Cherrybalmz here.

Mostly I use a CLP style cleaner/lube as I find it works pretty good and the single product simplifies the whole operation. I use Breakfree mostly .

Most every "Firearms oil" test I have seen rates Breakfree CLP fairly high for lube and very near the top for rust prevention . The way I use it (storing many firearms for extended periods between uses) I would rather have best rust prevention and will except merely "good" rateings on lube action .

I will from time to time use a strong copper solvent (Butches Bore Scrub or Sweets 7.62) to do a heavy clean on barrels.

I mostly use CLP to lube but use a grease on M1Garrand, M1 Carbine, and 1911rails .


One more thing I generally toss out in these "which oil" threads------ I am a old sucker with quite a bit of firearms experience and am one of the go to guys at my club when someone has gun operation problems . Many times I find lubrication issues but not once has it been the "wrong " oil . They all were simply no oil or lube of any kind . I usually fix the broken gun with a couple drops of whatever oil I could lay my hands on , more than once I have pulled a dipstick of my car and swiped a couple of finger wipes onto the gun .

Pick whatever firearms oil or even motor oil you wish and use it from time to time

Hoppes #9 for cleaning.
Lucas (leftover transfer case) oil or fireclean (yes I know the controversy) for lube and old course np7 greaseEezox for protection love eezox enough that I bought 32oz can and filling bottles as gifts.

Cherrybalmz

Had to look up this "controversy" you spoke of

Ballistol to clean, BoreTech Eliminator for the barrel, and then ALG go-juice for high friction areas after its been cleaned. If it's been a couple thousand rounds I'll put a brush with Boretech CU down the bore.

I also have a lifetime supply of lucas extreme green, mobil 1, kroil, lucas CLP, boretech carbon remover and bearing grease. Just prefer the above.

Once upon a time I tested every firearm lubricant I could find, and random gear lubes and oils. The only time I had a malfunction is when I packed a gun full of Mystik grease. AR's and AK's are not picky about lube. Some lubes will prevent more long term wear better than others however. I doubt most would notice.

After 25 years of working in the PNW, being an armorer and range instructor, I basically came down to a simple method I recommend especially for patrol AR15’s in soggy areas:

Breakfree CLP (or just LP) on the outside of the rifle (steel parts like barrel/FSB, etc).  It consistently has been shown to protect against rusting in exposure tests done by numerous folks.  Failure to use something on the exposed steel parts will quickly lead to rust to some degree, but BF CLP does well if you at least dry the water off and reapply CLP once in a while.  It also is OK for a lube, but it will dry off fairly soon, and burns up after a few hours of shooting.  Reapplying at a break always improves sluggish guns.

MOBIL1 for the interior parts.  Bolt/carrier/locking lugs/trigger components/etc.  MOBIL1 just seems to hold up much better than CLP- it does not need to be reapplied halfway thru a range day, it does not seem to dry off in storage or from just being carried.  It took me a long time and lots of testing and a letting another major agency try it out first, but I am convinced it is better than CLP for the inner workings.  MOBIL1 is not good for the rust protection aspect, so don’t use it on the exterior.


That’s it for lubrication.  Simple, cheap, effective.  Worked well (for the people who listened) on a fleet of over 100 rifles, including our SWAT rifles which got a lot more use and even more exposure to bad conditions.  

For cleaning you can use whatever you want, CLP, Hoppes, MPRO7, etc.  Just finish up by drying it completely when clean, then lube with CLP on the exterior and MOBIL1 inside.  We used MPRO7 a lot, but I had Hoppes for the diehards as well.  Obviously it is an AR- it is more important that it is well lubed than well cleaned.


Do not use shit like froglube, people don’t do it right (I guess) and I dislike telling people their gun won’t function until they remove their “lube” from the gun.  Had a few non functional guns from that stuff over the years.

Plenty of other stuff is just fine, maybe even better, it is just overpriced or doesn’t offer enough improvement for the cost.  Too often the good lubes fail at rust prevention, and the good rust preventatives are not great lubes or burn off quick.  

It is an un-contained system.  Don’t over think it.  

You could even paint the exterior and just use MOBIL1.  Lots of ways to solve the problem.


