Gun Oil

[Jerry]

What is a good lubricant for lock internals? Thanks, Jerry

[smart dog]

Hi,
Barricade works well and ordinary NAPA silicone grease.  Grease those things that slide, oil those things that rotate. However, don't put lubricant on heavily and wipe off excess so it does not eventually soak into the wood in the mortise and soften it.

dave

[Matt48]

Hi,
Barricade works well and ordinary NAPA silicone grease.  Grease those things that slide, oil those things that rotate. However, don't put lubricant on heavily and wipe off excess so it does not eventually soak into the wood in the mortise and soften it.

dave

Hi Dave,

I was planing on putting grease (RIG) on the underside of my barrel to have some protection against rust (I don't want to separate the barrel from the stock each time I clean the gun).

Do you think that would soak into the wood and soften it as you wrote in your post?

Matt

[wibper]

.... Grease those things that slide, oil those things that rotate. ....

Best description of proper lubrication I've ever seen.

One thing to keep in mind about muzzleloader locks is they're exposed to black powder residue, and excess lube will absorb and collect that, and you certainly don't want that hanging around in your lock works.  Keep those locks clean as well as properly lubed!!

[Mike Brooks]

Synthetic motor oil.

[gusd]

What Mr. Brooks said.
Gus

[Jim Kibler]

I’ll add that we have found a high load molybdenum sulfide bearing grease such as Krytox to be VERY beneficial in high load areas such as where the mainspring rides on the tumbler.  Not cheap, but very good.

[Robby]

Mobil 1 oil for things that rotate, Mobil 1 grease for things that slide. One purchase of each and your great grandchildren will have enough for their great grandchildren.
Robby

[Scota4570]

I also use moly.  I have moly paste that was marketed for bore prep back when we moly coated bullets.  It works really well on high pressure sliding surfaces. 

Oil?  Mostly ATF.  For some things ATF with Lanolin melted in it.  For rust preventions, LPS-3 when I can find it, Fluid Film also.  Any modern oil is fine.  I do not use lard and olive oil. 

[TDM]

Whichever lock lube you choose, use it sparingly.

[Daryl]

I’ll add that we have found a high load molybdenum sulfide bearing grease such as Krytox to be VERY beneficial in high load areas such as where the mainspring rides on the tumbler.  Not cheap, but very good.

I lubricate my locks once a year (if they meed it) with a moly grease I bought many years ago. It is in a plastic tub with the name Lyman Super moly.
I use the Lyman Super Moly spray lube on my moulds to prevent lead sticking and as a release coating. I also use the spray on bullets I cast for my air rifles.
There is tape on the cap, as I split the cap 10 or 12 years ago. I use a narrow screw driver for applying the moly lube to the locks. It does not wash off
in the water as I tooth-brush off the fouling when cleaning up after shooting.

[HighUintas]

I have been using wd40 on rotating parts, mostly because I douse the lock with it after drying to get the water out of the books and crannies. However, this seems to lead to too much oil that I can't seem to get all of it out despite the number of q tips I use and then have oil in my lock mortise post shooting.

So I recommend NOT doing that.

[J.M.Browning]

Any quality gun lubricant

[Jerry]

Many thanks for all the good answers! I do like the idea of a synthetic oil. Is the moly being used the black kind? Thanks, Jerry

[wibper]

.... However, this seems to lead to too much oil that I can't seem to get all of it out despite the number of q tips I use and then have oil in my lock mortise post shooting. ...

I use canned air to blow it out.

[Daryl]

Many thanks for all the good answers! I do like the idea of a synthetic oil. Is the moly being used the black kind? Thanks, Jerry

Yes - all moly greases are black that I've seen. It does a really good job, Jerry and doesn't flush off with water, or my WD40 spraying after washing and drying.
I suppose if you purposely tried to remove it with WD40 spraying, you could succeed.

[Dave Peelgren]

STP

[wmrike]

So, what is it about a lock that requires synthetic oil?  Is it the heat and filth, or maybe the interval between changes?  Seriously.

Myself, I prefer a water-resistant silicone-based grease.

[taterbug]

i think it less about the requirements of the lock, and more about what you DO NOT want to get into the wood. 

Petroleum products+wood fibers= not a good combination over time. 

[HighUintas]

I've been using RIG grease on the sliding parts, but it seems a little thin and doesn't seem to stay put very well. I also have some white lithium grease that's for bicycles that is thicker, but I'm not sure it would be better.

[Daryl]

Moly grease stays. That is also the grease used on the springs in "Springer" air rifles.

[wibper]

So, what is it about a lock that requires synthetic oil?  ....

I don't think it's a matter of "requires" because there was no such thing as synthetic oil back in the day.  Maybe it's just a case of what works better in modern times than back then?

[Daryl]

Petroleum oil is known to saturate wood and soften/weaken it. Perhaps this "long time experience" with it, is simply lacking with synthetics.

[JH Ehlers]

What about sperm whale oil? Or if all else fails try some snake oil.

[TDM]

Hi,
Barricade works well and ordinary NAPA silicone grease.  Grease those things that slide, oil those things that rotate. However, don't put lubricant on heavily and wipe off excess so it does not eventually soak into the wood in the mortise and soften it.

dave

Hi Dave,

I was planing on putting grease (RIG) on the underside of my barrel to have some protection against rust (I don't want to separate the barrel from the stock each time I clean the gun).

Do you think that would soak into the wood and soften it as you wrote in your post?

Matt

Since you haven’t heard back yet, I do use a very light film of RIG on the underside of pinned barrels. Just a light finger coat. I also use Renaissance wax on the barrel channel, but any decent wood wax will do. This works good for me.