We help folks from all sorts of backgrounds. Sometimes they feel the need to share ‘how they do it’. Other times folks are new to guns, or new to muzzleloaders and just ask for advice. I wrote a long rant to try and help folks with the “WD-40” controversy. In it I took the time to explain that there isn’t one WD-40 any more. And many of the WD-40 “Specialists” have proved usefull in my experience… sometimes even on guns. All should beware that classic WD-40 dries and leaves a crust that will jam up most any mechanisim, especially guns.
But a better question is why folks use WD-40 on guns anyway (and I’m specifically talking about the classic WD-40, not the multiple specialists). The simple answer is that its readily available and inexpensive: they probably had it on the shelf and already use it on all sorts of stuff. So are there other things that are readily available and prolifically used… and do folks put them on their guns?
Yes, there is. The that begs the question: Is it a good idea to use things that weren’t labled a ‘gun care’ product on your firearms?
And that is where things get complicated. Then factor in that many folks like to promote the way they do it as being the ‘best way’, and it gets even more complicated. So let’s look at the ideas I’ve heard a long the way and explain the good, the ok, and the bad.
To do this we first need to diferentiate between cleaning a muzzleloader that has been shot with Black Powder, Pyrodex, or Tripple Seven, from Modern firearms that use smokeless powders (and with smokeless, we need to also consider muzzleloaders that are shot with Blackhorn209 powder). For muzzleloaders that aren’t using BlackHorn209 or smokeless powder (which is the vast majority): clean with soap, water, Windex, etc. Then protect the muzzleloader with natural greases like BoreButter, lard, etc. I like oversimplify this and say these classic muzzleloader powders leave ‘organic’ residues and so we have to use organic cleaners and greases (ie grease that was formerly alive or could be eaten… but I don’t recommend you eat them) to care for them. We won’t address these here.
Blackhorn209 muzzleloaders and modern firearms use modern, mostly petroleum based cleaners, lubricants, and protectants. (Don’t eat these!)
Bonafide gun care products typically go beyond most other comparable items we find for automotive or general shop use. Gun products typically have to work in a wider range of temperatures, have better anti corrosion properties, and can have additives that better deal with copper and lead fouling. So when folks decide to use an non-gun, off the shelf item, it typically lacks in one or all three of these categories.
But does that mean you shouldn’t or couldn’t use any of them on your firearms? I think clearly the answer should be, ‘that depends’. A better question is why would you use one of these others on your firearms. If its because the firearm specific stuff is more expensive (and it typically is), that is a bad reason. Expecially when you consider how much you probably paid for the firearm, vs how little you’ll save using the cheaper option. Also you probably are sacrificing reliability with the cheaper option.
That said, I use non gun stuff all the time on firearms. That is part of what I wrote in my commentary on WD-40. However, as much as possible, these ‘non-gun’ products are not the last thing, or the only thing I use. Though I do frequently coat every internal surface of a fireamr with WD-40 dry lube, then apply proper gun oils on the wear surfaces and pivot pins of firearms. This seems to keep crud from building on surfaces, yet lubricates and protects the firearms where it matters.
So what non gun things are good and when? Well I love using ATF to soak stuff that is clobbered with corrosion or carbon. But it gets scrubbed off, and coated with gun oils/lubes before the gun goes out the door. I love using 3M high molybdenum grease on the threads of bolt plugs. Its excellent for lubing and preventing gauling, doesn’t solidify in extreme cold (but will slightly thicken)… and I don’t know of a ‘gun’ specific version that is better at controlling gauling and staying put. 3M high moly grease, goes on every bolt plug of every bolt I convert to our 209 systems. One little bottle has lasted me years.
That brings me to synthetic engine oil. I’ve heard of many folks using it as the primary lube on their AR’s. In a pinch I’ve done it too on AR’s and shotguns. Specifically: I’ve used it in a pinch in a duck blind on another fella’s Benelli that was giving him trouble… but only because my bottle of RemOil I keep in my floating gun case had sprung a leak and was empty. Another fella’s pick-up was close by and he had synthetic engine oil. On a another duck hunting trip, we were in another remote spot where the only thing we could buy from the sole gas station was synthetic engine oil, and I forgot to pack my normal emergency bottle of gun oil. Synthetic motor oil has always worked for me, but I’m convinced it is better to buy a proper oil/lube made for guns.
You might be inclined to save a few pennies and brew your own gun oils. If you look, you will find lots of ideas on how to mix readily available components and make stuff that works resonalbly well. And I’d support that if good, well designed gun care products weren’t sitting on the shelf of most every Walmart.
Bottom line: If you are in a pinch, you can make do with readily available stuff, but should avoid these alternatives unless you are forced into them. When forced into it: I have sucessfully used synthetic motor oil to lube guns, and ATF to clean and free stuck solid rusty stuff. Shotguns that take a bath on a hunting trip often get doused with classic WD-40 then wiped clean and lubed with whatever is on hand. If you have to use alternative stuff, I’d encourage you to clean it off and replace it with proper gun oil when you get back to civilization.