Added- above advice is specific to AR15’s and similar rifles.  I have other recommendations for pistols, other types of rifles etc.  (Although it is pretty decent advice on 870P shotguns.)

Good shit Tac! Know what ya mean about CLP drying out after a few hundred rds and think I still have an open bottle of Mobil 1 in the garage.

Share your method of protecting a barrel covered by MLOK Handguards without making a total mess spraying the whole upper down w CLP. In the "old days" one could simply pull off handguards to wipe a barrel down completely, but now it's not so easy and the real estate surrounding the barrel doesn't fit much of anything to slather it on for rust prevention. Tedious as hell...

I've had really good luck for years now with a 10:1 blend of 0W Mobil1 and Hoppes #9, mixed in a spray bottle.

An old Remington 1100 shooter turned me on to this back in my 3-gun days.  Gas-op shotguns aren't the easiest things to keep running over high rounds counts, but this juice kept my SLP running like a sewing machine, to the point where I started using it on other guns too.  It seems to make cleaning a little easier as well.

And Brownells Action Lube Plus for things like slide rails.

Ed's red for general cleaning, industrial degreaser in the ultrasonic cleaner for heavy stuff.

Lube with synthetic motor oil in general, and moly grease on heavy contact/sliding surfaces (frame rails, hammer face, BCG rails).

Had guns sit in the safe for a couple years with that and then survive a run and gun...

@AS556

Are you using the Lucas products with the long metal needle spout?

Yes but I bought the big 8oz bottles this time. It's the blue version. I've also used the red one and really liked it.

I’ve used a lot of cleaning, lubricating and protective products and came to prefer: in no special order,
Cherrybalmz Black Rifle Balm
Weaponshield oil and grease (separately)
Wilson Combat oils and grease (separately)
Breakfree CLP, especially if I’m in a hurry
Slip 2000
and many others along this journey.
I recently watched a video put out by the School of the American Rifle He whips up Mobil 1 oil and Mobil 1 grease to a fairly loose consistency.
So, I mixed up some Weaponshield oil and their grease and it come close to feeling like Cherrybalmz Black Rifle balm.
I also just received some Patch-Out and Accelerator (Sharp Shoot R Precision Products) as the School of the American Rifle uses these cleaners.
Everyone should watch the School’s YouTube videos. Amazing information being made available!
That said, I realize my OCD and desire to keep my wife happy with the smell of my hobby has me greatly overdoing it in the lube department.

Very interesting...if you happen to log back into this would you mind dropping the link you speak of here for us to view? Thanks and Happy New Year to All..

Hoppe's #9
Butch's bore shine if fouling is really bad
CherryBalmz where grease is appropriate
CLP

Lots of "Car" guys here! ..

Yet to see one saying "Diesel" Oil is the shit! LOL..

That was one of the dumbest things ever posted to YouTube and gun owners lapped it up. Please read this post...

https://www.ar15.com/forums/AR-15/Best-grease-for-home-brew-lube-Motor-Oil-Synthetic-grease-mix-/7-759311/#i8203262

I use that stuff in my F100.

Great Harley oil!

What parts do you use the Cherry Balmz on for your suppressed rifles?  Why only use on the suppressed rifles?  I haven’t used that stuff before.

Very good question! I have way too many products as it is. Never tried the stuff.

I've tried most lubes, they all work so pick your poison.  Never saw a difference in any of them.  Only exception was Remoil and Froblube, both sucked.

Dont like all in one solutions(clp), compromises dont work.  Clean with Hoppes.  For copper I use Bore Tech.

Assume you meant Froglube - that's poison for sure! FWIW I used CLP for over 2 decades in the Corps and never once had any issues. It's all personal preference as I've stated in about every response here.

For cleaning all weapons, I use CLP.


For lube, I use the following:

AR15 -- > I use Mobil 1 synthetic wheel bearing grease on the rails of the bolt carrier and the body of the bolt. It stays put and does not burn off during a high round count day at the range. I live in the mid south, so extreme cold is not an issue.

Breakfree LP on the exterior metal (barrel,etc), trigger pins, etc

Slip 2000 EWL on the tail of the bolt 'cuz I have never experienced carbon build-up when that is applied there.


Pistol -- > Mobil 1 grease just about everywhere.

Hoppes #9 and Break Free CLP