Curious on your maintenance habits for guns you have staged around your confines, but are basically unused.
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I don’t lubricate guns that are not in use. Any lubricant is a dirt and dust magnet and all of them will dry out and leave behind “gunk” that is hard to remove and makes guns unreliable. Anyone ever remove the internal springs from an old rifle bolt? Some of them that were greased for storage, which was old wisdom, are now inoperable.
Storage for me is about rust protection if needed. Lubrication is strictly for actively used guns.
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So, a thin coating you basically wipe off, on the externals?
Not talking about safe queens.
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Yes and a maybe a LIGHT coat of grease on friction surfaces like rails and such in guns that need them to run well. Wet guns belong in war and training, not storage.
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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 pertinent story. My second cousin retired from the NYC Police Dept a long time ago. He then decided that carrying a gun was really not for him anymore and that he only needed a small handgun for HD.
Let me start by saying that just about EVERY officer I’ve met from large metro police departments are NOT “gun guys” and a whole lot of them are poorly trained (blame their departments, not them) and in many cases rely on their perceived level of knowledge/proficiency just by virtue of being an ex-cop as opposed to their real level of knowledge/proficiency that they feel they don’t need to research or acquire. Rant over.
So he goes and buys a Beretta .25 cal handgun… cleans it, lubes the crap out of it (very 1980s of him) and then dumps it into his nightstand with the rest of his junk and forgets about the gun for 10 years…
UNTIL, he has a home invasion. He grabs his gun and is immediately attacked but an intruder armed with a baseball bat. At that point he is ABSOLUTELY within his rights to use deadly force. So he points his pea shooter at the guy, who apparently was not impressed with the gun and continues to move towards him, presses the trigger and hears the absolute worse sound you can ever hear under these circumstance. CLICK!!!
The good news is that the BG decided that he was not going to stick around to see if my cousin could get his gun functioning again and bolted out of the house.
His son, came to his house later and called me to tell me his story. He took the gun apart and found out that it was basically varnished shut with dried oil/dirt/lint and the ammo was worthless (he tried to fire it and all rounds failed) probably from oil seeping into the primers.
there’s a lesson in there for all of us.
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Now I also know that anyone who is an active member here probably knows better than to leave a gun unattended and unmaintained for 10 years. The type of person that feels comfortable doing that would never be here searching for information and acquiring knowledge. So take my comments and example as a warning to the casual shooter or newbie that might stumble upon to this thread.
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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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This a great answer from AI. All “gun oils are “light machine oil”. Motor oils are NOT. That’s why I use Mobil 1 on my guns.
From Google AI:
Light machine oil dries over time due to a combination of factors, including volatility, oxidation, and the presence of water. Light machine oils are thin and volatile, meaning they evaporate readily. Additionally, oil can absorb water, reducing its lubricity and potentially causing it to dry out or become sticky. Oxidation, where the oil reacts with oxygen in the air, can also lead to thickening or drying.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
- Volatility:
Light machine oils are designed to penetrate into small spaces and crevices, but their lighter weight and volatility mean they can evaporate or work their way back out, leaving a solid deposit.
- Water Absorption:
Some lubricants, like those in spray form, are mixed with water, alcohol, or other solvents that evaporate after application, leaving a thin film. However, water can also be absorbed by the oil itself, reducing its lubricating properties and potentially causing it to dry out or become sticky.
- Oxidation:
Over time, oil can react with oxygen in the air, a process called oxidation. This can cause the oil to thicken or even dry out, reducing its effectiveness as a lubricant.
- Temperature:
High temperatures can also accelerate the evaporation and oxidation of oil, leading to quicker drying.
In essence, light machine oils are not designed to be a permanent lubricant. They are intended to provide lubrication for a period of time before eventually evaporating, oxidising, or being washed off by water or other factors.
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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 can tell you a dirty little secret, many of the gun products out there are basically repackaged automotive lubricants like motor oil and transmission fluid. None of the small gun companies out there has the cash resources to develop anything as complex as a purpose built firearms lubricant.
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