Grease vs oil

[the Schwartz]

I don't buy "gun oil" or "gun cleaners".

Have not bought any in 20+ years. Used to get samples when I would go to schools, but I think I have worked my way through all of those. In my experience none of them worked any better than motor oil. For cleaning I use ATF (automatic transmission fluid) which has detergent in it and does a rather decent job. Clean with ATF, lube with regular motor oil and call it good.



I use 0W 20 in the winter for when the temps are below zero.




One quart of regular motor oil will last one heck of a long time and I just transfer some into smaller containers and use it as needed from the smaller containers.

Works for me.

GTL basestocks, like those found in Pennzoil Platinum, are highly respected for their resistance to high temperatures and friction reduction.


If I need to use motor oil as a firearms lubricant, that particular brand is my ''go to''.

[358156hp]

I've taken to mixing synthetic grease with synthetic ATF to a sort of gel consistency and applying it sparingly with a q-tip lately. A tiny amount makes me feel better, although I have to admit that I don't believe I've ever had a lube related failure with any quality product. I do keep ATF in a squeeze bottle for AR bolts though.

[spence]

I err toward a synthetic oil for handguns, or even CLP. Most commonly use Lucas, namely because it's readily available and I have a bunch around. I run my 92's fairly hard, don't clean a lot, but do lube every few weeks depending on how much I've been shooting.

The only handgun I greased with any regularity was my P32. However, a discussion on Facebook that derived from the Suited Shootist, I decided to try switching it over to oil for a while. I may not go back. That is after over a decade and a half of information from the old KTOG board and the fact the old, old timers over there said use grease.

That's just pistols. A few rifles like AK or Garand will still get grease.

[OlongJohnson]

...the DocGKR of gun lubrication.

The actual STLE certified Lubrication Specialist on that podcast (the dude in the WV hat) doesn't use grease on his guns, FWIW. And he tells his clients not to use grease in their guns.

We're talking about @Aray, right? Search on his posts.

I've read and listened, and am on board with the "Dirty 14" principle of keeping it fed with fresh oil to flush the lapping compound out of where you don't want it to be. Wipe it down with a rag to clean it.

I'd like to use Lubriplate FMO-350-AW, as it seems to be the closest oil equivalent of SFL-0, but I haven't found a way to buy it at a price that makes sense to me.

https://www.lubriplate.com/Products/...W,-12-OZ-SPRAY

Oddly enough, I am down with plain old Hoppes mineral oil gun lube. It comes in a nice needle dispenser bottle. It's more expensive than it should be, but not more expensive than a lot of things. Just because it was what I had handy, I used it to lube my GP100 as I went through and deburred and smoothed it, and the gun was stupendously slick when it was all together. That has continued with other revolvers and DAs.

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FWIW, IME/IMO, classic Sigs are a whole other discussion. There is a wide range of how they are fit from the factory, which includes so overly tight that they will and do eat their frames in a small number of rounds, no matter how they are lubed. Hence the wide range of reports on how much wear occurs to slide rails before they stabilize. A classic Sig that eats its rails is by no means only a result of user error. They should be inspected for fit and if necessary refit by a qualified person before ever entering service.

[shane45]

Ive wondered about food safe lubricants! My thoughts being, since im a chronic pistol wetter, that could translate into a lot of contact with the lubrication. Especially at application. That might not be a good thing and if this works just as well, cutting down on that exposure seems prudent.

[the Schwartz]

Ive wondered about food safe lubricants! My thoughts being, since im a chronic pistol wetter, that could translate into a lot of contact with the lubrication. Especially at application. That might not be a good thing and if this works just as well, cutting down on that exposure seems prudent.

You could give this a try—

https://www.super-lube.com/Content/I...c_Gear_Oil.pdf

[TCinVA]

We're talking about @Aray, right? Search on his posts.

Correct. We try to talk a little bit about maintenance in class to take advantage of his expertise in that area.

I've read and listened, and am on board with the "Dirty 14" principle of keeping it fed with fresh oil to flush the lapping compound out of where you don't want it to be. Wipe it down with a rag to clean it.

That's one of the most under-appreciated functions of good lubrication. It takes the stuff that makes guns choke and flows it away from the parts that can choke. That pumping action is highly beneficial. Grease grabs that stuff and holds on to it.

[TCinVA]

Ive wondered about food safe lubricants! My thoughts being, since im a chronic pistol wetter, that could translate into a lot of contact with the lubrication. Especially at application. That might not be a good thing and if this works just as well, cutting down on that exposure seems prudent.

Exposure is about dose. How often you are in contact with it, and how nasty what you are in contact with is.

The act of firing a weapon in general exposes you to a host of nasty compounds that you literally breathe. But you are getting them in very small amounts...unless you are on an indoor range for extended periods of time. Or if you are on an indoor range 40 hours a week because it's your job. Or you are on a range for six weeks at a time because you are training for a job...etc. Then you need to have eye-wateringly expensive air handling units that can clean the accumulation of those nasty compounds out of the air.

Generally speaking, if you're not working on guns constantly because it's your job the lubrication you are using is going to be on the extremely minor end of the potential risks posed by your interactions with the gun.

If you use a lubricant with a food-grade base, just understand that microbes eat that sort of stuff over time and it will eventually get rancid. As long as you make sure it's not breaking down because bugs are eating and pooping in it, and make sure it's not burning because your firing schedule is subjecting it to heat it can't handle, it'll be fine.

Guns are generally not a high demand application for lubrication.

[shane45]

Hmmmm, Id probably rather brave the standard lubricant vs bacteria. But I would think bacteria would have been a concern in its intended application and would have additives to guard against that?

[TCinVA]

Hmmmm, Id probably rather brave the standard lubricant vs bacteria. But I would think bacteria would have been a concern in its intended application and would have additives to guard against that?

The bacteria itself isn't really a physical concern to you unless you plan on eating it.

It's more that it breaks down the lubricant so it doesn't work as it should anymore, and can leave residues and byproducts that are counter-productive.