Clay
02-18-12, 16:06
It is not my intention to start another "ultimate gun oil" thread. I just thought I'd share some new information I've gathered over the last few months regarding gun lubes, both oil and grease.
Let's start with CLP's -
1. Break-Free CLP is not U.S. military issue, and hasn't been for some time.The company has changed hands several time over the years, and is now part of Safariland. Break-Free CLP is NOT on the Qualified Products List for issue to any U.S. troops.
2. Break-Free CLP does not contain Teflon. Any Break-Free CLP you've purchased in the last few years is PTFE-free. This was confirmed by Emily Whritenour of Safariland yesterday.
3. The only CLP on the Qualified Products List commercially available for purchase is G96 Synthetic CLP. Lots of CLP/gun oils claim to be military issue, or meet MIL-L-63460D/E, but they aren't on the list. They may have designed a product to meet the spec, but have not been approved. G96 Synthetic CLP is the only military issue CLP available to civilians.
4. Martin Niner, of Pantheon Chemical, recently told me that they are going through the process of getting Mpro7 LPX approved for use by the military as a CLP, under the MIL-L-63460E spec.
5. I spoke this week with Mike Dorner, the technical service manager for Lubriplate. While Lubriplate does not market a lubricant for firearms, he did recommend the Lubrication 101 web post by Grant Cunningham as being excellent information. Grant, who is a well known gunsmith, recommends the use of Dexron ATF, as well as several Lubriplate products, such as SFL-0 grease and FMO-350AW oil. Mr. Dorner also mentioned that the 130-A and 130-AA greases were similar to the grease which was sold to the military during WWII, of which most folks are aware. One Lubriplate employee uses the Synxtreme HD-1 grease on shotguns.
My thoughts?
G96 Synthetic CLP is excellent, as is Mpro7 LPX. I've been using the LPX on a S&W 442 for a year with outstanding results. These products are guaranteed safe and effective no matter what the weapon, or environment you use it in.
Dexron automatic transmission fluid will work swell as a gun lube, but it is generally nasty, stinky, and not very safe on skin. My favorite is the Valvoline Dexron VI Synthetic ATF. It offers excellent specs, and seems to stink less than the Mobil 1 stuff. Available at Autozone.
The Lubriplate FMO-350AW that Grant says is ideal, and is making it's way around the net via Lubri-Kit.com is only good down to +10F per Lubriplate. I would not use it when the aforementioned CLP's are widely available for around the same cost, and have an unbelievably wide temp range.
For grease, the Lubriplate SFL-0 is good, but might be a bit thin for some folks. I like a regular white lithium grease like Sta-Lube, which you can get in a nice small tube, or Pennzoil 705. The fancier disc wheel bearing greases really aren't any better for guns, and they're more expensive, and I personally don't like a red grease. I try to stay away from products that have PTFE. Lubriplate 130-A and 130-AA have a very limited temp range so I would'nt use them. They're expensive and harder to find anyways.
These are just my thoughts guys, so YMMV. I just wanted to share.
Thanks,
Clay
Let's start with CLP's -
1. Break-Free CLP is not U.S. military issue, and hasn't been for some time.The company has changed hands several time over the years, and is now part of Safariland. Break-Free CLP is NOT on the Qualified Products List for issue to any U.S. troops.
2. Break-Free CLP does not contain Teflon. Any Break-Free CLP you've purchased in the last few years is PTFE-free. This was confirmed by Emily Whritenour of Safariland yesterday.
3. The only CLP on the Qualified Products List commercially available for purchase is G96 Synthetic CLP. Lots of CLP/gun oils claim to be military issue, or meet MIL-L-63460D/E, but they aren't on the list. They may have designed a product to meet the spec, but have not been approved. G96 Synthetic CLP is the only military issue CLP available to civilians.
4. Martin Niner, of Pantheon Chemical, recently told me that they are going through the process of getting Mpro7 LPX approved for use by the military as a CLP, under the MIL-L-63460E spec.
5. I spoke this week with Mike Dorner, the technical service manager for Lubriplate. While Lubriplate does not market a lubricant for firearms, he did recommend the Lubrication 101 web post by Grant Cunningham as being excellent information. Grant, who is a well known gunsmith, recommends the use of Dexron ATF, as well as several Lubriplate products, such as SFL-0 grease and FMO-350AW oil. Mr. Dorner also mentioned that the 130-A and 130-AA greases were similar to the grease which was sold to the military during WWII, of which most folks are aware. One Lubriplate employee uses the Synxtreme HD-1 grease on shotguns.
My thoughts?
G96 Synthetic CLP is excellent, as is Mpro7 LPX. I've been using the LPX on a S&W 442 for a year with outstanding results. These products are guaranteed safe and effective no matter what the weapon, or environment you use it in.
Dexron automatic transmission fluid will work swell as a gun lube, but it is generally nasty, stinky, and not very safe on skin. My favorite is the Valvoline Dexron VI Synthetic ATF. It offers excellent specs, and seems to stink less than the Mobil 1 stuff. Available at Autozone.
The Lubriplate FMO-350AW that Grant says is ideal, and is making it's way around the net via Lubri-Kit.com is only good down to +10F per Lubriplate. I would not use it when the aforementioned CLP's are widely available for around the same cost, and have an unbelievably wide temp range.
For grease, the Lubriplate SFL-0 is good, but might be a bit thin for some folks. I like a regular white lithium grease like Sta-Lube, which you can get in a nice small tube, or Pennzoil 705. The fancier disc wheel bearing greases really aren't any better for guns, and they're more expensive, and I personally don't like a red grease. I try to stay away from products that have PTFE. Lubriplate 130-A and 130-AA have a very limited temp range so I would'nt use them. They're expensive and harder to find anyways.
These are just my thoughts guys, so YMMV. I just wanted to share.
Thanks,
Clay