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Lubricants - What do you recommend?

I use this stuff called slip2000 for bearings and rotating parts, it's got some teflon-like properties that seem to work well. I don't know how it compares to synthetic motor oil, probably the same.

http://www.slip2000.com/gunlube_info.html

I use Valvoline synthetic grease on the sliding parts of my garand and m1 carbine. I don't know if that's the best idea, but it's what's lying around the basement.
 
hminsky said:
I use this stuff called slip2000 for bearings and rotating parts, it's got some teflon-like properties that seem to work well. I don't know how it compares to synthetic motor oil, probably the same.

http://www.slip2000.com/gunlube_info.html

I use Valvoline synthetic grease on the sliding parts of my garand and m1 carbine. I don't know if that's the best idea, but it's what's lying around the basement.
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Acme.Armament said:
Kroil and nothing but Kroil. http://www.kanolabs.com/penLub.html#anchor173855
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Kroil is great stuff. It stinks though. I mix it 50/50 with Bore Tech Rimfire Blend ( No Ammonia) to clean my .22 stuff. Only shoot lead in them.

I use the Slip 2000 Extreme Weapons Grease and oil on my semi handguns. No wear and tear showing after thousands of rounds. Hoppes 9 to clean 'em.

I've used the Mobil 1 and tranny fluid mix too, also, lithium grease and they work fine. I just feel better knowing my lubes are designed for guns.
 
Kroil is probably the best solvent I've used, but is it a good lubricant?

I use it to get powder & lead residue out of the bore. I tried it as a cast bullet mold preserve, but it mostly evaporated.
 
Crisco for AK's or just bacon fat[wink]

I been useing Lucas brand gun oil most of this year, only because my big bottle of CLP finally ran out and this what was on hand at the store. It seems to be doing the job.
For guns that actually call for grease I been useing a Marine grade hight temp wheel bearing grease(Garands, M1 Carbine)
I have pretty much kept it simple gun oil for lube and corrosion protection, grease for when its called for.
For bore cleaner I been useing new to me Proshot bore cleaner. I like it as you do not need to remove it when done cleaning your bore. You caan leave it in the bore for rust protection/storage.
 
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Extreme Weapons Lube (EWL) The stuff is amazing.

Article on a Bravo Company training AR that went over 31K rounds without a cleaning and still functioned using EWL is here.

I bought a couple of one ounce applicator bottles and a 4 ouncer to refill them. I use it now on all my guns. Stays slick even in freezing weather.

At Botach [wink] here. (free shipping)
 
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yanici said:
I just feel better knowing my lubes are designed for guns.
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What makes you think they are actually "designed for guns," as opposed to being industrial lubricants, bought by the 55 gallon drum, repackaged into 4 oz containers, and marked up 1000%?
 
josh2600 said:
read the link i posted.
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I did. Let's assume for the sake of argument that he knows what he's talking about. Here are his key points:

BAD:

Motor oils: Generally good boundary lubrication (particularly the Havoline formulations), but very poor corrosion resistance and poor resistance to open-air oxidation. In addition, their pour-point additives often contain benzene compounds, which aren't a good thing to have next to your skin on a regular basis! ATF performs better for firearms use on every count, even if it is a tad more expensive. (ATF is still 1/10 to 1/100th the cost of a specialty "gun oil"!)

Automotive motor oil additives: Usually a boundary additive in some sort of light mineral oil carrier, they usually lack corrosion protection and often oxidize rapidly; some have poor migration characteristics and rely on the oil to which they'll be added to provide those things. There are better and cheaper alternatives, though when mixed with an appropriate oil additives do have some merit (see above.) By themselves? No.
​

GOOD:

Dexron-type Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF): Scores pretty well in corrosion testing is also the readily available and dirt cheap. It also has good migration, a good boundary lubrication package, is the right weight (thickness) for general firearms use, doesn't oxidize over long periods of storage, and is compatible with a wide range of metals and plastics. In addition, it is recommended by at least one real degreed firearms engineer!​

"Best in Class" (his words):

Lubriplate's FMO-AW oil (350-AW weight): This is an oil designed with very high boundary protection and very high corrosion resistance - especially in the presence of acids, alkalis, and moisture. It is darned near tailor-made for our use! (Note that it's also non-toxic and certified by the NSF as safe for "incidental contact with food.")​


So this guy didn't actually compare any "gun" lubes (he mentioned Rem Oil in passing but that was it.) He completely skipped over a number of gun lubes that would seem to meet his criteria, many of which share more common ground with Lubriplate than ATF. I'll concede that ATF is cheaper, but based on his own analysis it's not "best."

