Heavy oil for lube

[fstdraw]

Normally I use a bit of grease on the slide where hammer and slide rub. Oil on the other parts (1911) like slide, barrel etc. light weight oil as a rule (gun oil) but I've started using motor oil I use in my boat, synthetic 15W-40. I like it. Thoughts or experiences? Thanks

Read More

 

[Stomper]

UH, OH.... you wait and see, this thread is going to become a slippery slope...

 

[fstdraw]

I certainly don't want it to be. But I am interested in what people think, between lightweight gun oil and slightly heavier oil for lubrication, especially this time of year.

 

[spookshack]

I use gun oil in my car and car oil in my gun. Cause why not, right?

 

[Tlock]

The only gun im really shooting right now is my benelli sbe2 for duck hunting. They just run....when it gets slow ill drop a few drops of oil in it, i have never really thought about. I know cold cold weather it can slow up and I should probably clean it more often. The only grease I use in on the choke tube

 

[Andy54Hawken]

RIG Gun Grease is excellent...and Hoppes Lubricating oil works for my firearms.
That is , if I ain't using bear grease and deer tallow for a more traditional firearm .

Never really liked using car / motor oil or lube on my firearms.
All seemed too thick.
Andy

 

[roseburger]

KY.

 

[Joe13]

Never really liked using car / motor oil or lube on my firearms.
All seemed too thick.

I've started using motor oil I use in my boat, synthetic 15W-40

15W is the weight when the oil is cold and then 40W is what it reaches as it heats up.

Maybe that's already well known but I wouldn't use it because I want my slide riding on the same viscosity cold or hot.

I've then seen metal shaving in my gun slide but I've seen them in plenty of oil pans in cars….

I think motor oil is fine for different things but your your not running you gun at 3,000 rounds per minute.

If you are you might want to move up to a 30W-50…

 

[P7M13]

15W is the weight when the oil is cold and then 40W is what it reaches as it heats up.

I'm confused. I believe we're saying the same thing, but below is my understanding.
The first number is the free-flowing viscosity when cold. The 2nd number is what it lubricates like, when hot, if it were a single number oil like SAE 30.
There are other qualities too, in motor oil, which would make an oil desirable. For example, dip a popsicle stick into motor oil and lift it out. As it drains off the stick, some oils will start to drip, while other oils will start to "ribbon" or have a super-narrow wisp of oil drain off it because it has greater adhesion and lower surface tension. If you choose to use motor oils, the latter type is what you want in your gun because it guarantees there is always some lubrication that sticks to the surface of the metal. You generally find this in the 0W or 5W oils.
****
I use MPro-7 for most of my guns, but I do use 0W20 synthetic motorcycle oil too. Great adhesion, made for higher temperatures, and I usually have plenty of drain-off just from the new bottles when I chang my motor cycle oil.
15W is some pretty thick stuff when it's below freezing. About the only thing I use it in is my Land Cruiser FZJ80 - with 320K on the ODO, it helps keep my oil pressure up with a thicker base viscosity. Eventually I'll rebuild the engine, including the oil pump.
I stick with MPro7 because, back around 2000, there was a hinge on the MBR door that squeaked. FIrst I tried sewing machine oil. Then Rem Gun Oil, then bearing grease. All of them, the hinge would start squeaking again after a few months. I bought some MPro7 based on the recommendation of a member on HKPro, Big Bore (for my USPs and P7s, not the hinges). I used it on the hinge. I would ask my kids every few years, whether the hinge squeaked or not. No. When my kids entered high school in 2017 or so, the door hinge *still* did not squeak. Only a little drop'll do ya.

 

[orygun]

In a pinch, using the dipstick from your truck/car as a dauber to lube rails and bolts works really well. Not the preferred oil, but it is something. People may bubblegum and moan about using the incorrect oil in an engine, transmission or rearend, but the truth is almost any oil is far better than none.

That said, I have gun oil and use it. I have both Hoppe's and RemOil.

 

[bionic knees]

I had my mini-14 lubed up good one time, took it along on a quad ride in January in central Or. 20 some degrees out, it wouldn't cycle because of cold lube

 

[fstdraw]

My thought was using the 15 40 on the slide where it meets the hammer. Seems to me the grease seems to gather on the sides but the oil continues to lube a bit longer. I have to scientific or practical evidence of this.

 

[dangerranger60]

I live where its hot and dry. So before a hunt where I might be in sub freezing temps I asked if I should change my gun lube. The Consensus was use a full synthetic 5-30 motor oil. it does not freeze up, protects against rust, and cleans off easily once home.
Once home I use a dry lube. it does not catch and hold dust and grit. DR

 

[Tony617]

I am using 10w-40 Amsoil which I use in my pickup truck well. I do have a 2008 Impreza that I out 5w-30 conventional oil which I can use in a pinch as well but I keep 1 gallon bottles of Amsoil for my pickup truck oil changes.. I bought a bottle of Lucas gun oil by mistake when I ordered some wiper blades for my pickup. I use that oil on my 1911s.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

Something light and not temperature sensitive ! The firearm should not be dripping and puking oil while you are shooting it ! It is like cologne a lil will go a long way if not maybe you need a shower. I just finished cleaning a firearm that someone made their own special mixture and good gawd it was like ear wax !

 

[aasbra]

I use a bit of grease (slide glide) on the slide rails for autoloaders. For the ares the OP is asking about (hammer contact with slide), and barrel, barrel bushing, etc. I use oil. Sometimes a light gun oil, sometimes a bit of motor oil that I keep on my reloading bench in a pump can to lubricate the ram on my reloading presses. I clean my firearms at reasonable intervals and have not noticed any problems or abnormal wear following this protocol, or really noticed any difference between the various oils I have tried.

As orygun stated, generally speaking, having some lubricant (oil or grease), even if not the optimal or what is viewed as the "proper" lubricant, is preferable to metal on metal without lubricant. That said, what I would view as a "heavy" oil - like a gear oil for auto front end/rear end differentials or such, or a grease, would cause trouble in very cold conditions.

 

[TTSX]

How many overthinkers are going to chime in? Tune in this evening as this thread reaches 10 pages...

 

[roseburger]

How many overthinkers are going to chime in? Tune in this evening as this thread reaches 10 pages...

I try not to do that.

 

[TTSX]

I try not to do that.

Overthinking is literally your job, Mr engineer

 

[AMT]

I know people who use synthetic on their stainless steel guns. So, why not on anything else?