What gun grease do you prefer for the rails on your Sig Sauer pistols?

[Zaydok Allen]

I've only ever used Hoppe's oil to lubricate my autoloader's frame rails. It's always worked fine, and I clean and lube my guns every time I shoot them. However, I know Sig recommends grease for their gun lubing. Since I don't want to ruin my Sig, or any future ones I'd like to own I'm just curious what brand of gun grease you all prefer on your Sigs.

Thanks

 

[ATLDave]

I know your question is about Sigs specifically, but I use white lithium grease on a lot of different guns for sliding parts. I don't clean and lube my guns every time I shoot them, so lube that won't quickly blast or evaporate away is desirable to me. So, on sliding interfaces (slides/rails, barrel hood/slide muzzle lockups, camming surfaces, etc.) I use grease, and that doesn't vary by gun brand. More intricate/rotating lockwork (hammer and sear assemblies, revolver guts, trigger pins/pivots) get a little oil.

 

[pblanc]

SIG used to send little packets of TW25B synthetic grease with their new pistols. Now they send Lucas gun grease. I have used both as well as Lubriplate and Wilson Combat Ultima Lube grease. They all seem to work well enough.

A lot of people praise highly Brian Enos' Slide Glide but I have never used it.

 

[Mizar]

I've been using Slide-Glide Lite for the last 7-8-10 (don't remember) years and it works well, even on cold winters. It's a good grease, but so are many other brands. Just pick a high-load bearing grease (for peace of mind), lighter one, like NLGI 0 viscosity and re-apply on the same intervals as you do with oils (for peace of mind). And do stay away from Moly greases - they stain clothes like no other.

 

[Telekinesis]

I use high temp lithium grease. Just go to autozone or Walmart and spend $5-10 on a tub of it - it will last you YEARS of regular shooting. If you want to get fancy with application methods, buy an irrigation syringe and load it up with the grease.

Also, I'm a big fan of grease, but you won't ruin your Sig by using oil.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I use high temp lithium grease. Just go to autozone or Walmart and spend $5-10 on a tub of it - it will last you YEARS of regular shooting. If you want to get fancy with application methods, buy an irrigation syringe and load it up with the grease.

Also, I'm a big fan of grease, but you won't ruin your Sig by using oil.

That's good to know. I read a thread on a different forum where it was implied that oil lubrication on sigs would not protect the rails adequately and would lead to excessive wear. I do not remember where I read it though. If it's a myth, it's good to know.

I typically use cotton swabs for cleaning and oiling.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

When in doubt, buy a Lucas brand.

Having said that, I don't think grease technology has vastly improved in the last 100 years so I buy what's cheap and what comes in a convenient and nonmessy container.

Edit: as far as oil vs grease, almost all modern autoloaders operate with metal on metal. Even polymer framed pistols have metal inserts for slide on frame action (only pistol I can think of with polymer rails is Ruger P95). As long as there is some type of lube, they'll be fine. Grease generally just sticks longer. There is nothing about a SIG design that makes it need grease more than say a 1911 or CZ75 or anything else.

 

[Old Dog]

My kit includes Slip-2000, TW-25B and Lucas Extreme Duty gun grease ... Probably been using the Lucas grease the most lately. It's impossible for me to detect whether any of these products is marginally more effective than the others; they all seem to work. For the past few years, since I've been more attentive to taking care of the rails on my SIGs (back in the day I typically used only Breakfree CLP, maybe a little RemOil, on handguns) I'd say the grease does minimize rail wear compared to CLP or oils.

 

[JTQ]

Some data points...

Grayguns and grease https://grayguns.com/lubrication-of-sig-sauer-pistol-rails/

SIG-Sauer Academy with oil



The late Todd Green, who used to work and shoot for SIG ...

I realize I may be an outlier, but my experience as I've related before based on high count count, infrequent cleaning:

Oil keeps my guns running fine.
Grease may keep the rails looking nicer if used/replaced often but if I just want to go 2-4k rounds I end up with a paste full of debris that accelerates finish wear and compromises smooth function.

I tend to oil my guns heavily and then let the excess just flow off over the course of shooting at the range. In fact, more often than not I'm lubing the gun on the range for exactly that reason. But then the gun will easily go 2k+ rounds without getting any lubrication again. It's worked for me for a long, long time.

 

[doubleh]

All my semi-autos are probably going to die a premature death as I don't use gun specific lubricants. I use Mobil 1 for oil and Valvoline synthetic wheel bearing grease for slide grease. If one of my guns spends an extended length of time being lazy in the safe those slide rails are still lubricated. I don't own anything made by Sig but if I did that's what I would use. If it's good enough for my Gold Cup it's good enough for a Sig.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Actually, come to think of it, I had a buddy who bought a "LNIB" SIG from a LGS. Cosmetically the gun was flawless. Once he took it to the range, however, the gun would just not run and would get sluggish (it was winter). He pulled it apart and there was grease stuck everywhere... firing pin channel, mainspring and housing, trigger mechanism.

