Smyth Busters: Is WD-40 a Good Lubricant for Guns?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ค. 2024
- We take a break from our regularly scheduled Smyth Busters episode for a public service announcement from Brownells Gun Techs Caleb and Steve. Almost every new gun owner has asked this question at some point: Is it OK to lubricate my gun with WD-40? The guys have a simple answer: No, NEVER! The main problem here is that WD-40 is not a lubricant. "Wait," you say, "That one time I used it, the action felt really smooth and slick." Caleb says that's because it's like squirting water into your gun. It'll smooth things up for a bit.... The "WD" in WD-40 stands for "Water Displacing." If your duck gun goes overboard and gets submerged, apply WD-40 liberally to force the water out of your beloved Remington or Beretta or Benelli or whatever you shoot. THEN wipe all the WD-40 off and apply a good gun oil or CLP. If you spray WD-40 into the action as a lube, it will get sticky over time and gum up the action. The quickest way to get gummy old WD-40 off a gun? Spray it down with fresh WD-40, which will dissolve the sticky stuff, then wipe ALL the WD-40 off and apply some proper gun oil. So the myth about using WD-40 on guns is BUSTED. WD-40 is a terrible firearm lubricant!
- กีฬา
Remember when Hank Hill used a bottle of WD-40, to get the cap off of a different bottle of WD-40?
“I sell propane, and propane accessories.”
A great moment in television history
Legend
legendary
Classic moment in King of the Hill
So we need WD-40 when we recover our guns we lost in a boating accident? Good to hear. Thanks.
It's a water displacing substance...NOT a lubricant...I've seen it used after a cold blue job...which is what it's used for.. displacing the water carrier if the bluing salts...the salts are hydrophilic...meaning they attract water which causes oxidation...i.e. rust...the WD 40 does what it dies best.. displaces those salts
I've already secured my gallon of WD-40 for recovery from my tragic boating accident. About 3.5 years from now.
2021 WD-40 ,stock is about to blow up,
I've never lost a firearm to a boating accident.
Never will.
If they take them, it'll be by boarding w/o permission.
"Ten thousand rounds for defense, not one round surrendered. ..."
No one has ever been able to recover their guns lost in a boating accident. So sad.
I have been using WD-40 for blasting out the crude in firearms for 30 plus years, but then I use a synthetic gun oil for lubrication. Never had an issue with this method so far.
Same
@@humpy936
Same again
me too
Still do
Same
I'm just here looking for the "I'VE BEEN USING WD-40 ON MY GUNS FOR 77 YEARS, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY BECUASE I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!" comment.
That dude's impeccable hair engenders trust.
Maybe he’s using WD40 on it😉
@@sxsboy2253 if the man won't use it on his guns, no way in hell he's putting it on his head. CLP for sure.
@@mormonbear4050 80W-90 works for me.
His hair cut/style makes me wonder why he walks around like that. Very weird.
He got it from his grandpa Andy Taylor from Mayberry.
I like to use bacon grease. It's practically free and it helps save money in these ammunition scarce times. After a few rounds the exquisite odor of bacon comes wafting from the firearm to tickle my olfactory nerves. I soon become too hungry to shoot anymore and find myself rushing to the nearest diner to devour a B.L.T., maybe a short stack with extra bacon, sometimes the craving can not be satiated as quickly as I like and I find myself eating raw bacon in the parking lot of the grocery store while I wait for the other strips of heaven to fry on the engine block. Some say I have "issues" and some are wrong.
I'm retarded and got mad reading this before realizing it's a joke
@@robertbach9376, sorry about the confusion. I hope it got you to smile a little bit.
I used bacon grease once and after a few plinking rounds down range the odor attracted every coyote in the county and I had to leave cause I was out of ammo.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
LOL, I Know a guy who mixes bacon grease with bee's wax to lube his bullets for Black powder shooting. He swears by it😂😂😂😂
I've never realized how much I love Caleb's reasoned and blunt approach until this video. And Steve's laugh is just as complementary to these segments as his expertise. You guys make an excellent team!
Wow! That explains why the cylinder of my revolver was always getting gummed-up. There was no evidence of residue, but there I was, constantly wiping the rod and applying a new coat of WD-40. In my defence, that was 25 years ago.
Thanks for unraveling one of my childhood's mysteries.
During Vietnam the U.S. ARMY posted that soldiers were forbidden to use WD40 on Firearms and Ammo. The penetrating action of WD40 messed up the ammo.
They gave us wd40 in our SP packages out in the bush for cleaning our weapons. they were little bitty cans of the stuff.. this was in 1970
@@sanleonster The only "lube" authorized by the Army for firearms since before Vietnam has been and still is LSA or CLP.
@@U.S._Army_Retired that’s funny it was handed out like toothpaste when I was there!
When I was on active duty; 1989 to 1993. Breakfree CLP was all the rage. Arms rooms had gallons of it. I prefer Ballistol 🇩🇪 or Slip 2000 EWL in 2021.
