Slide lube?

[normslee]

For semi auto pistols I go by the General Rule of Firearms Lubrication:
"oil for rotating parts, grease for sliding parts that carry a load."

In both cases I prefer the Lubriplate brand of products.

OIL = Lubriplate’s FMO-AW oil specifically the 350-AW weight.

GREASE = Lubriplate “SFL” NLGI #0 grease.

Use just enough to make the surface look wet. That's all, no more.

For cleaning I like Hoppes #9 and Ballistol.

It's not rocket science folks, just keep your weapons clean and lubed.

[sigarms228]

The only times I have seen major malfunctions on pistols have been due to lack of lubrication. Twice at the range with friends who did not know much about maintaining their pistols - a 1911 and a Beretta 92FS both bone dry. Both times I was able to get them running perfectly with a few drops of oil I had in my range bag. I racked the slide, held the pistol vertical and rubbed on drop over the barrel exterior as much as I could and then a drop each into the end of the slide rails. After a minute I racked the slide a few times and pistol worked perfectly. Just like the tin man in Wizard of Oz.

[ilmonster]

I do the same as Normslee. As others have said, grease is for items that slide and oil for things that rotate. I use Lubriplate oil and grease for most of my guns. For those that say grease is too thick to use on 1911 rails, I use the Lubriplate grease on my Les Baer Premier II rails (a thin coat), and everything works well. Can't imagine many guns with tighter rail tolerances than a Les Baer 1911.

I use Slip 2000 EWL on my BMC AR-15 due to the experience of Pat Rogers (RIP) and his training company. He certainly has a harsher firing schedule than I'll ever experience with my AR (google "filthy 14"). Like Lubriplate, Slip 2K is a non-petroleum based lubricant. Would certainly use Lubriplate on the AR if EWL wasn't available (could be based on the same chemistry for all I know). Cheers!

[Rob228]

A very light application on Shooters Choice grease on the slide rails.

[P5 Guy]

A dab of wheel bearing grease.

[HisSoldier]

Ed's Red with lanolin. I clean whole handguns with the grips off in a heated ultrasonic cleaner, the guns feels slippery even after wiping it down after doing that. I've read that it is great at resisting corrosion. Most guys don't add the lanolin, to me it's the most important ingredient (With a solvent carrier).

[Cosmodragoon]

In both cases I prefer the Lubriplate brand of products.

OIL = Lubriplate’s FMO-AW oil specifically the 350-AW weight.

GREASE = Lubriplate “SFL” NLGI #0 grease.

Is this what Grant Cunningham was advocating a few years ago? With all the toxic stuff we use in shooting and gun ownership, I like the idea of less toxic options. The warm, sometimes moist, and sometimes salty environments in which concealed carry firearms need their protection aren't necessarily the best place for toxic hydrocarbons. I think these food-service grade products are worth a shot and I'll be ordering some soon.

In the mean time, anybody use these on a pocket folder?

[JohnKSa]

Is this what Grant Cunningham was advocating a few years ago?

Yup. It's good stuff but there's only one source I'm aware of for single user quantities. It's a company called Lubrikit that sells a grease/oil kit on the internet. You can find the product elsewhere, but usually only in huge quantities. Most folks have no need for several gallons of oil.

In the mean time, anybody use these on a pocket folder?

I've messed around with various oils for folding knives and have yet to find anything better than chain lube. It's basically a dry/wax lube in a liquid carrier. You shake up the bottle, apply the lube in liquid form, work the blade a bit and then wipe up the mess. It's definitely messy. But once it dries and you get the excess wiped up it works very well and keeps working a long time.

There's a product called White Lightning marketed as a knife and tool lube, but I found the identical product being sold as bicycle chain lube at a lower price. I think it was at Wal-Mart.

I've also used a Teflon based chain lube I found at Lowes and it works just as well and has a more pleasant smell. It's called Dupont Chain-Saver Lubricant and comes in a 4 oz bottle.

[Cosmodragoon]

Thanks, John. I'll be pulling the trigger on that "Lubrikit" sometime in the next few weeks. I got excited because I recently got the Torx bits to take apart and repair a Kershaw knife I like. I noticed that besides the normal parts that get oil, their special "speedsafe" mechanism needs grease. I had been wondering if Lubrikit would kill two birds with one stone for my daily carry stuff.

[ilmonster]

I use my Lubriplate (bought too in Lubrikit form) on the pivots of my daily carry knives (usually a GEC 21) as I often use them on my afternoon apple, and want something that is food safe. Don't want to use a petroleum based lubricant on a knife that will come in contact with food. Nicely kills two birds with one stone!

[jackstrawIII]

I use Break Free to clean, and Lucas Oil works great for lubricant.