Gun lubing in general, patches or finger??

[Pops1085]

I am a bit OCD about finding the most efficient/effective way to lube my guns and I've heard people mention putting oil right on the gun parts and smearing it around and other people mention putting it only on a cloth and using that to apply. So which method do you use and why?

Edit: I know different guns require different amounts of lubrication, but I've got a fair ammount of neglected guns in need of some immediate care

[Toney]

I try to keep my fingers off!!! I always use a little rag.

[Mike38]

On the working / moveable parts I use a Q-Tip dipped in oil. On the exterior such as barrel / receiver I use a small piece of those blue paper shop towels you can buy at auto parts stores or WalMart, with a few drops of oil on it.

I always carry a small bottle of oil and 20-30 Q-Tips to the range with me. It replenishes the lubrication and gets out the “big chunks” of fouling during shooting sessions, and keeps your fingers clean.

[alex0535]

I usually use patches, or a q-tip would work.

I think the main goal is to lightly lubricate and protect moving and metal parts, especially those with metal to metal contact.

Too much oil gives residues places to stick to, a little bit of oil leaves less to stick to. On the topic of fingers, your finger tips have water and oil that isn't good for your gun.

[Rifleman1776]

This is an issue?
I dribble, spill, smear and use whatever is at hand. Paper towel, cotton patches, etc.
Just do it.

[Pops1085]

Hahaha yes I know it seems silly, it's just an off question I have always wondered about

[mrflash]

I buy 10-packs of cheap white washcloths. After cleaning, I squirt Hoppe's gun oil on the cloth & wipe my guns. While handling my guns to put them back in the rack or into cases, I wear those cheap, brown, jersey gloves sprayed with gun oil. If you do this, BE CAREFUL! The long guns want to slide out of your hands. When the washclothes get looking nasty, I just throw them away.

[rlc323]

No to the Q-tips. You would not believe how much of that cotton gets left behind. Then the oily cotton attracts unburnt powder, carbon, and ash and makes a real mess.

My gunsmith sees lots of OCD gun cleaners who gum up the trigger works with cotton swab remnants.

[berettaprofessor]

Calling BS on the Q-tip problem; used them for years. Haven't gummed up a thing.

[Kreyzhorse]

I usually use an oil cloth or a patch simply because it works for me.

It's putting oil on a gun, don't over think it. Put the oil on, wipe the excess off.

[GM2]

Kreyzhorse

It's putting oil on a gun, don't over think it. Put the oil on, wipe the excess off.

And that is sage advise indeed!

[shortwave]

Cloth or patch as well.

[ScottRiqui]

It's putting oil on a gun, don't over think it. Put the oil on, wipe the excess off.

This may put me in the "over thinking it" category, but I use microfiber cloths when cleaning the guns, and they're *really* absorbent, and the individual fibers are much smaller than what you'd see in a typical cotton rag. As such, I worry that when I wipe down the gun after oiling it, I'm actually wiping ALL the oil off of the surface.

Does there need to be a visible sheen of oil left on the gun, or will there still be oil on the finish even if I don't see it?

[Kreyzhorse]

Does there need to be a visible sheen of oil left on the gun, or will there still be oil on the finish even if I don't see it?

A micro cloth huh? I prefer to use cotton and leave a sheen of oil on the gun. I really don't know how much oil a micro cloth will pull off the gun but I assume that it pulls pretty much all of it off.