Lubrication

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I was browsing around the Sig forum and found some pictures of how guns are coming back from Sig's custom shop in terms of lubrication. It seems like they are using a lot of grease. I also found a couple articles saying that using grease rather than oil on the slide was a good call.

I had watched a couple youtube videos on how to clean, since I am new to this and had no idea, as well as the videos on Sig's site that explain how to clean their guns specifically. None of these really mentioned grease...they just said Hoppes oil on everything even though Sig does include a packet of grease with the gun and there was a bit of grease on the hammer coming from the factory.

So, I'm not overly concerned...I am a big auto detailing guy and have carried that fanaticism to cleaning my gun. I clean it every time I go to shoot and lube it well with Hoppes oil, but I am curious what people think about oil vs. grease on high wear areas.

FWIW, I do tend to shoot a couple hundred rounds per session because I am not currently a member of a gun club and thus don't get to shoot as often as I would like (working on that). But I have put 300 rounds through the gun in a session, and even did about 450 in a day when I went to a friend's gravel pit to shoot.
 
Lots of manufactures install grease from the factory because it won't run all over the packaging & will store on the shops shelf well.
I use a little here & there. Revolver internalls mostly. For most applications oil is fine.
 
I started using a lot more grease after taking the SIG rifle armorer class. SIG does seem to really like grease on most of its parts and they really pushed it in their class.

Personally, I like that grease stays mostly where I put it, whereas oil will flow around a lot. That said for certain parts like AR gas rings, I was told to use oil and generally use something like Tetragun oil.
 
I used to use TW25B grease on some guns, but stopped for the most part, it just makes too much of a mess. Now I use mpro7 oil on everything, and when those two bottles run out, I will probably go the Mobil 1 route. Another nice thing about oil is if it burns off, as a field expedient you can quickly take the gun apart, add a little more oil here and there, and keep shooting. With grease that really isn't an option as there is all the burned up contaminated sludge to remove.

Even after I am done shooting, most of my guns still have lube on them that hasn't cooked off, so IMO that's enough. Then again I don't fret about wear, etc. On some sigs no matter how much or what type of lube you use, you will be unable to stop the wear points, especially on the newer guns which seem to have "interesting" fitment, to put it mildly. The good news is, after those points have self-machined, the wear areas will stop growing.

I don't know how long you have been shooting but as time goes on you'll obsess less about cleaning guns. It is very easy to overthink/overdo it.

-Mike
 
I don't remember the last time I lubed either of my 'real' pistols. I have ~600 through the Kahr and ~2-3000 through the Glock.

My Ruger Mk3 I just hose with CLP.
 
I always grease up the rails good if I'm gonna shoot a lot at the range with my Sig. Easy clean up afterwards and just some oil after. No need to pack the grease on for carrying.
 
Hmmm. Thanks for all the opinions!

I started using a lot more grease after taking the SIG rifle armorer class. SIG does seem to really like grease on most of its parts and they really pushed it in their class.

Yea, that seemed to be the attitude on sigforums and the articles I read...that Sigs tended to like a lot of grease.

I used to use TW25B grease on some guns, but stopped for the most part, it just makes too much of a mess. Now I use mpro7 oil on everything, and when those two bottles run out, I will probably go the Mobil 1 route. Another nice thing about oil is if it burns off, as a field expedient you can quickly take the gun apart, add a little more oil here and there, and keep shooting. With grease that really isn't an option as there is all the burned up contaminated sludge to remove.

This is a good point. I hadn't even thought of the mess it would make. It's hard enough to get all the crap out of the rails with oil.

I like the idea of bringing a little oil with me. It's obviously not hard to check. Maybe that's what I'll do....start bringing some oil and just watch what is happening when I put a lot of rounds through the gun.

Even after I am done shooting, most of my guns still have lube on them that hasn't cooked off, so IMO that's enough. Then again I don't fret about wear, etc. On some sigs no matter how much or what type of lube you use, you will be unable to stop the wear points, especially on the newer guns which seem to have "interesting" fitment, to put it mildly. The good news is, after those points have self-machined, the wear areas will stop growing.

I don't know how long you have been shooting but as time goes on you'll obsess less about cleaning guns. It is very easy to overthink/overdo it.

Yea, have not been shooting long at all. The cleanliness thing is just a personality trait of mine, but I agree I'm not really concerned about wear. I wouldn't have bought the gun I bought if I wanted it to sit there and look pretty. I bought it to shoot and carry and if it gets worn it gets worn. I just wanna make sure I keep it operating well, because it's going to see a lot of rounds in its lifetime.

