Lubrication

Vince · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 2:19 am Post subject: Lubrication

Hey guys, now that I have bought myself this you beaut all singin' all dancin' scatter gun, best I learn the best way to keep it looking and feeling as new as possible for as long as possible.

I've done some online research (shedloads actually) about the "best" lubricants to use for choke tubes and the hinge pins...also spoke to a couple of gunshops...and I'm getting some conflicting answers.

The gunshops push the product they have on the shelves at the moment. The gun importers said "Any good quality gun grease like Briley, Tetra, Hoppes etc will be fine".
The various online Forums are saying all sorts of things, comments in red are mine...

STOS (this stuff gets LOTS of votes, but it is difficult to find),
Lubriplate SFL-0,
Krieghoff Gun Glide,
Proshot PRO GOLD Grease,
wheel bearing grease (which my mate likes),
Lithium Grease,
Loctite Silver Anti-Seize for the chokes,
Hercules Faucet Lube,
Militech grease,
MIL-COMM TW25B Weapons Grease,
Froglube Paste,
OTIS Grease,
CLP Plus Paste,
Ballistol,
White teflon plumber's tape also works VERY well (it is the ONLY thing that holds my Briley chokes in the barrel of my 1100 in 28 gauge)says one guy,
Nickel Never-Seez,
Outers Gun Grease,
Inox MX6 Grease,
Lanox or Dry Lube,
SNO™ Universal Gun Grease,
STP,
Birchwood Casey RIG® Universal Gun Grease,
Shooters Choice gun grease,
Superlube,
Gorilla Grease,
Weapon Shield Grease.

And so the list goes on...OK, I am officially confused. Basically I have two questions...
1. Is the same grease suitable for both Choke Tubes and Hinge Pins?
2. If not, from your experience, what grease is suggested for the two applications?

What do you guys use and recommend (especially the waterfowl hunters)?

Bushmaster · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:31 am Post subject: Re: Lubrication

Vince...All of my weapons, including my Browning BSS are lubed with plain ol' ATF. That includes the bore.

Elvis · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:50 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

break free CLP for everything..... if you want to get all flash on choke tubes use some vasoline...you SHOULD have some on your reloading bench. thats all Ive used for the 8 years Ive had my pump shottie which get very dirty and also goes out on coast so sees salt spay as well...just put SOMETHING on them and dont worry about it..... my choke tubes must get dizzy some days as I prefer the 1/4 choke but stick the 3/4 in if shots look to be longer or encounter geese. just unscrew and relube when you clean...simple as a pimple Mate.

English Mike · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 3:28 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

I'm a messy type; Copperslip on choke threads as I'm paranoid about them seizing in.
I like Ballistol as a light oil for pretty much everything else (& so apparently did the Wehrmacht...).
Everything gets cleaned with Hoppes #9.

PaulS · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 7:20 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

That makes two votes for ATF. For use on the heavy load parts on my AR I mix about 2 parts ATF with 1 part Hilton's Hyperlube (like STP oil additive).

tikkat3 · Super Member Joined: Jul 30, 2006 Posts: 800

My gun cleaning [I bother, some say not to]
Equipment
Old 30 cal rod [its a long one], high brass shell cut down with a little bit of plastic left- primer hole drilled out [bore guide], bronze brush x 2, chux cut to cleaning patch size and cleaning patches. WD 40, tooth brush
After every use
Short spurt of WD 40 down bottom barrel, push through one chux patch wrapped around bronze brush. Do same to top
Short spurt of WD 40 down bottom barrel, scrub a few times with chux patch wrapped around bronze brush. Do same to top
Push through both with a cloth patch wrapped around brush
If some plastic remains, usually close to breech
I use a new bronze brush only with a little WD 40
Push through both with a cloth patch wrapped around brush
Remove chokes, wipe clean with WD40, use toothbrush and cleaning patch to remove carbon / plastic from threads
Put chokes in for next shoot
Wipe all metal surfaces with WD40 - store for a week or two

If I am storing a gun for a while I'll wipe down using Lanatec this is the only time a will use a brass jag

dhc4ever · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

I use lanox.
Even on the chokes.
The main issue I have on the weatherby ssc is the chokes comming loose, so lanox works for them quite well.
No rust in over 17 years on the shottie.
I might scrub the bore very occasionally with some hoppes no 9 and then swab with lanox, no rust in there either.
This stuff seems to last over a year without degradation and in the hot and humid conditions we live in here.
Cant beat it for the price.

Vince · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

Bushmaster wrote:

Vince...All of my weapons, including my Browning BSS are lubed with plain ol' ATF. That includes the bore.

ATF is good stuff mate...it also mixes well with beeswax to make a great cast bullet lube...waxy without being greasy.

For general cleaning I like Ed’s Red, which has ATF in it as well...it a good cleaning solvent, but I always oil after use.

The actual oiling of the metal parts etc is not a problem, I have a few different products that I use...CLP, Nycalube, Tri-Flow, silicone cloth. What I’m chasing is the best grease to use on the choke tubes and especially the hinge pins. Both will be cleaned after every outing shooting, but I want to use the best, most suitable grease to keep the gun as tight as I can for as long as possible.

