Northwest Lubrication & Maintenance

[sadiesassy]

Thanks Bill

I was betting they probably put a little high temp grease in a cup or swiped a little grease or oil off a vehicle Since carrying a cleaner is extra weight.

 

[ecurbCO]

Yeah, I bought a can of CLP the other day, and I'm not a fan. Works alright as a cleaner, but for lubrication 3-in-1 oil was giving better results. And I agree that "mil-spec" just means "mil-spec", not "the best". Often it appears to mean "compromise".
Will definitely pick up a jar of high temperature grease.

 

[rusobr2]

i'v been shooting sence i was 8 yrs, old , and now i'm "62"-- i was raised on trany fluid , and white greese my entire life !
never had any lube problems , or anything gumming up ! almost always , when i go out i carry a can of w/d 40 with me - a little squirt on entire gun , and a quick wipe down has always been my best friend.........
trany fluid== is 10/w + the strongest detergent oil on mkt. it cleans as it works !
white ( or lith.) greese== will always stay soft and pliable , and cleans up without a fuss on takedown
w/d 40== almost 100 % silicones -- i call it my rain & frost guard

this is only my opinion......steven

 

[sadiesassy]

I think Gunfix is right - WD 40 is an organic water displacement - Not a Lubricant
According to the MSDS - There is no silicone listed in the top 98% of ingredients. MAinly Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Petroleum Base Oil, LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, Carbon Dioxide,
Surfactant, Proprietary (<2%)

 

[rusobr2]

i really don't use it for lube. i only use it for a protectent + thanks for the input on both counts !

steven

 

[drew]

I'm old fashioned and use Hoppe's gun oil and some white grease. I know eventually I'll move to something more akin to Corrosion Block.

 

[The B]

rust doesn't seem to be any more of an issue here in the PNW than it is anywhere else, at least anywhere else i've lived. for all our moisture and constant humidity, ambient humidity just doesn't ever seem to get that high and certainly doesn't stay high when it does. therefor, guns don't tend to rust in safes up here like they do in say, corpus christi.

but all guns will rust, if gotten wet... and i've definitely dealt with rust from wet. the fact of the matter is, there's nothing you can do about it with some finishes, short of coating the weapon in some kind of protectant finish. blued steel-? gonna be bright orange by lunchtime, sitting under a wet coast range mist since 6am. a well-oiled parkerize will resist for a lot longer- maybe even a couple days, but if you shoot it hot at any point, you gonna be orange pretty quick.

since we're not going to drag grease balls all over the place with us, it's my opinion that the best treatment is periodic wipedowns. every year, my old blued 7mm mag would rust up to a bright fiesta red-orange in the field during buck season... 4, 5, 6, 7+ days of being constantly wet, you're just NOT gonna be able to prevent it. so i'd just wipe it down with an oily rag as often as i could, and then give it a real good strip and clean when i got home, and touch up the blue where the rust ate through. in almost a decade of hunting with that rifle, and as many times as it rusted up, it had not a single pit anywhere on it when i finally sold it here a few weeks ago.

i've also noticed that some guys just seem to have a rusty PH or something. i've never had a concealed sidearm rust on my hip- not during sweaty summer, not during wet, wet winter.. but i know some guys whose sidearms will rust in a matter of a week, just from being in proximity of their nasty corrosive skin (?). maybe it has something to do with dehydration or natural saltiness of peoples sweat- i dont know. for these guys, weekly or more cleanings are gonna be the answer.

or you can just get stainless or melonite guns and hardly have to worry about it at all...

 

[The B]

All I have ever used to lubricate my firearms is Mobil 1 Motor Oil, ATF, (Automatic Transmission Fluid), and for very high pressure friction points like bolt lugs on bolt action rifles and hinge pins on O/U shotguns I will use a small amount of STP. I have never had a a gun rust or fail because of a lubrication issue in over 45 years.

Gun oils and greases are overpriced "snake oils" in fancy packaging, nothing more. Know what a Castrol Rep told me your getting when you spend $8.00 for a bottle of "Castrol / Hoppes Synthetic Gun Oil"? Castrol Syntec Motor Oil with an emulsifier added to it. You can buy it all day for around $4.50 @ quart, or pay $8.00 for 4 ounces of it in a fancy brushed Aluminum pump bottle. Same with a lot of these "Gun Greases".

Go into any auto parts store and you can buy a large tube of Moly Grease that will last the average shooter a lifetime for a couple of bucks. It's as good, or better than these miracle gun greases they sell for over $10.00 for a 1/4 ounce! An even better product is the Mobil 1 Synthetic Grease. It comes in a 1 pound tub for around $6.00. If you like the fancy hypo type applicator, you can get one at Walgreens, or most any other drug store for around .25 to .50 cents, and it's refillable too boot.

