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"She's Bone Dry!"

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hk-texas

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I'm somewhat of a newbie to the modern handgun scene, so please excuse me if these questions are a bit on the basic side ...

I purchased an HK P30L and I've made two trips to the range, about 400 rounds total. After the first trip I carefully cleaned the gun and then a few drops of Hoppe's oil on the slide. On my second trip, I had several times when the shell casing would not fully eject and the slide ended up jammed.

Finally one of the guys working the range came up to me asked to check my gun. He looked at it and exclaimed "No wonder its jamming, she's bone dry!" He took the guy and oiled it up for me quite a bit (to me) and then I didn't have anymore problems.

So, I have two questions for you folks here:

1. How much should I be oiling the gun after cleaning?
2. Should I apply oil prior to going out to the range?
3. Can someone point me to any article or website that runs down the proper care (cleaning, oiling, etc.). I am very careful to clean my gun after each and every time I shoot and I really enjoy doing that, but I might just be doing something wrong.

Thanks all!

BTW, the range bug has hit hard and I already have two more handguns on the way!
 
All of my autos are run on the dry side, some might even say bone dry. I wouldn't like having to worry about how much lube is on the rails, I guess I'm just lucky that my particular pistols don't mind.

Maybe you could try putting some grease on the rails instead of oil. It should stay put a little better.
 
I always suggest extra oil on pistols; this from experience of semi-autos dating back to 1957.....
 
I dunno, I kind of doubt an H&K is going to stop firing because it's not lubed. Sounds more like a dirty chamber on a gun that isn't quite broken in yet. Lubing the slide reduced the total friction enough to keep operating.
 
Mine go swimming in oil after a cleaning.
Every internal parted is wiped with an oil soaked cloth,and any part that is subjected to friction like the slide and barrel and rails are wiped with a thin layer of white grease.
All external exposed metal is wiped with the oiled cloth and then wiped dry.
I do not leave the magazine area wet,its wiped dry also so no oil can reach the ammo.

I wouldn't run a gun so wet if i didn't clean it after every shooting session as that much grease and oil will gunk up faster than if it was run alot dryer.But i do feel it cuts down on wear and also helps with helping it run smoother.
 
Bone dry slide rails will certainly cause this problem. A little oil before shooting is good.

Tetra Gun Grease or a similar product is better. Modern gun grease will last through a prolonged storage period without a fresh application before going to the range. It will still be well lubed after 300 rounds at the range. It stays in place and wipes off easily for cleaning. I have found it is good for multiple range trips before the grease needs to be replaced.
 
I'm cheap I suppose and use just about any lubricant (intended for firearms) that's cheapest, usually Outers gun oil. After a proper cleaning, I'll place a drop on the rail groove and work it in evenly using a q-tip or some such. Besides this, my handguns don't have additional lube. This said, I rarely fire more than a 200-round session before cleaning (though I've never had a malfunction due to insufficient lube).

I don't think it would hurt to bring your choice of lubrication with you to the range if your handgun does seem to be binding. I do recall, however, a range acquaintance that was insistent on the need to slather down his pistols before use. I also recall all the spatter on the lenses of his Peltors at the end of a session. I still don’t know how he can possibly get use to that but he hasn’t changed this practice any in the decade or so I’ve known him.


I do plan on switching to a grease or a dry lube in the future though as I'm not the biggest fan of oil excess ending up where it shouldn't, such as on my clothing.
 
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I have noticed on semi-auto rifles with a detatchable magazine that it's a good thing to keep the feed lips and bottom of the bolt carrier lubed up on extended range sessions. Particularly on AR's, there can be a lot of friction in the described area.
 
I use oil in the finish for rust prevention and cleaning, then grease to keep it lubed. I never know how long it will be between when I clean and when I get to the range, but the grease stays nice and slippery where the oil would dry out and harden on.
 
Modern gun grease will last through a prolonged storage period without a fresh application before going to the range

So will most PTFE (teflon) lubricants. I've used CLP for about 20 years or so. The vehicle (the wet part) that the PTFE is suspended in does evaporate but the PTFE is still on the surface of the metal. I clean my guns and lube them by applying a few drops of CLP and spread it all over the interior of the pistol (slide, frame, recoil spring guide, etc) except the breech with a small brush and reassemble. Just so it shines not that it drips. Yes my metod means lubricant lands where it is not needed but I think this makes it easier to clean as the crud lands on top of lubricant instead of bare metal.

