Dri-Lube. When is it a good idea, if ever?

[Pond, James Pond]

I recently stocked up on cleaner and lube for my guns after nearing the bottom of the bottle of my cleaner and managing to make my can of lube haemorrage all over my gun cabinet. And its contents.

Having bought what I went for I also made an on-the-spot impulse buy: their last can of Hoppe's Dri-Lube.

So now that I have it, what the heck do I do with it?

Is there a particular type of gun, set of environmental conditions, or other situation when Dri-Lube is the better choice over conventional lube?

[g.willikers]

Extreme cold, maybe, when oily lubes could thicken and cause sluggishness and malfunctions?
Not that would ever happen where you are, though.
Isn't it mostly warm and balmy there?

[psalm7]

I remember one guy that only used somekind of drilube on his Nylon 66 .
Has anyone used yhe powder graphite like you use on locks and keys on a fire arm and why ?

[Pond, James Pond]

Isn't it mostly warm and balmy there?

Only balmy?! It's positively tropical as my perpetually numb toes can testify!

So how cold are we talking for lubes. My gun oil claims -57 celsius as a solidification point, so personally, I probably wasted my money on the dry lube, but still, out of curiosity.

[Snyper]

I probably wasted my money on the dry lube

Dry lubes don't attract and hold dirt and debris like wet lubes will.

That makes them preferable for delicate mechanisms like trigger assemblies, or inside the actions of guns that are harder to clean like lever actions,

Once they dry after the initial application, they won't run or stain other items which come in contact with the gun

[Pond, James Pond]

That makes them preferable for delicate mechanisms like trigger assemblies, or inside the actions of guns that are harder to clean like lever actions,

Once they dry after the initial application, they won't run or stain other items which come in contact with the gun

Okay... So I could degrease my trigger mechanism, blast it with the dri-lube, then just oil the rails etc...

I may try it one time to see how it performs.

[Ifishsum]

I like Dri-Lube for .22LRs as it does not collect the powder fouling like conventional oils can. Also for trigger groups as was mentioned.

[Cheapshooter]

I tried a couple different dry lubes for my CCW guns because of the reasons given by Snyper. Eezox for one, and I just can't warm up to them. I'm probably just old, and old school, but I just don't see them adequately lubricating anything.
Sentry Solutions Smooth-Kote at least leaves a visible gray film, but after a few weeks of carry with my LCP it seemed the slide was a little rough, and "draggy" with only the dry lube. Maybe as he said, just certain parts should have dry lubes used on them.

[natman]

As mentioned, dry lubes are great for 22s, especially semi autos. They are also good in cold environments.

Be careful when applying Hoppes Drilube, the fumes are nasty. I do it outdoors.

[bangerjim]

Works great for door locks and keys! Only thing I use it for.

[cryogenic419]

I've always used it on the inside and outside of magazines. Just a really super light misting and all is well. I use it in the magwells also, mags seem to drop free a little easier when using this as opposed to using regular lube.

[Pond, James Pond]

I'm thinking of using the dry lube on the firing pin, ejector and other slide internals.

They are hard to reach when not pulled down and stuff getting stuck inside could probably cause malfunctions. They also don't move a great deal, unlike the slide itself and are not really load-bearing as far as I can tell, and a re-spray around the firing pin block and the hole in the breech face would be pretty easy.

I'll sleep on it.

[Snyper]

I'll sleep on it.

Don't slide out of bed

[Gregory Gauvin]

I sprayed the ram of my press with that stuff. Smoooooth operation.

[Pond, James Pond]

Don't slide out of bed

That post taught me one thing:
Reading TLF through a monitor misted with coffee is still very possible!

[Pond, James Pond]

Well, done it.

Taking the pin, drop safety and ejector out was OK. I blasted them with contact cleaner (will use Carb Cleaner in the future, bit it was all I had). I also blasted all the sear/ejector assembly, trigger and hammer mechanisms so they were bone dry.

They all got a coat of Dri-Lube given that their range of movement is small. I actually like the Dri-Lube. It leaves a white coat of waxy residue that, when in dissolved form gets into all the nooks. That white residue, if wiped off, becomes like a smooth waxy coating. DA/SA trigger feel was much smoother afterwards, so I am already happy to have tried. Being a waxy material, it should also keep moisture at bay. The magwell got some too.

So now, the only bits that get regular gun lube are the barrel exterior and the rails. We'll see, but I feel pretty good about it, based on the trigger pull aspect.

Both the contact cleaner and dri-lube stink!! The former more though, so I did it in the toilet area, with extractor fan on. 30 seconds of frantic blasting, out, door closed and let the area and me breath.

[natman]

Both the contact cleaner and dri-lube stink!! The former more though, so I did it in the toilet area, with extractor fan on. 30 seconds of frantic blasting, out, door closed and let the area and me breath.

From post #9:

"Be careful when applying Hoppes Drilube, the fumes are nasty. I do it outdoors. "

[Pond, James Pond]

Be careful when applying Hoppes Drilube, the fumes are nasty. I do it outdoors

Outdoors is well below freezing here, so.... no.

A quick spray and leave alone in a ventilated room with an extracting air current was god enough.

[T. O'Heir]

Unless your oil is specifically made for extreme cold, it's lying. Bone dry in extreme cold.
-57 Celsius is -70.6F. Be out shooting in that and they'll come for you with a big net. Instant frost bite for any exposed skin.
That white residue is likely graphite.

[Pond, James Pond]

Unless your oil is specifically made for extreme cold, it's lying. Bone dry in extreme cold.

Well, the most I've ridden my sidecar in here was -18 celsius: that was quite nippy on the facial features.

The lowest I've experienced was -33 celsius. I certainly don't fancy shooting in that, but with another 24 degrees leeway, I suspect the oil would still be OK if i did. Still, given the feel in the trigger so far, I prefer the dri-lube. Graphite works for me!!

[natman]

Unless your oil is specifically made for extreme cold, it's lying. Bone dry in extreme cold.

Once upon a time this was true. But it's the 21st century now, there are lots of oils that ARE made for extreme cold.

That white residue is likely graphite.

According to the MSDS for Hoppe's DriLube it's Polytetrafluoroethylene (AKA Teflon)

[Pond, James Pond]

Looked at that sheet. Rubber disposable gloves for me, next time I use it!! Some nasty stuff there.

I assume it is inert once dry!!

[Snyper]

That post taught me one thing:
Reading TLF through a monitor misted with coffee is still very possible!

Sorry
I didn't mean to make you have a Negligent Discharge

I assume it is inert once dry!!

It should be, and the Teflon will work itself into the pores of the metal

[Pond, James Pond]

I didn't mean to make you have a Negligent Discharge

Nasal and negligent in equal measure.

It should be, and the Teflon will work itself into the pores of the metal

For me the difference of before and after applying the dri-lube to the trigger internals was instantly noticeable.