WD-40 is not the firearm Cure-All

[jhnrckr]

stinks too much to use on hunting guns and evaporates too fast to be a good lubricant. I do use it to wipe down my non hunting guns and I do run a wd40 patch down my barrel to simulate a fouling shot on a clean barrel. I have never seen it gum up or varnish.

[Ideal Tool]

Hello, everyone. When I was heavy into shooting percussion revolvers, I used WD-40 after water-wash & oven drying. Never had any rust problems.
Later, I used it on a Shilo 1863 percussion military rifle..after sitting unused for a few years, I tried to open lever..wouldn't budge..thought linkage was broken..sprayed some WD-40 between face of breech-block & breech & it popped open..stuff had turned to varnish.
Now days, I use it to clean bullet lube off lubesizers & dies. Very light spray on paper towel for cleaning up bullet bases. Also, good for cleaning hands of heavy grease.
It did get me going after driving thru flooded road & engine got wet.

[Gunplummer]

I have a clue. I rust blued for years and if somebody wanted a gun hot blued I shipped it out in parts. The people I dealt with wanted customers to coat the parts in WD-40 and let them sit a day or two to dry. This was better than having oil soaking the package. The WD-40 set up like Elmer's Glue.

[sc928porsche]

WD-40 works quite well for what is is designed to do. Penetrate and displace moisture. If a firearm has been sitting around for a couple of years, it works great to loosen up the oils and lubes before cleaning. I usually remove the firearm from the stock and disassemble into major groups. Then I apply a liberal amount of WD-40 to the metal parts and let soak for about 20 minutes or so. After soaking, I use Brake Kleen and thoroughly rinse all parts and let dry. From there I use normal gun cleaning solutions and gun oil to lubricate. I also use a little bit of STP on some surfaces such as slides and areas where the bolt slides against the action.

BTW, If you happen to get a little road tar on your car, it works well to remove it. Spray it on, let set a couple of minutes, wipe off with cloth and depending on how much is on the car this may have to be done several times. When almost all gone, some dish soap and water will finish the job and then rinse with water.

[jhenry]

I use WD40 quite a bit, but not on firearms except to loosen up old guns prior to a good cleaning, and as a wipe down after being out in the rain, such as a day in the wet deer woods. It does work well for that. A proper cleaning follows later.

[moxie]

Have used WD-40 as part of my cleaning/maintenance routine on all types of guns, and fishing reels, for many years. Never a problem.

I use it primarily as a cleaner/flusher, not as a final coat of lubricant.

If you leave enough lube/cleaner, regardless of type or brand, to drip down through the firing pin hole onto ammo, it's your negligence, not a fault of the lube. If you overlube an action and soak the stock over time, it's your negligence, not a fault of the lube. Any lube will affect wood over time.

Agree with #14 post above.

[john1969]

Anybody ever try this? If anyone has a sure way to test this for friction and water resistance I will split the cost with you!!! Thanks! http://www.midwayusa.com/product/350...ProductDescrip

[arch308]

Seems we've been down this road before. I found back in the day that if you leave it on anything it will gum up eventually.
WD 40 never touches any of my firearms anymore. I'll use motor oil before WD 40.

[Bill DeShivs]

I have used WD 40 professionally for almost 40 years- as a jeweler, gunsmith, engraver, engineer, cutler, and musician.
WD 40 is a tool. If you learn to use it as such-within the parameters of it's design, it is a very good tool. I have never been able to get WD 40 to "gum" badly, even though I have tried. It's lubricant is a light mineral oil. There are better lubricants for specific purposes. It's great for water displacement, rust protection (even in spots you can't get to,) lubricating SOME things, conditioning guitar strings, as a cutting fluid, and as a cleaner.

[myshoulderissore]

In a pinch it can work as wasp killer. The new can with the fold-down nozzle will spray about 6' and give you room to retreat. It's a slow death for them and they are determined to make a last stand.

BEST USE EVER

I had a serious problem with yellow jackets last summer, and FINALLY got rid of them using WD40.

[ROGER4314]

I always kept WD-40 in our school programs and had to maintain MSDS sheets on it. WD-40 is almost entirely Mineral Spirits or "Stoddard Solvent". There is a tiny amount of lubricant and some fragrance added.

It makes a nice cleaner but a lousy lubricant. At home, I buy a gallon and place it in refillable, metal, pressure spray bottles. I don't have room for a solvent tank so I use a liberal spray of WD-40 to clean with, blow the parts dry with an air hose then lube with an appropriate product.

