Gun oil substitutes

[The brew guy 22]

If I remember the story correctly, Abraham-Louis Breguet was asked by King Luis XVI if he could build a "perfect watch." He replied “give me the perfect oil majesty, then I give you the perfect watch.” I have watch oils that run $75/5ml and many watches use 4-5 different oils for different parts. Gun oil is cheap, buy lots of it and use whatever works best for you.

[GRIZ 3,369]

You can lube with just about anything to get it to work...for awhile. I forgot to mention something that is a superior lube for ARs. Dri Slide came out in the 1960s. IIRC, it is molybdenum disulfide suspended in mineral spirits. If you squirt it on the bolt and bolt carrier and within seconds the mineral spirits evaporate and anything touched by the molybdenum disulfide is covered in a black powdery film. This film is extremely durable. The best part of it is nothing, I mean nothing, will stick to the metal after that. You can drop the bolt and bolt carrier in sand and at worst you have to shake off a a few grains of sand. Try that with just about any other lube. You get minimal carbon building up on the bolt. Makes cleaning easy.

 

The down side to Dri Slide is the dry film it leaves. Gets anything black that comes in contact with it. Also expensive. These are the two reasons the military never adopted it.

 

How well did I test this? I used Dri Slide during my "extended range trip" to Vietnam in 1968-69. I never had any lube issues. LSA was the issued lube at the time and could cause problems when the weapon would start to get dirty.

 

Dri Slide is still made but rarely carried in gun shops to my experience. It also is good chain lube for motorcycles.

 

As I side note I get a laugh when people make the "discovery" you should run an AR bolt wet. We knew that in 1968.

[T Bill 649]

As I side note I get a laugh when people make the "discovery" you should run an AR bolt wet. We knew that in 1968.

 

Any gun that "shits" where it "eats" needs lots-o-lube.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

Any gun that "shits" where it "eats" needs lots-o-lube.

Haha, good analogy!

 

 

Anyone look into cerakotes clear coat?

[The brew guy 22]

GRIZ, I didn't know Dri-slide was still around. I used to use it for bicycle chains in the late 70s, great stuff, especially in Sandy environments. I'll have to try to find it.

[mikeyjones 88]

Will that work with 1911 pistols?

 

Haven't tried honestly. I have a small bottle of Hoppes oil that I use for all of my handguns. It's cheap and does the trick.  I just prefer Mobil 1 for ARs.

[GRIZ 3,369]

GRIZ, I didn't know Dri-slide was still around. I used to use it for bicycle chains in the late 70s, great stuff, especially in Sandy environments. I'll have to try to find it.

You can find it on line. I can't remember the last time I saw it in a gun shop.

[DanMarvel 9]

If you use froglube, might as well just buy coconut oil and save some extra money.

[raz-0 1,259]

Dri Slide is still made but rarely carried in gun shops to my experience. It also is good chain lube for motorcycles.

 

I've got some. Even on line, you are usually buying it from bike shops.

 

It is messy as heck though.

[GRIZ 3,369]

I've got some. Even on line, you are usually buying it from bike shops.

It is messy as heck though.

As I said, messy is the reason the military never adopted it. When Vietnam was going on the manufacturer would sell cases being shipped to a Vietnam APO or FPO for cost. IIRC it was like $12-15 a case, $1.25-1.50 a 4 oz can and that's mfr cost. These were the days when a 4 oz can of 3 in 1 oil was 19 cents and you could buy quality motor oil for 50 cents a quart. Yeah, either one you can use for lube but nothing beats Dri Slide to this day for lubing a AR's innards under extreme conditions.

 

Since Vietnam, in the Army Reserve or National Guard my standard issue weapon was usually a handgun. If I was in a more dangerous area I could convince supply to also issue me a M16 or M4. If I was going to use that M16 or M4 on a regular basis, I would get a case of Dri Slide to take with me.

[RichP 115]

Will that work with 1911 pistols?

 

Of course it will. There are plenty of non-sponsored shooters out there that swear by synthetic motor oil or transmission fluid. For internal workings, I think that you'd be hard pressed to notice any difference between a motor oil and the very best, brilliantly marketed wonder lube.

As for a lube's ability to keep a gun clean - the primer/powder choice has 100x more to do with your guns fouling than a lube possibly can.

I usually grab whatever is closest to me when the gun is ready for reassembly, although I will smear some grease on the rails of my semi's.

[average joe 5]

Try this.  Take a common nail and coat it with Breakfree CLP, then take another common nail, and coat it with your favorite lube.  Put them both in a glass of water.   come back in 48 hours, then  you will have your answer.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Try this.  Take a common nail and coat it with Breakfree CLP, then take another common nail, and coat it with your favorite lube.  Put them both in a glass of water.   come back in 48 hours, then  you will have your answer.

That would address the protectorant issue but not the lube issue. I could paint one nail but paint is not a good lube.