@DL Lambert......1984-89. USMC and BreakFree CLP. I still have a couple small bottles in the house
When I purchased some old military surplus guns in the 90’s, I used WD-40 sprayed onto old denim material to remove rust spots that I found hidden by the stocks. The rust was removed quickly with the non-abrasive material. After the rust was removed, as well as other hidden debris (sand or dirt) I then rubbed gun oils over the entire gun to ensure that everything was properly lubricated.
pahunter3 That is how I use it. As a cleaner to scrub crud out with a toothbrush but after that I oil it and wipe it down. I don't use it as a long term lubricant but instead as a cleaner. I do not use it or any type of lube when a gun is loaded. Lube when the gun is unloaded and drip dry and wipe down. Any lubricant will kill primers regardless of the brand. Many gun cleaner/lubricants like CLP and brake free are harsh on the finish and stocks of guns. Solvents are even harsher. Solvents loosen and dissolve metals like lead and copper. I don't want to put solvents on parts and surfaces where it may damage them. I have seen some solvents dissolve plastic and other furniture. The only place I put a solvent is in the bore when I scrub a bore rifling clean with a copper brush. After I get a bore clean then I oil it and then wipe it out dry. A solvent that is less harsh is better than one that is more harsh however it may take a stronger solvent to get a bore clean or a lot more scrubbing work with a less harsh solvent. Some bores never come totally clean. Good old 3 in 1 household oil is my favorite lube for everything. I like a little bit of gun grease on wear areas also.
The 90s was the "2nd Golden Age" of surplus (C&R) collecting...I got my C&R licence and got a number if former Soviet and Soviet bloc firearms as well as free and neutral countries surplus...It was a happy time for us collectors
@@rbm6184 For those bores that “never come clean” or for carbon rings etc, CLR baby!
Denim actually is abrasive though probably comparable to a 1500 grit sandpaper or so. You can strop knives with denim quite efficiently.
It's real good for that.
WD-40, the recommended lubricant for our enemy's firearms.
@Bruce Forrest lol
@Bruce Forrest Far left socialist do and they are the real problem. Bleeding heart liberal democrats are no threat to anyone but themselves, far left radical socialists are the people taking over every institution in this country. Laugh all you want but they are winning.
@@boomerisadog3899 glad someone is actually making distinctions.
@Bruce Forrest They actually do because it's ok if THEY have guns just not us that disagree with them lol
SEND MORE TO CHINA...
Thank you Caleb! As a retired maintenance technician for a class 8 truck manufacturer I totally agree. I have seen more equipment ruined by people who think that is a lubricant. Throttle cables will go from slow moving to frozen to the point that you have to replace
There are so many other good things to use other that
frog lub does the clumping thing and almost feels like wax.
I use WD-40 to clean tools, I use CLP or RemOil to lubricate my firearms
z50//// I've never used WD-40 on any Fire Arm!!!!!
Me too. Even the military use CLP
I use Slip 2000 EWL or Froglube Extreme 🐸 on my guns, knives 🔪. A simple non toxic CLP will be fine. Prevent rust, lube parts. ✅
There is nothing you can say that will dissuade the world's WD-40 maniacs!
i use it on toast!
Got that right hoss
Id rather use the cheapest motor oil than wd40
Ak doesn't care about wd40
I have a couple gallons of WD-40, but I keep it far away from my firearms.
If I had to pick up a single product all in one for guns, I'd say Ballistol.
WD40 is at the very bottom of my list.
I use FLUID FILM. Learned about it when I did long shoreman work.I seen a the crew mopping the deck with it out of five gallon buckets.they told me it stops the SHIP FROM RUSTING when out to see
Im here because of Ballistol. I just used it to lube up a rifle. Is it really all that good? I have a few other lubes and never really had an issue with any of them to be honest. But I wanted the best, so I'm trying Ballistol to see if it lives up to the hype. Stuff STINKS though.
If you want your gun to stink real bad, use Ballistol. Ballistol is nothing but mineral oil and that stuff is cheap. Just use engine oil.
@@stchman spoken like someone who doesnt know what ballistol is i guess.
Still one of my favorite channels. Steve has that distinctive voice. I say that because a few years ago he helped me with a question regarding the best "parts" to buy for cutting a new crown on a pistol barrel. Hands down absolutely the nicest customer service person I have ever dealt with.
What I like about these videos is Steve and Caleb give knowledgeable and direct answers for the questions.
Just stick with Hoppes no.9 bore cleaner and CLP (or some other GUN OIL) and you'll be fine.
Other than for black powder guns.
@@hazcat640 Well for black powder you just need soap and water to clean and some gun oil for the moving parts.
This is the correct answer.
@@jd9119 Being lazy I just take the grips off my pistol and dump it in the sonic cleaner with water and Dawn :)
Clenzoil lock stock and barrel
WD is a solvent. It works great to CLEAN the gun. Then follow up with an oil.
You know what works better and doesn't leave a hydrophilic surface? A dedicated gun cleaner.
If I have to free some usty parts or remove label glue residue I use WD-40.