I can already see what you mean about the fitment. I was looking at the wear on the rails and it does not necessarily seem like what you would expect...not even. But the more I shoot it the better it seems to work.

I swear it's getting more accurate too as I shoot it but that's probably the guy behind the trigger.

I always grease up the rails good if I'm gonna shoot a lot at the range with my Sig. Easy clean up afterwards and just some oil after. No need to pack the grease on for carrying.

This isn't a bad idea either. The gravel pit shoot might have been a good time to grease it since I knew I was gonna put a ton of rounds through it and miiight possibly be doing a couple rapid fire mags, just for fun.

I think the call is gonna be to stick with oil and watch how it goes at the range, and then maybe try grease the next time I go to the gravel pit and see how it works out. If it's too big a mess I'll probably just go with oil all the time.
 
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+1 on the Mobil 1, this is where i picked up that tip... i sparingly use

grease on the rails. but by all means lube your guns, you don't have to clean

them after every range trip, i usually clean every other IDPA match as

an example....
 
I also oil differently depending on use.

Carry gun - very little oil to prevent collection of dust.
Before match or a class - I would use a bit more on the moving parts and friction areas.
Storing a gun - I would cover that Bad Larry in light coat of heavy oil not so necessary on friction parts but anywhere where there is exposed steel to prevent oxidation.
 
Interesting so many people are using Mobil 1. I always have some on hand for the car...not a bad idea. I like Mike-Mike's ideas too.

Thanks for the links yanici and Malchira, I saw his post referenced a couple times but couldn't find it. I didn't realize he worked for Bruce Gray. That's kind of what's making me think twice about the oil thing...it seems like a lot of Sig armorers are saying Sigs in particular like grease.
 
I use synthetic CV grease for high pressure/high temp locations like the rails. I smear a coat on and wipe it off. Enough stays to lubricate and protect without getting gummy.

For other friction points I use small amounts of Pro-Shot Zero Friction. It lubricates very well.

For overall protection I've been using Weapon Shield. I wipe it on, then wipe off the excess with a silicon cloth that is now slightly oil-impregnated in addition to the silicon.

CV grease and Weapon Shield did very well in the first and second rust tests I ran in 2007. Mobil 1 did OK in the first test, as did Dextron III and MP7 gun oil in the second test, although the last two faded at the end some. Hoppes gun oil and ATF +3, not quite so good.
 
A decade or so ago when I first went to the SIG academy, they were recomending Ballistol as the lube of choice for pistols. They have gone to recomending grease for the rails. I think it comes under the heading of SIGs prefer to be lubed and as long as there is a lubricant on there, you will be ok. So use a grease if you want, use a quality oil if you want, just make sure you use something. I have SIGs with thousands of rounds with oil and no signs of excessive wear, I have ones with grease for a couple thousand rounds and when they are all cleaned, they look the same. If you use oil and do not shoot much, I would recomend monthly wipe downs and relubing. Grease will not run out as much bit should still be wiped out and reapplied every few months as it can dry over time too.
 
A decade or so ago when I first went to the SIG academy, they were recomending Ballistol as the lube of choice for pistols. They have gone to recomending grease for the rails. I think it comes under the heading of SIGs prefer to be lubed and as long as there is a lubricant on there, you will be ok. So use a grease if you want, use a quality oil if you want, just make sure you use something. I have SIGs with thousands of rounds with oil and no signs of excessive wear, I have ones with grease for a couple thousand rounds and when they are all cleaned, they look the same. If you use oil and do not shoot much, I would recomend monthly wipe downs and relubing. Grease will not run out as much bit should still be wiped out and reapplied every few months as it can dry over time too.

This is really helpful, thanks!
 
Another vote for synthetic motor oil. I went to synthetic when the price of "Break Free" went to $6 for four ounces. The interior of an internal combustion engine is a much more hostile environment than a firearm. By comparison synthetic motor oil looks like overkill.
 
I've been using Break Free exclusively without and issues. I was given a jar of RIG +P Stainless Steel Lube and used it twice. Seems to make more of a mess while shooting than oil. Once the Break Free is gone, looks like I'm going to Mobil 1.

Great insight.
 
I use Militec-1 on all of my guns. If I run out, I use some Royal Purple 10w-30 that I have leftover from doing an oil change.
 
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