I fired a P90 recently I last shot and cleaned about a year ago. It ran thru about 200 rds without a hiccup.

Your gun doesn't have to be dripping wet. I only use grease on M1s as they were designed to run that way.
 
I gotta admit after a few hours at the range my eye glasses look like i spent the day frying bacon.
 
How about you read the manual? ;)

Mine came with a great section on cleaning. It included how much and where. It was described enough with things like medium lubrication being: getting lube on your finger when you swipe it but not dripping.
 
Tetra

I use PTFE Tetra Lube and Grease with totally acceptable results. I apply the grease (if you want to call it that) to rails, spring guides and reciprocating parts which would sling oil off after a thorough degreasing (I use Prestone Brake Cleaner). The instructions say to buff it in, but I do that and then leave it a little damp with grease rather than totally dry. I suspect it will work either way. The Lube I swab the bore with, then buff with a dry patch, and repeat it a couple of times. Leading/fouling drops to nil, and everything seems to work better accuracy-wise. Try it & see - if it doesn't work for you, try sometng else. It works really well for me... :)
 
Hoppes isn't an oil

...it's a solvent. That's why you usually use it on a patch to clean lead fouling, carbon, copper from barrels. Try some grease. It stays in place, doesn't run and will keep parts from creating friction.


Also, get some oil, another type of lube. Preferably "Rem Oil" . This is used as a corrosion shield to keep moisture off the exposed surfaces of your guns.

Hoppes = for cleaning

Grease = for proper functioning of certain parts like the slide rail

oil = to keep the surfaces free from rust and corrosion
 
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I like to use a very small amount of good quality synthetic grease. Right now i'ts Lucas heavy duty truck grease which has anti sling and cold weather performance properties. I basically rub it into the slide rails, barrell, and locking lugs (mines a rotary barrell Beretta). Never had a hiccup in thousands of rounds and makes cleaning easy. Doesn't seem to load up the extractor channel with carbon/oil sludge like it used to when I ran it wet with oil.
 
I haven't used "oil" on any of my autos in years. I do use a very small amount of graphite grease, and I have been completely happy with that method. I have had my Ruger P90 since at least 1995, and it has never had oil on it and is still perking along quite happily.

Also the remark about Hoppes is dead on and needs to be seconded. It is not a lubricant. Neither is WD40.
 
Texsun said:
Hoppes isn't an oil... it's a solvent.
Click to expand...

When most people talk about Hoppes they are referring to Hoppes #9 solvent. However, Hoppes does make a full line of gun care products to include oil. Which is probably what hk-texas is talking about when he says Hoppes oil.

hk-texas said:
After the first trip I carefully cleaned the gun and then a few drops of Hoppe's oil on the slide.
Click to expand...

At least I hope so, if not... listen to Texsun.:D
 
Since you are in Texas, and it was damned hot this summer, I suggest using the Hoppes Gun Grease rather than the gun oil as it is more viscous and stands up to higher temps. Application points that I have seen used for an USP 9mm: Along the front of the barrel where it is contacted by slide during recoil, the recoil spring, the inside of the slide (left hand side) that is rubbed by the chamber/barrel hood, the inside of the slide top (just in front of the barrel hood) that rubs the barrel hood as the slide moves back on recoil, the hammer, the rails, right hand side of the chamber/barrel hood that contacts the slide during recoil, the underside part of the slide that contacts the hammer during recoil. Some oil in the recoil spring/extractor area. That may seem excessive to some, but less friction is better than more and Hoppes Gun Grease is cheap.

Do not run the HK in 'dry' condition. Cycle the gun empty and dry. Cycle the gun lubed as directed above. LISTEN to the difference. Keep doing that until you can hear the difference.
 
Thanks Mr. Kablammo! Excellent detailed info.

I picked up a tube of hoppes grease and I'll start working it in to all the places you suggested.

To address an earlier post, yes I was using both Hoppes solvent and their lubricating oil.

Again, thanks to everyone who took the time to help out.
 
HK-Texas, since you are showing a motivation to aquire and shoot the modern handgun, check out some the sporting venues for action pistol events. It is a good way to learn to shoot fast and accurately. And even better, how to learn manipulations and thinking while shooting. And meet experienced pistoleros.

www.uspsa.org and www.idpa.com and www.steelchallenge.com
 
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