Per Grant Cunningham, oil for parts that spin on a shaft or pivot and grease for parts that slide
Check his blog for his well reasoned recommendations
Per Grant Cunningham, oil for parts that spin on a shaft or pivot and grease for parts that slide
Check his blog for his well reasoned recommendations
I reject this.
Grease has no place on a firearm. Some people grease their AR-15 bolt carrier groups. Bad idea. Combustion products get into oil, stay suspended, and are easily removed in cleaning, or in the field when more oil is applied. Combustion products in grease turn the grease into an abrasive glop. Which do you want in a firearm?
Exception: when I carried an alloy frame 1911, I did use grease in the slide rails. This was to prevent oil running out and into my dress clothes. Grease was removed and replaced with CLP if the gun was to be shot at the range.
Last edited by Uni-Vibe; 02-01-19 at 18:34.
Oil collects some junk, runs out. Your weapon is now dry and dirty.
Grease collects more junk than oil, and stays on parts better. Your weapon is dirty, but lubricated much longer.
When you wipe off the old grease, it will Instantly remove much of the junk, too. Then regrease.
I used to use oil only. Gave grease a try and regretted not using it years sooner.
Gun stays lubed longer and are easier to clean. Doesn't run out on clothes like oil. Is cheap, less messy to apply, no downside that I've ever encountered.
Of course someone could apply too much. A thin layer is all it takes.
As mentioned oil is better for things that are hard to get to because it flows in. But it also flows out and has to be reapplied more often.
I keep and use both.
I think my Mak-90 would not have cracked the front trunnion if I'd have greased it instead of oiling it. Because I was young and didn't realize how fast oil burns/runs out of a rifle.
Therefore 95% of the time the bolt area was basically unlubricated. I believe that's why a chunk broke off the trunnion.
My ar10 had a stoppage I attribute to not realizing how the armalite gas system blows lube off the rear bolt area. It was greased but when I checked it after a out 250 rds it had been blown dry.
So in ARs, whatever you use, keep an eye on it, or just keep spraying oil in the action. Just dont let them go dry.
I love Grant. And it’s a nice article, and one of the more in depth articles regarding lubrication as it relates to firearms. http://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/05/lubrication-101/
But I’d like to point one thing out. There is no benzene in new motor oil, not in the base stock and not in the additives. I’m open to being proven wrong, but my degree is in petroleum engineering and I’ve just recently asked this of a chemical engineer friend at Exxon.
This is one of the better articles breaking down what is commonly in motor oil in plain English. https://www.machinerylubrication.com...cant-additives
Some things like alkylated naphthalene aren’t great, but even AN is approved for incidental food contact.
Last edited by thopkins22; 02-02-19 at 09:03.
Carried or used a revolver since 1980, they benefit from lubrication to smooth the trigger pull but will still work bone dry. I use whatever lube I’m using on my semi auto d’jour. Lately (the last 10 years) that’s been Gunzilla. Before that it was CLP, RemOil, 3in1 oil, etc. Hell, I even used WD-40 on guns and survived.
I'm of the opinion that as long as there is some lubricant present it's going to function correctly. Modern firearms of at least some standard of quality are designed and manufactured out of "compatible" materials. It's just part of the design process and expected service life. If you use the latest, greatest uber nanotech infused potion, it may increase the service life by a comparative small hand full of rounds over something basic and simple such as mineral oil based Ballistol for instance. Doesn't much matter whether it's a grease or oil as long as it's in the places required and the weapon is in serviceable condition, it's going to perform to the designed service life.
It certainly has no place in the lockwork of a revolver. Adding grease, especially if using a lightened rebound spring, will eventually cause a stuck trigger that won't reset.
Especially once you leave the gun in a pocket/purse/nightstandand for a year or expose it to winter/summer temperature cycling.
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