Wd 40

[inthelineofire]

Does anyone use this as a cleaning agent/lubricant on their firearms?
On "The Box of Truth," the man says he uses it all the time and does not know why people have a hated for it on firearms.

I have never used it on any firearm. I primarily use Hoppe's and anything by Birchwood Casey, Mainly Bore Scrubber, Gun Scrubber, and my personal favorite rust preventative, Barricade.

What does everyone else use?

 

[ambidextrous1]

WD 40 is a 'water displacing' agent, hence the name, "WD 40". In my experience, it also displaces oils (including firearm lubricants), and leaves the surface unprotected. I have had problems with tools rusting after being sprayed with WD 40.

Some say it can penetrate a cartridge and render the primer inert; I have no experience with that.

Like so many other things, WD 40 can be harmful if inappropriately used. I can think of no activity on or around firearms that cannot be performed better with some other liquid. You won't find any WD 40 in my gun room - or anywhere else in my home, garage, car, etc. I live in an arid climate, and have no need to displace water.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Not to discourage a new member at all but if you will do a search you will find more info on this topic than you could imagine. Pro and con.

 

[rcmodel]

WD-40 actually compares very favorably for rust protection.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=...nic__Knowing_the_Limits_of_Rust_Preventatives

I use a lot of it for blasting out crud when working on old firearms because it is cheap, and it works..
It is also pretty benign stuff when it comes to not damaging plastics, stock finish, sight paint, etc.

I do not however, use it for long term protection or storage, or for firearms lubrication.

rc

 

[ColeK]

I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use WD-40 on a firearm.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I've used it to remove moisture after hunting in the rain. I wipe it off and replace with a better gun oil, but it displaces the water nicely.

I've also read about soldiers in the sandbox who use it with good results. Of course, they're using it every day, so it probably works fine flushing away sand and dirt and slicking up the action.

 

[Broken11b]

we used to use it all the time when my company would go out to the range. it works... for the most part, however it has its drawbacks. It is not suitable for long duration firing(hundreds of rounds) it attracts gunk in the chamber, and dust on exposed parts. A thicker, more viscous lubricant works better for rifles, and a lighter oil works better for pistols. but wd40 willl not workfor the longterm, and its not great for storage, once again, it works... but its not the best

 

[Broken11b]

and it does not work in the sandbox, it collects sand and dust. tw25b, miltech, or lsat works best in the sand

 

[pikid89]

ive read something about wd40 containing some sort of carbon or something, and because of that has the ability to gum up fine parts, i had a rem. 788 that the trigger had been locked up because it was stored for years after being put away with wd40 inside of it

 

[rcmodel]

According to the MSDS, WD-40 contains:

NAPHTHA (PETROLEUM), 67%
HYDROTREATED HEAVY MINERAL OIL 21%
CARBON DIOXIDE 3%
NON HAZARDOUS INGREDIENT 10%

I see nothing in it that would make it the evil spawn of the devil it is made out to be on the Internet.

Maybe if you buy it at Wal-Mart ---- Naw!

rc

 

[MMCSRET]

I'm with rc on this. I spent half my life in Uncle Sams Deep Water canoe club. We used a lot of it, it is not the end all but it is good and has at least as many uses as the combined population of the world can think of. I know trout fishermen in Idaho that use it on their bait when trolling in Mackay reservoir.

 

[otblue]

The first rifle I ever bought, a .22 Sportco, was cleaned, perhaps over sprayed with WD 40 for the first 20 of its 40 years, It is pristine externally but recently it would fail to fire many cartridges and the firing pin blow was clearly reduced.
I tried spraying out the bolt with brake cleaner, even tried a stint in the ultrasonic cleaner without much success.
Didn't have the correct tools to disassemble the bolt so took it to a well known gunsmith downunder who took it apart and cleaned the accumulated gummed up WD40 out of the bolt. He told me he keeps busy doing this and WD40 should not be used on firearms. He prefers a Selleys product called RP7, said it never causes the same problems.
Rifle works perfectly now, getting a new stock made so I can give it to a grandchild.

