Lubricating Lever Guns

[CHEROKEE COWBOY]

Dear Fellow Sportsmen:
Today a friend told me that he lubricates his lever guns with
Mobil 1 Synthetic motor oil. He swears by it. He says it helps
with the slicking/smoothing process. I told him that I did not
believe it and that he may be courting disaster because motor
oil is not the same as gun oil and may be corrosive.

What do you think?

Kindly,
Cherokee Cowboy

[Ol` Joe]

I can`t count the people that claim they use motor oil on their firearms. It may or may not be the best stuff going for the purpose but it sure won`t hurt anything.
Motor oil has lots of adatives/detergents in it to keep carbon floating until the filter traps it. It also is a thicker oil then most gun oils and stays in place a bit better. Personally I think tranny fluid would be a better lube but if I needed to lube or oil down to prevent rust, motor oil would be as good as any.
That said, I try to always use gun oil on guns, motor oil in motors, and fish oil because the Dr said I have to......YMMV

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I quit using gun oils for lubrication years ago. Gun oils attract dust, dirt, powder & lead residue, plant pollens, cat tail fluff, ect, ect, ect. This leads to a gummy mess that can slow down or stop any action.
Years ago someone told me about using powdered graphite for lubrication......tried it (just a little dab will do yah!) and it works great! Doesn't protect from rust, but it does lubricate. A good silicon based lubricant is almost as good, IMHO.
I will use gun oils in the bores to prevent rust, and they also work well on fishing reels.

[jplonghunter]

I have been using Lucas Gun Oil and believe it to be the best all purpose lubricant.IMHO

jplonghunter

[GoodOlBoy]

I have been using 3 in 1 household oil on my leverguns and shotguns for decades. It is all my grandfather used. It works, and it works WELL. There used to be a blue can 3 in 1 household oil that was a 30 weight small engine lube (I think it was designed for hit and miss engines) and I used it when I was doing heavy cleaning on a very filthy gun, or a very rusty gun because it would suspend the junk and made it easy to clean the guns. Then I would oil them afterwards with regular old 3 in 1. I can tell you this, it don't just evaporate and dissapate like modern "gun oils" do. So for good storage and protection it is GREAT stuff.

GoodOlBoy

[Adam Helmer]

Cowboy,

I use Breakfree (CLP) to lube my lever guns, Garands, etc. A DROP on each side of the boltways is enough. I see folks oil a gun so heavily that I must remind them to: "Change the filter while you are at it."

CLP and Hoppe's Gun Oil is so cheap, I would not go to the Walmart Special of motor oil at $1.39 per quart. A quart of gun oil would (or should) last 2 lifetimes, IMO.

Adam

[Jack]

I've never tried motor oil as a firearms lubricant.
When Break Free CLP first came out, you had to write to the manufacturer to get the stuff, as most of it was going to the military. I got a bottle of it, and have used CLP ever since- it works very well, so I've never had reason to try anything else.

[skeet]

I know this is laughable but for oil use(cleaning etc) on guns I usually use 3 in 1. For serious lubrication I use either Break free Rem oil or for winter time use, I use powdered graphite..no oil. The powdered graphite I get from a 5 lb block that was given to me years ago. Fine file takes off what I need. I put it in a spouted plastic squeeze bottle to apply to guns. Works great. And i have used motor oil on guns..mainly Browning A-5s that quit..Little from the dipstick from the car engine on the mag tube got 'er workin again..LOL. Emergency use..mainly in dove season..or shootin pigeons after the first 1000shells. Actually doesn't seem to matter what you use as long as you remove as much as possible with normal cleaning procedures before use. For taking rust off the bbls or receiver I used tranny fluid with fine steel wool. Tried brake fluid once but it smelled too nasty. After removing the wood...I soaked it down in ATF waited a couple hours and scrubber 'er down with 3 or 4 ought steel wool. Stainless if possible. ATF was much cheaper for the purpose than any gun oil

[Ol` Joe]

"3 in 1", I haven`t seen a can of that in years.
3 in 1 and a gal. of "Marvel Mystery oil" were mainstays at home when I was a boy. Dad lubed everything that moved with one or the other and often switched depending on which was closest to hand. I think mostly it was 3-1 in the house and Marvel for anything outside, bike chains, lawnmower, etc. A lot of 3 in 1 was applied to rifles by both of us until I moved out and went strictly to gun oils. Dad liked to use Outers "graphite grease" on bolt lugs or pistols where grease was desired. I`ve since heard on a couple of gun boards though that graphite is corrosive to aluminum and hard on anodized finishes..just hear-say, but........
Dad did demand good high quality motor oil for his vehicles though

[Larryjk]

I clean and repair lever action rifles for a sheep company that issues them to the herders. They use mainly motor oil for lubricant and it becomes varnish when it dries.
A couple use something I would like to identify because it seems to be a blend of Karo syrup and asphalt. Kroil won't cut it. I let the action (less buttstock) stand in a bucket of regular 85 octane car gas for a couple days and that loosens the gunk. On personal firearms I use Nyoil or graphite (depending on season) and on areas where there is a lot of pressure Rig Plus-P stainless grease. Don't go too cheap on lubricant, unless you want your guns to wear. Never lubricate the trigger. Then it fills with varnish and dust.