. Not exactly what you would want for carry though.

While Blued guns are beatiful, they will rust. The next concealed carry pistol you buy, get stainless. Not as sharp looking but a lot harder to rust. And if you scratch stainless, you can buff the scratch out with steel wool. Don't try that on bluing!

 

[jdm1986]

DO NOT put oil IN the bore or INSIDE the cylinders.

Well, I'm guilty of that, definitely. I had been lubing up the entire thing short of disassembly, then, of course, wiping it dry. What's the reason for (not doing) this? I'm not doubting it, I'm just curious.

I appreciate all the advice, I'm going to avoid using so much oil from now on; and probably purchase those Remington pre-oiled patches for convenient wiping-down right after shooting.

 

[Slamfire]

I have heard that warning since time immemorial. I think it is somehow an addendum to a gun culture legacy that shill gun writers created from the 70's and 80's. Gunwriters are a very non technical bunch. But they can at least read, and most of them read Hatcher's Notebook, got real confused about the bit about the tin can ammo, greased bullets and single heat treat blowups. That is a confused story but the Ordnance department would not accept responsibility for rifle blow ups, ran some rigged tests, and blamed the civilian use of grease on bullets instead of the bore obstruction that they created with a tin coating on their bullets.

Shill gun writers somehow spread the blame from greased bullets to greased cases, and I think extrapolated the idiocy to oiled cases.

And of course, we all know that moly coated bullets are dangerous, don’t we? Hatcher's Notebook proves it. Or does it? Or was Hatcher just repeating the official Ordnance Department CYA story? Shill gunwriters are just not technical enough to challenge Hatcher so this myth is still banging about. :banghead: And I think this is part of an echo.

The only possible problem I have had with oil in the chamber is yucky cases. The cases come out wet and dirty. Often have powder particles stuck on them. It takes a while for all the oil to come out, and sometimes oil gets under the extractor star and collects powder residue. That is one sure way to keep the cylinder from closing on a reload. There might be a small chance of oil getting in the primer if the pistol was stored loaded and oily. There is a small chance of oil getting in your eyes. But I use eye protection. Everyone should.

As for oil in the barrel. The stuff shoots out. Now I am not talking dripping wet barrel, just glistening wet. And the first shot always goes low. Which is true on any cleaned barrel, as point of impact changes as the barrel fouls until it hits steady state.

 

[normal]

The reason I was always given by my father (carried a revolver for many years as a duty gun) for not oiling the inside of the cylinder is that when ammunition is exposed to oil for any length of time, such as when loaded for concealed carry, the oil can penetrate the round and get to the powder. This could make the powder not ignite and not fire. I have not seen this happen, but I also don't know anybody that oils the inside of the cylinder.

 

[vicspank]

Hi,I have a Taurus 651 .357 snubby.Too much oil inside is not good.First off,did you ever try to seperate 2 pieces of sheet metal with oil on them,it's next to impossible.It creates a vacume like a tacky glue that doesn't dry.The hand that rotates the cylinder in a revolver is kinda flat at the base.If to much oil gets between the hand and base of the hammer,the same thing will happin,I've done this.It will coz the cylinder to act out of time ending in misfires or the cylinder won't rotate at all.1 drop of rem oil every 6 mnths is enough.I am a NRA Training counselor and Instructor and my guns get shot on a weekly basis.Also,I use hoppes 9 in the chamber and bores.It has a oil petrolium base like kerosene Therefore they need no more oil. I agree with others that keeping the same oil moisened rag every time that it is handled.Put a fresh drop or 2 on the rag every week or so.They will function and last forever.My 1923 S&W M&P was treated like that from my Great uncle down to me.It's still one of the best revolvers I have.
vicspank

 

[James T Thomas]

homemade innovation is good

Vickspank:

I like your idea of keeping a permanent rag for wiping down the firearm.

I have been daubing up any excess oil and then disposing of the rags and patches. But now, I will find a good but used one, perhaps an old terrycloth -facecloth and even store it in the pistol box.

Thanks

 

[jdm1986]

Yeah, I like the idea of the same moistened rag as well ( I forgot who originally mentioned it on this thread ). I use Hoppes No. 9 also so I'm going to keep that in mind, Vic.

 

[vicspank]

Here in Ohio on Lake Erie,The summers are very humid.(like today)I carry my steel snubby's 24/7.I use Galco and De Santis leather holsters.Sweat gets on my carry gun's,mainly because my 230 Lb body is not as trim as it was 30 yrs ago.It's not unusual for me to wipe down my carry gun 2 to 3 times a day.That same rag with rem oil that soaked in it is a life saver.Most folks who buy new guns don't realize that it takes a good 200 to 300 rnds to get the gun broke in and smoothed out properly.Not to mention to depend on their reliability.Oil in the bore will not let the lands and grooves smooth out as fast.Also,the first shot on most all (12) of my pistols from a clean gun will hit POA,every time.The dirty'er the bore and cylinder gets,the higher the velocity gets,to the point where I have to wipe down the cylinder face to keep it from dragging the cylinder.Gun smoke will solidify and stick to any oil present and cause PITA problems.Light primer strikes on revolvers is mainly cozed by oil in the floating fireing pin channel that has turned to grid and crud from burned primer residue sticking to the oil.It will not stick to anything that isn't there.
Just my findings.
Vicspank
NRA Cerified Training Counselor and Instructor,Pistol,Personal Protection,Home firearm Saftey,and Range Saftey Officer

 

[1 LT MPC]

I'll co-sign what Dawg said. A silicone wipe on a blued gun takes away the fingerprints and protects the finish, without leaving a residue to pick up dust and dirt. I use a teeny drop of oil on each side of the hammer and trigger,and that is all I need.

 

[beachbreak]

I know this will sound like heresy, but here goes. I have lived near the ocean for most of my life. The humidity and salt in the air will rust most anything. I have always sprayed my handguns and long guns down with WD-40 after they have been cleaned. I leave the actions open and the guns on newspaper to absorb the excess as it runs off, usually overnight. Then I lightly wipe any excess off with a rag. I have never had any of my guns rust in the slightest. If they are stored for any length of time, periodically I will take them out and run a cloth over them that had a few shots of WD-40 on it. My guns look brand new but have been shot alot. It works for me!