I had a rat through my odds and sods here and I have a heap of Loctite Silver Anti-Seize and a similar product that is copper based, so I pretty much have the choke tubes sorted. But I suppose what I’m looking for is a recommendation on a quality hinge pin lube.

Tiks...I never use WD40 on my guns...just something I don’t do. I like Ed’s Red for initial cleaning of the barrels, and if I have stubborn plastic I use a copper brush with plenty of Ed’s Red on the end of my wooden cleaning rod and the other end in my battery powered drill on low speed...takes all the plastic out. I finish the clean with Hoppes #9 then a light oil with Tri-Flow (its a bicycle chain PTFE lube).

dhc4ever, I have a spray can of Lanox here as well as a spray white Lithium grease (good old Supercheap), and tub of Lanoguard. I might just give the lanox a run and see how it goes for rustproofing. In the meantime the search for a quality hinge pin lube goes on...

Elvis · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:32 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

I will Bushies left one that if you use any of the above lubricants on your tight fitting hinge pins they will out last you and still be tighter than a fairies farter when you depart this mortal land..... its not like you are going to be a slob and play silly games slapping barrels open and shut or be dumb enough to fire boxes of rem hypersonic loads through her and loosen all and sundry. quit thinkin and keep drinkin Mate.

Sparkie · Rookie Member Joined: May 19, 2016 Posts: 16

I use CMD Gun lube and CMD oil both are anti galling, A little goes a very long way. I also use SHC 32 Mobile synthetic during winter months this stuff works from -65F to 350F great stuff very high oil content for a grease. It gets down to -30 during the winter here, I've never had a problem in the cold, stuff is not cheap tho.

Gil Martin · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

It depends. For choke tubes, I use Birchwood Casey Choke Tube Lube and Rust Inhibiting Grease (RIG). A fine film is all that is necessary on the threads and the tubes just need to be snug and not over tightened. I clean and lube the choke tubes after every use. The hinge pins get a thin film of rust inhibiting grease. Works for me. All the best...
Gil

Vince · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:29 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

Thanks guys...now to source some of these lubes...the RIG in particular.

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 11:24 am Post subject: Re: Lubrication

As you all know, I'm a competitive shooter.

Shotty, 1911, revolver, long gun: American Trap, AT Doubles, skeet and SC with a pump. USPSA Single STack Division, Gymkana style LR run-n-gun and more....some weeks I'll burn just a few rounds. Sometimes I'll go through 2-3 cases of shot shells in a weekend on clays and a couple thousand rounds of metallic cartridges.

I've tried most all the lubes. Some of the expensive synthetic one's are total crap, too. Especially the so-called "dry" lubes.

You must use a VERY light lube that sheds off the gun during the cycle- not "stick" to it, for many reasons. That thin lube gets into tight places better, prevents caking and takes contaminants off with it. And, you need to re-apply it as nec. and often. I've never, ever had a galling issue using light oils, the lighter the better, especially in cold weather. In extreme cold (temps under 20*F), I'll use a little graphite mixed in with the oil so the metal has something to glide on before the oil heats up. A way to check if your oil is too thick when cold is to use a drip bottle- if it can't run out on it's own with a little bit of coaxing, its too cold for it. Go lighter or use graphite paste applied with a swab or mix dry graphite in a very, very light, clear machine oil. If the part in question calls for grease, use a moly-paste type, not wheel bearing or water proof type.

My lube of choice is Hoppes gun oil or 3in1 light machine oil. Sounds low tech, but this stuff works. One of my 1911's has well over 50,000 rounds through it, it's loose of course but it's all original Colt (as per division rules, to an extent) and still prints well. Choke tubes get anti-seize paste, really simple there, and I check my tubes for tight every few rounds as thermal cycles make them come loose (see trap bag, lower right, with all the choke wrenches on it. I gota international choke wrench collection from literally around the world!)

Of course, YMMV, use common sense, etc.

stovepipe · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

OK- sorry ta get all serious on ya with that last one......so here's some comedy relief!

Speaking of competition:

First USPSA match ever. It was 31*, snowing on and off...and "BEEEP!" we had to start with an empty gun, run to the "bunker", dig in the box, fill the pouches on my belt rig, then charge the pistol....then engage. Good god those mags got COLD in that box! Woof!

It didn't go super-smoothly. Laughing

But it was a scream and I got hooked.

*

Problem neighbor? Cat's won't shut up in the alley at night? That guy across the street with the super-bright porch light?

One call, does it all.

Have 1911, will travel! Hehehehehe

Vince · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: Lubrication

I appreciate your input on the lube issue Stovey. I’m going to check up on the availability of Ballistol oil her in the Land Down Under because it gets some great write ups. I have both copper anti-seize grease and Loctite Silver Anti-Seize so I’m covered in that area. I’m actually giving a Briley Choke Ztube grease some serious thought for the bearing surfaces on my O/U...very lightly applied of course. An old friend, now deceased, always swore by a mix of Bitron, STP and light machine oil to lube the bearing surfaces on his $60K O/U and it was tighter than....umm, tight, after about 20K rounds put through it.

I have heaps to work on now...let the lubing begin.

I’d love to watch you shooting the USPSA match in the cold mate...would be funnier than a cat running with its nads caught in a rabbit trap. A 1911 might be a tad noisy for a yowling alley at mate...a 17 HMR with a can would be much more gooderer.