Can you over-oil a handgun?
- Thread starter carbine30
- Start date
All moving parts must have lubrication, those and all other parts should have a coating of oil for rust protection.Plastic ,of course need not be oiled.But you don't have to have much oil ,as they say, if you can see it it's too much. A good quality gun oil is all you need. In my experience most shooters use too much oil [I've seen revolvers where the shooter must have thought he had a fluid drive !!]
tanstaafl4y
New member
I a word, YES.
Personally I use a cleaning patch saturated with oil to wipedown parts and than a clean dry patch to wipe the oil off. If the part looks dry but touching leaves a visible fingerprint you have the correct amount of oil. If the part looks like it has oil on it...it has too much.
caveat - If I am at the range I will wipe the slide/frame contact and leave visible oil. Same for bolt carrier type parts in a rifle. For daily carry or hunting the "dry oil" is adequate for 2-3 shots and dosen't cause dust and dirt to adhear.
Personally I use a cleaning patch saturated with oil to wipedown parts and than a clean dry patch to wipe the oil off. If the part looks dry but touching leaves a visible fingerprint you have the correct amount of oil. If the part looks like it has oil on it...it has too much.
caveat - If I am at the range I will wipe the slide/frame contact and leave visible oil. Same for bolt carrier type parts in a rifle. For daily carry or hunting the "dry oil" is adequate for 2-3 shots and dosen't cause dust and dirt to adhear.
Dripping
If it is actually dripping out of the gun, that is too much. You would maybe not notice an over lube situation in casual range shooting, but it might spit some of that excess oil back on your glasses, if it is an auto. Just an annoyance. Excess oil in a rifle will run out and soak into the wood stock. This will eventually give you black "oil rotted" weak wood around the action. In a pistol your excess oil may run onto the ammo. You don't want thick oil in the bore or chamber. At most you could have a thin coat of preservative in the barrel to resist rust, but perhaps the kind that evaporates and leaves a very thin film only. No bore obstructions. Excess oil can attract grit and dirt in the field or extended carry. Then you can get excess wear or jams from grinding grit, in dusty climates. I use a varied lube regimen instead of an overall same coating. Unless we are talking long term storage and rust prevention. LUbe the rails on an auto more, and perhaps the mechanisms like the hammer, or in spots where wear is visible. Then the outside of the gun gets just thin enough treatments for fingerprint and rust protection. Don't oil the magazines. Keep their insides cleaned and dry and maybe wipe outsides of them with a silcone cloth or very thin rust preventative. Use a gun approved product, not WD 40 or 3 in 1.
If it is actually dripping out of the gun, that is too much. You would maybe not notice an over lube situation in casual range shooting, but it might spit some of that excess oil back on your glasses, if it is an auto. Just an annoyance. Excess oil in a rifle will run out and soak into the wood stock. This will eventually give you black "oil rotted" weak wood around the action. In a pistol your excess oil may run onto the ammo. You don't want thick oil in the bore or chamber. At most you could have a thin coat of preservative in the barrel to resist rust, but perhaps the kind that evaporates and leaves a very thin film only. No bore obstructions. Excess oil can attract grit and dirt in the field or extended carry. Then you can get excess wear or jams from grinding grit, in dusty climates. I use a varied lube regimen instead of an overall same coating. Unless we are talking long term storage and rust prevention. LUbe the rails on an auto more, and perhaps the mechanisms like the hammer, or in spots where wear is visible. Then the outside of the gun gets just thin enough treatments for fingerprint and rust protection. Don't oil the magazines. Keep their insides cleaned and dry and maybe wipe outsides of them with a silcone cloth or very thin rust preventative. Use a gun approved product, not WD 40 or 3 in 1.
You'll do ok if you simply break your gun down for cleaning and notice where the wear ocurrs. On a 1911, for example, you'll find that the front of the barrel (be generous here), and the top of the barrel hood have wear marks caused by friction. Oil those. Lube the Link, also, and anywhere else you notice wear, such as the locking lugs. Not as much friction happening on the rails as you might think, although that might vary from gun to gun.
For a Sig Pistol, for another example, you might notice that there isn't much wear on the rails, but you'll doubtless see that lube is needed on the barrel, and the top of the barrel hood (you can lube the inside of the top of the frame near the ejection port), and a touch on the inside of the frame where the recoiling slide rubs against the sides of the chamber portion of the barrel. Also, the lock up portion of the barrel (on the bottom) under the chamber. TIP: cotton swabs.
The aforementioned should cover you for cycling reliability. For internal parts, some of which are related to smooth trigger pull, there are marks cause by friction, also. But you won't see them without disassembly. On my SIG Pistols, I use Miltech all along the HAMMER PIVOT pin, and some squirted internally, such as where the sear rubs against the hammer. I also put some Miltech on the safety plunger where it rubs up and down in the frame. Many shooters don't know to do that for a better trigger pull. I use a little lube on both sides of the end of the trigger bar where it attaches to the trigger. I don't use too much, anlywhere,since even Miltech can attract gunk. Overlubing the gun won't hurt it's function, initially, but will attract the above mentioned gunk, dirt, etc. before too long. Finally, on the SIG, I use a good grease on the main spring. Guess what--that can help the trigger pull. Periodically, I clean it all out with Gunscrubber, and start all over.