Flash

[James K]

I have used it on the garage door. Seemed to work OK, but for anything finer or more complicated? No.

Jim

[Gunplummer]

Years back when I got a customer that wanted a hot blue, instead of a rust blue, I used to send them out. The outfit I sent the parts to wanted them covered in WD40 for a day before you wrapped them up. Sure enough, in a day it was like the parts were coated in a waxey Elmers glue. But on the lighter side, someone mentioned using it to kill wasps. Have you tried the lighter and flame thrower affect yet?

[coyota1]

Alright, I skimmed through the thread, and read a lot of interesting comments. I keep away from bluing since it does dissolve rust, and it will eventually dissolve the bluing as well since it is a form of iron oxide. As far as gumming up the action, I have never had this happen.

[North East Redneck]

It has its place, it will hide (for a short time), major problems.It is not a lubricant. My previous job (had to leave, company was down sizing) I was maintenance supervisor (salary paid mill wright). We did most everything in house, I banned WD from the shop, it attracts dust, dirt, and makes sludge. Some of the guys swore by it, told em, use it all you want, just not in my shop.
None of my guns will ever have WD on them.

[Old Grump]

I buy it by the gallon and use it liberally when I am shooting. Keep my gun wet with it and it keeps shooting no matter how dirty it gets. My sleeves are black and the hand and wrist get pretty dirty but when the day is done the guns get torn down and dumped in my can of cleaner, (mostly fuel oil, motor oil and ATF), Reassembled after I have had time to clean and blow them dry or wipe the parts down and then I use regular by golly genuine authorized greases and oils where greases and oils are supposed to go.

If I have to use WD-40 to keep them going in between regular cleaning I will, been doing it for 50 some years and I am still shooting the same 22 rifle I bought in 64 and the same 22 and 45 pistol I bought in 72.

Hunting in cold and/or inclement weather I clean my guns with a solvent like carburetor cleaner and reassemble clean and dry, no problems since a deer or squirrel hunt isn't going to be a 75 shot affair.

Douse it with WD-40 and store it no way but feel guilty about using it when other more expensive products are available nope? The old Bohunk in me says go with what works at the best price and WD-40 fits that niche quite nicely thank you. My traveling kit has basic cleaning gear, minimal tools and a can of WD-40 so sue me. I'd rather carry more ammo than a shoe box full of magic solvents, wondrous greases, healing salves, and fairy dust fortified potions.

[edfrompa]

WD40 is okay for its purpose, but not for lubricating firearms. It is used to take moisture out of metal, not lubricate the metal.

[buckhorn_cortez]

I love WD40.

1. It's inexpensive.

2. It works better and is cheaper than kerosene for cleaning cosmoline from machine tools.

3. If you can't get a diesel truck to start you soak a piece of paper towel with it and put in in the motor's air intake. As the carrier flashes off it acts as a starting fluid that is much less volatile and easier on the motor than starting ether.

I always have a can around for general cleaning of greasy / dirty wrenches and other hand tools, saw blades, etc.

Guns....no....there are far better products for cleaning and lubricating guns.

[scottd913]

sprayed it in my air intake on my big truck makes it start right up.

as far as gumming up locks for a locksmith i think i would suggest WD-40 to all my customers and say business is gooooood.

helps start fires in a pinch

cant think of the time i used it on a gun unless to un-stick some thing i was going to clean properly afterwords.

oh it cleans tar and rubber of the paint on my car when i over exhilarate

[ltc444]

Marlin recommends cleaning the 66 with break cleaner. Remove the wood. Spray the receiver liberally with the cleaner and blow it out. then coat with a good gun oil.

WD-40 is an extremely light weight Aliphatic Hydrocarbon. It is very close to mineral spirits. It is volatile and evaporates very quickly. The gunk build up is the heavier petroleum distillates which do not evaporate. These residues combine with the residue from propellants and form the lacquer finish which is found on the action.

I do not use the material on my firearms.

[coldbeer]

I use Ballistol on the outside of my firearms and shooters choice mc7 for the bore and action. Works for me

[Skans]

WD-40 is good in a pinch for some things. For example, I was out hunting in the woods with a Savage 30-06 while it was snowing. The first thing I did when getting back to the cabin was wipe it down and spray everything with WD-40 to prevent rust. I sprayed inside the bore, the action, trigger, barrel, everything. It did exactly what I wanted it to do - prevent rust.

[Art Eatman]

Summary: Like any product, when used with rational thought and common sense, WD40 is good stuff.

Unfortunately, common sense ain't real common.