Petroleum lubes vs. synthetic lubes for extended storage

[bricz75]

I read a claim natural (petroleum) based lubricants for firearms are better than synthetic lubricants if a person will leave the firearm lubed/stored for some time, then shoot it without putting more lube on it before hitting the range. Is that true?

I also read natural lubricants are better to prevent rust over a longer period of time, even if a synthetic lube is better in the short run. An example may be Breakfree CLP will protect from rust over the period of a month but XYZ natural lube will protect better over a period of a year. Is that true?

[Jim Watson]

Sounds pretty hokey to me. Well refined petroleum and synthetics will both Just Work. Both will have additive packages in addition to their hydrocarbon stock.

[jaguarxk120]

A natural lube is generally a vegetable or animal based lube not petroleum/mineral oil based.

Synthetic oils are engineered or manufactured lubes base off of mineral oils.

Any, any veggy or animal based lube over time will dry to a varnish type coating.

Just get a can of Mobil 1 motor oil and use that.

[ShootistPRS]

Synthetic lubes are just more highly refined petroleum products. They are more refined to provide temperatures that are higher than any gun will ever see. natural lubes can be made from any source oil but the standard motor oils are petroleum based - just like the synthetics. Mineral oils will take a long time to oxidize at gun temperatures. For long term storage you don't want a lubricant, you want a product that keeps oxygen and moisture away from the metal. Oils don't do that very well.

[mete]

RIG is the answer !

One of the more highly refined oils are the turbine oils which I have used for years Like typical petroleum oils they have a additive "package" depending on use.
Synthetic oils which are made by most oil companies assemble individual chemicals , only those that are needed, to create the final product .
Anti-oxidant additive are very important for long term use as oxygen will produce a varnish with the oils. Removal of paraffins is important so they don't form in cold weather.
Viscosity is another factor .
In any case - don't over use lubes , that only causes problems

[FITASC]

CLP is not a long-term storage rust preventative.

RIG can be a great grease - I have some, however when stored in a warm place like my garage, it tends to become more liquified and runny.

[Scorch]

Outers sells a product called Gun Grease (pretty imaginative name, no doubt dreamed up by some young MBA in Marketing department). Its primary stated purpose is to prevent rust in storage. You can buy it from Brownells or Amazon or ebay. I have used it for the past 30-ish years.

You can also buy Weapons Shield, a new-fangled synthetic compound. It is better than grease IME.

[T. O'Heir]

"...Petroleum lubes vs. synthetic lubes..." There is no VS, but you don't use oil lubes for storage. You use grease. Which one really doesn't matter. Except that anything with the word 'gun' in its name will cost more.
Cosmoline is just petroleum jelly. Just like Vaseline.

[ShootistPRS]

Cosmoline is a darker color because it contains more paraffin and asphalt than the more refined petroleum jelly used in Vaseline. Don't substitute Vaseline for cosmoline it is not as good a protector.