How exactly do you lube your guns?

[Pops1085]

Staff feel free to move this thread, wasn't really sure where to post it. Anywho I am a little OCD and never having had any sort of formal weapon maintenance instruction most of what I've learned about gun cleaning/maintenance has been instructions from the internet. No I'm not embarrassed, you may be surprised how much I've soaked up from you guys. Anyways I always see people saying apply a light coat of lube after cleaning but literally nobody says how. Is there a specific way that soldiers, smiths, or anybody who knows what they are doing go about lubricating their guns? Do you just put some drops on the metal and smear it around with your finger? Put it on a patch and rub it on? Maybe use a brush or cotton swab?

Specifically I have a entry level ar, a few 1911's and quite a few shotguns, but I always have trouble with semi auto shottys and i think it might be a lube issue.

[MoGas1341]

Alot of it has to do with proper lubricants at the proper location. For instance, I personally use Outers Gun Grease on high friction areas (applied by cotton swab or rubbed on by finger) and Hoppe's Oil on springs and internal mechanisms. (Just a drop or so)

1911's I use grease on the lugs, slide and barrel but use Hoppe's oil on the base of the hammer and extractor. Most owners manuals will show you the lubrication points. Lastly, I put a light coat of Rem Oil (Spray can)on the outside of all the metal parts, not wood, and wipe it off with a 100% cotton cloth.

On wood, I use boiled linseed oil once a year, applied by hand.

As for auto loading shotguns(Specifically the Winchester SX-3), I put a light coat of Hoppe's oil on the bottom tube, and a drop where the extractor is along with the elevator, and inside the bolt carrier. When disassembled, I use the Gun Grease on the bolt carrier group. I hope this helps.

[JohnKSa]

Do you just put some drops on the metal and smear it around with your finger? Put it on a patch and rub it on? Maybe use a brush or cotton swab?

Yes. All of those ways are acceptable.

Another way is to carefully drip a small amount of oil down between mating surfaces--just make sure not to get carried away with this. More people over-oil than under-oil, in my experience.

If I see internal areas showing heavy wear, especially where sliding friction is present, I will sometimes apply a small amount of a light grease to provide better/more persistant lubrication for that area. Be sure to use a grease that won't thicken in cold weather if your firearm is one that is used in harsh conditions, and don't overdo the grease. It doesn't run off or evaporate like oil does, and that means that at some point in the future, you'll probably have to manually remove it along with any debris/dust/fouling that has collected and replace it with fresh lubricant.

You should lubricate:

1. Places that your firearm's manual states that you should oil.
2. Places that show noticeable wear marks after use--assuming that there's no prohibition in your manual against oiling those areas.
3. Any metal surfaces that you wish to protect from rust/corrosion. These areas should receive a light coat applied with a lightly oiled rag. All you need here is just enough to see that the surfaces aren't dry. There should never be enough to make the surface actually wet for this particular application.

You should not lubricate:

1. Places that your manual states should remain free from lubrication.
2. Areas which, if lubricated, would make it hazardous to handle your firearm.
3. Areas which come into direct contact with loaded ammunition should only be lightly oiled, if at all.
4. Areas which don't require oil and are likely to collect dust/debris/lint. The inside of stainless steel or polymer magazine tubes, for example, often don't really need any lubrication at all. Some blued magazine tubes might need some protection against corrosion. Those are often better protected by wiping them with a silicon-impregnated rag to help prevent corrosion rather than applying a liquid oil to them. The liquid oil could collect debris/dust/lint which might jam the magazine.

[TheDoubleDeuce]

I just clean everything with ballistol after each use. A few times of doing that and it develops a sort of permanent lubrication. Each time I use I q tip to apply a little extra to the mating surfaces. That's it. Works like a champ.

[Pops1085]

But wouldn't applying oil with fingers cause the acid in your hands to rust the metal?

[Rifleman1776]

How is not nearly as important as just doing it and using a high quality lubricant. Which is best is a matter of personal choice. I use WD-40, CLP or Ballistol most of the time. Apply in and on all moving and rubbing surfaces. I am fairly liberal to make sure it runs into places I cannot reach. I then wipe down with the excess using cotton patches. Of course, the bore gets swabbed with the also. If I expect long term storage, I'll do the bore with RIG.

[JohnKSa]

But wouldn't applying oil with fingers cause the acid in your hands to rust the metal?

If you have really acid body chemistry, I suppose it's possible. Wearing nytrile gloves is a good idea while you're cleaning guns anyway to minimize skin contact with fouling residue which contains lead as well as the solvents. Such a precaution would take care of the acid skin problem as well.

[Nathan]

I use oil and grease. . .very little grease.

I once heard: "If it rotates, oil it. . .if it slides, grease it." I like that, but since grease and lower ammo performance due to cold could affect my CCW/HD/hunting guns, I try to use less grease.

Let's go back a bit. First, I believe in a lubrication method which is add lube in and wipe dirty lube away. I never completely delube with brake clean or gunscrubber because I cannot guarantee I will get the lube replaced. Guns will run and last if they are dirty for a long time. They will die fairly quick without any lube/preservative.

So, I use oil, applied by drops with a needle oiler where I think I need lots of oil, qtips where I need a thick smear and I use a blue paper towel with a bunch of drops (~5 drops per sq in), for use as a preservative only.
Needle oiler:


Places like locking lugs, I place thin grease smear with a small model paint brush.

Grease Brush:

[Pops1085]

So I just lubed up my 1911 and just put the oil on the gun and smeared it with oil covered fingers. I like it! I took a patch with some oil and wiped down all the exterior just to be safe. Think that's good enough?

[Pops1085]

Fellas?

[TheDoubleDeuce]

It's good enough if you think it's good enough. I guarantee you some people do more and some do less. I would hazard a guess that what you have done is plenty fine to ensure the mechanical operation. I say a 1911 will run dirty but it won't run dry.