Gun Lubrication

[Tranny Frank]

Howdy guys, I was doing some reading and found this neat article

GrantCunningham.com - Library

Sounds like he likes the #0 grease, Well I got some off this #0 grease for a certain Toyota rig, but as Grant points out much like the gun owners, the mechanics, owners alike have been targeted with a bunch of misinformation on the subject,

Rather interesting and good article, well written I thought, Now I know I need vendor status but since I cant even hardly give away this #0 grease to the Toyota enclosed knuckle axle owner, being steeped in misconceptions, Maybe I should package it as a gun lube ?

One neat thing about this Trade Secret Toyota goop is that it absorbs moisture and draws it away from steel, this would be a definite plus in a gun lube,

Anyway thought I would start a thread about gun lubrication,

Thanks Frank,

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[powermad]

Whatever is handy at the moment.
I have several tubes of lubriplate 105 and use it on occasion.
Got a few small tubes of grease that is in the steering box input seal seal kit for semi's that I mostly use.
Nice thin bead and holds up to heat well, doesn't get all runny.

I use Cat molly paste on my FAL. Got a couple of tubs of that as well.
That is one product where a lil bit goes a loooong ways.

 

[DavinFelth]

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/ge.../58275-northwest-lubrication-maintenance.html

I bought a bottle of Slip 2000 a couple months ago for my AR and now use it for lubing the slides on my handguns as well. It works really well and doesn't wear off quickly.

 

[Tranny Frank]

I don’t use anything fancy, just plain old high temp lithium wheel bearing grease available at any auto store or Wal-Mart, costs about $4 a tub and it lasts forever.

Yep, What is interesting about this is in the thing he points out in the article that you clued onto there is that there is nothing new and no "Modern better greases"

Actually like that aluminum complex grease with better reversibility , Schaffers to mention one brand, there way of making it and formulas go back a 100 years,

What is most interesting is those in some Mechanical fields have been completely baffled about grease, in my trade of auto repair,

But it would seem that like in that article not all have been snookered by the "BS"

 

[Jamie6.5]

I'm always leery of lubes that "absorb moisture." In freezing weather they have been known to cause lockup, and/or stiff actions. I have had a pump shotgun freeze up when hunting in really low temps hunting geese. It isn't fun snuggling with your gun to keep it thawed out so it will shoot as intended.
The other issue I have with grease is dust accumulation. I do use it for some applications, but always VERY SPARINGLY, except for storage.
In dusty conditions, the accumulation of grit can make for more wear than a very thin layer of silicone or light oil to prevent metal to metal contact. Desert hunting for antelope or mulies often involves dusty conditions.

In short, I like to vary my lubes depending on conditions the gun(s) will be exposed to. Then there is the storage issue. The best lube for rust prevention during off season storage may not be the best lube for a dusty trip in eastern Oregon for antelope.

My $.02
YMMV

 

[Tranny Frank]

Yes there is no one size fits all grease, lube for any given application, things as you mention, temp, conditions, vary and selecting a lube all these things need to taken into consideration,

The average lithium based #2 grease is the most common, the most versital, but in certain applications it is absolutely lousy,

For your cold weather application, check this stuff out



But yes for best results, or results @ all, temp climate, component being lubed and for what purpose, need to be factored,

 

[CleverName]

I have a quart of cheap 10-30W motor oil I've been using for years. I have a little oiler bottle that I keep topping off when it gets low. When the motor oil runs out I may switch to ATF. The motor oil has always worked fine. On the rails of my AKs I use boat trailer bearing grease. I dont like lithium grease. It gets crumbly. Whenever I'm tempted to buy an expensive gun oil, I just buy a box of ammo instead.

 

[Tranny Frank]

"The right grease"

"The first thing to look at in choosing a grease is the owner's manual. The maker of the equipment will have specific requirements for lubrication."

From Deborah Lockridge article "Dont Take grease for Granted"



Now as I have come to learn this is not always the case, sometimes as in the case of this "Toyota situation" the grease recommendations come from the sales dept rather then the production dept,
part of the "Target" of misinformation that Grant spoke off in the first article has actually been folks that use grease the most,

Mechanix and Toyota techs, in this case, So Keep this in mind, if you can get specific information from the maker of the equipment, then great,

But BEWARE of the Word Recommendation, It maybe the lousiest advise or suggestion,( the definition of the word) and be incompatible with what is used in production,

Recommending a lube that louses the component up,,,, This is one of the ways and how Folks are "Targeted" with bum dope on grease,

 

[skywag]

1. Brake cleaner
2. WD-40
3. LPS2

 

[Tranny Frank]

The problem with oil is it does not stay put, it runs off from where it is applied. Grease stays were it is applied and does not run into unwanted places, like firing pin channel or FCGs. As far as collecting grime and grit, I’m still waiting for the malfunctions to start, look up “Pat Rogers filthy 14”. In cold weather operating the action regularly will keep it from ceasing in anything short of arctic conditions.

