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Posted: 10/25/2009 1:20:52 PM EDT
| Is WD-40 ok as a lube for a Colt 6920? I use Hoppe's #9 to clean, remove fouling, etc. How is this as a lube choice? |
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You will get a myriad of opinions on what lube to use, but I do not use WD-40 as a lube. It does not suck, but I think that there are better gun lubes out there.
WD-40 displaces water rather well and I would not mind using it to wipe down a firearm, because I have used it in this capacity before and it was fine. That said, I don't have any WD-40 in the house. For a lubricant, I use FP-10. Then again, my opinion (along with everyone else) is worth the money you paid for it. YMMV. |
he gets it!
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The basic ingredients in WD-40 are Stoddard solvent and paraffin oil.
The Stoddard solvent (AKA: White mineral spirits) would make a decent cleaning agent if it wasn't for the paraffin mixed in with it. What happens is that the solvent evaporates, leaving behind a coating of paraffin. That's good when it comes to water displacement and prevention of rust. That's bad when it comes to lubricating gun parts. When paraffin gets cold it thickens. It will gum up the works of your rifle like crazy. Another things is that paraffin oil is essentially liquid wax. It will collect dust and dirt very quickly. If you lube your gun with WD-40 it will soon turn into a sticky mess of congealed wax. dirt and gunpowder residue. For things like door hinges and car parts, WD-40 might be all right but, for guns, NOT GOOD! If you didn't have anything else to clean guns with, it would be possible to use WD-40 but you would have to be absolutely sure that you wiped the parts completely dry. If I was in a pinch, I would use WD-40 for guns if I didn't have anything else but I would take extra caution to get all of it off the gun parts before reassembly. P.S. –– If you're using Hoppe's No. 9 to clean with, you shouldn't need to lube very much, if at all. Hoppe's is supposed to be a cleaner and a lube. (YMMV) |
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If you're using Hoppe's No. 9 to clean with, you shouldn't need to lube very much, if at all. Hoppe's is supposed to be a cleaner and a lube. (YMMV)
Not really. No. 9 is a line of gun care products.. The most familiar product is the No. 9 Solvent. It is not a lube, but there is a No. 9 Lubricating Oil. |
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Quoted:
If you're using Hoppe's No. 9 to clean with, you shouldn't need to lube very much, if at all. Hoppe's is supposed to be a cleaner and a lube. (YMMV)
Not really. No. 9 is a line of gun care products.. The most familiar product is the No. 9 Solvent. It is not a lube, but there is a No. 9 Lubricating Oil. You're right. I overstated the point. However, the ingredients list of Hoppe's No. 9, the cleaning product, contains 30% kerosene, 10% banana oil and 10% citronella oil. (Kerosene is a form of paraffin oil.) Kerosene, banana oil and citronella all have lubrication properties but I do admit they are minimal. Maybe I should have said to try a test and see if Hoppe's gives you enough lubrication for your purpose. Ever since I was taught to clean guns, I have used Hoppe's. For many years, I used it exclusively. I've used it in hunting rifles and semi-auto shotguns. Hoppe's has always provided enough lubrication for those purposes. IF I needed more lubrication than that, it would be a few drops of gun oil or the occasional spritz of a silicone spray. On that note, I must concede that a "heavy use" rifle like an AR-15 is a different animal. It certainly has different lubrication needs than a hunting rifle or shotgun. Also, when I was a kid, if I ever got caught putting a fired gun back into the cabinet without at least a field strip and a wipe-down I got my ass beat. (Yes, literally!) If your guns get regular cleaning and maintenance you probably don't need to worry about lubrication as much. If your guns see regular use in the field or in combat and they can't be cleaned every time, lubrication is probably more critical. One little side-note: My job is a cinema technician. I operate and repair 35mm movie projectors. In this field, we often use the minimum amount of lubrication of parts to get the job done and no more. Overlubrication often causes movie projectors to get caked with dirt and grime, causing them to wear out and malfunction sooner. Oil and film don't mix! This attitude carries over into other things I fix, as well. Therefore, when I work on guns, I always use the minimum amount of lubrication needed to do the job. As such, Hoppe's is often enough. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