@@onpsxmember .....
I didn't know it was good for removing glues. I'll need to try that next time. wonder how it does with butyl products.
That is true. WD 40 is great for cleaning. People don't realize that it displaces water. Metal has a bad habit of producing condensation
Indeed, WD40 is one of the best and most benign solvents to remove adhesive residue.
3M makes the best adhesive removers, but they aren't always handy.
It's not even a good solvent.
"This is a Public Service Announcement!" 🤣 So true..Caleb straight went off on this one. You could see it in his eyes, the amount of firearms he has restored from the misuse of WD-40.
Well done as always fellas. 👏
But more WD-40 use would mean more business for gunsmiths!
He was pissed.😯💪
Looks like Caleb uses too much of that Rand CLP in his hair. I have NEVER had WD-40 "gum up" anything. I will agree that WD-40 isn't a good choice to lube a firearm, but neither are those $15 2oz bottles of "gun oil". Just use engine oil and be done with it, cheap and VERY good.
@@stchman , agree. I have used many types of oils and cleaners for 47 years. I hunt in western PA and shoot at the range all summer. My firearms have been through a gauntlet of severe weather conditions. I OVER LUBE my firearms with Ballistoll, WD40, and many other types of oil. YES!!, OVER LUBE!!! I have never had a problem with any of my firearms! Where does this mysterious build up of dirt and debris and gum come from???? AND, why hasn’t this mystical substance caused a problem with my firearms???
@@albertforletta1498 just you doesnt mean everyone is having the same right? I mean the US Army wouldnt tell their soldiers not to lube up guns in certain firearms if they had all your firearm knowledge would they?
Caleb's discomfort at the mere presence of the can is amusing.
Some 30 years ago I asked a Remington Arms rep check my 550-1 22 S, L, & LR. He told me exactly what you guys have said. He showed me how gummed up the loading tube was, then he cleaned it thoroughly. I was amazed at how smoothly it worked after that. Great video. Much obliged.
Next video: "Don't use duct tape on your gun."
But how else am I gonna mount my scope
@@robertbach9376 Baling wire?
@@robertbach9376 Binder's twine. Approved by Scouting around the world.
Over the line
But that's all that's keeping my Mosin together.
You guys are the best, always explaining stuff clear and to the point, great job
I've used WD for cleaning... after done cleaning then lube up with a proper gun oil/lubricant.. been doing that for over 19 yrs and I've never had issues on any of my guns... just my 2 cents
Me too ! Clean with WD40, blow off with an air hose, and lube with synthetic auto oil.
BUT BUT BUT... 🤣 I'm sure yall stirred up the hornets nest with this 1
:))))))))
💯 lol
I agree it's not a good long term solution but I've been on a few bird hunts with friends that their shotguns (auto & pump) started to malfunction (due to improper maintenance) and a couple shots of WD-40 out of a toolbox got them working and were able to continue shooting the rest of day.
...."were able to continue shooting the rest of the day" and then the wd-40 gummed up over time and resulted in more malfunctions down the road
@@onenikkione maybe but they didn't have to sit out the rest of day on the tailgate.
Ya, probably because they weren't cleaned properly in the first place, highly unlikely they'll clean them now that “they're working again”.
In theory I have no problem with it, but in practice, too many use it as a short cut!
@@wilfdarr Nope they sure weren't. They're usually filled un burnt powder and gunk, and even some wild grass seeds. Some bone dry. I've seen it all. You can tell they haven't been cleaned in years. It be surprising that people would gun on a high volume bird hunt with a un-maintained shotgun but its happened to often to be shocked. A couple shots of WD-40 gets them back into the action. I tell them it needs a thorough cleaning and show them what's causing the malfunctions. And right I bet they take it home and just put it away for the next year.
Your missing the point! Yes , the WD 40 will definitely free up sticky mechanisms. But too much left behind will only collect dust & debris and eventually over a long period of time ( years) will start to become sticky and semi solidify. Use it but clean out the old and apply new periodically. Engine oil will do the same if not changed out on a routine schedule. It will gum up and stick to all the parts inside the engine. I hope this helps you better understand. WD 40 is a great product for any metal mechanical moving parts.
Actually, I use WD40, quite regularly, to clean up plastic wadding from Shotgun barrels, and for chamber polishing. It's a great flush out, and water displacer. It is NOT a great lubricant, and shouldn't be used as such. It's also great, for safely removing adhesive, from most surfaces!
Good hand cleaner too.
THANK YOU... THANK YOU... THANK YOU... I normally don't respond or comment on these sites. But I saw this and was relieved with joy. I taught for many years at a Gunsmith school and have my degree in Gunsmithing. I used to know several people at Brownells, former students. We taught this very thing for years at the school. Then we had some personal changes and... well I will put it this way. I upset several of them throwing cans of the stuff in the trash. To prevent it from usage, we [the school] had even changed our lesson plans for hot salts bluing. Which were written many years prior. To eliminate the use of WD40 . It will not only gum up the firearm but it will disperse any moisture and can hold it in a variety of areas, causing the firearm to rust.
