When I first purchased my hunting rifle, I was unaware that even cartridges could be of poor quality. I had purchased ammunition of poor quality. There is a lot of soot in the barrel after use. Chunks of unburned powder appear all the time, and the entire barrel is an inch sooty. I had to use gun oil for cleaning and lubrication. I liked the WD-40 oil the best. After so much torment, I changed my source of ammo purchases. Now I only use https://bulkmunitions.com/buy-ammo/h.../380-acp-ammo/. I am very satisfied. I think you will find this information useful.

Like Chuck, I use Vaseline and 5-W-30. Oh, sorry, I haven't finished the can of 10-W-30 I started using in 1970. I have used some techy oils and greases over the years, but only if they are on the bench when I'm cleaning guns. I'm just finishing up some oil in squeeze bottles that I used in the Army and filling them with my old reliable 10-W-30. Oil is oil and steel will not rust if it is rubbed on a gun.

FYI, some guy on ShotgunWorld did an extensive study on lubricants/protectants for firearms. Draw your own conclusions.

https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads...uation.398836/

Wow Daryl, that was quite a test.

That's really good info. I'll be ordering some Hornady 1 shot, Frog Lube and WD 40 Specialty today. I was a little surprised I didn't see any Lubriplate products in the test. It's a local company and my cousin used to run the warehouse so I've used their grease for a long time.

I've been very pleased with Eezox for certain gun parts such as ejectors and trigger parts now, for several years. Hinge pins and knuckles get Lubriplate, sparingly. Clenzoil is working very well for me as a wipe down on the exterior, and (supposedly) won't harm the wood. RIG will always be my go to for long term bore protection. Old formula Hoppes #9 as a bore solvent.

CLP is a good general purpose lubricant. In some modern semi-auto guns, synthetic engine oils such as Mobil 1 can actually work well. For some components, a light coat of of grease can help, as long as it is not a place that catches too much gunk.

For break over shotguns, I put grease on the hinge pin and fore end latch. I also spray some CLP on the locking lug for the barrel, and the ejectors or extractor. For a bolt action rifle, a light coat of CLP on all the mechanical bits should work well enough. On handguns, I like to grease the slide rails of semi auto, and the locking bolts of revolvers, and put oil everywhere else.

G 96 easy to use and does not hurt stock finish.

I basically use the same procedure as you. Clenzoil for general cleaning and a light coat of Rig Grease to finish. I also hit the bores on shotguns and rifles with wet patches of hoppes first then run a few patches thru to dry. I always run a couple of patches of rig grease in the bores(shotguns and rifles)to finish. As far as the hinge pins go-I like a product called Pro Gold Lubricant. The rig grease would probably work as well.

Nothing quite like Sperm Whale Oil. It worked then...it works now.:whistle:

I competed in a Bulls Eye Pistol league for 14 years. The only thing I used for all cleaning and lubrication on my semi auto pistols was G96. I have been using G96 since 1969 and no issues. It doesn't get pasty in extreme cold. Cleans, lubricates and prevents rust.

I like to wipe especially damascus bbls down with Ballistol. For solvent I use Hoppes or Gunzilla. For internal parts I use 5W-20 Mobil-1. I was on the AR forum some years back and some new AR owner asked what oil to use on his AR. That forum is full of very experienced military guys and, to a man, they all just said, "Mobil-1", with no further explanation. I like to put Chevron wheel bearing grease on the roll pin and the locking lug wear plate; it's very 'sticky' and doesn't run off.

I use Ballistol in most of these applications and the other products Richard employs except that on the roll joint and other friction surfaces I use Rig. Too bad we don’t have sperm whale oin any longer.





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Let's try this another way. Seems like everything works. Is there a product that doesn't work?

New question. Is today's Hoppe's #9 the same as the old stuff? I don't think it has the same smell I remember, but then again, I can't remember what I had for breakfast

In my book, Ballistol and WD-40 do not work well for some uses. Both will dry and "varnish" up. I've had WD-40 glue the cables up in my plane so bad I had to replace them. I don't use WD-40 for anything any longer. Ballistol, brilliant as it is, also varnishes up so is really good for hosing down the inside of the receiver on a dbl gun that just came out of the sonic cleaner because it will last forever if you let it drip dry. Open the gun 5yrs down the road and it will be exactly as you left it, with no corrosion. I just don't use it on the moving internal parts. I used to finish off every bore cleaning with a coating of it, but, at one point I was shooting an Ithaca 37 I had done that to and after a few shots I couldn't pump the action and had to use more force than was good for the gun to eject the empty. Turned out that the varnished up Ballistol had softened in the heat and had glued the empty shell in the chamber. Took a brush to it and cleaned it out and it was fine. I had it do the same thing to more than on S/S before I figured the problem out. I love the way it protects a bore in long term storage - there's nothing better; you just have to brush it out of the chamber before you shoot the gun again.

John, I assume you know that there are two #9 formulas available -- synthetic (I think that's what they call it) and original. I'm not sure if the original is really original, but it smells like it, and seems to act like I remember it did...but, hey, I'm old.:rotf:

Since 1970 I have not seen G96 "varnish" up. It does NOT dry or turn gummy in extreme cold. G96 is the only product I use everywhere in every gun that I own. I have put thousands of rounds through my 1911, Springfield XD and my Pardini. I have NEVER had an functioning issue in any of my guns.