Lastly, if you completely disassemble the gun, use a slightly oily rag to wipe off the parts and protect them, even if no wear is present. And of course wipe off the frame and slide where you can reach. Leave the firing pin tunnel alone on a 1911. The techs at Sig like a LITTLE lube in there AFTER you squirt it out real good with Gunscrubber thru the firing pin hole at the breach. The reason is that you don't have access to it unless you completely disassemble the slide, (SIG recommends slide disassembly after every 5000 rds for a good cleaning of the firing pin and extractor on their external extractor guns, which are the non stainless variety). I suspect that other guns benefit as well from the above teatment, although Glocks need very little lube. I still lube the barrel, and it's important to use a good grease where the connector rubs against the trigger bar. Hope I wasn't too long winded, and I have little quarrel with those who use different methods to keep their pistols running.
For a Sig Pistol, for another example, you might notice that there isn't much wear on the rails, but you'll doubtless see that lube is needed on the barrel, and the top of the barrel hood (you can lube the inside of the top of the frame near the ejection port), and a touch on the inside of the frame where the recoiling slide rubs against the sides of the chamber portion of the barrel. Also, the lock up portion of the barrel (on the bottom) under the chamber. TIP: cotton swabs.
The aforementioned should cover you for cycling reliability. For internal parts, some of which are related to smooth trigger pull, there are marks cause by friction, also. But you won't see them without disassembly. On my SIG Pistols, I use Miltech all along the HAMMER PIVOT pin, and some squirted internally, such as where the sear rubs against the hammer. I also put some Miltech on the safety plunger where it rubs up and down in the frame. Many shooters don't know to do that for a better trigger pull. I use a little lube on both sides of the end of the trigger bar where it attaches to the trigger. I don't use too much, anlywhere,since even Miltech can attract gunk. Overlubing the gun won't hurt it's function, initially, but will attract the above mentioned gunk, dirt, etc. before too long. Finally, on the SIG, I use a good grease on the main spring. Guess what--that can help the trigger pull. Periodically, I clean it all out with Gunscrubber, and start all over.
Lastly, if you completely disassemble the gun, use a slightly oily rag to wipe off the parts and protect them, even if no wear is present. And of course wipe off the frame and slide where you can reach. Leave the firing pin tunnel alone on a 1911. The techs at Sig like a LITTLE lube in there AFTER you squirt it out real good with Gunscrubber thru the firing pin hole at the breach. The reason is that you don't have access to it unless you completely disassemble the slide, (SIG recommends slide disassembly after every 5000 rds for a good cleaning of the firing pin and extractor on their external extractor guns, which are the non stainless variety). I suspect that other guns benefit as well from the above teatment, although Glocks need very little lube. I still lube the barrel, and it's important to use a good grease where the connector rubs against the trigger bar. Hope I wasn't too long winded, and I have little quarrel with those who use different methods to keep their pistols running.
When giving a revolver a periodic thorough cleaning and degreasing, I saturate the internals with a lube/protectant (like Hoppes Benchrest 9 with Weatherguard etc). I then stuff bits of rolled paper towel into the trigger recesses, hammer recess and up into the underside through the grip frame and stand it up for at least an hour or two to soak up any excess.
yes, a handgun can be over-oiled
If you are asking about a specific handgun you own, there may be precise oiling instructions in the manual. Mine had such instructions.
If you have no explicit instructions, I concur with UFO in recommending that you not oil anything near the cartridges which can soak up oil and fail to function.
If you are asking about a specific handgun you own, there may be precise oiling instructions in the manual. Mine had such instructions.
If you have no explicit instructions, I concur with UFO in recommending that you not oil anything near the cartridges which can soak up oil and fail to function.
Of course you can over oil anything mechanical , but in general , depending on the type , I would rather have a gun over oiled than lacking in lubrication . I am specifically referring to 1911's and BHPs . I quote from the Ed Brown Products Owners Manual ...."Proper care and maintenance of your Ed Brown 1911...Lubrication, Maintenance and Slip-fit Sights
Keep the pistol well lubricated with any high quality oil. Lube all parts that move against each other, especially in the barrel fit area
and slide to frame fit area. It is impossible to use too much lubrication, and we cannot recommend it enough. Clean and lube the gun
after each firing session. We recommend lubricating the gun every few magazines during a firing session if possible. It only takes a
few seconds and helps to ensure flawless functioning."
All manufacturers do NOT agree with this advice , ranging from "adequate" lubrication to light, and to generous , but in the vast majority of cases too much lube is better . If it is a very high quality product (FP-10 is the best) you will do more good than harm...Tom
Keep the pistol well lubricated with any high quality oil. Lube all parts that move against each other, especially in the barrel fit area
and slide to frame fit area. It is impossible to use too much lubrication, and we cannot recommend it enough. Clean and lube the gun
after each firing session. We recommend lubricating the gun every few magazines during a firing session if possible. It only takes a
few seconds and helps to ensure flawless functioning."
All manufacturers do NOT agree with this advice , ranging from "adequate" lubrication to light, and to generous , but in the vast majority of cases too much lube is better . If it is a very high quality product (FP-10 is the best) you will do more good than harm...Tom
"Can You Over Oil A Firearm"?
Yes you can my friend.
While all moving parts require a small amount of lubrication,
oil dripping from a firearm on range day is a nusiance and could
be a big problem. Its true that metal changes with atmospheric
conditions, but a few drops of "Break Free CLP" on moving parts
are all thats needed. I perfer it to the basic gun oil, as it has
qualities that safequard against moisture. And as you probably
know, moisture causes RUST.
Best Wishes,
Yes you can my friend.
While all moving parts require a small amount of lubrication,
oil dripping from a firearm on range day is a nusiance and could
be a big problem. Its true that metal changes with atmospheric
conditions, but a few drops of "Break Free CLP" on moving parts
are all thats needed. I perfer it to the basic gun oil, as it has
qualities that safequard against moisture. And as you probably
know, moisture causes RUST.
Best Wishes,