All my best to good folks at Brownells. Thanks again for this and getting the word out.
For years, I've used WD-40 as a cleaning solvent for firearm barrels and revolver chambers. Then I follow up by wiping the barrels and chambers clean and giving them a thin application of Microil on a patch. I also use Microil on moving parts. Having tried Rand CLP, I learned to my dismay that it sets up in long-term storage, and can virtually freeze the cylinder of a revolver in place if it was used to lube the base pin.
Same here !
When I get in form the Alaska bush I use WD40 to clean it out and to get into the nooks and crannies to remove mud, water and debris, but yes i use a proper lube for the actions and coat the entire weapon properly with oil.. As far as gumming. Never even heard of this issue and I got no time for gun games with a bush weapon.. Like any tool, there is a time and use for everything..
I use it for cleaning only and use Remington gun oil for lubrication.
Severe overuse of WD-40 will leave a shellac like mess on everything it splatters on, as a bicycle mechanic I've seen this too many times. I swear I've given this same speech dozens of times, just with 'bicycle' replacing 'firearm'.
@@technovelo I think there is more to this story then the WD40 causing this by itself. Ive used it my entire life and never seen this mythical phenomena that others are speaking of. In fact I never heard of it until now. But I cannot say I over use it. Just what needs to be used to get Alaska off of and out of my weapons..
@@Howling.Wilderness.Alaska It actually requires effort, the story I usually hear runs so: "I've been spraying my chain with WD-40 for years, why has it gummed up now?"
You are using it properly as a cleaning fluid, finishing with lube to prevent corrosion.
Dude same, it’s an okay solvent (cheap tho) and is good enough to clean the guns. Just put oil or some lube on that bad boy afterwards and you’re good to go. This is a typical extreme statement focused at fudds who drench their firearm with wd40 after dear season and throw it in the case until next year.
Love Caleb's look of disgust staring at the WD-40, during the opening.
I don't use WD40 for lubrication, but it does seem to work well as a cleaning solvent.
Me also ! I clean with it, wipe it all off, and then follow up with good gun oil.
I have 45 yr old blued guns that have zero spec of rust and work well as the day they were made, that were kept clean with WD. Just don't hose in there. All my parts are wiped with a lightly treated gun rag before re-installation.
I've since used other products such as Rem Oil, CLP, Hoppes, Ballistol, and pure white mineral oil. None work hardly any differently than the other provided the guns are maintained with sufficient frequency.
Keep them dry, keep the steel clean, and don't leave any amount of excess oil present regardless of type, past what it takes to prevent rust. If a gun requires oil to function, it's an inferior machine.
Damn the part in Caleb’s hair is so sharp it’s dangerous.
Proper mans' haircut, sideburns optional. ;)
Caleb's secret is using WD-40 to displace the hair that gives it a sharp clean part.
I learned about how it gums up the action after retrieving items from long term storage (10 years). Thanks.
I was not set up to hot blue and used to ship broken down guns to a bluing/plating shop. Their procedure was to coat the parts with WD-40, let sit a day, wrap in plastic and ship. In one day that WD-40 was like Elmer's Glue.
We used WD-40 on our revolvers for a short time when I worked for the Washington State Patrol. Very quickly we started having mis-fires on the shooting range. It was eventually discovered that the WD-40 penetrating oil was seeping around the primers and making the cartridges “dead”.
That will be true with any oil. That is exactly why you need to wipe off excess oil. An air compressor and a blow gun works great too to remove excess oil , even from the smallest nooks & crevices. You want to leave behind just a super thin film of lubricant.
@robert frederick - I also never had it get sticky ether. I don’t know what they are talking about.
@@peterv1318 , I know what they are talking about. Marketing gun oils and other gun products. They don’t like competition. Competition hurts their wallets. I’ve been using WD-40 for decades, and I have never had a problem with any of my firearms.
@@albertforletta1498 - I don’t understand what they are talking about it gums up
@@peterv1318 , lol. That’s because it absolutely gums up NOTHING!!!!! I’ve been over lubing all my firearms with WD-40 and other oils for many decades. I have never seen this mysterious build up of dirt and debris. Also, I have never seen this mysterious gum that people seem to be talking about. Also, I have never had a problem with any of my firearms because of over lubing, and I’m telling you that I always over lube.
I just use it for taking surface rust off old guns. I tear it down to the reciever, let it soak in a layer or two for a couple hours, then thoroughly clean it and relube.
Thank you. Been telling people that for months now. I saw my dad spraying one of his guns with it and I told him not to, but he didn't believe me.
Here's one for you...when I was in Vietnam (USMC) the cleaning supplies I was issued for my M-16 was a small spray can of WD-40 and a tooth brush.
There were many mistakes made in Vietnam with the M-16, no one can argue that.
I remember in the sixties this was THE STUFF to go to. Now I only use BreakFree CLP. Even for long term storage.
I worked on office machines for over 39 years. We used WD-40 to find the squeaks, then used regular lubricant to permanently quiet the squeak. If you just used WD, you would get a call back.