If you're using Hoppe's No. 9 to clean with, you shouldn't need to lube very much, if at all. Hoppe's is supposed to be a cleaner and a lube. (YMMV)
Not really. No. 9 is a line of gun care products.. The most familiar product is the No. 9 Solvent. It is not a lube, but there is a No. 9 Lubricating Oil. You're right. I overstated the point. However, the ingredients list of Hoppe's No. 9, the cleaning product, contains 30% kerosene, 10% banana oil and 10% citronella oil. (Kerosene is a form of paraffin oil.) Kerosene, banana oil and citronella all have lubrication properties but I do admit they are minimal. Maybe I should have said to try a test and see if Hoppe's gives you enough lubrication for your purpose. Ever since I was taught to clean guns, I have used Hoppe's. For many years, I used it exclusively. I've used it in hunting rifles and semi-auto shotguns. Hoppe's has always provided enough lubrication for those purposes. IF I needed more lubrication than that, it would be a few drops of gun oil or the occasional spritz of a silicone spray. On that note, I must concede that a "heavy use" rifle like an AR-15 is a different animal. It certainly has different lubrication needs than a hunting rifle or shotgun. Also, when I was a kid, if I ever got caught putting a fired gun back into the cabinet without at least a field strip and a wipe-down I got my ass beat. (Yes, literally!) If your guns get regular cleaning and maintenance you probably don't need to worry about lubrication as much. If your guns see regular use in the field or in combat and they can't be cleaned every time, lubrication is probably more critical. One little side-note: My job is a cinema technician. I operate and repair 35mm movie projectors. In this field, we often use the minimum amount of lubrication of parts to get the job done and no more. Overlubrication often causes movie projectors to get caked with dirt and grime, causing them to wear out and malfunction sooner. Oil and film don't mix! This attitude carries over into other things I fix, as well. Therefore, when I work on guns, I always use the minimum amount of lubrication needed to do the job. As such, Hoppe's is often enough. Thanks for all the info. I got some of the Winchester CLP Lube at Wal-Mart when I saw it the other night. For now I'll just use that and my Hoppe's #9 Solvent. Unless.... does the CLP solvent stink? The Hoppe's #9 solvent smells kinda sweet, and just otherwise smells. What about the CLP solvent? |
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The basic ingredients in WD-40 are Stoddard solvent and paraffin oil. The Stoddard solvent (AKA: White mineral spirits) would make a decent cleaning agent if it wasn't for the paraffin mixed in with it. What happens is that the solvent evaporates, leaving behind a coating of paraffin. That's good when it comes to water displacement and prevention of rust. That's bad when it comes to lubricating gun parts. When paraffin gets cold it thickens. It will gum up the works of your rifle like crazy. Another things is that paraffin oil is essentially liquid wax. It will collect dust and dirt very quickly. If you lube your gun with WD-40 it will soon turn into a sticky mess of congealed wax. dirt and gunpowder residue. For things like door hinges and car parts, WD-40 might be all right but, for guns, NOT GOOD! If you didn't have anything else to clean guns with, it would be possible to use WD-40 but you would have to be absolutely sure that you wiped the parts completely dry. If I was in a pinch, I would use WD-40 for guns if I didn't have anything else but I would take extra caution to get all of it off the gun parts before reassembly. P.S. –– If you're using Hoppe's No. 9 to clean with, you shouldn't need to lube very much, if at all. Hoppe's is supposed to be a cleaner and a lube. (YMMV) + 1 on watching out for WD-40 on guns. If you’re in a pinch and its all you got by all means go for it, but if you choose to use it long term over actual gun care products...To each their own. I've heard stories about WD-40 gumming stuff up in guns that have sat awhile and also heard about an instance where a police officer sprayed his revolver down with WD-40 regularly and had a multiple fail to fire incident in a gun fight. Allegedly due to the WD-40 getting into the primers...it might be BS, but I wouldn't want to take the chance. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
