View Full Version : In search of a non-slippery corrosion protectant
Does anyone have any recommendations for a product that will help protect the exterior of a firearm from rust that isn't slippery like your average gun oil or CLP? I searched the forum but didn't come up with anything on this topic, if this has already been discussed please point me in the direction of the threads I should be reading.
I'm looking for something non-slippery and waterproof that won't rub off on or stain clothing, and is preferably non-toxic. I know the obvious answer is some kind of permanent coating like Cerakote, but I'm looking for something less expensive that can be reapplied as needed. I'd like to find something to use on safety selector levers (exterior only), bolt catch paddles, barrel exteriors, handgun slides & slide releases, bolt handles for bolt action rifles, etc... (I know the last two aren't M4/AR15 related, but you get the idea.) Basically anything that needs the "P" part of "CLP" without the slickness of the "L". Anything out there fit the bill?
Boeshield T-9 but I wouldn't use it as a lubricant. GH
walkin' trails
07-19-13, 17:28
Maybe take a look at FrogLube. Its messy to put on, but it does dry and does not leave a sticky, messy surface. I used it a little bit before deciding I liked other stuff better for cleaning and lube, but not because FrogLube was lacking in any way. When shooting the gun and it becomes hot, will become wet again to some degree - at least on the internal parts, but I don't recall that being the case on the outside of the gun. You can pull up their instructional videos online.
I remember reading that Break Free CLP beat most other gun lube (including froglube) in rust prevention. Most ARs with parked, nitrided and with good milspec anodizing will 'soak up' the CLP. Any rifle that is going to sit for a while, gets a good coat of CLP where I work. We let it sit for a few hours and wipe off the excess with something lint free. After that nothing on the exterior is slippery.
Another substance we like (subjectively) is this stuff called Archoil. Got a few samples from it at a trade show. Haven't bought any though.
Razorhunter
07-19-13, 21:00
Boeshield T-9 but I wouldn't use it as a lubricant. GH
No offense, but I've used Boeshield T-9 for years, and the one way to describe it, is SLIPPERY AND SLICK. Geezus, and you wonder how bad information gets dispersed over the internet. It's one thing to make an honest mistake with complicated subjects, and possibly give some incorrect info, but how on earth man can you sit here and tell this guy Boeshield isn't slippery? I suppose now you will play the "I somehow didn't fully read the first sentence of his post" card on us.
Sorry man, I'm not trying to beat you up, but it doesn't get much worse than this when it comes to blatantly giving out bad info.
I use EEZOX. Very good rust inhibitor and it doesn't seem that slippery to me.
Slip EWL is my primary lube, but it's about like motor oil. :)
Try Froglube, it's more of a paste until heated.
Failure2Stop
07-20-13, 12:23
Slip EWL is my primary lube, but it's about like motor oil. :)
Try Froglube, it's more of a paste until heated.
Froglube has shown to be inferior to Breakfree CLP for corrosion protection.
Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.
BlackViper
07-20-13, 12:49
Another vote for Eezox.
BV
Froglube has shown to be inferior to Breakfree CLP for corrosion protection.
Typos brought to you via Tapatalk and autocorrect.
Sorry, brain fart earlier. As far as exterior protectant I'm drawing a blank on one that isn't at least somewhat slippery.
Razorhunter
07-20-13, 13:09
To everyone recommending a lube, well, that simply isn't going to work, as it will do EXACTLY what the op doesn't want (it will be slippery and a slippery M4 is a bad M4). As I've noted, even some rust preventatives like Boeshield will be too slippery.
Op, sorry for the delay, as I had to get down in my shop to confirm the name of the product, but what you want to use is a product called "Rust Prevent" by Shooters Choice. It works, it lasts, and I have confirmed it will harm nothing on your firearm. Safe for polymers, plastics, etc, including all firearm finishes, and best of all, it is NOT slippery.
Anyone willing to shoot me their email and post up a pic for me which I took of the can?? It's a great pic, but I cannot post pics from my mobile. Anyone? I just need an email to send to as I can't attach pics via indirect emails thru the forum...
Razorhunter
07-20-13, 13:13
Oh, one more product to consider, that most of you fellow military types will recognize is Sentry Solutions "Tuf-Glide". It's a dry protectant, which goes on wet, and dries shortly after, leaving behind a corrosion inhibitor. However, IIRC, the drying agent that evaporates is mineral spirits, so not site what it may harm on certain firearm finishes.
Breakfree Collector.
Been using it for years, seems to work well. No mineral oil, supposedly safe for synthetics. Once dry, I wipe off excess and its not very slippery.