Thank you !!!!! Thank you!!!! I have been preaching this for as long as I can remember!!!! You guys rock!
In 2004, we had dust build up in our rifles in Iraq. The Army gave us dry lube, graphite spray. I used WD-40 and wiped it dry. My rifle survived that way for an entire year. I agree with you, but, I needed something that would clean and wipe dry.
Without doubt you offer some of the best information on the web. Sincerely appreciated.
I personally use Ballistol, have been for 10 years.
same here
Isnt Ballistol just expensive mineral oil?
@@failure2flinch876 Its a mix of alchool, somesort of wax and other things. It's crappy for cleaning but its nice for preservation. It's not to be applied on match weappons trigger sistems it will freeze them up.
Smells like a bucket of assholes...but then again maybe you're into that sort of thing ..
Ballistol smells like ass lol
WD-40 kills Primers with alarming speed!
Great comment, I was coming to write the same thing! True story! WD-40, and most other penetrating oils will ruin primers.
There was a shootout where an officer's gun did not fire due to wd-40 getting into the primer.
I didn't know that
@@ETHRON1 I’ve had a few instances where I needed to make bad primers inert and WD-40 is exactly what I used.
The Illinois State Police had many failures when they tried using WD40 on their guns. S&W M59 if I remember right. This was years ago.
I would like to hear your thoughts on Ballistol as a protective treatment for the outside of guns .
In my gun cleaning kit I have a spray can of RemOIl and two small bottles of RemOil along with two bottles of Hoppes 9. I also have several brass wire brushes, and a few wool brushes, along with a bag of cloth patches.
those are the brands I use.
I'm sure there are some that use it in there coffee, they love it so much. But not in my firearm. Tanks Gentleman.
I know guys who use it to displace any latent moisture in the bore of their muzzleloaders after cleaning them... They swear it protects the bore and swabs out easy before shooting.
Any quality gun oil will protect just as well.
Better off using a small butane torch to dry the barrel, let it cool and apply gun oil.
I shoot quite a bit of black power .45 colt, .45-70, and .50-70 and personally I find WD-40 great for cleaning up rusted guns(especially rusted up bores) but as far as cleaning after shooting black powder I think water is best. With either you need to get it dry and oil afterwards, WD-40 is harder to get off though if I do use it on a gun I usually wash it off with water afterwards.
I’ve used wd40 for 65+ years on all my firearms without ever having any gummy issues…go figure.
I use it to clean metal mags. I haven’t ever had it gum up. Inside and outside of the mags.
WD40 is a lubricant, as well stated on their website and from universal user experience. Good on you for using it, and not falling for the trap of overpaying for cheap Mexican and Chinese oils labeled as “gun lubricants” and sold in fancy bottles to loose-walleted suckers.
WD-40 became commercially available 60 years ago. Just sayin'
Dad? Is that you? Lol
@@georgeclark7208 actually 68 years ago l / September 23 first sold
I never used WD-40 as lubricant, I used it to DISPLACE WATER and as a light SOLVENT.
After that, I use an oil like Hoppe’s 9.
WD-40 evaporates after a while, if it’s getting “gumed up” there’s probably another component in the mix like wax.
That’s what I was thinking. I haven’t ever had WD-40 gum up.
I use it for cleaning my guns. It is a good cleaner. I then wipe it off completely as possible and then rinse my gun with a good spray gun oil. Always use a good gun oil. I prefer Lucas gun oils.
Its not a good cleaning product at all.
Thats what ive done for 30years. Spray, scrub, clean, oil. Never seen it hurt wood or finishes.
@@RobinRobertsesq but it’s cheap and not a bad cleaning product
@@assfacetheclown29 it is a bad cleaning product. If you want cheap, use Ed's Red do it yourself formula.
@@RobinRobertsesq your opinion. WD-40 is a solvent! Which means it can break down, remove, dissolve, & clean hundreds of things; probably more. That's a FACT.🤭
I have used WD-40 with a soft cloth as a first step to clean surface rust from guns. I find that this will loosen and remove rust without scuffing the finish. Then I clean the surfaces with mineral spirits and coat with a film of oil. It is important to finish the process immediately to prevent the rust from flashing back. I'd never expect it to work as a lubricant.
In a unrelated story on the topic of WD-40. I was shooting with a group on BLM land in Nevada. One of the shooters that day had a Ruger AR556. After the last round of a magazines, he hit the bolt release and the bolt froze mid stroke. It wouldn't retract with the charging handle and wouldn't ho home with "reasonable force" on the forward assist. He retrieved a can of WD-40 from his Razor. He sprayed the bolt carrier down through the ejection port and a minute or two later the recoil spring was able to push the bolt home. But I'm not convinced that the malfunction wasn't a product of using WD-40 to begin with.
I found out real quick when I used WD-40 on my dads old Mossberg. It ruined the wood finish.
WD-40 (Water Displacing Formula #40) was actually developed for the outer skin on the Atlas Missile to protect it from coastal air. Several formulas were tried but #40 is what they bought.
