What is wrong with 3 in 1 oil?

Status
Not open for further replies.
O

Owen Sparks

member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
4,523
I remember going in a gunshop when I was a teenager and seeing a display above the gun cleaning supplies with a can of household 3 in 1 oil in front of a sign saying:

DO NOT USE ON GUNS!

Since then I have heard several people say not to use 3 in 1 on guns.

WHY?

Does it contain an acid or something that will harm the blueing or damage wood stocks or is this just a myth?

Just curious, OS
 
i dont know, ive heard of people who have used 3-in-1 for years with no ill effects....

to be honest, people claim "oh, this lube is better than that lube"....from what ive seen, unless you have an incredibly finicky gun...the choice of lube doesnt matter.....

i personally wouldnt use 3-in-1....but thats only because i cant stand the smell of it.
 
My grandfather has been using 3-in-1 oil and wd-40 for 50 years with no ill effects. That tells me that if it works for you use it, and don't let anyone elses opinion change your mind.
 
Probably nothing, however it will leave a sticky residue after a loooong time as in years.

Myself, I use synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, or equivalent.
 
+1 on Mobil 1. It makes my motorcycle transmission shift smoother. On motorcycle forums, oil threads are like caliber threads over here. Dino/synthetic, 9mm/.40S&W/.45ACP. LOL!! Just for a change of pace, maybe we could have a blonde/brunette/redhead thread. LOL!!
 
The worst I can say about it is, it's way too thin.

Put it in an action, set the gun in a gun cabinet, and the 3 in 1 oil will run out and be soaked into the stock wood before the next day.

Thats why so many old Winchesters have oil soaked stocks.

As for getting gummy?
Not hardly.

People used it for 100 years to oil their Singer sewing machines.

If it gummed up?
People would have been running around naked!

Cause the wifes sewing machine gummed up and didn't work, and she couldn't make all their clothes anymore!!

rc
 
As I understand it 3 in 1 was developed for oiling bycicles and has been around well over 100 years. I think that WD-40 owns the brand name now.
 
I don't know about 3 in 1 oil but WD-40 is a definite no. If a rifle has an enclosed trigger like a Model 700 Remington or a Timney over time the WD-40 will leave a hard film of residue on the trigger parts that will impede the trigger and safety movement. I think that was part of the reason some of the Model 700's would fire when the safety was clicked off. Shooter
 
I used it for many years on firearms and never experienced an issue. That was all the oil I had for years. It is a very light machine oil. It soaked stocks because it was a light machine oil.

Then I graduated to "gun oil" made by Outers or someone that seemed to be about the same thing. These days, I usually use something else, but I would not hesitate to use it if I needed to protect a gun.

My personal opinion is that if you label something as "gun oil", you can charge more.
 
Had to look it up, they got a web site natch.
Originally came out in 1894, for bicycles.
Three in one part came from lubrication, rust prevention, and cleaning.
It's probably what is in it as a cleaning agent that gives it such a low viscosity.
Maybe what gives it that funny smell too.
A good general purpose machine oil though.
I don't remember ever not having a can of it around.
 
jcwit said:
Probably nothing, however it will leave a sticky residue after a loooong time as in years.

Myself, I use synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1, or equivalent.
Click to expand...

I use the full-synth stuff, too. Can't beat it for performance and I don't have to pay $200-$500 a gallon for it.
 
WD-40 bought 3-in-1. Anyone is free to look up the MSDS of either product.


Aliphatic hydrocarbons make up 50% of WD-40, petroleum oil 25%, LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon 12-18% and the rest a mystery.

3-in-1 is 97% Severely Hydrotreated Heavy Naphthenic Oil, 2% Naptha, and 3% mystery.

Most precision instrument lubricants for watchmaking or machinist indicators or instruments are nearly 100% mineral oil with some rust inhibitors, or a silicone oil. I've been using Shell Aeroshell Fluid 18. It was about double the price on a gallon of WD-40 but meets MIL-PRF-32033 specification as an aviation lubricant. It'll last me forever.
 
Last edited:
Something else I might add about 3 in 1 oil is, it is terrible as rust protection.

I used it religiously as a kid on the farm to wipe down my Remington 550.
And that gun would rust while you were standing there looking at it.

I also have an old can of 3 in 1 oil in the garage tool cabinet.
And the freaking metal can is getting rusty on top with 3 in 1 oil residue on it!

rc
 
RC, that's funny.

I don't know about you all, but a quart can of Mobil 1 or similar would litterally last me 10 years used on guns (at least) as long as I didn't spill it by accident in the mean time.
 
A full synthetic oil like Mobil or Royal Purple is also great. I've had success using these. I've heard of folks using thick synthetic gear oil as well. Keeping the gun lubricated is more important than debating over which brand of lubricant to use.
 
rcmodel made me laugh with his comment about the rusty metal can because I'm sure there's one just like it in my Dad's garage somewhere.

IMHO there is no better nor more cost effective lube than a home brew formula that an old National Guard armorer told me about 20 years ago.

Two parts ATF
One part Mobil-1 synthetic (I use 5-W30)
One part STP engine treatment

This stuff has the perfect mix of low viscosity penetrating power, heat tolerance and "clinginess", and a gallon costs about $10 to mix. I mixed my second batch (20 years after the first) with power steering fluid instead of ATF because I don't like the red color staining my clothes and so I don't confuse my dropper bottles with the ones holding Ed's Red.
 
I use Kroil (after reading about how good it is on cleaning bores). Never used 3 in 1 but did use WD-40. It gummed up my side by side shotgun's triggers after a couple of years.

With Kroil I store the guns barrel down as I am afraid of it creeping into the wood around the tang or trigger guard area. I also use it very sparingly.
 
Kroil will get gummy too. I made the mistake of trying them on some micrometers and the solvent evaporated after a couple weeks, it really introduced drag on the spindle. Kano Microil is great stuff though for instruments.
 
If it gummed up?
People would have been running around naked!

Cause the wifes sewing machine gummed up and didn't work, and she couldn't make all their clothes anymore!!
Click to expand...

Didn't happen unless there is pictures !! :evil:
 
I like Slip2000 EWL or Froglube


For years when all I had was Glocks I never bought anything better than Remoil
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
What is everyone's favorite gun oil?
2 3 4 5
Replies
100
Views
5K
Deanimator
Deanimator
lsudave
  • Locked
Homemade gun oils?
2
Replies
48
Views
17K
Speedo66
Speedo66
Onmilo
  • Locked
Grease versus oil
Replies
7
Views
942
HoosierQ
HoosierQ
G
  • Locked
Oil(s): What's IN it/them? What's "Acceptable"?
Replies
16
Views
1K
sonier
S
S
  • Locked
Why Zippo Lighter Fluid?
2
Replies
28
Views
4K
BerettaNut92
B
Back
Top