The basic ingredients in WD-40 are Stoddard solvent and paraffin oil. The Stoddard solvent (AKA: White mineral spirits) would make a decent cleaning agent if it wasn't for the paraffin mixed in with it. What happens is that the solvent evaporates, leaving behind a coating of paraffin. That's good when it comes to water displacement and prevention of rust. That's bad when it comes to lubricating gun parts. When paraffin gets cold it thickens. It will gum up the works of your rifle like crazy. Another things is that paraffin oil is essentially liquid wax. It will collect dust and dirt very quickly. If you lube your gun with WD-40 it will soon turn into a sticky mess of congealed wax. dirt and gunpowder residue. For things like door hinges and car parts, WD-40 might be all right but, for guns, NOT GOOD! If you didn't have anything else to clean guns with, it would be possible to use WD-40 but you would have to be absolutely sure that you wiped the parts completely dry. If I was in a pinch, I would use WD-40 for guns if I didn't have anything else but I would take extra caution to get all of it off the gun parts before reassembly. P.S. –– If you're using Hoppe's No. 9 to clean with, you shouldn't need to lube very much, if at all. Hoppe's is supposed to be a cleaner and a lube. (YMMV) + 1 on watching out for WD-40 on guns. If you’re in a pinch and its all you got by all means go for it, but if you choose to use it long term over actual gun care products...To each their own. I've heard stories about WD-40 gumming stuff up in guns that have sat awhile and also heard about an instance where a police officer sprayed his revolver down with WD-40 regularly and had a multiple fail to fire incident in a gun fight. Allegedly due to the WD-40 getting into the primers...it might be BS, but I wouldn't want to take the chance. bot |
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I do not believe that WD-40 or other oils will damage ammunition under most circumstances but I HAVE seen it cause guns to fail.
First, I personally witnessed a Remington Model 1100 shotgun fail after being sprayed with WD-40. The weather was wet and cold, between 30 and 40 degrees. The action of the gun was sprayed because it was sticking a bit. The WD-40 was used in an attempt to flush out any dirt or water that was causing the problem. After a few minutes, the liquid congealed on the cold metal and turned to jelly. When fired the bold recoiled backward, mostly as normal but, then, took about 1 second to close again. When the bolt contacted the next round in the magazine it hung up and refused to close any further. If you used your hand and jammed it home, it would fire again but the whole thing repeated again. WD-40 basically reduced a semi-auto shotgun to a single shot. When it was taken home and cleaned out by yours truly, there was so much black, jelly-like gunk inside it took me about an hour to get it all out using a toothbrush dipped in Hoppe's. I have also heard, second hand, from reliable sources where WD-40 coated the firing pin with goo, causing light strikes and failures to fire. On several other occasions, I have had to clean WD-40 out of non-firearms equipment in order to restore it to working order. WD-40 is a fine product for what it was designed for but if you use it to lubricate things that aren't supposed to be sprayed with it, you will cause problems. I have seen the results with my own eyes. |
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Ever since I was taught to clean guns, I have used Hoppe's. Same here, at least until I got into AR's. Man, I still get the warm and fuzzies when I smell Hoppe's #9 solvent. If a woman wants to get my attention, all she needs to do is dab a bit on the nape of her neck and I'll be owned.   
