Don't routinely lube a pistol for defense? Try this.

[KyJim]

I have more than one handgun I carry (at different times) and more than one pistol I keep loaded at home. I found that I don't always lubricate them as often as I should. So, I decided to experiment with my Dan Wesson CCO which is one of my favorite carry pistols.

Last November I cleaned and lubed it as I usually do. I put it in the drawer until today. There was still some oil on the rails so I wasn't worried about excessive wear. I took it to the range without lubricating it to see if it would malfunction. I put 37 rounds, from three different manufacturers, through it without a hiccup. That's not a torture test by any means. I simply wanted to know if that gun with my lube of choice would function well enough for defensive purposes when not lubricated for months.

The lubricant was Mobil 1 5W-30 full synthetic. Now, this is not a lubricant debate thread as there are many good lubricants, both oil and grease. However, if you have a semi-auto that you keep or carry for defensive use but don't lubricate on a regular basis, you owe it to yourself to try this with the lubricant you use.

 

[WESHOOT2]

or this

I had my premier 1911 finished at Robar in their proprietary NP3.

Solved




ps it doesn't rust, either

 

[g.willikers]

The scientists say it only takes a molecule worth of lube to protect metal surfaces.
If accurate, then our stuff always has plenty of lube, even if it sit for months - probably years.
In the colder climates, lube is considered by many as bad news for reliable function.

 

[rickmelear]

I have to admit to pre Internet info, in my first days of shooting in the late 70s all I knew was to clean my pistol after shooting and wiping the barrel, slide and frame down with a oily rag. Never oiled the rails etc and it always worked fine fine for the 300 or so rounds I shot before cleaning. Not saying it was the best way but it was all we knew. Now I know I have to slop all surfaces with oil to make it work

 

[peggysue]

Wouldn't Mobil 1 0W 30W be a better viscosity of oil to use?

 

[PSP]

I would surmise that pretty much any lube, and most any gun, would yield the same result. I've often grabbed a gun from the safe that I haven't touched for many months, or even years, and gone to the range without adding any oil. I don't think the mechanics of shooting require or rely on visible amounts of oil, as much as some folks think.

 

[45_auto]

I simply wanted to know if that gun with my lube of choice would function well enough for defensive purposes when not lubricated for months.

Did you expect the oil to evaporate or something?

 

[Aguila Blanca]

In the colder climates, lube is considered by many as bad news for reliable function.

Lubricant is never a bad thing where to metal parts are rubbing against one another. The trick is to match the viscosity of the lubricant to the expected operating temperatures. Understanding that a handgun may be cold when first fired but still get very hot after being fired for a number of rounds, something that's not too sticky (like grease) when cold but not to runny when hot is what we're looking for.

I use Lubri-Plate on the rails of my 1911s and on the sear tip, and 5W50 synthetic oil everywhere else. In may range bad I keep a small syringe-like oiler of Gun Butter for touch-ups at the range (rarely necessary). Lubri-Plate was the only lubricant I ever saw recommended by name in many years of working with AMC factory service manuals for cars, and I later learned that Lubri-Plate was developed for the military M1 Garand in Korea (where it reported got VERY cold.

 

[Dave T]

Not trying to give the OP a hard time but generally speaking, if you don't lube your carry gun regularly that probably means you aren't shooting and cleaning it. In my mind that is a bigger problem. My carry gun has always gotten shot on a regular basis and cleaned and lubed after each firing.

Guns put away in the safe for any length of time, when taken out to shoot are checked and if points of contact/wear look dry I lube before going to the range.

But then I'm an old geezer and learned about firearms maintenance from a guy named "Drill Sergeant" back in the '60s. (smile)

Dave

 

[jnichols2]

Dave,

If your "Drill Sergeant" taught you back in the '60s, you're not an "Old Geezer" yet.

"Elderly Gentleman" perhaps, "Old Geezer" not yet.

 

[lamarw]

I use motor oil in my trucks, clock oil in my clocks, reel oil in my spinning reels and gun lubricants in by firearms.

This said, we all know that millions for generations would go to the sewing machine cabinet and drag a can of GrandMa's 3N1 machine oil to clean and oil their firearms. I did the same when I was a kid. Back then, I was spending every dime on ammo. Now days I find using the prescribed lubricants not to be all that expensive, and I can buy or reload ammo too.

I refuse to use WD-40 on anything other than maybe a door hinge.

 

[KyJim]

Okay, one at time.

Did you expect the oil to evaporate or something?

Many oils will migrate; i.e., run off downhill so to speak. It's a liquid. Lots of folks have experienced this.

Not trying to give the OP a hard time but generally speaking, if you don't lube your carry gun regularly that probably means you aren't shooting and cleaning it. In my mind that is a bigger problem. My carry gun has always gotten shot on a regular basis and cleaned and lubed after each firing.

Ideally, we don't do a lot of things we should. The point to my mini-experiment was to purposely fail to lubricate it and keep it in a drawer because I wanted to know how it would function. That is what I call a real world scenario, a much more common scenario for most of us than having our gun driven over by a tractor.

Just about every gun I own I consider to be a possible defensive weapon. But I can tell you, I'm not shooting or even lubing them all monthly. Still, I find it somewhat comforting that the lubricant would still be there and the gun would still be functional.

Wouldn't Mobil 1 0W 30W be a better viscosity of oil to use?

