Suggested Products for Inexpensive and Effective Cleaning, Lubricating, and Storing
For many firearms owners, only the very best will do when it comes to cleaners, oils, and greases. No amount of money or time seems ridiculous if they think their weapons will be better cleaned or protected, and those in the firearms business are happy to make an extra dollar off of this mentality. $40 for gun oil? No problem. Submerge your rifle in cleaning solution? Absolutely.
It is to very profitable for manufacturers to instill this obsessive mentality in gun owners, but the truth is that most guns are not very difficult to clean, protect, and lube (and yes, that includes AR-15s). Any manufacturer claiming to have a game-changing technology is likely paying their marketing department more than their engineering department, because firearms don’t need a game-changing technology; they are quite happy with the cleaners and lubricants that have been around for decades. Copper and powder residue are easy to dissolve, and most firearms can happily operate for extended periods without any lubricant at all, as long as they are kept clean. The purpose of lubricant is to smooth operation and prevent rust, and too much oil or grease can actually trap dirt and create resistance in firearm mechanisms.
So, which cleaners and lubricants are best? Honestly, it’s just about impossible to say. Ask ten gun owners and you’ll get seven different answers. Ask ten manufacturers and you’ll get twenty different brochures. Finding the “best” product isn’t possible because the “best” product varies with each shooter’s lifestyle and preferences. Some people place an emphasis on rust prevention, others on maximum lubricity. Some shooters only want to do a lube job once a year, others clean and re-oil after every shooting session. Some shooters only use grease, others only use oil. The list of variables goes on, so instead of recommending the “best” products, let’s look at exactly what we need our cleaners and lubricants to do, and I’ll suggest the products my peers and I prefer, and why.
It is to very profitable for manufacturers to instill this obsessive mentality in gun owners, but the truth is that most guns are not very difficult to clean, protect, and lube (and yes, that includes AR-15s). Any manufacturer claiming to have a game-changing technology is likely paying their marketing department more than their engineering department, because firearms don’t need a game-changing technology; they are quite happy with the cleaners and lubricants that have been around for decades. Copper and powder residue are easy to dissolve, and most firearms can happily operate for extended periods without any lubricant at all, as long as they are kept clean. The purpose of lubricant is to smooth operation and prevent rust, and too much oil or grease can actually trap dirt and create resistance in firearm mechanisms.
So, which cleaners and lubricants are best? Honestly, it’s just about impossible to say. Ask ten gun owners and you’ll get seven different answers. Ask ten manufacturers and you’ll get twenty different brochures. Finding the “best” product isn’t possible because the “best” product varies with each shooter’s lifestyle and preferences. Some people place an emphasis on rust prevention, others on maximum lubricity. Some shooters only want to do a lube job once a year, others clean and re-oil after every shooting session. Some shooters only use grease, others only use oil. The list of variables goes on, so instead of recommending the “best” products, let’s look at exactly what we need our cleaners and lubricants to do, and I’ll suggest the products my peers and I prefer, and why.
We need to remove copper fouling, lead fouling, and powder residue from the bore. This means we need a cleaner that will remove fouling and won’t harm stainless or carbon steel.
Recommendation:
Hoppe’s #9
Why?
Hoppe’s is a trusted brand with simple application instructions. It cleans well and isn’t too expensive. Remember that your bore doesn't need to be absolutely spotless, unless you've shot corrosive ammunition. Just do a few passes with brushes and rags, dry, oil, and go about your day.
Note: Hoppe's #9 is a mild cleaner and is best for casual shooting. If you are trying to clean an old firearm or a bore that has been heavily fouled by extensive shooting, Hoppe's alone may not do the job as well as more powerful cleaners on the market.
Recommendation:
Hoppe’s #9
Why?
Hoppe’s is a trusted brand with simple application instructions. It cleans well and isn’t too expensive. Remember that your bore doesn't need to be absolutely spotless, unless you've shot corrosive ammunition. Just do a few passes with brushes and rags, dry, oil, and go about your day.
Note: Hoppe's #9 is a mild cleaner and is best for casual shooting. If you are trying to clean an old firearm or a bore that has been heavily fouled by extensive shooting, Hoppe's alone may not do the job as well as more powerful cleaners on the market.
We need to remove dirt, grime, and light powder residue from the other parts of the firearm besides the barrel.
Recommendation:
WD-40
Why?
Much more than just the world’s best hinge de-squeaker, WD-40 is also a great solvent and water repellant. WD-40 won’t clean tough fouling in the bore, but it will easily and safely remove the dirt, grime, and traces of powder fouling that naturally accumulate on and in firearms.
Recommendation:
WD-40
Why?
Much more than just the world’s best hinge de-squeaker, WD-40 is also a great solvent and water repellant. WD-40 won’t clean tough fouling in the bore, but it will easily and safely remove the dirt, grime, and traces of powder fouling that naturally accumulate on and in firearms.
