what lubes do you use, and on what guns.

[LUPUS]

I use Wilson Ultima Lube grease on the rails and Mobil 1 in all internals at the range.
I use the Würth's Dry Lube when carrying.

 

[goon]

Motor oil on anything.
Usually 10W40 because that's what I have a few drops of left.

 

[JohnBT]

Re: Remoil

"there is very little "lube" left behind other than the residual mineral oil and a trace particulate film of "Teflon". "

Thanks, that explains why it doesn't gum up the trigger groups on my Remington shotguns. The book for the 870 says to spray the trigger group, let it soak, and then shake it off.

I never could figure out why it didn't attract a bunch of trash and gum up.

John

 

[Eyesac]

I grease (any old bearing grease) on my carry gun, only on the slide and internals. I've found that spray lubes pic up too much stuff...

Everything else gets spray lube or motor oil.

 

[Marshall]

Hoppes #9

Outers Tri-Lube with Teflon

Rem Oil

Tetra Gun Grease

Sometimes, Abu Garcia Reel oil.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Umm motor oil that is xWz isn't really that great of an oil for guns considering all the crap they put in it especially suited for engine seals and the fact that temperature variance can be very large. Not at all like the operating window of a firearm.

If you really wanted to use motor oil, get a straight racing oil with one viscosity.

 

[GRB]

Breakfree

 

[cedjunior]

Mobil Synthetic grease for slide rails, guide rods, locking lugs.
FP-10 for everything thing else

 

[MCgunner]

I pack the barrel with axle grease to keep it from rusting. I change the oil and filter every 4,000 rounds with Amsoil Synthetic....

 

[Mad Magyar]

I use Wilson Ultima Lube grease on the rails

Have you been using this stuff for a time? I have a reason for asking...

 

[zulu6]

Mobil 1 30 weight works exceedingly well.

 

[Gun Slinger]

FlyPenFly,

You pose some curious technical oddities in your post above. Perhaps you can explain further?

Originally posted by FlyPenFly:
Umm motor oil that is xWz isn't really that great of an oil for guns considering all the crap they put in it especially suited for engine seals...

What exactly is "all the crap" that you are referring to? Is there a particular compound that we should be avoiding? Are some oil companies putting compounds in their motor oil formulations that could harm our engines that we are unaware of or are you speaking from a contrary point of view just for the sake of doing so?

Originally posted by FlyPenFly:
....and the fact that temperature variance can be very large. Not at all like the operating window of a firearm.

Since modern internal combustion engines are cooled by radiators that use an antifreeze/coolant fluid in order to maintain the engine temperature within a specific, not to mention narrowly regulated temperature range, what "very large temperature variances" are you referring to exactly?
I am also unaware of any system that would act to moderate the temperature of a firearm in such a way as to create an "operating window" other than ambient air cooling, or in the case of certain machine guns, water cooled barrel enclosures. Please clarify the "operating window" characteristic or design feature specified above in your comments.

Originally posted by FlyPenFly:
If you really wanted to use motor oil, get a straight racing oil with one viscosity.

What benefit would this offer?
I would think that the polymeric viscosity modifiers of a multi-grade oil would offer considerably more utility and flexibility over the wide temperature range that many firearms are subjected to over that of a single grade racing motor oil.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Poor choice of words, I meant "crap" as in crap for guns but great for engines. Additives that condition and swell engine seals can gunk up in a gun.

Modern engine oil is designed to offer lubrication form a very wide variance of temperatures from below zero to temperatures far exceeding the temperature of your regular handgun or rifle. If you had a fully automatic weapon that was being belt fed, your barrel may see those temperatures but that would be irrelevant since the barrel doesn't really lubrication except for rust prevention the rest of your gun will not come close to the temperature of a fully warmed up engine. Especially not a range queen being shot 1 bullet per 3-5 seconds.

A single grade racing motor oil doesn't contain all the non lubricating additives needed for a multigrade oil so it will provide more lubrication. They also do not contain as many engine conditioning additives as found in conventional synthetic oil.

Check bobistheoilguy for more information but I think using a highly developed motor oil formula for an application that is distinctly different in requirements and temperature variation is not a good idea in general when there exists current products that are superior and intended for the purpose.

In a pinch or SHTF situation, I would use motor oil if I had nothing else left but I would even use Remington oil before I would use motor oil and I really don't like remington oil.

 

[LUPUS]

Have you been using this stuff for a time? I have a reason for asking...

I guess your question.

One of the downsides of the Wilson Ultima Lube and similar stuff is getting stiffer in the cold weather. That is the reason why I only use it at the range. I also do not use it on internals, since I do not want to leave remnants over them.
I especially like its' anodising protecting properties on the rails of the alloy framed pistols which it is really good at. When it is not cold, it really works well on the rails as a lube.

Regards.

 

[Gun Slinger]

FlyPenFly,

A single grade racing motor oil doesn't contain all the non lubricating additives needed for a multigrade oil so it will provide more lubrication. They also do not contain as many engine conditioning additives as found in conventional synthetic oil.

Guess that we will have to agree to disagree.

Fully synthetic (PAO base stock) oils do not have much in the way of 'non-lubricating' additives viscosity modifiers (for low and high temperature extremes) as regular automotive "Dino" does because they do not require such modifiers and they (especially the Mobil 1 motorcycle oils) have an abundance of ZDDP and Molybdenum (EP/AW additives) within their formulas.

