Gunsmithing Running Automotive Grease in Firearms

[Cascade Hemi]

I've used grease in the past. It is fine during the summer or in warmer climates. It is too thick in the fall, winter, and early spring here. It is 17 degrees right now and even high temp CV or NGLI2 grease is too thick. I've used grease and motor oil mix before but still don't like it very much. I normally use 90w synthetic gear oil and ATF4 mixed 50/50. It doesn't smoke and doesn't attract dirt the way CV grease does, nor does it thicken in cold temps.

 

[JoshPutman]

I was going to chime in about the matsuura grease. White grease in a green tube for the makino as well?

This is the stuff for Makinos. The tubes are probably 10" or so tall when full.

 

[lariat]

On truck guns that see all the abuse I have used moly grease from a grease gun tube. Lasts forever and if applied properly (thin coat) it works very well. My duck gun has been known to be used as a boat oar a few times and it works fine after the swim. Cleaning it after the hunt and the grease is still present and doing it job.

 

[Yondering]

IMO WD-40 is good for one thing, hosing something off with it after getting water on stuff that will rust. Sucks as a lubricant, sucks as a rust penetrant. That said, WD-40 brand does have "specialty products" aimed as specific uses which work better.

Which probably shouldn't be a surprise since WD stands for "water displacing"

It's good for one other thing gun-related - cleaning out carbon fouling quickly in actions & receivers. Hose it on wet, let it soak for a few minutes, and then blow it all out with compressed air. Of course you can do the same thing with mineral spirits, but WD40 comes in a convenient spray can...


Carbon fouling is the reason I don't care for grease in any of my firearms though. Grease generally doesn't do anything to soften fouling; it'll just let it pack up in hard deposits until the gun malfunctions. A decent oil, on the other hand, will keep the same gun running long after it's just filthy and nasty from fouling, as long as it's lubed regularly. CorrosionX is my preference for the most part (a decent enough lube, but awesome rust preventer and loosens fouling well), but I do like lathe way oil (the STP Oil Treatment mentioned above is pretty similar) for pistol slide rails.

Seems like way too many people let their guns get dry though, often using grease very sparingly and thinking it'll stick around longer than it really does. That's the worst of both worlds. Keep it wet and it'll run whether you clean it often or not.