We need a lubricating oil that has good penetration, excellent lubricity (slipperiness), is non-reactive with steels and polymers, and is thick enough to stay put but thin enough to flow evenly.
Recommendation:
Mix 2 parts motorcycle oil with 1 part ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid)
Why?
Unlike automotive oil, motorcycle oil is meant to lubricate both the engine and the clutch, so it functions happily even when it's loaded with combustion by-products and grit (from wear on the clutch). Gun oil is meant to function in essentially the same environment (grit and combustion by-products) and rumors persist of major gun oil manufacturers simply decanting 50-gallon drums of various motor oils into tiny bottles and selling it as expensive gun oil . As for the ATF, well, ATF isn't meant to tolerate much dirt, but it is one hell of a lubricant and is meant to spend its life in constant contact with various metals, plastics, and rubbers, in an environment of intense heat and pressure. Mix these two up (2 parts motorcycle oil, 1 part ATF) and you've got one hell of a gun oil. Since a 1-quart bottle will give you enough gun oil for the next century, make sure to spend a tiny bit more for full synthetic on both the oil and the ATF.
Recommendation:
Mix 2 parts motorcycle oil with 1 part ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid)
Why?
Unlike automotive oil, motorcycle oil is meant to lubricate both the engine and the clutch, so it functions happily even when it's loaded with combustion by-products and grit (from wear on the clutch). Gun oil is meant to function in essentially the same environment (grit and combustion by-products) and rumors persist of major gun oil manufacturers simply decanting 50-gallon drums of various motor oils into tiny bottles and selling it as expensive gun oil . As for the ATF, well, ATF isn't meant to tolerate much dirt, but it is one hell of a lubricant and is meant to spend its life in constant contact with various metals, plastics, and rubbers, in an environment of intense heat and pressure. Mix these two up (2 parts motorcycle oil, 1 part ATF) and you've got one hell of a gun oil. Since a 1-quart bottle will give you enough gun oil for the next century, make sure to spend a tiny bit more for full synthetic on both the oil and the ATF.
We need a penetrating (creeping) oil for freeing stuck parts and protecting fine mechanisms like trigger assemblies.
Recommendation:
50-50 mix of full synthetic ATF and acetone
Why?
ATF has good penetration already, but thinning it with acetone takes it to the next level. Once the thinned mixture has penetrated, the acetone will evaporate, leaving only the ATF to lubricate and protect.
Recommendation:
50-50 mix of full synthetic ATF and acetone
Why?
ATF has good penetration already, but thinning it with acetone takes it to the next level. Once the thinned mixture has penetrated, the acetone will evaporate, leaving only the ATF to lubricate and protect.
We need a grease that has excellent lubricity (slipperiness), is non-reactive with steels and polymers, doesn’t run or liquefy, and stays put in high-friction areas like slide rails.
Recommendation:
White lithium grease
Why?
White lithium grease has all the right properties, and it is inexpensive and readily available.
Recommendation:
White lithium grease
Why?
White lithium grease has all the right properties, and it is inexpensive and readily available.
We need a rust preventative that is easy to apply and has excellent protective properties.
Recommendation:
WD-40
Why?
WD-40 has very few peers as a rust preventative. Do some testing (or search online for someone who already has) and you'll find WD-40 is as-good or better than most dedicated rust preventatives. The final step of any firearm cleaning procedure should be a quick spray-down of all metal parts with WD-40, followed by a wipe with clean cloth. Also, saturate an appropriately sized cleaning jag with WD-40 and push it through the bore (once for pistol barrels, twice for rifle barrels) to keep the bore from rusting.
Note: If you notice a yellowish buildup on your parts, you are not wiping off enough of the WD-40. The yellow film is not harmful, it is in fact the rust preventative itself, but if it is thick enough to see, it is thick enough to trap dirt. Simply wipe off and re-apply more carefully.
Recommendation:
WD-40
Why?
WD-40 has very few peers as a rust preventative. Do some testing (or search online for someone who already has) and you'll find WD-40 is as-good or better than most dedicated rust preventatives. The final step of any firearm cleaning procedure should be a quick spray-down of all metal parts with WD-40, followed by a wipe with clean cloth. Also, saturate an appropriately sized cleaning jag with WD-40 and push it through the bore (once for pistol barrels, twice for rifle barrels) to keep the bore from rusting.
Note: If you notice a yellowish buildup on your parts, you are not wiping off enough of the WD-40. The yellow film is not harmful, it is in fact the rust preventative itself, but if it is thick enough to see, it is thick enough to trap dirt. Simply wipe off and re-apply more carefully.
Author's Note
I do not pretend that the above compounds are the best in the world for the particular task, or that other people will not have different (and perhaps better) recommendations. However, my peers and I have found the above materials to be equally as effective as firearms-specific products in the majority of applications, and they are all fairly inexpensive. I use them all regularly, and that is the best recommendation I can give.
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