The slightly heavier oil should stay in place a bit better but I've never used 0W-30 simply because I typically use the 5W-30 in a car. A little left over goes a long way. And again, I'm not trying to do a "which lube is better" thread.

 

[RX-79G]

For outdoor winter use, the military will have you remove all visible lubricant. In the cold it can harden up enough to cause jams.

When I hear about some guy who's clothes or holster is ruined from gun lube, I have to shake my head. In a normal production gun, lubricant is there to decrease cycling wear on the parts, not guarantee function.

High viscosity lubes are stickier and migrate more as they warm to body heat. That provides more places for lint and dirt to stick.


The ideal situation would be to use a dry film lube for carry - it lubes okay and doesn't migrate into holsters or attract dirt. When you take the pistol to the range, lube with oil. Clean the oil and dirt out, go back to dry lube and carry.

If you actually bought a carry gun worth the title, it will run perfectly for multiple firefights bone dry.

This may not work for you if you carry a gun more for fun than defense: Finishes that can rust, carry gun musical chairs and inappropriately tight pistols might not take to being dry.

 

[cohoskip]

Quote: " and I later learned that Lubri-Plate was developed for the military M1 Garand in Korea (where it reported got Very cold)"

Yep it got very cold in Korea - 30 below many times.

Lubri-plate was issued with each Garand M1 in WWII (and Korea). At least it was in the USMC.

 

[KyJim]

For outdoor winter use, the military will have you remove all visible lubricant. In the cold it can harden up enough to cause jams.

It's summer and I'm not in the military.

In a normal production gun, lubricant is there to decrease cycling wear on the parts, not guarantee function.

Most of don't want increased wear on parts, thus we lubricate. Moreover, most firearms are indeed more reliable if lubricated than dry and almost are designed to be lubricated (I know of one which isn't).

If you actually bought a carry gun worth the title, it will run perfectly for multiple firefights bone dry.

The only way to tell, then, is to run it bone dry or at least do the mini-experiment I did.

This may not work for you if you carry a gun more for fun than defense: Finishes that can rust, carry gun musical chairs and inappropriately tight pistols might not take to being dry.

No reason to be condescending. I don't carry "for fun" and hope to never have to use a gun in defense. There's noting wrong in carrying a gun with a blued finish or other finish which can rust. For centuries, serious people have carried guns that can rust. The CCO I referred to in the first post doesn't have a blued finish but I do carry a SW Model 38 in my pocket sometimes. Which leads to the the next point about "carry gun musical chairs."

For the life of me, I can't imagine why having three or four options would be relevant, much less a problem. My guns don't know if I have shot other guns. They won't get angry and refuse to be any more reliable if I have played musical chairs. My guns also don't know if I am only carrying them for fun. A person's emotional or mental state does not make a gun any more or less reliable. BTW, I also don't let my pistols rust but rust only inhibits function in the very worst of cases.

I have four handguns that I will normally carry, each a different size and each suiting a particular purpose. I don't weekly field strip and lube these handguns. I bet a bunch of folks here don't either. Moreover, if I were to switch between 1911s set up the same way and sighted in the same, then what is the problem? I'm not pretending to be something I'm not. I'm the average guy who rides a desk, shoots some when he gets the chance, and knows what works for himself. I don't carry "for fun" but I do shoot for fun. BTW, I'm not a Seal, Delta Force, or SWAT. I don't have sandstorms blasting me and I'm not out all day and night in subarctic temperatures.

Finally, as far as "inappropriately tight" goes, I guess that's in the eye of the beholder. I have a couple of pistols that are very tight but, guess what. They have been 100% reliable. But I have to admit lubing them.

 

[RX-79G]

Jim,

Not sure why your post reads like you think I was attacking you. I was agreeing with you, and bolstering your point with the fact that the military expects their weapons to also work without lube in some environments.

My opinion that dousing a gun in messy lube is an unfortunate alternative to melonite or stainless steel is my opinion, and had nothing to do with what you wrote.

Most of don't want increased wear on parts, thus we lubricate.

You don't get any wear on parts when the gun is just sitting in the holster. Thus my suggestion of minimal lube when carrying and oiling up for the range.

Again, not sure what you're angry about. I liked the OP and agree.

 

[KyJim]

Not sure why your post reads like you think I was attacking you.

Sorry, I guess I just misread what you said. Sometimes that can happen in a forum like this without body language to read, especially when posting after midnight. All is well, then.

 

[mete]

I hate to think of all the guns that wouldn't operate because cheap oil like 3 in .-That I had to repair .It was commonenough that seeing the gun I would ask " 3 in 1 ?" .Yes , they'd say. Oils that have no anti-oxident quickly oxidize to a varnish.

 

[MR.G]

Good test. I have a HD pistol that doesn't get fired or lubricated on a regular basis and have had some concern about it's reliability if needed. Thought about putting it away, and replacing it with a revolver which will probably handle neglect better. My HD pistol has Remoil on the slide and moving parts, but something heavier might last longer.

 

[Dave T]

A bit off topic but:

Jim's Rules of Carry: 1. Any gun is better than no gun. 2. A gun that is reliable is better than a gun that is not. 3. A hole in the right place is better than a hole in the wrong place. 4. A bigger hole is a better hole.

Jim that as good a bit of wisdom as I've seen on internet gun forums in quite some time. Well done!

Dave