Let's assume that firearms manufacturers know whats "best" for their products. Do any of them recommend using ATF? If it was indeed "best" why wouldn't they recommend it? A vast conspiracy of firearms manufacturers colluding with lube peddlers to squeeze us for a $10 bottle of purpose-designed gun lube that will last the average shooter a lifetime? Seems doubtful to me, but I've never been big on conspiracy theories.
 
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Slowdive said:
Kroil is probably the best solvent I've used, but is it a good lubricant?

I use it to get powder & lead residue out of the bore. I tried it as a cast bullet mold preserve, but it mostly evaporated.
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Kroil is an excellent lubricant. It is also a penitrating oil which is great when working with old crudded up gun parts. We use Kroil in our vibratory cleaner.
 
I use Mobil1, Its cheap, easy to get and its the only oil that doesn't burned off after fast strings of fire. The guns are easy to clean afterwards also, just wipe them down with a rag, no chemicals needed

Stuff like Breakfree CLP and Hoppes #9 give me headaches, so the less I have to use that stuff the better
 
Same here

Supermoto said:
I use Mobil1, Its cheap, easy to get and its the only oil that doesn't burned off after fast strings of fire. The guns are easy to clean afterwards also, just wipe them down with a rag, no chemicals needed

Stuff like Breakfree CLP and Hoppes #9 give me headaches, so the less I have to use that stuff the better
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Blitz1 said:
I've heard when mixed with transmission fluid it works well. It's been posted here.
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HardJeepGuy said:
This is what I use.
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Same here. 60/40 Mobil 1 (10w30? I dont remember) and Automatic Transmission Fluid. <- The only ATF I want around my guns[smile]

I use some old Automatenfett I got in a Swiss cleaning kit on my FAL, and my HD shotty because its stored standing up and the oil kept slowly moving to the back.

M1911 said:
Why mix them? What is the purpose of the ATF?
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best of both worlds. lubrication from the oil and all the corrosion protection, detergent qualities and lubrication of ATF.
 
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No love for CLP Break-Free? I used to use it all the time on my AR's and it functioned perfectly. Now i have one of those Spikes electroless nickel plated carriers and have no need for lube (these things are the real deal btw). On my M1A I like to use Tetra lithium grease.
 
FREDDY401 said:
No love for CLP Break-Free? I used to use it all the time on my AR's and it functioned perfectly. Now i have one of those Spikes electroless nickel plated carriers and have no need for lube (these things are the real deal btw). On my M1A I like to use Tetra lithium grease.
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I use CLP too. I had responded to the OP's generic question for a lubricant, with "Mobile 1". But when I clean intricate parts (still assembled) like the AR lower or a pistol lower, I used CLP because to use a solvent then oil it usually ends up too dry or too oily. The CLP is a good compromise. But for something like the AR bolt, which can be easily disassembled, I prefer a solvent then oil.
 
FREDDY401 said:
No love for CLP Break-Free? I used to use it all the time on my AR's and it functioned perfectly. Now i have one of those Spikes electroless nickel plated carriers and have no need for lube (these things are the real deal btw). On my M1A I like to use Tetra lithium grease.
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As a cleaner, it isn't terribly good. As a lubricant, motor oil is a lot cheaper.
 
Slowdive said:
For moving parts I just use bicycle grease or tenacious oil (both Phil Wood products). For the bore CLP.

I find bicycle products work well on any part that the bullet doesn't touch and I always have that stuff around.

BTW..that tenacious oil is awesome stuff, it really sticks to moving parts w/o being to gummy in the cold like grease.
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Good call on the Tenacious Oil. I was using grease on a tightly fitted pistol and the grease was giving me problems in the cold.

I had a bottle of Tenacious Oil sitting in my garage cabinet and it seems to work very well. I cycled the slide a bunch of times and it stays put very well. It's also pretty thick and gives some of the benefits of grease.

I won't use it on everything but for this gun, it'll work well in the winter. I'll go back to grease in the summer.
 
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Another_David said:
Mobile 1
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Blitz1 said:
I've heard when mixed with transmission fluid it works well. It's been posted here.
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Seriously? Two car fluids, mixed together? In a gun? Aren't those a bit thick anyhow? ATF? Type-F? What about other synthetic oils? What ratios? I am pretty cheap, but gun oil goes a LONG way, and isn't all that expensive.

I would be leery of this, and also would worry about my finish using something weird like that.
 
Kicker96FS said:
I thought this was a thread about,... well, I use KY. [smile]
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Gotta say.....that took a while!

Seriously, how much do you guys use, that switching to ATF (or whatever) based on cost? If it's a matter of cold weather performance, or some specific need for Balck-ops deniability....is it really that big of a deal?
 

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