Mobil 1 can be tailored to your climate just as you would if you used it in your car. If you shoot or hunt in very frigid climate it comes in a 0W-20 grade that won't stiffen up in cold weather. Here in Arizona we don't get much cold weather, but in the Summer it can get blistering hot so I use the 10W-40 or the 20W-50 grade. It has a nice viscosity that won't run off metal and dry up in a few days like some of these water thin gun oils like "Rem-Oil" will.

Recently I have found that Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear Lube has an even higher viscosity that works well on guns that tend to be run at higher temperatures like AR-15's and AK-47's. It comes in a 75W-140 Grade. ATF is a very clean, non gumming lubricant that works well for lubricating semi autos and fast moving parts like slides, and even trigger mechanisms. I'm not a believer of these so called "dry lubes". 48 years of shooting has taught me one very simple fact. If I can see oil on my firearms, I know I won't be seeing any rust.

All 3 of these products can be purchased at any auto parts store for around $20.00, and will last the average shooter for years, if not a lifetime. I won't overpay for these gun lubes that do nothing better except make you poorer. Bill T.

i basically agree with all this. there's no firearm specific magic lube- and, in fact, i've had the best luck mixing my own, using automotive stuff.

the only thing i cant agree with, however, is using ATF- ATF eats nylon, and since safety equipment is almost always made from nylon, and i happen to dangle hundreds of feet up from a lot of nylon safety equipment, for both work and pleasure, i will never allow that stuff to exist anywhere except inside my truck, or temporarily inside a closed container until i can get rid of it. freaks me out. i suppose if you don't have anything to do with nylon, have at it- but stay away from me.

 

[MarkAd]

I read these threads and find the information very interesting. i would if I had need be trying some of your ideals for gun lube, under harsh conditions. But for now I am getting great lube results from CLP, Riggs grease, and my bottle of Hoppes gun oil.
I thank you all for providing useable options.

 

[WFO]

The military carries CLP. It was developed for them. That in itself does not make it "better". Soldiers are very limited as to what they can carry. The military wanted a Mil-Spec, one purpose cleaner, lubricant, and protectant. We as shooters are not afflicted with that problem. We have a great many products that can accomplish a multitude of tasks individually.

Any time you have a product that does a lot of things at once, it winds up doing none of them well. "All In One Cleaners" are a good example. Gun products are no different. Shooters who use only CLP are severely limiting themselves thinking they are using the best product because, "That Is What The Soldiers Use!" Nothing could be further from the truth. Research the Midway catalog on "Gun Cleaning & Lubrication". If a soldier had a fleet of trucks, he wouldn't be able to carry it all.

Personally, I don't think all of those products are in fact necessary, but the fact of the matter is there are way better products than "CLP" to maintain your weapon in civilian life. The paint they use on Aircraft Carriers is "Mil-Spec". That doesn't mean it's the best paint for your house or garage. Bill T.

Used to be nothing but CLP 'til they started using Barrett M82a1 .50 cal sniper rifles. The shortcomings of CLP became quickly obvious,and the field expedient lubrication winner was.....

Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil.

I believe they now use Militec-1.

 

[ecurbCO]

metallurgy is a mindbogglingly complex subject, and guns are at that awkward intersection of chemistry and physics where only real-world experience can provide useful data.
Judging by the posts of people who have that experience, it looks like loving care is the most important factor in gun maintenance--not what new wonderlube you use!

 

[Oohrah]

Miltech 1 treats the metal instead of coating with a wet. Used in wet or dry climate and because it doesn't move, it stays put. Thousands were sent to sand country for the troops at no charge, and I haven't heard of any negative remarks. It's given a thumbs up for the M4 use and other small arms. They also have a grease that stays put that I put a dab on the bolt camming recesses of 30 Carbines and M1 Garands/M14. The Marine Corps League Detachment has six Garands used regularly for Honor Guard Details firing. They have never failed to function in rain or sunshine. With the amount of rain in the south part of this state, the ARs in an Appleseed shoot, all failed to function with sustained fire with normal firearms type lubrication. Metal treated dry lube seems to last the longest. A new type called Frog Lube I was really wanting to try out. I crossed off my list for things to do when a west coast dealer wanted to charge a third of the product cost for postage and handling. It was designed by a Navy SEAL. Rub it on and wipe off. The Miltech1 works best, and they recommend that the metal parts be heated before application. After the first couple of applications it has to renewed from time to time. A patch through after firing, followed by a dry one, pretty much takes care of the bore at the range. I ordered mine direct from the manufacturer, but Midway I believe handles the product.