Yes The problem with oil is containment, does not stay put, So a thickener is added to the oil,

However in almost any application you want to limit the thickener because it does not lend any "lubrication" aspects, different thickeners can have adhesion or cohesion properties,

So Jumping all the way to a lithium based #2 grease sure it will stay put but does not have as much oil as the thinner grades so not as good as a lube,

The balance is to find a grease with just enough thickener to stay in any given location, on equipment, guns, cars , boats whatever,

The #0 grease is really pretty good as Grant points out in the article, a real good balance between oil and thickener, for many applications,

 

[Tranny Frank]

So As I mentioned I cant seem to do anything with this Toyota Trade Secret goop for the application that I found it in because of the depth of confusion on the subject, So branching out to different areas, Now I am just researching @ the moment and not "Selling anything" I just would like to send one of you all a sample to inspect,

Now I have used this on my hunting rifles, seems to work real good to me, but I am not a gun guy persay , so I can ship off a lil quart of this stuff to whoever wants to check it out, a mineral base oil, a proprietary sodium thickener, a insoluble moly additive,

Thats about it on the details of the stuff,

Oh its known to have sound deadening qualities dont think that would apply to firearm application,

So shoot me a message whoever wants to give this stuff a look see,

 

[Hook686]

I do not use a grease. It seems to me grease likes to collect dust, grit, sediment and other undesirables. I use Rem Oil.

 

[Tranny Frank]

Okay Cool,

Gong to send a sample to a "Grease Monkey" a tech @ a dealership, To inspect this Toyota Trade Secret Goop, Now I do call it that for a reason, because it is, It meets all the requirements of a Trade Secret, I would have to re read all about that but it does,

Now in reading up on the cold weather gun lubes , in WWII when the Nazis where stuck in Russia in the winter their guns would lock up, after one shot and the soldier would have to kick open the bolt with their boot,

The Russians did not have this problem, Well as the story goes they where mixing gas with the rifle lube to keep it viscous, and had the advantage , Well maybee But I also know that the German soldiers could have improvised a cold weather lube as such

I think it has to do more with the machining, you see I have one of these older Russian sniper Rifles a guy gave it to me because he was a tad bit short paying his repair bill, the gun looked Kinda neat and a piece of History so gladly accepted,

But you can tell very loose machining, one could say rather crude, but it worked for the enviroment, Now the Germans with better machined guns, tighter where actually @ a disadvantage in the frozen barren waste land outside of Moscow,
While a Russian soldier could keep his gun operational on just about anything that resembled a lubricant, ie gas and oil , or gas and soap, desiel fuel, whatever,

 

[Tranny Frank]

Okay heres a picture of this gun, a 7.62 X 54



The wood all the way up the barrel looks kinda neat, the ammo is about half of what the 30.06 costs me, and I would like to find the original type scope, it had something really funky bolted to it,

 

[Markjz]

looks like the original scope to me also how much did you get it for? sniper Mosin Nagant usually $400 - $500

 

[Blitzkrieg]

The problem with oil is it does not stay put, it runs off from where it is applied. Grease stays were it is applied and does not run into unwanted places, like firing pin channel or FCGs. As far as collecting grime and grit, I'm still waiting for the malfunctions to start, look up "Pat Rogers filthy 14". In cold weather operating the action regularly will keep it from ceasing in anything short of arctic conditions.

This is why synthetic motor oil was created. It stays put much better and it is what I use for general gun lube and protection

I use hot water and hand dish detergent to degrease from regular shooting

 

[Tranny Frank]

looks like the original scope to me also how much did you get it for? sniper Mosin Nagant usually $400 - $500

Yes thats the style I would like to get, just got that picture off of the internet, As far as the price, didnt know they went for that much, I guess I got a good deal, the guy let if go for a hundred bucks,
off of the bill,

 

[Tranny Frank]

This is why synthetic motor oil was created. It stays put much better and it is what I use for general gun lube and protection

I use hot water and hand dish detergent to degrease from regular shooting

Interesting I did not know that synthetic oil had more of a adhesion qualities, I did do a little research about synthetics and found that it is a broad term for oil, which is undefined by Any one,

of what synthetic actually is ? well its oil, and if it stays put use it, but may I am thinking it would run off, just like any other oil,

and heres a picture of this Toyota axle where I found this #0 grease

 

[Tranny Frank]

Okay finished the overhaul

<broken link removed>

 

[Rix]

The stuff you're trying to sell smells WAY to bad to put on guns, frank.