Mark
No offense, but I've used Boeshield T-9 for years, and the one way to describe it, is SLIPPERY AND SLICK. Geezus, and you wonder how bad information gets dispersed over the internet. It's one thing to make an honest mistake with complicated subjects, and possibly give some incorrect info, but how on earth man can you sit here and tell this guy Boeshield isn't slippery? I suppose now you will play the "I somehow didn't fully read the first sentence of his post" card on us.
Sorry man, I'm not trying to beat you up, but it doesn't get much worse than this when it comes to blatantly giving out bad info.
T-9 is not slippery at all if used correctly for corrosion protection of metal. It is really simple... Spray on and wipe off! GH
My vote goes to Amsoil HD. It has a waxy feel to it after it dries, but it is not really slippery. As to its corrosion resistance, I did a "test" on April 7 13. The HD is on the right side of the angle iron ("0" weight grease is on the left) these have been outside since 4/7/13.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/88sporty/doug044_zpsa1f0266d.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/88sporty/media/doug044_zpsa1f0266d.jpg.html)
pic taken today:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/88sporty/duc120_zps66a1d943.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/88sporty/media/duc120_zps66a1d943.jpg.html)
It is the can on the left:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/88sporty/doug034_zpsb3dd407c.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/88sporty/media/doug034_zpsb3dd407c.jpg.html)
I second the break free collector.
Not greasy or slippery and I keep a cloth damp with it in a ziplock bag on the bench for a final wipe.
Won't harm wood or synthetics.
Works real nice on blued weapons.
scoutchris
07-21-13, 19:09
Rhino line it.
Thank you to everyone who replied. I looked at a bunch of reviews of the Boeshield T-9, they all seemed very positive and most mentioned that it was not slippery... :confused: It was looking really promising until I saw Razorhunter's comment. Does anyone else have any experience with it?
I found this not-so-scientific test of several of the products that have been recommended, including Shooters Choice Rust Prevent. Unfortunately the Rust Prevent didn't prevent rust very well in the test...
http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html
As for the remaining recommendations, although I have not personally used any of them, from what I've been able to find on the internet none of them really strike me as quite what I'm looking for. Eezox seems to have just as good of a reputation as a lubricant as it does as a rust inhibitor, and I'm specifically looking for something non-slippery. Otherwise, of all the recommended products, it seems to rank very high in the rust protection department. Break Free CLP and Break Free Collector are in a similar boat - great reputation for rust prevention it seems, but also a good reputation as a lubricant (hence "clean, lube, protect"). That's not really what I'm looking for.
I couldn't really find much on Amsoil MP HD, other than that it is also said to work well as a penetrant, and I'm a little leery of using penetrants on firearms. Sentry Solutions Tuf-Glide looks promising, but I haven't been able to find much info on it. :(
Rhino line it.
:sarcastic: I did that to the rocker panels on my last car, lol. Trying to be a little less noticeable on my rifle.
T9 has not been slippery in my experience.
What about automotive wax, for shiny surfaces?
Berserkr556
07-22-13, 07:51
I would try weapon shield oil. In several tests including one found on this site it was tops at corrosion protection.
Razorhunter
07-22-13, 13:01
Guys, Boeshield T-9 can be sprayed on, and wiped off, without leaving too much of a slippery feel behind. This is the case with almost any product! HOWEVER , if you apply enough of it to actually prevent corrosion for any amount of time, it will be slippery.
T9 has not been slippery in my experience.
What about automotive wax, for shiny surfaces?
I thought about that actually. My only concern is how it would act/react with heat (like on the outside of the barrel), and if it doesn't work like I want it to, how would you remove it? :blink:
I would try weapon shield oil. In several tests including one found on this site it was tops at corrosion protection.
I looked up a few reviews on weapon shield... Lots of people love how slippery it is. ;) That's great for something primarily intended to be a lubricant, but it's not quite what I'm looking for.
Can you explain what it's for and why you are asking for certain properties?
I thought about that actually. My only concern is how it would act/react with heat (like on the outside of the barrel), and if it doesn't work like I want it to, how would you remove it? :blink:
I looked up a few reviews on weapon shield... Lots of people love how slippery it is. ;) That's great for something primarily intended to be a lubricant, but it's not quite what I'm looking for.
I use Boeshield T-9 on vintage fly fishing reels and it works very well. It goes on, sits for a while, and gets buffed off. Multiple coats for best results. The finish is not slippery and has proven to be a good protectant.
I don't know how it would work on a rifle as I haven't tried that. I would be interested to see how the dried T-9 responds to the heat generated by a rifle.