 

[GodGuns&Guitars]

They say you can use it on guitar strings to make you fingers slide really nice and easy, but it will dull the sound your strings put out so I don't even use it on guitars or guns.

 

[Mousegun]

WD40 is a good water displacer and a better cleaning agent on items that don't let it accumulate within.

 

[Drail]

Ask any locksmith about WD 40 and watch the look on their face. WD 40 works great when it is first applied but in time the carriers will evaporate off and leave a sticky gunky residue that will bind small moving parts. Don't take my word for it, spray some into the lock on the front door and see what happens. As far as a rust protectant, it may leave a protective film. So does a can of spray paint.

 

[Water Garden]

NO! In my experience I have found that WD-40 does not react well with even residual amounts of other cleaners or lubes that I was using.

 

[mljdeckard]

Growing up in the desert, I used it a little bit. I say a little bit because I later learned that I should have been cleaning a lot more often than I had been. If I never had any problems, it's probably because I didn't actually use very much.

I'm back to gunscrubber, Hoppe's, breakfree and Mobil 1 5w30 full synthetic.

I know what DOES work, I'm not going to play with what is iffy.

I was advised by guys who were much better skateboarders than I was, that if you use WD-40 on your bearings, you need to remove them and soak them in alcohol from time to time to de-gunk them.

 

[TwistedMinded_Biker]

stay away , i think they said it all

 

[oneounceload]

works just fine - spray it on, wipe it off....don't leave it on, but it works great for cleaning plastic wads from shotgun barrels

 

[fireman 9731]

Cleaning- yes, lubrication- no.

 

[GRIZ22]

WD-40 actually compares very favorably for rust protection.


I agree with rc on this. Yes, it does gum up if you let it accumulate but I don't think it's all that bad.

I worked in Key West in the 80s. There was a marina on Stock Island where my work boat was kept. Next to it there was a guy ran people out to Fort Jefferson in floatplanes. He had 55 gal drums of WD40 he sprayed the plane down with at the end of the day. He said he used it not only to displace water (after a fresh water rinse) but as corrosion protection as the salt water will eat up an airframe in no time. A Cessna floatplane is a lot more expensive than any of the guns we're using.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

WD40 -- the Devil's Plaything

Well, not exactly.

These two I agree with: works just fine - spray it on, wipe it off....Cleaning- yes, lubrication- no.

Take a clean metal cup and spray some WD40 in it. It will run like water. Check it once a week after that. As the solvent evaporates leaving the protectant behind, it gets thicker and gummier, until it is flowing like molasses.

Used within its limitations it's great stuff: both cheap and readily available. Sprayed indiscriminately in a semi-permenantly sealed mechanism -- like the lockworks of most revolvers -- it is a headache. Even if it supposed relieves arthritis.

The best solvent for gummed WD40 is fresh WD40, followed by a purpose-made gun cleaner aerosol.

 

[loadedround]

As a retired chemical enginer I have to say that WD-40 is great water displacing agent and great solvent for sticky or rusted parts and also a great solvent for removing tar and dead bugs from your car's finish. However never, never use as a lubricant. It was never designed to work as a lubricant and will not work as one. Get some Breakfree CLP instead.

 

[Blue Brick]

I been using WD40 as an initial cleaner and as a final wipe down oil and I have never experienced any rust issues as of yet.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Does anyone use this as a cleaning agent/lubricant on their firearms?

I've been using it more years than I can guess. Over 25 years anyhow.

I seldom have less than 3 guns in my shop waiting to be cleaned. Unless I know that I'll be cleaning the gun pretty quick I spray WD40 in the barrel and action. Then when I clean a gun I usually spray the parts and action with WD40 to make them easier to clean.
If I really want to deep clean a action I spray it good with WD40, let it sit a while then spray it out with a air hose.

After removing all the WD40 during cleaning I lube the gun with gun oil or grease.

If I'm concerned with rust I wipe the gun down with Corrosion X.