Used so that ice would not stick to the skin of the missile when it was being fueled in the silo prior to launch
I thought it didn't get the contract, so they sold it commercially since it worked well.
@@sinisterthoughts2896 My dad told me this. He worked on Atlas at Vandenberg AFB.
I’ve used WD-40 forever but will keep that in mind for future cleanings. Thank you
I'v been told by older people in the 80's
it was a good oil for 🔫's but later in the
90's I worked at a 🔫 store and found out
that is not good.
I agree with everything you have said regarding WD-40. It is good stuff for what it is designed for. I've used it to remove light rust from blued barrels, it works well for this. Quite a few years ago a J frame S&W failed to fire 3 out of 5 times in a real shoot out during the robbery of a pawn shop. The ammo was new Super Vel. It was determined that the owner of the J frame used WD 40 on the gun and the excellent penetrating characteristics of the WD 40 allowed it to get into the primers of the ammunition thus causing them to fail. I knew the shop owner who was the victim and he told the story. I also heard it repeated by gunsmiths in the area and by the firearms examiner from the PD that investigated the robbery. There was no loss of life in the incident. One of the Super Vel rounds connected with one of the robbers seriously wounded him. All three were caught and successfully prosecuted for the crime. So there is another reason to keep WD 40 away from your guns. Keep up the good work guys.
REM OIL is one of the best lubricants for firearms in my opinion. It contains Teflon, I have been using it for over a decade, with zero problems.
I use WD-40 when I bought a 9X18 makarov it was covered in cosmoline. I stripped it down to the bare bones and soaked it with Kerosene and followed up with WD-40 and wipe it down with a rag , then applied rem oil to the whole surface. There was no more odor other than the rem oil. No problems.
As a gunsmith I’ve run across a few gun “lubricants” that also gum up over time...
Please name some, I don't use them.
@@stevenrichards3699 Frog Lube (spray) is the worst I’ve come across. Others I can’t name since they were applied some time prior by customers who didn’t remember. My preferred oil is G96 or Hoppes.
@@victorbrown3032 thanks
Caleb, great hair as always. Can you go over gun grease. When to use it, when not to use it.
Maybe that's what he uses in his hair
this is a question I've had ever since I started using and maintaining firearms; I gave up the search for the ultimate cleaner/lubricant and just defaulted to classic Hoppe's out of frustration.
Mainly for long term storage or high volume parts; think trigger sear surfaces or bolt raceways.
Use a tiny amount at the wear points. A small stiff paintbrush works well for not putting too much on, all you need is a thin film. Lithium grease is fine, aluminum, or marine grease is also really good.
I've used grease for AKs and bolt actions, oil for everything else. Grease works good if your gun is getting really hot too, but it gets too thick in the winter.
Great content! That slow hammer demo was spot-on. Same thing happened to me at a carbine class, old Frog Lube killed my AR.
It was also known to deaden primers. I have a retired state police firearms examiner friend that told me it was common practice for many officers to spray their gun down with wd-40 after a shift and the spray being a penetrating oil would over time work it's way around the cartridge primer. He told me that the issue presented itself during qualifying shoots many times. Guys would attemp to fire their guns and get clicks instead of bangs...
Some people don’t listen and are stuck in their ways.
BAM! You guys nailed this one.
MY story: Years ago, about 1980 to be exact, I used WD-40 on all my guns. One day I went pheasant hunting in Garfield, WA, in a light snow. I had wiped my shotgun down with a fresh coat of WD-40 the evening before. Before I was halfway through the hunt, rust was showing up all over my Win 1200 barrel.
I threw that can of WD-40 away after that and have never used it for anything again. It has its purpose, and that purpose is a very narrow window and does not include firearms.
After you cleaned your gun with WD-40 you should use a lubricant that has some corrosion protection properties like RemOil or Balistol. Nothing on the can of WD-40 about lubrication or preventing rust so why would you think it would be good for that?
@@FrankLadd Because like many others owner do, the little gun emblem on the can makes one think it's good for guns when it's not.
"Nothing on the can about lubrication or preventing rust "?
When was the last time you read the label on a can of WD-40 ?
@@barrygrant2907 WD-40 in my experience is good for cleaning up rusty guns. I have a M1868 Springfield in .50-70 that is over 150 years old and had a load of rust in the barrel(.50-70 is a black powder cartridge, so shooting without properly cleaning it up after will cause this). WD-40 and a wire brush got almost all of it off, and the pitting under the rust turned out not to be that bad. Of course if you do this you need to wash it all of and oil afterwards, as WD-40 can cause corrosion if left on the surface of the metal. As far as general cleaning I use water and oil after for black powder and break free and oil after with smokeless powder.
Thank you for putting this video out guys! I was just telling some followers to not use WD-40 on their guns last week!
A couple decades ago as a young mechanic I wondered why the tools in my toolbox that I sprayed with WD40 corroded faster those I sprayed with Kroil. I never did figure that out but I have used Kroil as a rust prohibitor on all of my firearms ever since because of my toolbox experiment and have never seen rust.
