Favorite Lubricants 2023?

[channelkat]

I am curious as everyone’s current favorite Cleaners, Lubricants, and Protectants. I was particularly interested in this crowds’ opinions on outside barrel protectants. I always wondered how those pretty double barrels held up to the sweat of daily African carry.

I have been tempted to put a light coating of Linseed or tung oil, like I do many of my hand tools, but figure there must be some product that is tough, dry and feels good in the hand.

 

[PARA45]

I use Slip 2000 EWL (Extreme Weapon Lubricant), and in my opinion it is excellent, and it shine the most on semi autos. For barrel cleaning I only use Bore Tech Eliminator. You can google them and read about them, good stuff and I'm happy with their results.

 

[Doug3006]

I like Ballistol.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

If it needs lubricating I use engine oil, in my experience it works as good, or better than any gun oil.
For rust prevention I wipe down the outside with Rem oil cloths. I got severe for free about two years ago and I’m still using the first one.
For cleaning I use hoppes #9.
No need to overthink anything.
I use Shell Rotela in the 7.3..

 

[spike.t]

Bombay sapphire...mosi lager....oooh I see you meant for guns....

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Pjur is top notch, and I also like coconut oil.

Oh wait? Gun care? Um... I'm with @Doug3006: Ballistol is my go-to, and they make wipes that are pretty darned good for taking along to hunting camps.

Note: I see Mike beat me to the same joke, sort of. Well played sir.

 

[Tom Leoni]

I love all lubricants, as long as they are Ballistol.

 

[DrBob]

Battle expedient.... diesel. For grease...Mobil 1. For oil... Gunzilla . Dry lub ... Remington. Ballistol also.

 

[Josh P]

For semi autos I like M Pro 7.

 

[channelkat]

No need to overthink anything.

Overthinking things is a favorite past time for me!

Like with modern music, every few years, I like to tune into the FM stations and suffer through the 99 terrible songs in order to find that 1 new artist that I should keep an eye on. Same thing with this sort of thing, just curious if I am missing any advancements, especially with the dry lubes.

 

[ALbowhunter]

+1 on the Slip 2000 EWL. It does a very good job, and it actually has something in it that somewhat repels dust particles. My father used it extensively in semi auto shotguns doing high volume dove/pigeon shooting. He said it never let him down when shooting some of the “dirty” shotshells found in some of his hunting locations. I would not use it in a rifle bore. I would use Ballistol or RemOil for that.

 

[jpr9954]

Bombay sapphire...mosi lager....oooh I see you meant for guns....

I prefer the Bombay Sapphire East myself.

 

[Denvir Tire]

If it needs lubricating I use engine oil, in my experience it works as good, or better than any gun oil.
For rust prevention I wipe down the outside with Rem oil cloths. I got severe for free about two years ago and I’m still using the first one.
For cleaning I use hoppes #9.
No need to overthink anything.
I use Shell Rotela in the 7.3..

0W16 synthetic motor oil for AR types and auto shotguns.

 

[rookhawk]

I am curious as everyone’s current favorite Cleaners, Lubricants, and Protectants. I was particularly interested in this crowds’ opinions on outside barrel protectants. I always wondered how those pretty double barrels held up to the sweat of daily African carry.

I have been tempted to put a light coating of Linseed or tung oil, like I do many of my hand tools, but figure there must be some product that is tough, dry and feels good in the hand.

This thread pops up regularly. Its a great question. Here's my answers of what every reader needs to own in their workshop.

#1 - Kroil. Get a big container. It's the world's thinnest oil. It creeps. Loosening a screw or cleaning a gun, there is no better. Its also half the components required to conserve a gray bore that needs help.

#2 - Ballistol. Its not anywhere near as good as Kroil for gun work, but it is harmless and doesn't rot wood. You can use it sloppily everywhere without consequence.

#3 - Foaming bore cleaner - Several good brands, wipeout being the best

#4 - JB bore paste. It's way, way finer than a lapping compound. Use a patch wrapped around a bronze brush in the bore, soaked in #1 Kroil, then glopped up with JB bore paste. 50 passes in a bore followed by a normal bore cleaning and you can remove filth you though were pits but were actually stubborn deposits of oxides/lead/plastic/copper/powder.

#5 - Bronze wool 0000 extra fine. It is softer than bluing and steel, but harder than rust oxide. This removes no finish nor originality, but it removes filth. NEVER use steel wool. Bronze wool is benign by comparison.

#6 Microfiber cloths - Buy them by the bail at Harbor freight. Retire them often. Dispose of them often. You should always have sterile-clean new ones for fine work, and old ones that are contaminated with particulate for rough work.

#7+8 - Dawn dish soap and a used fine bristle toothbrush. Used as warm dawn dish soap and a toothbrush, carefully going with the grain of the checkering, you can remove a century of oils/grime/filth that may make old, tired, checkering look very good once more.

Above all else, none of these can do any harm. (except kroil if you allow it to get on wood for a decade)

 

[Sideshow]

CRC Long Life. Top stuff for stopping the rust etc especially in salty environments

 

[Major Bonkers]

Sewing machine oil
WD-40 silicone lubricant
old toothbrush

Last year my rising bite jammed up due to all the dust in the air. (This is a typical problem caused by the fineness of the mechanism and the omnipresent African dust.) The standard SA army field repair is taking some brake fluid out of the bakkie (which worked). Apparently if that fails, someone is sent off behind a bush to close their eyes and think of England.

 

[jpr9954]

Given motor oil, sewing machine oil, and oldie but goodie Ballistol have been mentioned, I am a bit surprised no one has brought up Ed’s Red with lanolin.

https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/EdsRedRecipe.htm

I still have most of a gallon of the stuff without the lanolin in a metal gas can. It was easier to just buy a quart of this and a quart of that when making it.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Ballistol easy to use on both wood and metal. What’s not to like!

 

[RockSlinger404]

Hornady OneShot, I recently started using is and I’m very happy with the results. I struggle with rust and this sorted it out. I also use Ballistol including on wood.

Q20/WD40 for shotguns barrels and regular vaseline to lube shotgun actions (if it’s good enough for Purdey, it’s good enough for my guns).

 

[Nhoro]

I Also use ed's red sort of. Laquer thinners + transmission fluid. So that has acetone and others solvents but no kerosine. I even use it to clean the bore. It does a good job on light fouling and rust prevention after a brief range session.Then i have a copper solvent for tougher fouling and deep cleaning when needed.Transmission fluid is packed with additives for rust prevention and detergents in a light oil.