Curious on your maintenance habits for guns you have staged around your confines, but are basically unused.
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So, a thin coating you basically wipe off, on the externals?
Not talking about safe queens.
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When I clean them, every few thousand rounds.
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Do you have any staged, that you will only use in the event of a breakin?
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I also make it a point to not let them sit more than a month or two without being fired. Afterwards, a quick cleaning (unless more thorough cleaning is warranted), load fresh ammunition and then re-stage.
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A few years ago my Father passed his Browning A5 (1956-57 Belgian Model with the stamped steel FN buttplate) to me. He’s getting up in years and can no longer handle the recoil. He wanted me to get it before he passed so I didn’t have to deal with my Step-Mother’s offspring to get it.
My fondest memory of that weapon from my child hood is when I was tasked with putting something away in the front closet of our house. The front closet was the “catch all” and was crammed full of stuff, including Dad’s A5. When I opened the door, everything fell out. The A5 fell on top of me and the ironing board fell on top of the A5. The bead on the A5 carved a notch in the middle of my forehead and I still have the scar. Dad tore my ass up because I wasn’t supposed to touch his shotgun.
When I took possession of it the action was so gummed up with sludge and dust it wouldn’t even cycle and it still had ammo in it from the last time he fired it which could have easily been 30 plus years ago. He said he oiled it once a year whether it needed it or not. Thanks, Dad.
I cleared off the bench in my shop and went to work…or tried to. I had wanted to strip it completely apart to be able to clean every piece of the weapon but many of the screws holding everything together were rusted in place. I had a bottle of Hoppes #9 I transferred to a squirt bottle and started soaking everything I could get to and let it sit for a couple days.
The sludge was too great for the Hoppes and even after sitting the action would not cycle. Dad’s old A5 then got the CRC treatment. Red can. The one that is REALLY bad for the environment. I have yet to find anything the CRC Red will not clean and the pressure out of the can is phenomenal. 4 cans later and the action was cycling like new. I gave her a light coating of Remoil through the ejection port and called it good for the moment.
I did take the weapon to a local gunsmith soon after to have the rusted hardware removed. He did a complete disassemble like I wanted to do originally and cleaned everything, replaced a few internal pieces and gave her a thumbs up.
I have since given the same weapon to my oldest Son with instructions to give it to his oldest son.
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As far as lubrication goes, my EDC gets some oil on the slide one the average of once a month if I don’t go shooting or after every time I shoot. I will typically do a quick takedown once a week and blow out dust from the barrel and that is about it.
For my staged weapons, I usually do a takedown and dusting of the barrels with a dry patch every couple of months. I have a desiccant pack in the safe to guard against rust and one in the backpack I have my PCC in. Normally my PCC will get fired anytime I take my EDC to the range. They are both my constant traveling companions.
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A good quality dry lube works for me.
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I used to use Hoppe’s oil. I cleaned the slide(s) on both the frame and slide with alcohol and re-lubed once a month. The oil was always dried up at this interval.
That interval has increased to about every 3 months after I changed to G96 Synthetic oil. The oil still has not dried up, but I remove it with alcohol and re-lube anyway.
I always perform a complete function test with snap caps after reassembly. I then do some dry fire training before reloading because I probably have not spent any quality time with the staged firearm in a while.
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Here’s my question. They come lubed from the factory. I’ve never ever seen one dry, even ones made decades ago. Why would your “oil” “dry” in almost no time?
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I don’t have an answer.
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While some new firearms may have a thin coating of oil for rust prevention during shipping, they are generally not lubricated for use. Manufacturers often ship them either “dry” or with a preservative coating. This coating is designed to protect against corrosion, not to provide the necessary lubrication for firing.
Elaboration:
New firearms are often shipped with a thin layer of oil, often a special rust-inhibiting formula, to prevent corrosion during transport and storage.
Not Lubrication:
This oil is not intended to be the primary lubricant for the gun’s action. It’s a preservative to protect the metal from rust and is usually a thicker, stickier substance that won’t simply drain away.
Cleaning and Lubrication Required:
Before firing a new firearm, it’s recommended to clean the rust-inhibiting oil and apply a suitable firearm lubricant to ensure proper operation and longevity.
Manufacturer Instructions:
Always refer to the firearm’s manual for specific instructions on cleaning and lubrication. Some manufacturers may recommend a thorough cleaning before the first firing to remove any excess oil or residue.
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I do use CLP for the protectant aspect. I keep everything lightly coated for exactly that purpose. But, that’s not at all the same level of lubrication I maintain on my EDC.
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Hmmmm. I wonder if some of the more recently developed products are considered the same as light machine oil.
I have purchased several lately that supposedly guarantee no drying out, but they’ve yet to be put to the test of time.
I’ve been using shooter lube advanced and riptide advanced infused with graphene. I’m interested to see how they hold up with time and use.
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I have a serious question, Brother Enzo, what weight/viscosity do you recommend? I have heard about the automotive oil from some folks though I must confess it isn’t that common.
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Mine are lubricated after cleaning and then placed in holsters or cases. Except for Big Bad Bertha. Bertha DGAF! 
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Mobil 1 is really good stuff. I knew a petroleum engineer who worked in that group back before the Exxon acquisition of Mobil. Based on his deep dissertations on engine lube, it was all I ever ran in my boat engines. Marine use is about as hard as any possible operating environment for an engine. My last boat had thousands of hours on the original engine (inboard Chevy Vortec 350), with zero oil burning, perfect compression in all cylinders, perfect oil pressure and, basically, it showed no signs of wear.
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Interesting. I’ll admit I’m not immune to claims in advertising. 
I should probably research before clicking buy.
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Fascinating. I can see why bearing grease would be effective.
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5w20 should work then. I have 4 cases of Mobil 1 5w20 in my shop at the house right now. I do my own oil changes and buy all my supplies once a year after income tax comes back. I just bought my yearly supply of oil changes, so I’m stocked.
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