I use it just to protect the outside of my firearms during storage. It's worked for decades.
Ballistol , if you can find it.
I remember in high school civics class our teacher was a WWII veteran. He told us WD- 40 stood for "war department formula no. 40" and it was originally made of whale oil. They developed it to use on rifles when the soldiers were shipped over seas on boats to remove rust and salt water from the rifles.
Water Displacement #40......
For the past 40 years I've been using my wife's sewing machine oil for the moving parts of my handguns and a light coating of Hoppes gun oil on the outside surfaces for rust prevention. Works for me.
I use it to remove cosmoline and gunk from bolts and metal parts.
Brake cleaner works better.
@@benjimenfranklin7650 Carb cleaner or Intake cleaner does wonders on cosmoline.
@@bayoumike544
Yeah I found that out back in the 1990s . I got a few SKS rifles and they were covered in cosmoline. The first one I worked on it for a week to clean it up and a friend said break cleaner would get it off so I tried it and it was really clean after. Don't forget to oil the gun the break cleaner will strip all oil off your gun.
@@benjimenfranklin7650 That it will. Used alot of brake cleaner in 30 years of auto repair.
Caleb... that was Golden!
Very informative and a great team.
I have used Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil for decades. It's been around since early 1900's. It works on guns, wood, leather too.
Growing up, WD-40 was always on my Uncle's range table for cleaning purposes. It wasn't used for lube, but more for stubborn fowling. That being said, 10w30 synthetic oil was used for lubrication.
"fouling" ... ;) sorry, I'm a Grammar Nazi. I'm in treatment
For a lube, USArmy Quartermaster uses Dri-slide - Molybdenum Disulfide it was the answer for M16 & M14 problems !!!
I still use WD-40, but as solvent for the carbon on the parts of the firearm, afterwards i wipe it off till the part is clean and lubricate them with Ballistol.
Ballistol. Use ballistol. It does this and lubricates too.
@@ReckerFidelWOLF I don't mind using WD-40 as a solvent only, so far it hadn't gave me any issues.I had seen several people using it as a solvent after field exercises and live fire not to mention other weird stuff, like break cleaners. WD-40 doesn't seem to be the worst thing out there.
@@Swiss.Alpinism Like a wet dog fur.
there is a point to use it inside a revolver barrel and inside a revolvers cylinder round holders, where there is no "moving parts" to gum up. most economical powder remover.
Another product to keep at arm's length is Simple Green and its sibling, Simple Purple. I use the latter in my part's washer because it's good at flushing out gunk. But afterwards, make sure you dry and coat the parts with a suitable oil or preservative. And never leave metal or wood parts near the soak tank unless you enjoy removing rust and repairing wood warping. Ask me how I know.
I've used it for decades as a rust preventative ,and I like it .
Exactly, WD 40 corrosion, not regular, was along with frog lube and Hornandy One Shot were the 3 best corrosion resistant products tested out of dozens of well known ones. But not a godd lube at all. I've used WD-40 for 25 years on the outside of my guns and never had rust issues or gummy sticky issues as claimed.
My dad loved WD-40. I like it a lot, but I'd never use it on a gun, except possibly as noted in the video. Give me CLP or give me death.
@0:06 and @0:14 the priceless look on Caleb's face tells the whole story here without having to watch the the entire video
Went cougar hunting with my dad years ago. After only calling in moose and some deer we decided to shoot some targets before going home.
No rounds would fire, it was cold out and the wd 40 made the firing pin inoperable.
Very glad I didn't call a cougar in, always carry a backup gun since.
Sounds like you never fired your weapons to even sight them in before your hunt. Project Farm has demonstrated that WD-40 flows freely as a liquid as low as -15F.
@@stuntmanmike37 yeah we take unsighted rifles cause that makes sense. You should go ahead and use wd40 in your rifle.
WD-40 is just a name at this point. They have actual lubricants now, but none that are gun safe. AmsOil on the other hand does have gun oils, much to my surprise.
Who do you think makes that?
Who do I think makes what?
They are cashing in on the ignorance of average gun owners who are like religious zealots lining up to pay obscene prices for a product if it says "for guns" on it.
40-odd years ago I thought WD-40 was just the thing. But living in hot, humid summertime Toronto, I quickly discovered surface rust on my blued Ruger .22 pistol. I've been against the stuff ever since.
You mean 'humid' summertime Toronto LOL. I know you have some hot days, but when the average high in July is 79 deg F (26 deg C), you don't have what we call hot Summers south of the Mason/Dixon.
I did an emergency rust and dust bunny removal with WD-40 followed with 3 in 1 sewing machine oil for a revolver that was stored under a bed for years on a towel. There wasn't anything else at my grandmothers house and I figured kill the rust and dust before the pitting gets dangerous. I did avoid the polymerization with the 3 in 1 oil so it would be protected until I could come back with some Hoppe's no 9 to clean it properly later.
