FIREclean lube

[naeco81]

My 2 cents as a certified Lube engineer (CLS) for 39 years is this about gun lubes.

They fall into a few classes:

1-Just repacked industrial lubes either oils or greases both syn and mineral based.

2-home made by lay persons mixing either industrial lubes togerther with or without added (lubricants) which could be anything they think may work well.

3-made by a real lube guy to work well in the lube regime that a guns works in, which is really not much different that what a premium industrial lube will do.

All may work well but are they worth the cost? who knows, for the small amount you will buy in a lifetime use what you want.

Unless the lube is real bad as far as rust or stain protection bascily any will work to some degree, most people shoot a few hundred rounds and clean there guns in this use about any decent quality lube will work.

To me the biggest thing I want is to NOT fling lube all over my face as such I use a modified #1 grade syn high temp melting point grease.

Soilid lubes are OK since guns have a lot of sliding going on.

I think just keep it wet, clean offten and be happy.
same deal with motor oils do not get me started.

bruce

Every male over the age of 10 has been a certified lube engineer for many, many years.

[Sonic_mike]

What about motor oil? It would be great to hear from an actual lubrication engineer, I use RP 20w30 in my truck and have been collecting the left over in a container for a back up,but now your post has me wondering?

[bruce381]

motor oil change 5-7K use whats on sale if it is a REAL API AM or SN oil.

New oils are all at least half syn now and additves have really brought up the quality what RP products I have seen are way over priced and no better than major oil stuff.

Large topic.

[Sonic_mike]

Ah thanks for the reply bruce381.

[negolien]

I use Hoppe's solvent, break free, and hoppe's oil in that order.

[bruce381]

sorry to be blunt.

But inless you run a turbo, run real hot or real cold temps the advantages of a syn are lost and they offer minimal advantage for the normnal joe.

[-hanko]

But inless you run a turbo, run real hot or real cold temps the advantages of a syn are lost and they offer minimal advantage for the normnal joe.

VERY nice to have a someone who knows of what he speaks...imo, gun lube and gun lube marketing is 90% identical to a snake oil salesman in the old west.

Questions...what's your opinion on cold flow advantages of synthetic oil...i use 5w-30 in a Land Cruiser. Winter temps here usually run from the high 20's to occasionally down to zero or minus numbers for a week or 2.

Where would I find NGLI #1 grease off-the-shelf in low quantities, maybe a cartridge or 2. No luck in auto parts stores, and I know them all.

Finally, any comments on significant advantages of vegatable v. dino based lubricants for firearms. Those that are touted are non-carcinogenic and sweeter smell. I use nitrile goves for the solvent and lube part of gun cleaning and do it upwind of the gun.

Thx, and welcome.

-hanko

[bruce381]

Questions...what's your opinion on cold flow advantages of synthetic oil...i use 5w-30 in a Land Cruiser. Winter temps here usually run from the high 20's to occasionally down to zero or minus numbers for a week or 2.

Syns offer very good cold flow properties and LOW evaporation thus they "burn" less than a Mineral oil

Where would I find NGLI #1 grease off-the-shelf in low quantities, maybe a cartridge or 2. No luck in auto parts stores, and I know them all.

NLGI grade 1 are around but you can goof up whatever grade you want by mixing into the grease common motor oil. I like the #1 grade as it seems to me to have the right amount of body and will not sling off as a softer grease or heavy oil will do.


any comments on significant advantages of vegatable v. dino based lubricants for firearms. Those that are touted are non-carcinogenic and sweeter smell. I use nitrile goves for the solvent and lube part of gun cleaning and do it upwind of the gun.

Veg based oils will have high lubrication and load carrying than a mineral oil but also tend to form more gums and varnish residue in exstended use at high temps. I do not think they have much advantage unless you want to "save the environment"

[-hanko]

Where would I find NGLI #1 grease off-the-shelf in low quantities, maybe a cartridge or 2. No luck in auto parts stores, and I know them all.

NLGI grade 1 are around but you can goof up whatever grade you want by mixing into the grease common motor oil. I like the #1 grade as it seems to me to have the right amount of body and will not sling off as a softer grease or heavy oil will do.

Bruce, thanks mucho. Toyota calls out #1 grease to lube the sliding splines between the front and rear of the drive shafts. I tried #2 but spline clearance is not enough to see lube exiting the joint, and I always grease until I see fresh grease exuding out of the part.

-hanko

[bruce381]

Greases vary in "body" and are asigned numbers for that if I remember right the thinnest is a 000 grade kinda like soft mayo the thickest is #5 or 6 like a hard play dough.

[-hanko]

Greases vary in "body" and are asigned numbers for that if I remember right the thinnest is a 000 grade kinda like soft mayo the thickest is #5 or 6 like a hard play dough.

Correct, and thanks again for the info.

-hanko