 

[Halo]

I'm going to continue using synthetic motor oil without worry, but I'll be sure to let everyone know if it causes me to blow any crank bearings on my G17

 

[lvcat2004]

I have to agree with gunslinger. Additive pack is minimal in fully synthetic Group IV/V, even in Group III. I doubt that given gentle heat cycling of guns, it's gonna gunk it up.

I'm not sure what to make out of temperature range....I don't necessarily agree with racing oil with one viscosity range being better since temperature DOES vary on a firearm. I don't think anyone is fully aware of "ideal" viscosity range for lubricating firearms since many lubricants made for guns out there have varying viscosity, all the way from watery to thick grease...I'm sure that a firearm can handle whatever motor oil fine.

I frequent BITOG, but I doubt that I'd find anything about motoroil and firearms.

I believe that largest range viscosity in synthetics is Group IV/V Eneos 0w-50, it's interesting stuff. I'm sure that it can handle ANY temperature change that may come across a firearm. I personally won't put that in my car because my engine doesn't run that hot, but I'm sure that any 0-30, 5-30, 2-50, whatever, can be used on a firearm.

Gunslinger, if you are using 20w-50, why not use 0w-50 like Eneos? My opinion is that lower viscosity at lower temperature is ALWAYS better since good majority of engine wear occurs at cold temperature start-up where oil has not achieved operating temperature viscosity. Perhaps there is something special about motorcycle engines??

 

[capnswole]

what lubes do you use

astroglide always has been my lube of choice

 

[Gun Slinger]

"Gunslinger, if you are using 20w-50, why not use 0w-50 like Eneos? My opinion is that lower viscosity at lower temperature is ALWAYS better since good majority of engine wear occurs at cold temperature start-up where oil has not achieved operating temperature viscosity. Perhaps there is something special about motorcycle engines??"

lvcat2004,

To answer your question, I have never heard of Eneos 0w50 until you mentioned it. I'll have to take a look at it and see what it has to offer.

I agree.
Your opinion about having lower viscosity at lower temperatures is absolutely correct since the lower the kinematic viscosity is at lower temps the better it will be circulated prior to warm up and engine wear is avoided. This is also why they tend to have a great deal of AW/EP additives which contribute to lubricity, ZDDP (Zinc DiAlkyl Dithio Phosphate) and molybdenum based compounds being the most common. VOA's of both M1 20w50 and 10w40 will confirm this.

They also need to have very high temperature degradation resistance since they also perform as the 'coolant' in the air cooled engines most commonly found on bikes (yes, I know that there are bikes with engines of larger displacement that are liquid cooled) and rely heavily upon VI's as well as its base stock chemistry to achieve this ressitance to thermal breakdown and loss of viscosity. As the temperature extremes in air cooled motorcycle engines can become quite severe during prolonged/extended idling sessions in hot weather or under heavy loading/high revs operation, I figure that any PAO based motorcycle oil can most likely handle just about anything that a handgun or hunting rifle can dish out and then some. Motorcycle engines also operate in both regimes of "hydrodynamic" (lubrication that occurs under high shear/pressure where the parts remain separated and 'float' on the oil film) as well as "boundary" lubrication (lubrication that occurs without sufficient film confined under pressure/shear) whereas firearms operate only in the boundary regime.

Clearly most automotive/motorcycle oils are 'up' to the task of 'alternative weapon's lubricant'. In fact, up until just a few years ago, the Armalite website had a technical note in their library that actually advocated the use of Mobil 1 motor oil as an acceptable expedient/substitute lubricant.

I frequent BITOG, but I doubt that I'd find anything about motoroil and firearms.

Start a thread there. What have you got to lose? Bet it would be pretty interesting!

Found the 'specs' on Eneos 0w50:

Eneos 0w50
Typical Properties:

Quality grade: RG/API SM

SAE viscosity grade: 0W-50
Appearance: Orange
Density (15°C): 0.847 g/cm3

Flash point (COC): 232.0° C / 449.6° F

Kinematic viscosity:
(40°C), mm2/s 104 cSt
(100°C), mm2/s 18.0 cSt

Viscosity index: 192
Pour point: -45.0° C / -49.0° F

TAN, mgKOH/g: 2.3
TBN (HCl), mgKOH/g: 6.4

Color (ASTM): L3.0

Interesting stuff!

Thanks!

 

[Gun Slinger]

astroglide always has been my lube of choice

Now,who didn't see that one coming?

 

[lvcat2004]

Eneos is Nippon Oil, it's one of the largest oil distributors in Japan. There are stores locally here in Las Vegas that carry them, but they are pretty expensive, somewhere in the range of $10/quart or around there, which is perfectly fine for lubricating guns, but it's too high of a viscosity for my car, besides, I'd rather have GC for $6/quart. Eneos supplies motor oil for high-revving 18k/rpm Honda Formula one engines, so it can't be too shabby. It's a Group IV/V high polymer ester.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Wd-40

After using WD-40 as my go to protectant for over 35 years,I have never experienced ANY gumming or rusting or excessive wear. I have even used it to dissolve gum and residue left by other lubes. I usually apply a light coat after a hot soapy water cleaning of gun parts and let the carrier agent dry before reassembly. All of my guns are clean and gum free. I also use it after the final hot water rinse during blueing,appling it while the parts are still hot.

 

[johnle]

FP-10 and SLOS Grease

 

[yongxingfreesty]

for the glock

 

[Big Daddy Grim]

Rem-oil and weapon protection