View Full Version : Keeping The Barrel Lubricated
Of the (5) AR's that I own, my Ruger AR-556 (my very 1st AR) has a factory barrel that is not chrome lined, or Nitride lined. Ruger states that it's barrel is made from 4140 chrome moly steel. I usually go months without shooting it, but about once a month I run a few patches of BALLISTOL down the barrel just to keep it lubed. Is this a good practice, or should I be lubing it more often, less, or just when I clean it after shooting it? I know it might sound trivial to some, but I just don't want it to rust. My other AR's are SS, Nitride lined, and (1) chrome lined, so I don't worry about them as much.
Thanks for any advice you offer.
It really depends where you live. I have a dozen bolt guns with non-stainless barrels and I lube them after cleaning and some have gone years without shooting or any other care. I happen to live in a place with very low humidity and bare steel doesn’t rust inside my house.
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It really depends where you live. I have a dozen bolt guns with non-stainless barrels and I lube them after cleaning and some have gone years without shooting or any other care. I happen to live in a place with very low humidity and bare steel doesn’t rust inside my house.
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I live in GA., where it gets very humid.
I do keep my firearms in a insulated safe.
Thanks for the reply.
Of the (5) AR's that I own, my Ruger AR-556 (my very 1st AR) has a factory barrel that is not chrome lined, or Nitride lined. Ruger states that it's barrel is made from 4140 chrome moly steel. I usually go months without shooting it, but about once a month I run a few patches of BALLISTOL down the barrel just to keep it lubed. Is this a good practice, or should I be lubing it more often, less, or just when I clean it after shooting it? I know it might sound trivial to some, but I just don't want it to rust. My other AR's are SS, Nitride lined, and (1) chrome lined, so I don't worry about them as much.
Thanks for any advice you offer.
If you haven't gotten any rust with your regiment so far, then it's doing the trick. I don't use Ballistol, but I hear it is good stuff.
I live in GA., where it gets very humid.
I do keep my firearms in a insulated safe.
Thanks for the reply.
Spent many years south of Macon. I kept my rifles in silicone impregnated gun socks, and kept a GoldenRod in the safe.
I use dehumidifiers and keep my firearms at 20-40% and that room about 5 to 10 degrees above ambient. Note that all my firearms are synthetic. Wood stocks require much more care with regard to what is too dry.
A wet patch after cleaning for storage then a dry patch before shooting again should be sufficient. Ballistol claims that is one of the things it is really good for and all of their other claims seem valid from what I have seen.
In my experience using it with other cleaners/lubes tends to negate it working quite as well so I use it exclusively. No idea how it chemically dissolves copper, but after storing awhile the patch down the barrel comes out blue so apparently it does it.
556BlackRifle
06-05-18, 10:18
I don't know about Balistol for long term storage on blued or melonited rifle barrels, but it works good on my Glocks. I usually use CLP or FP10 and so far, I've been good.
shadowrider
06-05-18, 10:37
Ballistol is water miscible. It'll work but you'll need to keep it freshly wiped. I did my own corrosion test once upon a time and the only one that rusted faster was the untreated control patch and Breakfree CLP.
I dare to say the this is an area where Froglube does actually work very well. I use it for corrosion protection and that's it. FWIW, Froglube paste and Eezox were a dead heat tie for first followed by FL liquid.
I don't know about Balistol for long term storage on blued or melonited rifle barrels, but it works good on my Glocks. I usually use CLP or FP10 and so far, I've been good.
Aren't Glock barrels melonited/tenifered?
Dr. Bullseye
06-05-18, 11:30
I coat the end of a bore snake with Corrosion X for the final pass just to make sure.
556BlackRifle
06-05-18, 12:59
Aren't Glock barrels melonited/tenifered?
I'm not an expert on Glock finishes. I do know that my older Glock slides and barrels are Tenifer, and I believe that to be a different trade name for the melonite process.
My comment with regard to blued and melonited rifle barrels is more of an observation than an endorsement. Like I said, Balistol seems to work fine with my Glocks but I've never used it on my blued or melonited rifle barrels.
I'm not an expert on Glock finishes. I do know that my older Glock slides and barrels are Tenifer, and I believe that to be a different trade name for the melonite process.
My comment with regard to blued and melonited rifle barrels is more of an observation than an endorsement. Like I said, Balistol seems to work fine with my Glocks but I've never used it on my blued or melonited rifle barrels.I got ya. I'm going to try it and see how it likes my nitrocarburized barrel. Thanks for the reply.
Melonite and Tenifer are trademarked variations of this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritic_nitrocarburizing
If what I have read is correct, Glock hasn't used the Tenifer process in awhile. If my further reading and observations are correct that change was somewhere at the end of or after Gen 2 frame type production. I *think* the Gen 1 and 2 pistols with the rougher charcoal gray colored slides were Tenifer while the slick/smooth blacker finish was/is what ever variation they switched to post Tenifer(and I am aware the coloration is not the metal treatment itself).
If that is the case (and for whatever it is worth basing this on a not so large sample size) I don't recall ever seeing an early pistol corrode...even some with the coloration completely worn off. I have seen 3 different Gen 3 frames with the smooth black coloration exhibit pitting with less use than the earlier types. I have also had an early M&P 45 (I think they advertised as Melonite at the time) exhibit pitting similar to the Gen 3 Glocks. Have to say I never saw evidence of corrosion of any kind on or in the barrels of those pistols, slide only.
Straight Shooter
06-06-18, 04:51
If you haven't gotten any rust with your regiment so far, then it's doing the trick. I don't use Ballistol, but I hear it is good stuff.
Brother, you aint hurtin a thing...keep on keepin on. And Im a huge lover of Ballistol...its just great stuff. I even dig the smell!
I too run a couple of wet patches thru my bores after cleaning.
Ballistol is water miscible. It'll work but you'll need to keep it freshly wiped. I did my own corrosion test once upon a time and the only one that rusted faster was the untreated control patch and Breakfree CLP.
I dare to say the this is an area where Froglube does actually work very well. I use it for corrosion protection and that's it. FWIW, Froglube paste and Eezox were a dead heat tie for first followed by FL liquid.
I also have some Grizzly Grease. Isn't it similar to FrogLube?
http://grizzlyguncare.com/grizzly-grease-non-toxic-clp-4-fl-oz/
Brother, you aint hurtin a thing...keep on keepin on. And Im a huge lover of Ballistol...its just great stuff. I even dig the smell!
I too run a couple of wet patches thru my bores after cleaning.
I personally use EEZOX and have found it to be a very good rust preventer. But, hey, if his way gets it done, why change.
shadowrider
06-06-18, 11:48
I also have some Grizzly Grease. Isn't it similar to FrogLube?
http://grizzlyguncare.com/grizzly-grease-non-toxic-clp-4-fl-oz/
Never even heard of it, but it sure looks like it from the website.
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