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ask the FAA ... Or, better yet ... how about you substantiate your statement, since you posted it ... Pretty much no one here is interested in spending time quizzing the FAA on your claims of the "hydroscopic" properties of WD-40. Quoted:
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... its hydroscopic, attracts water. Because of that ... How does 'Water Displacement formula #40' ... "attract" ... water ? So please show us where the FAA (or "your boss") has demonstrated that WD-40 is "hydroscopic" - or "attracts" water ... ... which, by the way, is different from saying that "they told you not to use it" on aircraft ... for some reason, and that "you just do what you're told". Beyond that, for the OP: WD-40 can in fact serve as a good rust prevent. However, IMO it's a poor "lube", and (as has been mentioned) has the potential to gum-up some of the moving parts in firearms applications. |
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I cant, please disregard my statement in its entirety. jeez man.... I'm sorry for opening my mouth
edit - and to the OP, I would say (in my own opinion) to error on the safe side of caution and get something with a dedicated use. Even if its highly debated why risk it? Motorcycle/bike/knife forums all have people that say stay away, so again why risk it? Again this is just my opinion |
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How does 'Water Displacement formula #40' ... "attract" ... water ? If, for instance, you have an electrical cable inside the engine of your car which has become waterlogged, you need to get the water out of the places where it doesn't belong. A hygroscopic substance will attract moisture and draw it out of the tight spaces where it doesn't belong, thus allowing electricity to flow as it should and allowing the engine to start. Therefore a water displacement substance can be hygroscopic. BTW: Being a federally licensed airframe mechanic puts you under stringent regulatory requirements that are probably just as strict as being in the military. When I was graduating high school, I was interested in being an airplane mechanic but I decided I couldn't hack it. Either one does as he is told, when he is told and in the way he is told or else he needs to find another job. I figured it would be best if I just found another job and left it to people who could do it better than I. So I went into movie theaters instead. At least that way, people don't die if I F-up. 
If the FAA says, "No WD-40" then don't use the stuff. Period. |
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How does 'Water Displacement formula #40' ... "attract" ... water ? If, for instance, you have an electrical cable inside the engine of your car which has become waterlogged, you need to get the water out of the places where it doesn't belong. A hygroscopic substance will attract moisture and draw it out of the tight spaces where it doesn't belong, thus allowing electricity to flow as it should and allowing the engine to start. Therefore a water displacement substance can be hygroscopic. BTW: Being a federally licensed airframe mechanic puts you under stringent regulatory requirements that are probably just as strict as being in the military. When I was graduating high school, I was interested in being an airplane mechanic but I decided I couldn't hack it. Either one does as he is told, when he is told and in the way he is told or else he needs to find another job. I figured it would be best if I just found another job and left it to people who could do it better than I. So I went into movie theaters instead. At least that way, people don't die if I F-up.
If the FAA says, "No WD-40" then don't use the stuff. Period. Still doesn't make much sense to me. Even if some water displacement substances can be hygroscopic, I'd still like to see some information that indicates WD-40 is in fact one of those substances. Beyond that, regardless of whether or not the FAA says it's a no-go for use on aircraft, the bottom line is that we're talking firearms ... not airplanes. Old_Painless says that he has used it with great success for a lot of years on a variety of weapons. And, although I haven't tested it yet, I have a sneaky suspicion that it would actually work especially well as a bore "solvent" or bore CLP in an ARs that are chrome lined. That said, I also think it's basically a shitty "lube" for pretty much any other area though; however (and again) IMO it can serve as a good rust prevent, but that's a different deal altogether. |
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listen I get the point of citing sources and stuff, people that spew useless and "un-factual" information are all over the place here. But I am speaking from experience that we are NOT ALLOWED to use WD40 on airframes because it attracts water. OP you can decide whether or not I'm lying about this or whether or not the FAA excluded it for other reasons (maybe just because it was a poor lubricant)... I do not have the information to back it up so again, please take it as an opinion.
and yes I agree that it would be a good bore solvent (some people say its more of a penatrant, which makes some sense because its a lot of mineral spirits) . But the Lynchburg Police Department has told me and all its officers not to use WD40 as well. Again no source... And I agree with you used regularly I bet it would be a fine lubricant, but vagisil, spit, urine and butter have all been used a lubricants as well (Pat Rogers). I'm just saying why even bother when you can get good, tested, tried and true products for little more. Oh and Pat Rogers did say it works really well in dirty guns (not sure if he was talking about cleaning or running it). |
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