wd-40 on your guns?

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cajun47

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i "heard" long ago that wd-40 will cause malfunctions in semi auto guns. this was camp fire talk with some duck hunters.

i like the fact wd-40 displaces moisture cause i clean my guns in the bath tub with very hot water. after it dries i would like to spray wd-40 where the firing pin is. plus it smells good imo.

anyone uses this regularly on their rifles, shotguns, pistols?
 
WD-40 is a water displacer, NOT a lubricant. Yes, it works as a lubricant at first, but when it dries, it turns into a gunk that will gum up the works if the tolerances are tight. It would work well for getting water out of the nooks and crannies, but then a solvent (to get the WD-40 out) and a real lube or just a CLP (like Break-Free spray) should probably be used.

When it comes to lubing moving parts (whether a firearm, door hinge, or whatever), I'd recommend a real lubricant like a Teflon spray over WD-40 every time.
 
WD-40 is good for what it does. As you noted, displaces water. It is terrible as a lubricant.
I use it to remove the ATF I use to clean my guns, but after blowing away the WD-40, I use a proper lubricant (CLP and lithium grease).
 
I don't use it regularly, but I have used it on guns that got wet (rainy dove hunts, any duck hunts, etc.) with good results (i.e., they didn't rust).
 
I use my air compressor to blow all the water out of my guns and it dries them out just as good, no need for WD or any unnessary oils in the wrong parts. You can a small cheap air compressor or start out by useing the cans of AIR that you can get in the electronics department.

Troy
 
I only use it to clean the action out after a rainy day range trip. Proper cleaning and oiling takes place immediately when I get home. Its not something I would actually want to have on my guns when I fire them.
 
My FIRST question is why you are washing your weapons in the bathtub, with mildly hot water... sounds like a bad idea!

Note: household water heaters produce water in the 125 to 140 degree range, FAR from "hot"! (hot to human skin is NOT hot to metal...)

I think if I were you, I'd change my cleaning process to eliminate the bathtub and warm water...
 
You heard it from Waterfowl Hunters, I know from experience that certain types of Lubricants gel up in cold weather that Waterfowl Hunting can present. This is true in Deer hunting too. Used to use 3 in 1 on my pump shotgun until I was in some exteemely cold weather and it got all bollaxed up. Took it back to the cabin and as soon as it warmed up it started to function properly. No surprise really. WD 40 is O'k if you never plan on using your gun in cold weather. I mean MN (Minnesota) kind of cold.
 
WD 40 has its place, it is indeed a water displacer. It is not intended as a lubricant or a long term rust preventer. WD 40 evaporates fairly quickly.
I use it for water displacement on a wet gun, temp lub or, in a pinch, cleaning until I can do a proper job with proper products.

There are a lot of better products out there for lubricant and rust prevention. I'll take good old Hoppes oil as one example.
 
If you have Break-Free CLP, just use that instead of the WD40. It also acts as a water displacer, but in the end will also lubricate the metal.

I take down my Walther P22 and G22 and clean them in a sink with hot water, seems the most efficient way to remove the mounds of powder residue that build up with rimfire. After cleaning the individual parts, I put them on the counter and give em a quick spray with CLP, and the few remaining drops of water are instantly displaced. Never had a spec of rust on either of em, granted they're both mostly plastic...
 
Do not use WD40 on any self defense or carry guns. It will penetrate the primers. Your gun will go click or poof making it into a club or paper weight.
This is a true experince.

Semper Fi
 
WD-40 is basically kerosene and perfume. It is an absolutely wonderful solvent/cleaner, but NOT a lubricant. Ues it to clean things, then remove it and lube.
 
I usually have two or three guns waiting to be cleaned.
I always use WD40 for the initial cleaning.
I squirt the action, slide and barrel with WD40 and get back to them later.
Then I either wipe or use a air hose to remove the crud and WD40.
Finish up with Break Free, Corrosion X, and/or gun grease.
 
My WD40 stays in the garage.

Gun chemicals stay in the safe.

Last time WD40 came near one of my guns was when me and my j-frame took an unexpected swim. :uhoh:
 
Just curious, I did a search on 'WD-40' and got over 19 pages of threads containing this text.

Entirely possible that this question has come up a time or twelve...
 
WD-40 turns to a hard varnish when left long-term on metal. Use if if you want but there are dozens of thing out there better for lubrication and water displacement. I stopped using it 30 years ago.
 
I use WD-40 in gun cleaning ==== to get the black off my hands afterwords, after I clean and lube my guns with the good cleaners and lubes LOL :)
 
put it like this i have gave many soliders hell for using wd-40 on there issued weapons. if we draw the weapons out of the arms room and i see a wd-40 bottle anywhere around, well that dosen't happen because they know better now!:)
 
I'd use silicon spray before WD-40 as spraying it will get into all the crevices. WD-40 works good on automotive and other mechanical parts but not close tolerance items. Silicon spray dries totally and leaves a thin layer of silicon that will not gum up.
 
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