So grease can be a good thing, but can also cake up where you don't want it if you smear it on...

 

[JTQ]

Actually, come to think of it, I had a buddy who bought a "LNIB" SIG from a LGS. Cosmetically the gun was flawless. Once he took it to the range, however, the gun would just not run and would get sluggish (it was winter). He pulled it apart and there was grease stuck everywhere... firing pin channel, mainspring and housing, trigger mechanism.

So grease can be a good thing, but can also cake up where you don't want it if you smear it on...

Another data point, this one from Wilson Combat regarding their Ultima Lube II grease. Their grease is a pourable product and they give the following recommendation...

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/Ultima-Lube-II-Grease-4-oz-Bottle/productinfo/579-4/

• Recommended for Full and Semi-Auto Rifles and Carbines, Optimal in AR Style Rifles at Temperatures Above 50° F

and the first :10 seconds of their video on the subject...

 

[Stumper]

Super Lube Synthetic grease. I use it on all auto pistol frames/slides. It is clear, non-staining,temperature stable from very cold to very hot, non toxic......and slippery. There are loots of gun specific products that work well(and while expensive per ounce they are still cheap to use). I use a combo of hardware store lubricants: Super Lube (grease) and TriFlow(oil/clp) because they work so well.

 

[Jack B.]

I don't use grease on anything gun related . Oil only and very little of that. Some manufacturers tell you not to use grease on their guns. THR is the first and only place I've ever heard of using grease on a firearm.

 

[DeepSouth]

I’ve been using the Wilson Combat grease for a while and have no complaints, but when I run out I’m going to try Lucas mainly because it is more available locally.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I use just a little Mobile One synthetic grease on my sigs slide rails.

Works good so far, but you have to watch the red color staining stuff.

Mobile One is the recommended grease for my M1 Garand, so I thought I would just use it on my Sig as well.

 

[Fiv3r]

I use teflon grease. Just a little dab and I'm good.

 

[Dudedog]

I like this, reasonably priced $1/oz in the 15oz size.
A tub lasts a long time.
I just fill a empty syringe (-needle) and use it to put the grease where it needs to go.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/190130/lubriplate-sfl-0-gun-grease-15-oz-tub

You can also get the Lubriplate grease in SLF-1 a hair thicker.
(both are thin greases however)

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

That's good to know. I read a thread on a different forum where it was implied that oil lubrication on sigs would not protect the rails adequately and would lead to excessive wear. I do not remember where I read it though. If it's a myth, it's good to know.

I typically use cotton swabs for cleaning and oiling.

I use Hoppes oil on these, haven't worn the black anodizing off any of the rails, so seems to be working well:

 

[beagler]

SIG used to send little packets of TW25B synthetic grease with their new pistols. Now they send Lucas gun grease. I have used both as well as Lubriplate and Wilson Combat Ultima Lube grease. They all seem to work well enough.

A lot of people praise highly Brian Enos' Slide Glide but I have never used it.

Slide Glide is good stuff.

 

[AZAndy]

I use 0W-30 synthetic on everything, including my car. For cleaning and surface protection, CLP. No problems yet.

 

[JR24]

Dont use grease myself. FP10 works on all my rails.

 

[sigarms228]

Slip 2000 EWL 30.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Thanks for all the responses all.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I read a thread on a different forum where it was implied that oil lubrication on sigs would not protect the rails adequately and would lead to excessive wear. I do not remember where I read it though. If it's a myth, it's good to know

It isn't a myth...at least based on the observations of the leading SIG pistolsmith in the country; possibly the world.

Grayguns sees a lot of SIGs going through their shop every year. Many at used for competition, some by LE, many used for defensive purposes, and a large number from sport shooters. I spent a lot of time with Bruce when we taught together and he shared why he believes in using grease rather then oil in lubing SIG pistols.

The biggest thing was was that grease stays in place while oil will easily flow away when the gun is used in training. Another quality of grease that oil lacks is the ability to cushion surfaces when they impact each other...there is a lot of twisting between frames and slides during firing

He has seen the use of oil on rails shorten the life of frames by tens of thousands of rounds, because they allow wear through the hard anodizing on the aluminum frame rails.

Obviously is you don't shoot much or don't spend a lot of time in serious practice, you'll see a lot less wear. The only time he doesn't insist on using grease on rails is on a duty weapon which will be exposed to the elements. He does advise that those pistols have grease applied to the rails before being used in training.

For serious training, he recommends floating oil on top of the grease for additional protection

The old standby has always been Lubriplate. He tells me that he has been very impressed by how well Lucas products seem to be working lately