 

[FLYPNW]

I am a fan of gun butter. About Gun Butter | Gun Butter
This stuff is expensive but goes a long way. I can personally vouch for this product. I also use CLP when im out of Gun Butter.

I just ordered my first batch of GunButter yesterday. The owner of the company called me to personally thank me for the business. We proceeded to have a very nice conversation for about a half an hour where he told me stories of the successes GunButter has seen in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. It's been used on everything from the M9 to the articulating .50Cals (including their turrets, making them lightning fast) to the main rotor hub on Blackhawk helicopters. The stuff sounds amazing and I can't wait to try it. I was very happy to learn I was supporting a Lynnwood, WA small business. Washington is hard enough on small businesses, so I was happy to do my part yesterday.

Some of the testimonials on www.gunbutter.com are definitely worth reading. This stuff is not your grandpa's Hoppes. I've always been a believer in CLP as well, and I'm sure I will continue to be, but I bet GunButter will be my new go-to with CLP being the backup.

 

[bruzer]

I don't have any expert opinions on oils but I recently made the switch to all Kydex because of the sweat that I put a holster through. My horsehide/Kydex holster stayed moist enough the Glock had some rust issues. Now I can dry holster and Glock with a towel and so far no more issues.
Mike

 

[billt]

There is no question that a great many of these firearm lubrication products perform well. My only argument is cost. Most all of them are priced to all but ridiculous levels when you look at the amount they are selling you.

I put all of this into much the same category as these automotive oil additives. Look at the shelves of your local auto parts store and you will find literally hundreds of additives. All of them make claims of greater protection from wear, better performance, better fuel mileage, etc. Many will advertise how they "clean your engine" and so on. In most all independent tests they have found they do nothing better except increase operating cost. Which is why most automobile manufacturers don't recommend them.

I shoot a great deal. One of those little hypos of "Gun Butter" wouldn't last me a week. If I had to buy enough to last me it would cost a fortune. A 1/4 ounce of the stuff costs over $7.00 with shipping.

Gun Oil 1/4oz Liquid

Multipurpose Grease, XHP 222, 35.2 Lbs - Greases - Lubricants - 1MUC2 : Grainger Industrial Supply

That is insane. Compare it to what it would run for a 5 gallon pail. This 5 gallon pail of Mobil Lithium Grease weighs over 39 pounds, and costs roughly $134.00. That equates to around .21 cents an ounce. Gun Butter comes in at around $28.00 an ounce, $7.00 = 1/4 ounce X 4 = $28.00.

Going by those figures if a 5 gallon pail of Gun Butter weighed the same, (I'm sure it's close), a 5 gallon pail would cost in the neighborhood of $17,472.00 !! $28.00 per ounce X 16 ounces = $448.00 per pound. $448.00 per pound X 39 pound pail = $17,472.00.

This is why I stick with the products I have pictured. I fire thousands of rounds per year through a variety of different firearms. I have yet to encounter a lubrication or rust prevention situation that was beyond the scope of these 3 products. Until I do I see little reason to pay more for what amounts the exact same results.

 

[billt]

Here is an even better comparison, and perhaps a little more applicable. There are 18, 927 CC's in 5 gallons.

Gallons To Cubic Centimeters (cc, cm3) Conversion

A 15 CC syringe of Gun Butter Grease runs $10.00 without shipping.

Trigger Locking Lug Gun Grease 15cc Syringe

18,927 divided by 15 = 1,262.8. So based on that a 5 gallon pail of the Gun Butter Grease would cost $12,618.00. Granted if you called Gun Butter I'm sure they have better prices avaliable on larger amounts, but most people buy the smaller containers. When you break it down this way, you really begin to realize how much you're spending on this stuff in relationship to what you are actually getting product wise.

 

[biggie24420]

I use TETRA gun grease and BALLISTOL on my guns and I have had no issues.... from my personal experience and other people on YouTube I have had no gumming or other issues with BALLISTOL. Since both my AK and AR have chrome lined barrels, I just wet a piece of cloth with BALLISTOL and push it through the barrel after I am done cleaning.... I spray the internals with some BALLISTOL and lightly grease the bolt etc. BALLISTOL also does not harm your wood so no worries there. I got a silicon rag too that I use sometimes to finish off the cleaning.

BALLISTOL count 6 lol..... and no I am not paid by them.