Eezox....spray a thin film and let it dry. Great against rust because it dries to a hard film, not much use for anything else. It doesn't meet your non-toxic criteria though.
I think I would consider nickel or black nickel plating as an option for the properties you are looking for. Great corrosion protection.
Can you explain what it's for and why you are asking for certain properties?
I don't like the slippery feeling I get on the outside of the gun after wiping it down with a standard gun oil or CLP, especially on parts that need to be handled/manipulated. I want to save the slick stuff for the inside and use a different product for the outside parts that will be coming in contact with my hands and clothing, hence the desire for it to be non-toxic and non-staining as well. I realize this isn't something most people probably care about or even consider, but I thought I'd ask anyway.
If anyones interested:
Forgot about this test I did.(thought it was a different thread??) anyway, took the 2nd pic today, almost one year outside in WA state.I was surprised you could still see some of the grease. Everything else is totally rusted.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/88sporty/desoto/doug044_zps6edf1b0f.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/88sporty/media/desoto/doug044_zps6edf1b0f.jpg.html)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/88sporty/desoto/IMGP3539_zps5d6bf14d.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/user/88sporty/media/desoto/IMGP3539_zps5d6bf14d.jpg.html)
ETA: first pic taken 4 7-13, second taken 3-20-14
Hunters in places like Alaska have been using wax to protect their firearms for decades. You'll have to try it to see if it feels too slippery for your use.
There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. To get something, you have to give something up. If you want superior corrosion prevention, the coating is going to be permanent like a paint, toxic like Corrosion X, wet like ACF50 or sticky. You could try silicon spray. It goes on wet but the suspension medium (what carries the silicon) flashes off quickly and silicon does help protect against moisture. Downsides are that it might be too slippery feeling and needs replenishing but it's dry and won't stain once dry
I spray some ballistol on a small paint brush and then buff it dry with a black t shirt, not slippery at all. I think it's gonna be hard to find a rust inhibitor or protectant that doesn't contain some oils, but this method works well so far for me and keeps the exterior looking new.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a product that will help protect the exterior of a firearm from rust that isn't slippery like your average gun oil or CLP? I searched the forum but didn't come up with anything on this topic, if this has already been discussed please point me in the direction of the threads I should be reading.
I'm looking for something non-slippery and waterproof that won't rub off on or stain clothing, and is preferably non-toxic. I know the obvious answer is some kind of permanent coating like Cerakote, but I'm looking for something less expensive that can be reapplied as needed. I'd like to find something to use on safety selector levers (exterior only), bolt catch paddles, barrel exteriors, handgun slides & slide releases, bolt handles for bolt action rifles, etc... (I know the last two aren't M4/AR15 related, but you get the idea.) Basically anything that needs the "P" part of "CLP" without the slickness of the "L". Anything out there fit the bill?
Why do you have an aversion to oil?
TurretGunner
03-21-14, 09:38
What your asking for does not exsist, atleast not for firearm applications.
Your best bet:
24566 + 24567
Eezoxx would meet your criteria with the exception of being non-toxic. It's pretty potent and is not safe on all plastics. I stopped using it. Corrosion-X is an excellent protectant and is non-toxic, and safe for all gun parts, but it is slippery.
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SomeOtherGuy
03-22-14, 22:47
I've used both Eezox and Boeshield T-9. Eezox leaves a fairly slick surface if wiped off before drying, and a somewhat greasy-sticky surface if not wiped off. Boeshield sets to a waxy-greasy (and slippery) surface if applied heavily and NOT wiped off, but if applied and then wiped off, which is the direction for normal use, I find the resulting surface not much more slippery than the same metal dry of anything. YMMV, but it might be worth trying.
Froglube works primarily as a mechanical barrier so you would need to leave it on rather heavily, and it's slippery if you do that.
Another option might be silicone spray, sold in automotive parts and hardware stores. It provides some corrosion protection - but not great. It does dry completely, but it still somewhat slicker than a bare-metal dry surface. I have used it on tractor parts that sat outside (zinc chromate plated steel pins, if you care) and they would generally start rusting within a month or two. I switched to Boeshield T-9 at the tractor dealer's recommendation and rust largely stopped. This is plain steel parts with a chromate plating that gets scratched and worn through, that sit outside 24/7/365. A much more adverse environment than most firearms face.
Paint would probably be the best compromise if you would consider it. If you went with paint, Cerakote seems to be the best, and after that it seems to be Ford vs. Chevy to some extent, with several good options, but apparently none as good as Cerakote.
another vote for ballistol
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