For the first 10 years I owned guns, I used WD-40 as both a solvent and lubricant for my guns. I never had any problems during that time. Then I started hearing everybody tell me how bad it was for the guns and I quit and switched to cleaners and lubricants meant for guns. I figured why risk it when my guns cost me several hundred dollars each? But I still remember having zero problems those first 10 years. Make of that what you will.
Whenever I hear that raging guitar intro I know I'm in for something good.
two questions for Steve or Caleb:
-sometimes if I have nothing to do maybe once every 3 months I'll clean my guns with CLP, even if they've been put away clean. I've seen opinions that this actually harms your firearm, which makes no sense to me, especially with the salt air we have here in Florida. Any logic to this?
-because CLP seems to be so universally praised I use that if I don't have heavy fouling in which case I'll start with Hoppes. After a few months after a CLP application I see that the residue is slightly greenish and slightly thicker. Is this okay?
That is copper particles in the "teflon/CLP" coating , -ie.- the greenish hue might be coming from if you use a copper/brass cleaning brush , and the CLP is pulling off the copper residue left overtime, and then the copper oxidizes(turns green)- shouldn't hurt anything. Copper residue also comes off of brass casings being fired/cycled, and turns green over time, even if you don't use a brass cleaning brush, that may be where it comes from, and the CLP pulls it off the gun.
That, or you have mold/pollen +humidity growing a little green "stuff" on the teflon coating(Florida afterall) LOL- not a problem either.
CLP/Telfon to me seems a slight yellow, and with age, in different light, can look a little "green", again I suspect that is from copper particles/residue oxidizing
@@chrisperrien7055 Thanks Chris for the complete answer. Makes sense. Have a good weekend.
I've used WD-40 to free up an old gun that had rusted to the point you couldn't get the hammer back. After I got everything freed up and apart, I used a degreaser to clean everything and then a proper lubricant putting it back together. I use it to have free up rusted bolts on other things as well. But you have to be careful concerning WD-40 use on anything that might be exposed to a cold winters day. It will freeze up. Learned that one the hard way.
I've sprayed my 2 Mauser KAR98 Ks. Both were locked in semi humid lockers before I found them. One was rusty on the outside, other outside and inside, also, the first one had lot of cosmoline not properly cleaned out of it. I used some WD-40 inside and out. After it I've used CLP. Up to this day they shot flawlessly
In restoring my fathers Browning A5 circa 1966. The stock and fore grip were saturated with WD 40. I placed the wood in a steel cabinet heated to 120 degrees for 21 days checking daily. I baked out more than a third cup of oil. Dad thought that WD40 was the cure all and hosed down every firearm, fishing reel or anything else mechanical. I was able to restore the A5 but used Ballistol to clean out the gunk from the mechanisms before a sonic bath. I carry a can when waterfowl hunting for as you said, if a shotgun goes swimming I can put it back in service quickly.
Great PSA!
I use motor oil and machine grease to lubricate my firearms. I don’t pay for overpriced and marketed “gun lube”
I use 3in1 oil my self and have for 40 years.
I use moly grease as a lubricant. Very nice to apply just the right amount with a brush and a tube will last forever.
3-in-1 oil, which was once very popular, also hardens over time. Once purchased a Savage auto that had been in dresser drawer since the 1930s, totally frozen with hardened 3-in-1.
I agree. Although, when sprayed down the bore, it does make for a quick and easy bore cleaner. Followed by a couple swabs of Ballistol.
I used it all the time on my m16 to save time cleaning barrel and chamber in the Army but I always finished with CLP. never had any issues. now I use Ams Oil MP spray.
I saw a guy one time use corn oil yep straight corn oil on his Ruger 10-22, well lets just say it gummed the action up.
LOL
Coconut oil if you wanna go the vegetable oil route.
I heard it works great for dry eyes. A couple squirts and no more itchy irritation, also good for hemorrhoids.
Don’t forget to spray some up the nose for a decongestant. And it makes a great deodorant too.
The oldies over here in Australia swear it's good for fixing arthiritis if you spray it on joints & rub it in. They also used to swear on kerosene baths in old age homes to cure skin ailments & lice. Some people don't get wiser as they get older it would seem to me.
I was going to recommend to use as hemorrhoid treatment as well, but you beat me to it. I have found it to be great for those intimate moments as well!
I thought Vicks Vapor rub was good for hemorrhoids and WD-40 was for Swamp Ass for the water (sweat) displacement
@@dustyfarmer So you guys use it down under. 🤠
I use a home-brew known as Ed's Red; equal portions of acetone, kerosene, turpentine and Dexron III ATF (for long-term storage applications I also add an equal portion of lanolin). With the exception of substituting Dexron III for whale oil (until the prohibitions on whaling, ATF used to be whale oil based), the formula is identical to one used by the Frankford Arsenal since before the Civil War (until Jimmy Carter shut down the arsenal in 1977, anyway). The Dexron III also has other surfactants that tend to lend themselves nicely to use in firearms.
I’ve always preferred Hoppe’s #9 and/or Ballistol